As with all our reports, we’d like to start off by expressing our gratitude to all of you who have generously donated to this project.
You may have noticed that we reduced the funding goal for this project, meaning it is now fully funded. This reduced funding target is due to an organisational decision to phase out our welfare/poverty relief projects. We are replacing these less sustainable projects with income generating opportunities. Our aim has always been to make the communities less reliant on outside assistance.
While it has been useful in the past to give communities a helping hand with basic necessities, we’re happy to say that they have now reached a point where more sustainable projects are inline with their current and future needs. To read more about the changes to our focus areas, please click here.
Your donations towards this project have led the local community to a point where they are more empowered. Your generosity has also allowed us to focus our attention on projects that provide long-term sustainable solutions.
All the funds from the project have now been disbursed and have provided the following to the Shan Refugee Camp:
As this project will soon be closed, we hope to draw your attention to our education project within the same community. We feel that this education project will bring long-term positive change to the Shan Camp community and we truly hope that you will consider being a part of it:
Empower Ethnic Burmese Refugees Through Education
With sincerest gratitude,
Tom Rosen and The Branch Foundation Team.
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We at The Branch Foundation were truly amazed to see the response to this new project - especially during the October Bonus Day when your donatons raised over $1300 in under 12 hours. This meant that all donations made on that day were matched at 30% by GlobalGiving, ensuring that your generosity goes a little bit further!
One priority of the project is helping local teachers in the Shan Refugee Camp pass on their skills to the younger generation. Therefore, we recently transfered money to the Camp to provide stipends for both the computer teacher and the education/project coordinator for the next three months - $540 in total.
In January 2013, we will visit the camp and assess their current educational needs. We will be sure allocate funding accordingly and keep you fully updated.
We recently spoke to Sai Leng, the Camp Leader, reagrding the project. He highlighted the importance of education within the Shan Camp by saying:
"The educational skills that The Branch Foundation has helped support are crucial for the future of our children".
We hope that you continue following us on our journey with the young residents of the refugee camp. Please consider donating again or sharing this project with your friends and family to ensure that these vibrant children continue to thrive.
As it's holiday season, consider celebrating by giving the gift of education in honor of a loved one via the following link:
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/empower-ethnic-burmese-refugees-through-education/?show=gift
Many thanks, and happy holidays!
Tom Rosen and The Branch Foundation Team
Links:
Happy holidays all the way from Thailand!
The Branch Foundation would once again like to express our enormous thanks for your generous donations. The unwavering support you’ve shown has given peace of mind to vulnerable communities across South-East Asia.
Fortunately no emergency situations have affected South-East Asia since our last report. In light of this lack of disasters in the region, we’d like to bring your attention to a prominent food security concern we’ve been combating over the last year.
The residents of the Shan Refugee camp (Koung Jor), based in northwestern Thailand, have scarcely enough space to raise livestock or grow vegetables. This geographic challenge has led to a distinct lack of available protein, making the community prone to malnutrition and illness. Throughout 2012, we’ve supplied the camp with protein-rich Yellow Beans, ensuring that those in the community can lead healthier lives. This March, we plan to use $300 of your donations to continue providing the Shan Camp with Yellow Beans for 3 more months. Without these beans, health conditions within the camp would decline once again.
Your continued generosity is essential to the livelihoods of those in the Shan community. Upon realizing that people benefit as much from healthy minds as the do from healthy bodies, we recently launched an exciting education project based in the camp. We hope you can take a moment to click the link below and empower the Shan youth to realize their full potential:
Empower Ethic Burmese Refugees Through Education
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season,
Tom Rosen and The Branch Foundation Team
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