Impact to Date

KEEN New York announced today that it is expanding its sports program to support an additional 50 children with special needs. Since its inaugural swim session in June 2009 , the New York chapter of KEEN has seen tremendous growth. The program will now serve a total of 160 children in the five boroughs with this expansion.

“The unique services that KEEN New York provides have become an integral part of the lives of many families in our area,” commented Nichole Cerimele, Executive Director. “We are extremely proud to be able to broaden our reach and are grateful to our volunteers who are critical to the continued success of our program.”

Children receive one-on-one attention, as every child is paired with an individual volunteer. The program is free for all families; a child will never be turned away due to any disabilities. Beginning in September, the Manhattan sports program will expand their program at the East 54th Street Parks and Recreation facility. The two hour program will continue to provide a respite time for the parents as well as a fun unstructured session for children to be social. We are able to do this because of you with your generous donation(s). Thank you!

On November 10th, 2010 KEEN New York will hold their third annual fall fundraiser at The Ainsworth in Manhattan. It will also be the kick-off of the Duck Dash, a campaign to raise $6,000 to expand the swim program for a year beginning January 2011.

KEEN is a national nonprofit organization that provides one-on-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities at no cost to their families and caregivers.

Links:

• Our website

Pictures:

• high_five_mike.jpg (JPG)

"Ecole Eddy Pascal Takes Education Forward"

Ecole Eddy Pascal was a cornerstone of the local community in Carrefour, Haiti, for over 25 years. Housed in an imposing three-story building, Ecole Eddy Pascal offered elementary and secondary school, classes for adults and a cultural club for the community. But the facility collapsed on January 12, and the school director, Eddy Pascal himself, began searching for a way to start over.

"The first thing we did was ask parents what they had and what they could contribute," he said. "But then Save the Children arrived and gave us exactly what we needed."

Soon there were tents for classrooms, blackboards, equipment and supplies. Children received school kits including a backpack, notebooks and writing utensils. Save the Children has also been training the teachers on how to help children cope with the emotional stress children have suffered from the earthquake. In addition, teachers are coached on how to handle aftershocks that might occur during school hours, making them better prepared to respond in an emergency situation.

"I'm very happy for the opportunity to participate in the trainings," says teacher Jean-Joab. "Psychologically we are much more prepared now."

Jean-Joab hopes the children will be able to move forward despite the suffering they have experienced and the challenges they continue to face. He continues, "I want the children to be able to live their lives with the tools they gain here so that education is practical for their lives. I am much more patient now. We have just come out of a nightmare."

"Making a Home for the School: Cash-for-Work and Education Working Together"

When the January 12 earthquake completely destroyed the Ecole Mixte Etzer Vilaire des Orangers in Jacmel, Haiti, School Director Joseph Constant was devastated. The remnants of the foundation are the only evidence the school ever even existed. Fortunately school had ended by the time the earthquake hit, and no one was hurt. "I thought there was no way school could continue," Mr. Constant explains, "but I knew we had to find a way to prevent the children from slipping in their studies. So now we have a friendship with Save the Children."

In addition to clearing an area for a temporary school through a cash-for-work program, Save the Children provided tents, benches, blackboards, and a school kit for children including a backpack, writing utensils and a workbook. Local community members who were engaged in the cash-for-work program also set up the tents and cleared the rubble from the former school location. They are now working to prepare the new school site.

Participants in the cash-for-work program are local community members who were affected by the earthquake, some of whom had lost their home or their livelihood in the disaster. The program also specifically supports people with three or more children and women who are heads of household.

The students are thrilled to be back in classes. "School is important because we need to learn," exclaims the first grade class almost in unison. "It's important to know how to write so that we can spell our names," adds 7-year-old Woudline. Each student in the first grade class has a goal: they want to "work the land" or "build houses" or "be a nurse."

Twelve-year-old Monise states in a serious tone, "After school I'm going to work so that I can help my mother."

The school had 127 students prior to the earthquake. To date, 92 students have returned. Many others have left the area as families migrated to other regions or children who had been in the care of a relative returned to parents' homes.

Mr. Constant is hopeful that school attendance will continue to grow as they move into their new, permanent location. "Education is the key to freedom," Mr. Constant declares. "Both the school and Save the Children know it is our duty to educate children. To work in education is a matter of the heart."

Save the Children has been working in Haiti since 1978 and had numerous education projects in place prior to the earthquake. Since January 12, education programming has expanded to include over 270 schools that are now benefitting from tents, tarpaulins, equipment, supplies, school kits and/or teacher training. Save the Children plans to provide access to school for more than 160,000 children in Haiti.

Estamos muy emocionados de poder compartir con todos ustedes las buenas noticias sobre la evolución de esta campaña que por primera vez se da en la Costa Caribe colombiana:

El día 15 de septiembre es la fecha programada para la rueda de prensa que daremos a todos los medios de comunicación escritos y hablados de la ciudad, con motivo del lanzamiento de nuestra campaña de sensibilización: “SER DIFERENTE ES NORMAL”.

Tal y como lo habíamos anunciado, desde el 10 de septiembre y durante un mes tendremos dos vallas publicitarias ubicadas en sitios estratégicos de la ciudad. En una valla estará nuestra futbolista Daniela, cuya aptitud principal es poder anotar los goles desde el medio campo y en otra, el músico Humberto, quien además de músico es compositor. El objetivo principal de estas imágenes es demostrar que todos somos diferentes y que precisamente son nuestras aptitudes y habilidades los que nos diferencia a unos de otros.

A partir de esta misma fecha, repartiremos 15.000 volantes informativos sobre el Síndrome de Down en 100 taxis de la ciudad. Estos volantes pretenden dar información muy precisa sobre las personas con Síndrome de Down, la necesidad de que le brindemos la oportunidad de desarrollarse y el derecho de que sean incluidos en todos los ámbitos de la sociedad.

También, durante este mes y hasta noviembre, estaremos visitando 42 colegios públicos y privados de la ciudad y municipios aledaños, donde realizaremos dos actividades lúdicas con los estudiantes de 4to y 7mo grado, cuyo objetivo es hacer más tolerantes a los estudiantes y profesores sobre las diferencias individuales.

En los meses de septiembre y octubre estaremos realizando actividades culturales en dos centros comerciales de la ciudad, donde ofreceremos una muestra de danza y estaremos repartiendo manillas y volantes informativos.

Cerraremos el mes de septiembre con una noche de humor a la que asistirán 100 pediatras de la ciudad, haciendoles entrega del protocolo médico para personas con Síndrome de Down y unos boletines informativos.

Gracias de nuevo a todos ustedes por su apoyo, estamos seguros de que todas estas actividades incrementarán la sensibilización, disiparán mitos comunes y erradicará el temor acerca de las personas con síndrome de Down Syndrome en nuestra sociedad.

As summer comes to a close and students go back to school we can look back over the last few months. Several of our students participated in the DC Summer Youth Employment Program and worked in different internships around the city. The DC Summer Youth Employment Program places students in jobs all over DC in varying fields such as Arts, Design and Media; Building and Grounds Maintenance; Government; Community and Social Services; Construction Trades; Education, Training and Library Science; Health Care Support; Hospitality and Tourism; Office and Administration Support; and Sports and Physical Education.

We look forward to the 2010-2011 school year and all that we can accomplish this year!

Links:

• Coaching for College
• Find us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter

*versión en español a continuación

In August, 2010, the Graduates Network began a Vocational Development Orientation training course with the Employment Service of the AMIA (Asociación Mutua Israelita Argentina) in La Plata.

Participating Cimientos graduates are from Almirante Brown, Berazategui, Ensenada, Florencio Varela, and Quilmes. This program will last for approximately 3 months, and there will be 3 group meetings as well as 3 private individual coaching sessions related to creating a successful resumé and optimizing performance in a job interview.

Participants will also work on developing their strengths and skills in order to apply them to the workplace, and they will receive personalized support with regard to identifying potential jobs that are suitable to their skill-sets and interests so that they can successfully enter the workforce.

Finally, we are happy to announce that 175 alumni are logging onto our blog on a daily basis, using this forum to ask questions, communicate with each other, and access new information and opportunities posted online!

Thank you for your continued support!

-- The Cimientos Graduates Network Team

En el mes de agosto la Red de Egresados inició una capacitación de orientación para la búsqueda de empleo con el Servicio de Empleo de la Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) en La Plata.

Están participando 20 jóvenes de Almirante Brown, Berazategui, Ensenada, Florencio Varela y Quilmes. La capacitación durará aproximadamente 3 meses, y se harán 3 encuentros grupales y 3 coachings individuales donde les enseñará a armar su Curriculum Vitae y a atravesar con éxito una entrevista laboral.

Asimismo, trabajarán en sus fortalezas y habilidades para desenvolverse en un empleo y recibirán apoyo personalizado para postularse a búsquedas laborales activas de acuerdo a su perfil e intereses para que puedan insertarse en el mercado.

Por último, en relación al blog de egresados sobre el que informamos en el report anterior, ¡ya son 175 chicos logueados que diariamente entran para hacer consultas, comunicarse con todos los usuarios y ver las nuevas oportunidades e información que la Red les va brindando!

¡Gracias por todo el apoyo!

-- Equipo de la Red de Egresados Cimientos

Pictures:

• Students at their job training course (JPG)
• First job-training session in La Plata (JPG)

We are very excited to share with you the good news about the evolution of this first time campaign in the Colombian Caribbean Coast:

September 15 is the scheduled date for the press conference where we´ll invite all communication media of the city, launching officially our public awareness campaign "BEING DIFFERENT IS NORMAL.”.

As we had announced, from September 10 and during a month, we will have two billboards located at strategic locations in the city. In one fence will be our player Daniela, whose main ability is to score goals from midfield and in another, Humberto a musician, who also is a composer. The main purpose of these images is to demonstrate that everyone is different from each other being our skills and abilities what differentiates us from one another.

From that date on, we will distribute 15,000 flyers about Down Syndrome facts in 100 taxis. These leaflets are intended to give very precise information about people with Down Syndrome, the need for us to give them the opportunity to develop and their right to be included in all areas of our society.

Also, during this month until November, we will be visiting 42 public and private schools of the city and surrounding municipalities, where play activities will be done with students in 4th and 7th grade. The activities’ main objective is to make students and teachers more tolerant about difference.

In September and October we will be performing cultural activities in two shopping malls in the city, with a dance demonstration, handing out flyers and giving information.

We close the month of September with a night of humor to be attended by 100 pediatricians, handing them the medical protocol for people with Down syndrome and some newsletters.

Thanks again to all of you for your support, we are sure that all these activities will raise awareness, dispel common myths and allay fear about people with Down Syndrome in our society.

Pictures:

• Daniela-futbolista (JPG)
• Humberto-músico (JPG)
• Volante taxis (JPG)

We are proud to report that Smile Train partners have provided free cleft lip and palate surgery to 208,711 Chinese children since 2001.

In addition, Chung Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan will be hosting The 6th International Workshop on Surgical Techniques in Cleft Lip & Palate and Maxillofacial Surgery from September 27-29, 2010 (http://www.acpa-cpf.org/educmeetings/). Smile Train has sponsored scholarships for 160 partners from around the world to attend.

Pictures:

• Tian, China, Hebei Priviledge Hospital, Before (JPG)
• Tian, China, Hebei Priviledge Hospital, After (JPG)

The past 3 months have been busy for the team at Kibera Mpira Mtaani. The organisation has gone from strength to strength and their education program in particular has made great steps forward with a new resource centre being built. This will allow them to provide study space for students who have joined secondary school after being part of the organisation’s after-school tuition program.

In the month of August, schools in Kenya are closed so this is usually the time when the annual “Manchester for Kibera” tournament is hosted by Kibera Mpira Mtaani. Unfortunately, the funding was not available for the tournament this year but the committee resolved to provide activities for the children who use the resource centre.

Working with a local church, sponsorship was found to send a group of children to a Christian holiday camp. This gave the children an opportunity to spend a week outside of Kibera taking part in planned activities. A great time was had by all who attended and the chairman of Kibera Mpira Mtaani reported that the children came back refreshed and strong.

Thanks to teachers from two international schools in Nairobi, another group of children enjoyed a day out at the National museum. A third group was taken to the Special Olympics which were held in the Nyayo National Stadium. After each of these outings, the children were encouraged to write about their experiences.

Through Twitter, a local volunteer came forward and offered to start up art classes for some children at the centre. Working with a group of around 15 to 20 children it is hoped that he can help them develop their talents and explore their creativity. As art does not appear in the Kenyan primary school curriculum there are very few opportunities for these talents to be explored so we hope the art classes at Kibera Mpira Mtaani will be a great success. Another local group is working with a small number of children from the centre to train them in photography and film-making. Again, this is a fantastic opportunity for the children and could possibly lead to a way to earn a living when they leave school.

In terms of football, Kibera Mpira Mtaani has been working with CARE Kenya to help facilitate a tournament and is also planning to host its annual tournament for informal schools which is due to take place in October. Funds permitting, this will allow 16 schools in Kibera to put forward a boys team and a girls team to compete for awards such as books and sports equipment. The informal schools are those not funded by the government and cannot generally afford to take part in government run sporting activities. Kibera Mpira Mtaani’s tournament offers a unique opportunity for students from informal schools to show off their talents. An additional benefit is that players move among the 13 villages of Kibera to play in matches and this allows them to make new friends and break down barriers between villages.

At the start of the World Cup, Kibera Mpira Mtaani launched its first income generating activity. Through a grant, a satellite dish was installed and local residents can pay a small fee to watch games from the English Premier League, European Champions League and various other events. It is hoped that once this enterprise has built up it will allow the organisation to make a contribution towards its running costs.

In the meantime, the project relies on donations to continue with the great work it is doing in the community. Our thanks go to everyone who has contributed to this project through Global Giving and we hope you feel part of something great that is happening in Kibera and will spread the word so we can involve more people and give Kibera Mpira Mtaani as much support as possible. On behalf of the Kibera Mpira Mtaani committee....asanteni sana (thank you very much!)

Links:

• Video about 2009 Informal Schools Tournament

Pictures:

• Chairman with TV donated for Income Generation (JPG)
• Children drawing in the new resource centre (JPG)

Dear Project of the Month Club Members,

Thank you all for another amazing month!

During the month of August, we raised $710 from 30 members to support a project called "Restore Eye Sights To 500 Bangladeshis." We were able to provide screening for fifty cataract patients and fund cataract surgery for ten people. The picture above is of one woman whose eyesight was restored during GlobalGiving-funded surgery this past month. Your donation has given her the miraculous gift of sight!

During the month of September, your donation will support a Back-to-School project called "Provide Technology For Haitian Students." This project was started by Jeff, a Pennsylvania middle school teacher, who wanted to find a new way to engage his students. Together, they found a school in Haiti to partner with and have set up a wiki where the students create lessons for each other. They have regular Skype video conferences between the two classrooms where they provide video instruction on topics ranging from English to electrical circuit design.

Since none of the Haitian students have computers at home - and the school only has limited resources - this project is also working to build a new computer lab for the school in Haiti. As one of their recent project reports shows, they have completed building the room, including installing new desks and chairs, but don't yet have it equipped with computers. That's where we come in.

With your generous monthly donation, this September we expect to be able to purchase a computer for the computer lab in Haiti, as well as provide an internet connection for that computer for the first semester of the school year, and training for the teachers on how to utilize technology effectively to improve the quality of education for their students. What an incredible accomplishment you are supporting!

As always, if you know of someone who you think would enjoy belonging to the project of the month club we encourage you to spread the word. Although the impact we are able to make is a great one, if just 14 more people join with a $25 donation during the month of September it would enable us to purchase a second computer for the Haitian students' computer lab.

We'll be in touch next month to cover the impact we've made together and tell you about our next exciting Project of the Month.

Sincerely,

Mari

Links:

• Restore Eye Sights To 500 Bangladeshis (August 2010)
• Provide Technology for Haitian Students (September 2010)

Pictures:

• A Cataract Patient Immediately After Operation (JPG)
• Provide Technology for Haitian Students (JPG)

Whilst South Bihar reels under the effects of a severe drought once again in North Bihar

the floods are causing havoc.

Thanks to your generosity we have been able to offer immediate assistance working closely with small and grass roots organisations.

This has included medicines, clean water, blankets and food. This help is going directly to people in urgent and desperate need.

Please find below a report from IBN, an Indian news channel

Patna, Aug 31 (PTI) Around one million people continue to reel under the impact of recent floods in eight districts of Bihar where 39 people have so far died, while there is no let up in the situation with major rivers in the spate. According to Disaster Management Department Control room's bulletin issued today, the floods have so far claimed 39 lives during the past over one month.

While 28 people met their watery grave as boats sank in rivers in different places in these flood-hit districts, 11 were drowned in the flash floods caused by swollen rivers, the bulletin said. Around one million people continued to reel under the impact of the floods in 462 villages spread over 193 panchayats in the districts of Gopalganj, Saharsa, Supaul, Muzaffarpur, Katihar, Madhubani, Purnia and West Champaran, official sources said.

The authorities have as on date made available 6,613 quintals of rice/wheat, distributed cash worth Rs 25.03 lakh, match boxes numbering around 20,000, besides 12,705 metres of polythene sheets to the affected people in the districts, they said.

The Central Water Commission sources said most rivers in Bihar were flowing above the danger level in various places along their course in Bihar. While Ganga was flowing 15 cm, 27 cm, 52 cm and 67 cm above the danger mark at Gandhighat, Kahalgaon, Sahebganj and Farakka respectively, Ghaghra's water level was 14 cm and 36 cm above the danger mark at Barauli and Bhangpursiswan. Similarly, Burhi Gandak was flowing 15 cm above the red mark at Khagaria, while Bagmati was flowing 79 cm above the danger level at Hayaghat and Kosi 38 cm, 120 cm and 48 cm above the danger mark at Basua, Baltara and Kursela districts in Bihar, the commission said.

Yesterday, August 30, 2010, we began work on Project Hometree here at La Reserva.

Thank you to the McConachie family from Austin, Texas who were instrumental in completing the funding and to all of you who donated generously to this project. Because of you 8000 native trees are being planted, restoring eight hectares of tropical forest and increasing the habitat for the ever-increasing fauna at La Reserva.

The crew of workers worked yesterday and today cutting rows with machetes in the deeply meshed African grass. Today we brought some of the extra species we needed from the ICE (Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad) nursery.

The workers shoulders were tired this afternoon from chopping the past two days. Now that all of the species are assembled they will have a couple of days hauling them in wheelbarrows to the planting site and planting them.

Please be sure to see the photos, they tell the story better than words. We will keep you informed of our progress.

Links:

• Blog about Project Hometree

Pictures:

• The furrow where the trees will be planted (JPG)
• The crew chopping (JPG)
• Sharpening the machete (JPG)
• Unloading three truck loads of trees (JPG)
• Deep grass (JPG)
• At lunchtime today (JPG)

Baby Buggy continues to support the 60 families enrolled in the Family Resource Center in the Bronx; these families receive regular donations of critical baby gear, diapers, clothing and many other essentials. Since March 2008, Baby Buggy has donated 87,269 items to client families enrolled in the Family Resource Center!

We recently sent a donation of over 1,000 items to the Family Resource Center to help these families participate in exciting 'back to school' rituals as they now have the necessary supplies and resources to do so. These donations will certainly help the children get off to a great start this school year!

Baby Buggy is currently recruiting client families enrolled in the Family Resource Center to participate in a Credit Where Credit Is Due workshop cycle that is scheduled for October. This will help these families develop personal financial plans, create a monthly budget, open bank accounts and improve their credit scores - this workshop is such a valuable resource. The combination of Baby Buggy donations, which help to off-set the expenses associated with purchasing costly baby supplies and gear, and these financial education workshops can truly help improve their financial situation!

I recently returned from Haiti, where I traveled to Grand Boulage to monitor ongoing activities in the community. We shared in the fruits of the community’s efforts quite literally, enjoying pumpkin soup, salad, and other delicious foods! I was able to observe many results of project support such as watering cans in the nursery alongside tree seedlings, healthy goats, chickens, rabbits, and kitchen gardens.

In addition to these tangible results achieved through the Feeding Families project and its collaborative partners, the longer-term, intangible outcomes are just as rewarding. One story that stands out is that of Delicame Murat, who will soon begin classes to learn to read and write. She is able to afford the tutor thanks to her earnings in rabbit production.

Another example is a producer who has become successful in her production that she now tracks animal breeding and earnings very closely with recordkeeping notebooks. The records help in management of activities. She is using the information strategically, choosing to focus more efforts on the activities which are more productive.

In general, the pride and sense of accomplishment is obvious on the faces of the people. They display their results with pride, and even when there are setbacks, the result is increased determination to overcome the problem rather than giving up. Our local project managers even describe the community members as appearing “younger” now. Their improved health, empowerment, and social status is apparent in the way they carry themselves and go about daily life. As a donor to this project, that is something I can feel good about!

Below are some photos from Grand Boulage, and you can read more on Partners of the Americas’ Farmer to Farmer blog at http://farmertofarmer.blogspot.com/2010/08/successful-micro-entrepreneurs-in-haiti.html. The blog highlights a few of the producers and the collaboration with other groups which helps make the Feeding Families project so successful. Thank you for your contribution to this project.

Links:

• Farmer to Farmer Blog Article

Pictures:

• Seedlings such as coffee, almond, and mango (JPG)
• Adult and young goats (JPG)
• Producers proudly displaying their record books (JPG)

The school in Mata Escura, Creche Sonho Vovo Clara, has been welcoming more and more students each week since we started our support in early June. The school had previously suffered from underfunding, understaffing, poor facilities and a lack of educational direction and this had negatively affected its reputation in the local community.

With the help of GVI volunteers we have set about changing all of this, refurbishing and painting the classrooms, creating a new outside play area, employing local staff and of course bringing a huge range of educational activities to the school. The number of new children enrolling clearly demonstrates how perceptions are changing, however last week we saw proof of how drastically the image has changed.

2 mothers arrived at the school with their children and asked to have a look around, they were hugely impressed by the work they saw going on in the classrooms and the fully revamped facilities. They explained to project intern Paula how they had considered sending their children to the school the year before but had been told locally that it had a bad reputation and instead chose to stretch their very limited finances and send their children to the local fee paying school.

They told us that recently they had heard that everything was changing at Sonho Vovo Clara – they had made a detour to have a look one morning and saw the volunteers welcoming the children with big hugs. They also commented on how impressed they were to see the children leaving in the afternoon carrying art and craft projects.

They decided to enroll their children on the spot and they started on Monday – great evidence of how the hard work of GVI volunteers has overhauled this school in only 3 months and is now providing an invaluable resource for the local community in Mata Escura.

Pictures:

• Project Intern teaching the children (JPG)
• Support for the children helping development (JPG)
• The Children of Mata Escura (JPG)

The mid term results are in for clase Atitlan in community San Adrés Itzapa. One of the morning students Axel led the way with 100's in all subjects! Other children Iris, Yeimy and Erick were not far behind. The top half of the class averaged in the high 80's, this really shows that the support is working as these are some of the poorest children in Guatemala yet these are some of the best results!

On top of this class sizes have swelled to almost 30 in the morning so we have lots of work to do!

Pictures:

• Clase Atitlan (JPG)
• Clase Atitlan (JPG)

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Our comprehensive Annual Report and 990 for 2009 are published. There is a wealth of information in this year's report on each of our programs, the progress we have made, and where we plan to go from here. Skip to the program which your heart is most particularly drawn to. Read over our financial information. Jot down questions you may have and send them to us. You will find this report engaging and rewarding!

We would like to thank you for the incredible amount of support which you have given us. Please know that as you read about how we have changed thousands of lives in 2009 that we will change thousands more in 2010 and 2011 and our work is not possible without your support.

Please feel free to email us at info@nyakaschool.org if you have any further inquiries regarding the information in the 2009 Annual Report and 990.

Sincerely,

Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project

Links:

• 2009 Annual Report
• 2009 990

On August 22nd we had our first Community clean up at the School of Mal Pais. The day was a hot one, and the surf was cranking!!! But the Community showed their support, and kept coming throughout the day with shovels, rakes, plants and wheel barrows. All Materials were donated to the school, and the volunteers quickly set to work. We managed to collect a truck-load full of rubbish from the school grounds. Exposed electrical wires and water tubes were buried, a concrete floor was laid and we planted young trees around the whole grounds, plants and flowers. Students of the school collected fallen branches, while the youngest collected twigs and helped rake fallen leaves. In Costa Rica, when the grass grows and the grounds are un-kept, local snakes move in!!!

Local community member Dona Martha made a huge pot of Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice) for all the workers, and parents brought delicious baked goods to share. The day was a great success, with a head count of over forty!!!

There is still a tremendous amount of work to do at the school, but this day showed there isn't a shortage of volunteers within the community, willing to donate their labour and support the project. As donated funds allow for new materials, the Community, parents and students, will continue to work!!!

Re-roofing the school is next on the list...

Pictures:

• Local student Mal Pais Costa Rica (JPG)
• Local residents volunteering at the school (JPG)
• Toilets and roofing still need repairing (JPG)
• Handmade sign in the school (JPG)

Dear Global Giving Friends,

RAIN is excited to announce a new facet to our Girls Scholarship and Mentoring Program: Reduction in Preventable Diseases Through Health Education!

The principle objective for our new Health Education program will be to protect our partner communities from preventable diseases and treat where necessary. The leading causes of death in Niger are preventable and treatable diseases, including meningitis, diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia, and measles. Children under the age of five are particularly at risk of contracting these diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.

RAIN saw a great opportunity within our mentoring programs to address this issue. Much information is exchanged between girls and their families with the trusted mentors, why not train mentors to also provide health education and basic treatments?

This new expansion will include education about and treatment of meningitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, measles, malaria, and good hygiene practice. RAIN will expand the medical training of mentors, resulting in their increased confidence, empowerment, and use of improved health practices - all assets they can pass down to their children.

After training, each mentor will be responsible for the diagnosis, referral, and treatment of simple medical problems. In addition to the training, RAIN will supply medical supplies, including coartem, coartem syrup, aspirin and paracetamol, metronidazole, tetracycline, cotton gauze, compressor gauze, and oral rehydration salts.

By offering basic medical first aid training, disease prevention, symptom awareness for warning signs of illness, and simple medical kits, RAIN expects to substantially improve the health status in our partner communities. The students in our Mentoring and Scholarship Program will now not only benefit from support, guidance, advocating and skills training from mentors, but will also receive vital health education and medical treatment for themselves and their families. When you support the RAIN Girls Scholarship and Mentoring Program, you are ensuring the well being of these girls in every aspect of their lives, while further increasing the knowledge and skills of their volunteer mentors.

We can’t wait to provide photos and stories as mentors begin their training process and put it into action. Stay tuned!

Warmly,

Bess Palmisicano

Executive Director

RAIN

Pictures:

• RAIN Mentors in Arlit, 2009 (JPG)

Last month we convened a group of amazing people with decades of experience in Guatemala, education, leadership development and literacy to help us take the good curriculum we developed for training our teen reading promoters and make it excellent. 

This curriculum will be part of a training manual (funded by a grant from the Tecovas Family Foundation) that will enable us to hire more community coordinators and expand to more and more communities. Our vision is to have 480 reading promoters in over 30 communities reaching 480,000 children by 2020. 

And expansion is already underway! Daniel Guzmán, our Program Coordinator, is currently in the community of Pujujil (Poo-hoo-HEEL) holding a meeting with community leaders and interested teens as he recruits a new crop of reading promoters. See here (http://www.readingvillage.org/2010/08/index.html) for a two-minute video of Daniel as he eloquently describes his heart-felt vision of our work with the children in his country. 

There are several ways you can help us bring the power of literacy to more children. We need donations to buy books and materials for Pujujil, for scholarships for the new reading promoters and for their training.

In addition to donating you can help in the following ways:

1. Participate in 100 Book Day on November 27th (http://www.readingvillage.org/100-book-day.html).

2. Join and/or promote our Learning Journey to Guatemala, Nov 20-28 (http://www.readingvillage.org/learningjourney.html) 

3. Bring Light Up Literacy to your synagogue for Hanukkah this year (http://www.readingvillage.org/light-up-literacy.html).

4. Bring Literacy for Lent to your church next year (http://www.readingvillage.org/literacy-for-lent.html)

Thank you for all you do to bring the power of literacy to children,

Links:

• Learn more here.

The disasterous flood that come in Bihar almost every years ruins the lives of many people specially of our work area like Begusarai due to the river Koshi. According to one of our case studies of beneficries:-

Before our intervention:- This is a case study of 65 years old, Kupo Devi belonged to a backward class with two sons, who had migrated to Harayana few years ago leaving her behind alone to live a life full of curse. For her the life was a misery untold. Kupo was living alone in her thatched hut and started begging in order to run her livelihood. She was also suffering from Gout and Skin Diseases, thus was unable of doing anything worth for existence. She was just living by the mercy of god and with a wish of her death every day.

After an acquaintance informed the miserable condition of Kupo devi Bihar Gramin Vikas Parishad visited Puniya and saw her pathetic condition, talked to the neighbors, wrote her story and after analyzing her problems provided support of the project by means of food, nutrition, health and hygiene and income generation activities to her.

Now Kupo Devi is getting all her meals on time supported with an income generation activity as well as all her diseases have been cured by the medical support of the organization. She was provided with two goats so that she can run her life easily. Now she has got the beautiful smile back on her face.

Pictures:

• Photograph of Kupo Devi (JPG)

We are grateful to our Globalgiving donors for their ongoing support to ONURA Women Beekeeping Project Sudan.

Our Bee-keeping staff are facing hard time to run the project, and to help more women involve through distribution of Beehives due to donation short coming.

We also understand it is hard time for our donors due to current economic recession which has affected our charity donations. For the past months the bee-keeping donations has fallen by 95%. But the women of ONURA local community of southern are optimistic, motivated and are working hard to bring changes into their rural communities.

The staff of Hope Ofiriha understands that if the world is hit by current recession, and their donors are no different. But people who suffer most are the poorest women of ONURA rural communities southern Sudan. They have no choice but they will be waiting for your “help”.

A quote from a beneficiary:

Bee-keeping provide us with ongoing income for years. This will give hope to women, children, and our village. All we need are beehives - the forest will provide bees, and honey we sell in the local market and buy basic goods.

Thanks for reading this report and you will be hearing from us again in the next three months with latest update from the field.

Thanks for generous contribution!

Pictures:

• Aba - project beneciary (JPG)

Now that Kabissa has begun receiving financial support from stakeholders, it is important for us to begin providing regular updates so that you can understand how your contributions are being put to work to nurture and grow the Kabissa network. This is a crucial moment in the transition of Kabissa from larger project-oriented consulting organization to smaller volunteer organization providing a networking platform on an ongoing, low-cost basis.

Contents of this Progress Report:

* Global Giving Open Challenge raised $6365, including $1280 in pledges

* Site Upgrade

* Introducing Ghislain Siewe, Kabissa Membership Manager

* Resuming Domain Registration for African NGOs

* Participation in the Kabissa Online Community

* 2009 Audit Begins With New CPA Near Bainbridge Island

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any suggestions or ideas for raising funds or if you can see a role for yourself and are able to regularly commit time to Kabissa.

In gratitude and solidarity,

Tobias Eigen, Executive Director

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Global Giving Open Challenge raised $6365, including $1280 in pledges

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Thanks to generous contributions from the Kabissa community, we met (and exceeded!) our Open Challenge goals. You have enabled us to secure a permanent place on the Global Giving platform for Kabissa. As of today, we have received $5,085 from 85 donors through Global Giving since the Open Challenge started on July 15. A number of people were unable to donate in the short timeframe of the campaign and together pledged $1280.

We still need your help! Our total annual budget for covering the core costs of running the Kabissa network is $20,000. To secure this, we have undertaken to raise $5,000 every month until December - which is quite achievable, but only with your involvement.

Please tell a friend about Kabissa directly and ask them to donate. Then spread the word about Kabissa by joining Kabissa on Facebook (http://facebook.com/kabissa) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/kabissa).

Please contact Tobias if you have any feedback or questions about fundraising.

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Site Upgrade

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Thanks to the donations received through Global Giving, we are able to start work this week with the Web Access Open Source team to upgrade our website to the latest version of the CiviCRM platform. This much needed upgrade will fix bugs and bring improvements to the way community members can add and maintain their organization profiles on Kabissa. It also will provide new features in the latest CiviCRM version such as a completely overhauled user interface for administering the database and new tools for managing membership, donations, mailings, reporting and more. The estimated cost of this upgrade is $4,450.

In addition, this upgrade lays the groundwork for projects we would like to carry out in partnership with other organizations to leverage the benefits of the Kabissa platform, for example by adding "traditional" listserv mailing lists to groups, social networking features tailored for African civil society, and support for other languages besides English.

Please contact Tobias if you are interested in getting involved, and create an account for yourself on the Kabissa Roadmap Issue Tracker at http://roadmap.kabissa.org

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Introducing Ghislain Siewe, Kabissa Membership Manager

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If you have not yet had the pleasure of encountering him on Kabissa, I want to make sure you know Ghislain Siewe. Since June he has been generously and reliably volunteering 10 hours of his precious time a week to handle new membership applications, correspondence, and database management tasks.

In addition, Ghislain is exploring opportunities for organizing Kabissa members in the Washington DC area through a new Kabissa Connect DC online group and regular meetups.

To contact Ghislain, send an email to community@kabissa.org.

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Resuming Domain Registration for African NGOs

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With the help of Georgene Scott, our new book keeper on Bainbridge Island as of March, we have now restarted invoicing Kabissa members currently entrusting their domain registration to Kabissa. In the new year we will start offering new domain registrations once we have our systems in place. This is an important step in our evolution since, as Kabissa old-timers will remember, we strongly believe that organizations should keep their domain registration separate from their domain hosting - and that Kabissa is a natural fit for this given our role as independent, not-for-profit partner to African organizations.

While registering your domain at Kabissa makes for more complicated accounting, since you now have two vendors to deal with instead of a one-stop-shop providing you with hosting, registration and perhaps even web design and maintenance, having your domain registered separately puts you in control over your address on the Internet. At your own will and at your own convenience, you can add more services (for example Google Mail on your own domain) or switch to a new web host if you get into difficultiies with your current host. As a not-for-profit partner we also promise to do our best not to let your domain expire when the renewal date comes up.

Click here to learn more about how Kabissa Domain Registration works, and feel free to contact Tobias with questions, feedback or if you'd like to volunteer to help with this important service.

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Participation in the Kabissa Online Community

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As of this writing, Kabissa has 1542 organizations in the database, 3364 active user accounts, 513 Facebook Friends, and 2313 Twitter Followers.

Latest additions to the organization database:

* UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training

* HB Volunteer Uganda

* Support for International Change

* The SCHEF Organization

You can add your organizations at http://kabissa.org/showcase

Latest from the Kabissa Connect Community Blog:

* Pakistan Relief Toolkit: Providing Essential Knowledge and Resources for Relief Efforts

* Nigeria: 2010 World Rememrance Day for Road Traffic Victims - call for participation

* Transparency International's Annual Report 2009

* New Resources for the legitimacy, transparency and accountability of civil society organisations

* Stand up to give young teen girls a chance to better education

* Media Freedom in South Africa - sign up

You can read posts and add your own at http://kabissa.org/group/connect

Latest from the Kabissa ICT Peer Learning Blog:

* Facebook Places - new settings to turn off if you need to keep your whereabouts private

* The Institute for Reproductive Health Launches Web-Based Standard Days Method Toolkit

* SMS Privacy Tips for Election Monitoring And More

* Twitter tip: have Qwitter notify you when tweeps unfollow you - great for dealing with spammers

* Bring Web 2.0 to your email with WiseStamp extension for Chrome or Firefox

* Lessons learned about linking and embedding videos on YouTube

You can read posts and add your own at http://kabissa.org/group/peerlearning

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2009 Audit Begins With New CPA Near Bainbridge Island

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Kabissa is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and we are proud to have been independently audited continuously since 2004 when we started the Pan African Localization project with funding from IDRC. We have come a long way since then! Now that we are a volunteer organization with a much smaller budget, we ordinarily would not undergo a costly independent audit. However, we have decided to press on since audits are required by Aid for Africa, World Bank Community Connections Fund and the Combined Federal Campaign - all important sources of revenue for Kabissa.

After a lengthy search, we are pleased to have engaged Ball & Treger, LLP, a Certified Public Accounting firm near Bainbridge Island (near Seattle), where our organization is headquartered since 2008. Ball & Treger will complete the audit and 990 for 2009 by November 15th. The estimated cost of the audit and 990 is $6,000.

In case you are curious, you can download our most recent IRS Form 990 and Audited Financial Statements from 2008 from the bottom of http://kabissa.org/donate-now

We are sure that many of you were very excited to follow the soccer world cup that was held in South Africa. It didn’t perturb Daktari’s work as we are too far from the places where the events took places and no children missed the Daktari Bush School programme.

Every Wednesday, the Daktari children are invited by our neighbouring game lodge, Makalali, where the children are taken on a tour. The local staff, organising this tour, are taking the children in each department of the lodge where they can see what a lodge is and what job opportunity they can get in a private game reserve. This is to encourage them to protect the environment and wild animals attracting many tourists staying in private game reserves and therefore creating employment.

This is a highlight in term of education for the children as most of them don’t know what a private game reserve and a tourist are. On their way back, lots of the children often express their desire to become ranger, chef or mechanic in a game reserve. We are proud to give them the chance to discover different job opportunities that are accessible to them on their door step. They are also sometime lucky to spot a cheetah, a lion or an elephant while driving through the reserve. .Thanks to Makalali Game Reserve to offer this opportunity to our local children.

The mini bus, again, is indispensable to take the children to Makalali game reserve and we wouldn’t be able to operate without this vehicle. The repayment of the loan is still very high and we need urgent fund to reduce this cost which badly affecting our budget and development.

We thank you for your support and encourage your participation to our mission by making a donation toward the cost of our vehicle.

Have a lovely day,

Pictures:

• children visiting Makalali Lodge (JPG)
• children visiting Makalali's kitchen (JPG)
• Makalali staff explaining why caring for wildlife (JPG)

End of June Daktari was asked by the Karongwe Conservancy to take care of Shiloweni, a leopard who couldn’t be rehabilitated into the wild. Shiloweni is a full grown leopard and has no fear for human. This is why he was captured initially when it has been found out that he also had a problem with his canines which had to be removed. An attempt to rehabilitation was done but unfortunately, Shiloweni was losing condition as, without his teeth, he couldn’t protect his prey and himself from other predator. He was also found roaming too close to habitation, putting the lives of people in danger. Unfortunately, Shiloweni had to be kept in an enclosure for the rest of his life and Daktari was offered to take care of him while educating the local children about wildlife. The first days were a bit stressful for Daktari, the children and the leopard. It took all of us a little while to adapt to each other but we like to think that Shiloweni is now very comfortable and the children enjoy watching his daily feeding.

We thank you all for your continued support toward education and care of wild animals.

Your donation is always a great help and we appreciate to have you by our side. Do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any question about our project, we will always be happy to be in touch with you.

Have a lovely day,

Links:

• Home for a leopard at Daktari

Pictures:

• Shiloweni arriving at Daktari (JPG)
• Shiloweni showing his missing canines (JPG)
• Shiloweni happy at Daktari (JPG)

Overview

Over the last 10 days, SHINE Humanity has scaled up its ground operations to meet the rising urgency on the ground. We now have six medical teams on the ground working across the flood-affected deltas, up from Gilgit in the north, down to Khaipur in the south. Working in partnership with regional host agencies, our medical teams are seeing over 800 patients a day vaccinating children and the elderly; treating a large number of water-borne diseases, and infections; dealing with cases of extreme malnutrition and dehydration; as well as counseling patients with anxiety and depression.

In each of these communities, we are already delivering food aid and water or are in the process of making arrangements to do so. We are also supporting livelihood initiatives, from lift pumps to drain farmlands, to flour mills to salvage residual crops. We have close to 50 team members working around the clock, supported by a growing international team of dedicated volunteers collecting funds and supplies to help the program grow and meet the challenge of saving lives and livelihoods, and return these communities to semblance of self-reliance. Among the highlights of our recent efforts have been:

The opening of a Mother-Child Center at District Charsadda Hospital which will help deal with the surge in pediatric and maternal health cases. This is a joint effort between SHINE Humanity, the Pakistan Pediatric Association, and Ayub Medical College which will provide trained physicians and specialists to help staff the center.

The movement of three medical teams into Sindh based out of Sukkur, Hyderabad and Khaipur. Sindh as seen over 148 villages wiped out by the flood waters and 1,200 km of roads have been destroyed. Our doctors and EMTs are treating cases of severe dedydration and malnutrition, and were horrified to find by starvation. We are currently trying to establish food lines into these locations.

SHINE Humanity has deployed a medical team to Jaffarabad in Balochistan province after receiveing a desperate plea for help from a local non-profit. We will try to deliver food and water if deemed necessary.

A medical team equipped with medicines and some food supplies will shortly be on its way to Kolistan. We also have a team scheduled to depart for Gilgit, at the request of the regional authorities there. Another joint medical team with UM Healthcare Trust and SHINE Humanity is due to depart for Skardu shortly.

We have successfully initiated a livelihood initiative with the use of lift pumps to drain agrcultural farmlands, and floue mills to grind wheat and corn salvaged from flood waters. This will help restore some semblance of self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on food aid. SHINE Humanity was also instrumental in saving 7,000 bee hives, rescuing an entire cottage industry on the brink of collapse.

We presently have trucks of food, clothes and shoes enroute to Shangla, in Swat.

Pakistan pop artists Noori have launched a campaign for backpacks full of seasonal gifts for children traumatised by the recent floods. These will be taken up-country by our teams and distributed among the children before the end of the fasting month. To read more, visit Noori’s blog at http://nooriworld.net/2010/08/24/noori-vblog-10-flood-relief/.

Todd Shea, COO of SHINE Humanity, is scheduled to record a single with Pakistan music icon, Atif Aslam. The proceeds from the sales will go to benefit victims of the floods.

Field Updates

Here are some of the recent field reports we have received from team members and collaborating agencies:

Date: Aug 28th, 2010

District: Hyderabad

Province: Sindh

“Using funds raised by SHINE Humanity donors, we were able to purchase different food items, plastic mats, medicines, hand fans, drinking water and a water tank for  refugees living in a school opposite Custom House, Hyderabad. There is camp where around 600 dislocated villagers are living. These families come from surrounding areas of Jacobabad and Matiari.”

Report written by Dr Muhammad Sharif, USI Field Officer, Mirpurkhas,Badin & Tando Allahyar

Micro Nutrient Initiative, Contact: 0333-2609676

Date: Thursday, Aug 26, 2010

Village :Ghazodheri
Tehsil :Tangi
District : Charsadda

“Our team went to village Ghazodheri to establish a medical camp. We treated a total number of 216 patients, with eye infections, skin diseases, respiratory tract infections, and gastroenteritis due to constant exposure to dirty and stagnant water.

“A very interesting case was a young boy who presented to Dr. Haidar with severe bone deformities.  We suspected a case of rickets, but due to poverty, his family was unable to take him to a tertiary case hospital for further diagnosis and management.  Other cases were skin infections that had not been treated and thus resulted in large pustules all of the body, gastroenteritis and severe vomiting, and infected eyes that had turned green and swollen due to lack of care.  All of these patients were treated with i/v fluids, antibiotics, and given medicines to take home to continue their treatments.  We also delivered water purification tablets and prophylactic doses of anti-malaria drugs to prevent the outbreak of diseases going forward.”

Report written by Dr. Haidar Ali, Medical Officer, UM Healthcare

Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Village: Sangerh
Tehsil: Tangi
District: Charsadda

“Today was another rainy day, and our team set out for Sangerh for our medical camp. Sangerh was in the direct path of the flood and was severely devastated by the fast flowing Swat River. Seventy per cent of the houses in this village were obliterated by the flood flow and the village is now no longer easily approachable by road. Our team established the camp in a flood shattered home within the village. The electricity is still not restored in the area (despite being four weeks since the flood first reached this village).

“A male patient treated by Dr. Haidar with a high grade fever, cough, and conjunctivitis. He was treated with i/v antibiotics and given medications to take home. An elderly female presented with a headache, but on examination her Blood Pressure (BP) was highly elevated (210/100) and was in a state of depression. After giving advice on how to manage her high BP, our medical team counseled her as to how to manage her health better.

“There was an air of depression and death in the atmosphere. Almost all the villagers here have lost everything in the flood- including shelter, clothes, and all of their savings. Having nothing left, they have a difficult time ahead of them on how to rebuild their lives. We treated a total number of 110 patients with eye infections, skin diseases, respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, and a few cases of malaria.”

Report prepared by Dr. Haider Ali, Medical Officer at UM Healthcare Trust.

SHINE Humanity Team in the News

Todd Shea, COO SHINE HUmanity was a guest onthe Marc Steiner show on WEAA, the NPR station for Maryland. Listen on-line to the interview at http://www.steinershow.org/radio/the-marc-steiner-show/august-23-2010-segment-1. Todd was also featured in a recent piece in Foreign Policy magazine’s on-line edition at http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/.

Dr Salman Naqvi was a sepaker at a recent rally at University of California, Los Angeles, following which he was interviewed on Fox News. Read coverage on the rally at http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pakistan-aid-20100830,0,3306634.story.

Events/Fundraising

A number of recent initiatives have successfully raised awareness and funds for the on-going mission in Pakistaan. “The Indus Overflows” initiated a thoughtful conversation on the floods and the action plan hereon to deal with the aftermath. The $130,000 raised from the benefit went to SHINE Humanity and Doctors Without Borders. Our deepest gratitude to our hosts, Hina and Asad Abidi, Shaila and Tahir Andrabi and Durianaz and Adil Farooqui, without whom none of this would have been possible.

The SHINE Humanity Food Drive has raised close to $8,000 in food aid for the most needy. This effort is being spearheaded by California volunteers and is based on donation cans and and an on-line campaign being promoted on Facebook and other social media. The initiative has been taken up by volunteers in Houston, Texas who have launched parallel efforts in their state. The Texas team promises an evening of night criket and a coffee morning as some of the upcoming initiatives.

A garage sale put together by supporters Tahereh Shirazi and Kamila Jeevanjee brought in $1,200 for victims of the floods. The two ladies worked tirelessly around the clock for several days to hold a successful one-day event in Orange County.

Huma and Amir Latif of Los Angeles have collected two container loads of donated food, clothes, medicines and shoes which are now enroute from the US to Pakistan. They will be trucked by road form the port of Karachi, to Swat where the donated items will be distributed. Thank you Huma and Amir.

Volunteer News

Dr Rafi Ahmed left Los Angeles last week to lead a team into Khaipur. Originally from Chicago, Rafi moved to Los Angeles for medical school. During medical school, he was especially interested in public health and in particular, and enjoyed working with under-served populations. At the present time, he is a resident in Internal Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center- a county hospital that provides care to anyone who needs it regardless of financial or social situation. Once he completes his residency, he hopes to pursue a fellowship in Hematology and Oncology. Good luck and God’s speed Dr. Ahmed.

Our Thanks

We want to thank the following colleagues:

Media Flint, for hosting and promoting our web site, www.shinehumanity.org

Eckova Productions for producing the film promoting our efforts in the flood affected areas

Pictures:

• One smile at a time (JPG)
• Distributing biscuits among the children (JPG)
• The elderly are usually the most vulnerable (JPG)
• A medical camp (JPG)
• Loading up food supplies (JPG)
• A camp we supported in Hyderabad, Sindh (JPG)

Our job training program had a busy summer providing crucial work experience for the homeless youth we serve, mostly through a variety of volunteer opportunities. The support of GlobalGiving donors has allowed us to provide incentives to youth who take on these non-paying projects including serving at the LPGA Safeway Classic's hospitality tent, providing clean up, maintenance and guest service support at the Oregon Museum of Science and the Oregon Zoo. We are happy to report an increase in area businesses who are partnering with us to provide job training workshops for our youth and continue to look for creative ways to provide job skills to Portland's homeless youth. We appreciate the continued support of GlobalGiving donors!

Links:

• Find us on Facebook!

Pictures:

• Youth Volunteer at the LPGA Safeway Classic (JPG)

GoodWeave USA Executive Director Nina Smith from a two-week field visit to the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, where she visited our local partners and caught up with dozens of GoodWeave children in day care, residential rehabilitation, and inschool. One of them, Prem, sang to us in a voice that was bold and resonant – a video of his singing can be viewed on our YouTube page, linked below – and shared his story:

Prem is in the 10th grade at Nepal’s prestigious Laboratory School under

our sponsorship. A friendly, outgoing, and charismatic teenager, you’d never

guess that six years ago Prem was toiling at a Kathmandu carpet loom, far from

his family in rural Nepal.

Rescued at just nine years old by GoodWeave inspectors, Prem made up for stolen

years of basic education at our residential rehabilitation center. Next, he enrolled

at the Lab School, where he now studies accounting and economics. He’s his

class captain, helping maintain a peaceful environment by solving problems with his

classmates. He told us he likes soccer, basketball, and poetry. And he said this:

“If GoodWeave weren’t there, we’d still be in the carpet factory”.

Links:

• See Prem sing in his video on YouTube

Pictures:

• Prem, Kathmandu, Nepal (JPG)

I was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. I’ve always been around animals because my parents always had lots of dogs, but I never thought that one day I would be working on training dogs and helping them to be good dogs. I know that I’m not only helping the dogs. I’m helping myself.

It used to be that dogs were, to me, just like any other animal. But, with time in POOCH, they became something special in my life. Some of them were bad dogs that came here. Just like me. I was a bad person in my community. But now I teach the dogs to be good dogs so they can go to a new home, and it makes me feel really good when I see my dog take off for a new home. I can see he’s happy with his new family.

My life has changed a lot because of helping the dogs. They’re helping me at the same time I’m helping them. I used to be a troublemaker before I started working in this program, but now that I know that there’s someone up there in the kennel waiting for me, I choose to take care of business so I can be with my dog all day. I became a responsible person because I now that my dog depends on me.

Everybody deserves a second chance. We give that chance to dogs that need it.

~I.S.

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I’ve been working at Project POOCH for two and a half years. The most rewarding thing about being part of POOCH is being able to see one of my dogs become a successful member of a family. This is a gratifying experience because I get to see a dog that came in with almost no chance of landing in a caring home. Yet, with training and the right family, all the work with the dog pays off in the end.

~M.I.

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I haven’t been in the POOCH program as long as many of the others, but here’s how I see it: I want to spend as much time as possible with the dogs. At the same time, though, I still have to go to school so I can’t spend as much time as I want.

But when I’m here, I like training the dogs. I especially like when I tell the dog to sit and he does it. I feel good about that because I never had a dog like that before.

People who have been in the program longer that I have usually have their own dog to work with. I’m looking forward to having one of my own to work with, but in the meantime, I like walking and working with any dog.

~A.T.

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I enjoy working in POOCH because of the dogs and the people in this program.

In the past, I used to not be concerned with much besides my own needs, but I realize this wasn’t very healthy for me. But now, when I walk up to the entrance to POOCH and I hear all the barking coming from the kennels, I get excited. By working and being with these dogs, I find myself caring more and more about how they are and how they’re progressing in their training. I also think about how they’re doing every day that I’m away from them.

Being taught to care for and appreciate these animals, along with the interaction we have with people from the outside, we learn to have compassion for things other than ourselves. Project POOCH is a great idea, and I hope that ideas such as this one will be used in other correctional facilities as a way of motivating people who need to learn to show kindness, friendship, trust and compassion.

~B.N.

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I want to learn more about training dogs because eventually I’d like to be a professional trainer. I really want to work with German Shepherds.

I want to train dogs to sit at my command, and to heel and to walk close. Heel and walking close I feel are hard to learn, but I imagine my German Shepherd doing those things well because he learned them from me!

~H.R.

Pictures:

• Hunter learning obedience (JPG)

As you may know the vocational class just came from a three weeks holiday. The teenage mums have good news of working with mentors who are training them on making hand bags, bead works, table clothes table mats ,pillow cases and bed covers. This innovativeness will enable the teenage mothers get a livelihood from the sales of the items they are making. The sales will be to the local supermarkets, exhibitions centers and also international markets.

15 girls are learning hairdressing course. This will take six months. This course have become popular with the teenage mothers as they can go for non formal education classes in the morning and then join the other class in the afternoon. At the end of the course the teenage mums will have skills of hairdressing and they can either start off their own saloon shops or get an attachment to the existing saloons and at the same time have education.

As I look back on all we have achieved over the last Eight months of the year, I want to thank you for your steadfast commitment to our work .None of what we have done would have been possible without you.

Let us know how better we could do to change the lives of these teenage mothers and their children.

Links:

• search for us on google

Pictures:

• a painted tablecloth made by the teen mums (JPG)
• Kenyan kanga tablemats & nappkins made by the mums (JPG)

Upon completion of the chapter’s premier project in May, the EWB-High Plains Professional Chapter has been reviewing potential projects for future work and increasing communication and collaboration with other EWB chapters.

The most important commitment for the chapter involves maintaining a presence in the village of Otates, Mexico following the clean-water project. The next project the chapter is scoping is the replacement of the village playground. Currently the playground consists of a rusted slide, a see-saw with no seats and the frame of a swing-set, but no swings.

“The playground is a death trap,” said Jeff Viano, former communications coordinator for the chapter. Viano visited Otates to photograph the clean-water project completion in May and took numerous photos of the playground. “It’s nothing but jagged, rusted metal and is just really dangerous for kids to be playing on.”

Several assessment trips to Otates are scheduled to not only evaluate the playground, but monitor the clean-water project, and determine possible opportunities to help some of the neighboring towns near Otates.

In addition to the continued efforts in and around Otates, the High Plains Professional Chapter is working to expand their reach and collaborate with at least two EWB student chapters this year. The chapter has most recently reached out to the University of Maryland student chapter to communicate an interest in providing support for their upcoming projects.

As always, your support and donations are what drive each project and dramatically enhance the quality of life for people around the world! Thank you!

Pictures:

• Children of Otates, Mexico "play" on rusted slide (JPG)
• Metal see-saw with no seats, sits in Mexico sun (JPG)
• Jagged, rusted metal slide where children play (JPG)
• Boy sitting on rusted, broken slide in playground (JPG)
• Swing-set...with no swings (JPG)

Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other

conflicts with the resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability, self-sufficiency

and active citizenship, thereby promoting viable civil societies. Since 1993, the

organization has provided more than 153,000 women survivors of war with its tiered

programme of direct financial and emotional support, rights awareness, vocational and

technical skills training, and access to income-generation tools.

In an effort to further improve women’s lives, WfWI has identified three progressive

stages in the journey to active citizenship: 1) creating awareness, 2) promoting

behaviour-change and 3) enabling action. After equipping women with increased

confidence, knowledge and skills, WfWI’s programme promotes behaviour change—

impelling women to pursue economic opportunities, participate in family and community

decision-making, maintain their physical and psychological wellness and form and/or

join women’s (and/or community) groups. This individual behaviour change can then be

harnessed to enable broader women-led community change.

Women for Women International launched its activities in Afghanistan

in 2002 and has since served more than 37,388 women, benefiting an additional

201,895 family and community members. Past and present locations served include

Afshar, Balkh, Dashti Barchi, Herat, Kabul, Kamari, Kapisa, Khairkhana, Mazar-e-Sharif,

Parwan, Shari-naw, Shina, and Wardak. The main office is located in Kabul. Specific

programme activities include Sponsorship, Rights Awareness and Life Skills Training,

Health and Traditional Birth Attendant Training, Literacy Training, Vocational and

Technical Skills Development, Income-Generation Assistance, and Microfinance.

Women for Women International’s ongoing work in Afghanistan stems from the

unflagging belief that stronger women build stronger nations.

Attachments:

• Stronger Women, Stronger Nations: Afghanistan 2009 (PDF)

We are thrilled to announce that the Fall Season of Opening Minds Through Art (OMA) will begin October 7th. Please check back for more wonderful stories and photos.

Links:

• Visit us on the Web. Subscribe to our enewsletter.

Pictures:

• 03.19.10_4.JPG (JPG)
• 03.19.10_5.JPG (JPG)
• 03.19.10_6.JPG (JPG)

Since June, the residents have had some amazing programs not only to be entertained, but also to stimulate their minds and learning opportunities. In July, the Cincinnati Zoo brought a fascinating educational. From the porcupine to the alligator, residents were able to see the animals up close and were able to engage in quite a wonderful question and answer session with the zookeepers.

As has been the tradition, we had our annual summer outing to the Cincinnati Opera. This year, the residents from the Oak View and Fountain View Apartments went to see La Boheme. As one resident stated, "I am so blessed to live at Cedar Village. We get to go, do, and see so many diverse things."

Funds continue to help sponsor exercise classes including Tai Chi and jewelry-making classes where our residents enjoy making bracelets and necklaces for themselves and their family members.

Within a retirement community it is vital to provide engagement and stimulation for mind, body and spirit.

Links:

• Find us on the web. Subscribe to our enewsletter.

Pictures:

• La Boheme attendees (JPG)
• La Boheme attendees (JPG)

Your gifts help us say “Yes” to programs making a positive impact in our community.

Because of you, the Women’s Foundation reached our goal for the year and will continue to fund successful programs like “Education for Job Readiness” at the DeNeuville Learning Center. This program provides GED preparation and testing, English as a Second Language (ESL), computer studies, job search and readiness, grant writing and program evaluation and reporting, and childcare for students' children. Women participants learn the skills they need to reach their full potential and provide for their families.

Please join us to see your investment at work by attending the Annual Grants Showcase Thursday, October 14 from 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm at the Hilton Memphis!

Links:

• The Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis Homepage

Pictures:

• DeNeuville Learning Center Graduation (JPG)

I want to offer my sincere thanks to all who helped make the August fundraising drive a success. By achieving our goal of $3,000 we’ve secured an extended relationship with GlobalGiving, which is an important step in the early stages in this project’s development.

One contribution in particular stuck me as interesting. It was the donation that actually took us over the $3,000 mark and came from an individual named Erik Schaefer. Erik is childhood friend from Wisconsin lives in South Korea. Since we’ve lived oceans away from each other much longer than we ever spent in the same community, the majority of our relationship has been carried out via the Internet. From his desk in Asia he decided to transfer funds to a friend in North America for a project in Africa. It’s interesting that nothing about this situation is very shocking; these are commonplace realities in 2010.

But not for everyone. Unfortunately, some of the basic resources that have made a relationship like Erik and mine even possible are out of reach for many. This project is about supplying those tools to anyone interested in taking advantage of them.

Dear friends,

This year the monsoon has turned out quite good. Our lakes are filing up with the rain water at the moment. Though the lakes are still empty a little bit; the people in the city are happy with the amount of water received. In villages, some streams are flowing and it is very beautiful and green everywhere. Since the rains have been good this year, people hope to have a good harvest of ‘corn’. Maize is the staple diet in our region.

With this letter, we are sharing a story of one of the rural schools. As you know your contributions to our rural school program is very significant. We are running 205 rural schools in remote rural areas for children between 6-14 years old. We are reaching out to 5000 children every year.

You must have read the progress report we had posted last time. The progress report indicates that not only do children get quality education in these rural schools but a deeper discussion around quality education gets initiated within the communities. In the report you could see how the local community is taking responsibilities of running these schools and in some cases demanding quality education from the government. It is also incredible to see children performing well and learning more and more day by day in these rural schools. This has all been possible because of support from people like you. So thank you very much for all your support and contributions. We very much hope you would be able to visit us someday.

Many thanks once again. We will keep you posted on our progress.

With warm regards,

Deepti

“In Upli Sigri village there is a rural school and also a government school. Due to the inadequate number of teachers against the total number of children and also the insufficient space in the government school, most families in the village send their children to Seva Mandir supported rural school.

The instructor Ratan Lal Khekria at the rural school has completed a Masters degree in addition to a government certified teacher’s training (B.Ed) while working at the rural school. He is very motivated and teach with care and love to his students.

At this rural school, there are 65 children enrolled. The children attend the school regularly and around 15 children graduate from this rural school to the government school for higher studies every year. In order to get into the government schools, the children appear in an exam and if passed they get enrolled for higher studies.

Last year, Renuka from this rural school appeared in the exam conducted by the government school and passed with very good marks. She subsequently got admission in the coveted and prestigious residential government school “Navodaya Vidyalaya. She is now studying in class 6. It is a big honor for all of us since getting into Navodaya Vidyalaya is not an easy task. Renuka’s achievement lifted confidence of other children too in the village. Her parents too are very proud of the fact that their daughter made it and are happy for her. This year again, 4 students from Upli Sigri rural school have secured admission in the Navodaya Vidyalaya.

Links:

• visit our rural school

Pictures:

• girls studying under the shade of a tree (JPG)

The Hoops 4 Hope Team recently joined our partner the NBA in it's annual Basketball without Borders camp, held this year in Dakar, Senegal! We delivered the Life Skills portion of the camp, and met some amazing friends and supporters in the process.

Check out just some of the latest press:

http://www.ronnyturiaf21.org/2010/08/23/nba-family-makes-a-difference-during-basketball-without-borders-africa/#

http://www.sportanddev.org/newsnviews/news/?2022/Basketball-Without-Borders-changes-lives-in-Africa

Pictures:

• H4H-BwB 2010 (JPG)

I would like to give you feedback on Sue Nadia - who was stabbed 3 times and raped last month. She has been put onto ARV's. Had to stop breastfeeding her baby of 18 months. She has been for councilling and I am glad to say, she is back with us today at the centre. The wounds are healing well, but doesnt talk much as yet, the incident only happend three weeks ago. What has made it more difficults has been the major strikes we have been having by the government employees i.e. teachers and medical personnel. There is a major shortage of this very important support at present, and has resulted in everything happening at a much slower pace at the hospitals.

This morning we had one of the young men attacked on his way to the centre, by six thugs. Fortunately he is alright, a bit shaken up, but seems to have everything under control.

Last week one of our foster parent's home was burnt to the ground, allegedly by the 3 foster childrens father. We are trying to get enough money to rebuild this shack, and to replace the furniture inside, eg bedding, beds - actually anything that one could have in such a home has been destroyed.

Please could I ask you to put your hands and hearts out to us and to help these poor people in need. This type of tragedy happens so often. I am, in future, going to keep you updated as much as possible on the happenings in our beautifull town George, South Africa.

Thanks to kind support from GlobalGiving donors, Hope Ofiriha is pleased to announce that it has granted loan to ten (10) new additional women to start their income generating business. With their ability to generate income and save profits these women can better protect themselves and their children in areas of poverty, education, and heath. In the six months to come these women will invest in the education of their children by paying school fees through profits earn from their businesses.

During the month of August 2010 Sudanese women in Kampala held their annual meeting to elect new office-bearer and pass new resolutions. The meeting took place at Kibuli – zone in the outskirt of Kampala. They have 4 office bearers, with Miss Beatrice Adul their chairperson.

Mrs. Laura Iteng a widow began selling charcoal business through GlobalGiving donations. She has practically improved her living condition since leaving local beer breweries. She states – “these days I am very happy, I am very motivated to work to care of myself with the loan I got. I save sum of my profits and pay my monthly installments. I have my saving bank account I deposit a week $20, and this also have given me value to participate in the local social affairs of my community among the Sudanese women in Kibulu-zone.

Quote from Mrs. Laura iteng (widow):

I have been in extreme poverty since I became a refugee 21 years ago. I have no house to put my head in, no food, and medical care. But with $150 loan (biggest amount I ever get at one time) my life transformed. I will not be a poor woman again and I will make sure my business never fails. Without this business I have no life.

Once again we are very grateful to our donors for the support they shown to forgotten Sudanese refugee women in Kampala. You will be hearing from us in next three months with latest update.

Thanks for partnering!

Pictures:

• Sudanese women micro-credit annually meeting (JPG)
• Beatrice addresses micro credit annual meeting (JPG)
• Agnes Achan, Linda, and Beatrice Adul (JPG)
• members attending annuall meeting (JPG)
• Mrs.Maritn Acen addresses annual meeting (JPG)
• members attending annuall meeting (JPG)

The GreaterGood group continues to develop the sector for social change by facilitating the full spectrum of giving and social investment in South Africa and beyond.

In 2010, 17 projects were listed on the South African Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) and 8 were fully funded to an amount of R2,738,833.00.

One of these organisations is the Izzi Trust, whose project, “providing a container library to the Ncemaneni Combined School in Kwa Zulu Natal” commenced activities in March 2010. Since then, the school has selected good quality reading resources in the form of 1,200 new books in English and Zulu. Thanks to this project, 388 children will be accessing a wide variety of specially selected fiction, poetry and grammar books as well as comics and an Encyclopaedia.

Ms. Mhlongo, the school librarian explains: ‘We started selecting books from the first day. Most of the books we selected are written in IsiZulu including collections of poetry, novels and short stories. We also chose some English novels; books on sport, religion, and computer literacy, we also bought a few Maths books.’

One of our listings on Global Living, Mamelani, has also become fully funded. The organisation, which works with communities in the impoverished slums around Cape Town, is already providing community-based health education workshops targeted at health-workers, home-based carers, chronic illness sufferers and their families, enabling them to take responsibility for their own health.

Watch out for our next report to find out comments and pictures from the workshops!

Pictures:

• Ncemaneni Library (JPG)

The GreaterGood group continues to develop the sector for social change by facilitating the full spectrum of giving and social investment in South Africa and beyond.

In 2010, 17 projects were listed on the South African Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) and 8 were fully funded to an amount of R2,738,833.00.

One of these organisations is the Izzi Trust, whose project, “providing a container library to the Ncemaneni Combined School in Kwa Zulu Natal” commenced activities in March 2010. Since then, the school has selected good quality reading resources in the form of 1,200 new books in English and Zulu. Thanks to this project, 388 children will be accessing a wide variety of specially selected fiction, poetry and grammar books as well as comics and an Encyclopaedia.

Ms. Mhlongo, the school librarian explains: ‘We started selecting books from the first day. Most of the books we selected are written in IsiZulu including collections of poetry, novels and short stories. We also chose some English novels; books on sport, religion, and computer literacy, we also bought a few Maths books.’

One of our listings on Global Living, Mamelani, has also become fully funded. The organisation, which works with communities in the impoverished slums around Cape Town, is already providing community-based health education workshops targeted at health-workers, home-based carers, chronic illness sufferers and their families, enabling them to take responsibility for their own health.

Watch out for our next report to find out comments and pictures from the workshops!

Pictures:

• Ncemaneni Library (JPG)

The GreaterGood group continues to develop the sector for social change by facilitating the full spectrum of giving and social investment in South Africa and beyond.

In 2010, 17 projects were listed on the South African Social Investment Exchange (SASIX) and 8 were fully funded to an amount of R2,738,833.00.

One of these organisations is the Izzi Trust, whose project, “providing a container library to the Ncemaneni Combined School in Kwa Zulu Natal” commenced activities in March 2010. Since then, the school has selected good quality reading resources in the form of 1,200 new books in English and Zulu. Thanks to this project, 388 children will be accessing a wide variety of specially selected fiction, poetry and grammar books as well as comics and an Encyclopaedia.

Ms. Mhlongo, the school librarian explains: ‘We started selecting books from the first day. Most of the books we selected are written in IsiZulu including collections of poetry, novels and short stories. We also chose some English novels; books on sport, religion, and computer literacy, we also bought a few Maths books.’

One of our listings on Global Living, Mamelani, has also become fully funded. The organisation, which works with communities in the impoverished slums around Cape Town, is already providing community-based health education workshops targeted at health-workers, home-based carers, chronic illness sufferers and their families, enabling them to take responsibility for their own health.

Watch out for our next report to find out comments and pictures from the workshops!

Pictures:

• Ncemaneni Library (JPG)

On April 14, 2010 a 7.1 force earthquake devastated Yushu Prefecture, a nearly 100% ethnic Tibetan region of Western China. The city of Yushu (Jiegu, Tibetan) was in a matter of minutes wiped off the map and its 120,000 residents were instantly homeless. This included all residences, and all monasteries. In addition, as many as 4000 people died.

One of those directly affected was Phuntsok Dondrup, Medical Director of Surmang Foundation’s Surmang Charity Medical Center Clinic. He is one of two doctors who have treated over 130,000 ultra-poor patients in the past 10 years for free. At the time of the earthquake he asleep with his wife and two small children. After 4 hours, other family members dug them out. But his two sisters-in-law were not as lucky. Both perished, leaving the married one’s child an orphan. Phuntsok suffered a hairline fracture of his pelvis.

Among all the buildings damaged was our outpatient building at Surmang.

Immediately upon hearing of this tragedy, Surmang Foundation was offered temporary office space at Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) offices in downtown Beijing. For a week we considered how best to serve the people of Yushu. In the face of the overwhelming first response and relief efforts by the Chinese Government and citizens, we decided that it would be better to provide what we do best: clinic delivery systems and our unique (amara) management model, both based on “community-based health care” with a special focus on mother and child health.

With BCG’s help we forged a plan to do just that. In June, we sent a team to Yushu to do an emergency assessment. The members of our party were personally devastated by the size of the refugee resettlement and the extent of the damage. The Yushu we’ve come to know and love over the past 18 years has ceased to exist.

We visited all 10 Yushu County clinics to see which ones would be best candidates for rebuilding and adding the amara model. It was perhaps the first time anyone had done such an assessment. We presented our results to the director of the Yushu Public Health Bureau. They agreed that we should rebuild a clinic at Haxiu town, create a regional health center at Surmang, and extend our community-based health care model to 3 other clinics.

Now, six months later, Surmang Foundation is about to take the first steps in this rebuilding process. We are the only foreign foundation in the region and we are moving forward with partnership with the Chinese Government. However grim, this tragedy has created an opportunity to extend a worthy model solution to China's rural health care crisis.

Links:

• Yushu Tent City
• Yushu Earthquake Survival
• Community Health Workers

Pictures:

• Dr. Phuntsok, survivor (JPG)
• Phuntsok's extended family (JPG)
• One of 20 refugee tent cities (JPG)
• condemned apartment building (JPG)
• the remains of Surmang Foundation office (JPG)
• w/no monasteries -funeral rites are done in tents (JPG)
• boy who lost his mother and father (JPG)

Thanks to the generous support of donors like you and GlobalGiving.org, KKOOM has nearly 100% funded its International Education Program (IEP), which aims to deliver quality English education to kids in Korean orphanages and also inspire a new generation of globally connected youth, regardless of their socioeconomic status. We are happy to report that KKOOM has formed an all-volunteer Curriculum Development Team for its first phase of the IEP, which will help kids in Korean orphanages learn English from qualified English tutors in the United States using the latest Internet and computer technology. KKOOM plans to use its own curriculum in order to meet the unique educational challenges, particularly of older children living in orphanages who face disadvantages in their access to adequate English learning resources in and outside of school.

The KKOOM Curriculum will pair children from Korean orphanages one-on-one with volunteers in the United States who have been trained to tutor English. The children will benefit from the comfort of learning in their home environments and interacting face-to-face via video Internet feed with a native English speaker. We hope to raise the confidence and performance of these children and inspire others to keep on learning.

GlobalGiving funds are being used to purchase equipment such as laptop computers and routers for use at the approved orphanages. So as to maximize the financial gifts entrusted to KKOOM, the Curriculum content is being developed 100% by volunteers.

If you are interested in joining the KKOOM Curriculum Development Team, please contact us at info@kkoom.org today. We are looking for more volunteers with education and/or technology backgrounds to help us successfully launch this phase soon.

Our Summer Newsletter is also linked below for you to check out. Thank you to all for your continued support!

Links:

• Summer Newsletter

Pictures:

• Sujin and Jen, a KKOOM Volunteer (JPG)

1.   Computer Training Program for the Disabled has finished its second class of graduates, creating over 20 new full-time positions for previously unemployable handicapped individuals within Buachi. Project is now being examined by several outside sources for duplication and is the subject of several news articles.

The program has just finished enrolling the third new class of disabled individuals to be placed in corporations, website development work or word processing positions. We have over 100 handicapped individuals applying per session for the program

Current Status (CYDI): three of the disabled beneficiaries have opened up a new business centres/internet cafe and is the first wholly owned business by disabled persons in Bauchi. Eight other previous students have now earned enough money that they can now afford to take secondary education and business development courses.

New training classes have begun for new disabled computer training applicants

LI-CGLAO has received numerous accolades in the community and local press for their working in creating business opportunities for the disabled and is one of the primary reasons the first lady of Bauchi has become interested in LI. The first lady has taken Leadership Initiatives on tour in the state of Bauchi using this project as her primary example to over to 20 Local Governments of Bauchi State, 60 different communities, of how Leadership Initiatives and organizations such as ours can create local business growth.

2.   We have graduated our second class of skill acquisition students within the fields of motor repair, tailoring and welding creating two new businesses while feeding 16 individuals into new fulltime positions. We have a backlog of over 200 people willing to pay to be enrolled within the program. The skills acquisition program continues to supply Bauchi with much needed skilled workers whose positions are in high demand.

Current Status (Tailoring): 2010 tailoring beneficiaries (Abdulhadi Usman and Ismaila Adamu) have opened their own shops and each of them has 2 – 3 people working under them as of June 2010. While the other beneficiaries like (Maimuna Musa and Salamatu Mohammed), are operating their business at home and at the same time helping their mothers in domestic work. These two female beneficiaries have 2 people apprentices each that are training to become home tailors to assist their local communities.

Umar Wakili one of previous home tailors from the 2009 class now has the resources to open up a shop in his local community and is now looking for a strategic location to open up his own shop, with his saved income over the past 8 months of work and will hire at one to three additional employees from the surrounding community.

Deborah Markus, 2010 graduate has expanded the scope of local LI tailoring businesses and moved to Northern Bauchi to open up her own tailoring shop in a growing community. Using her business initiative she is now teaching tailoring classes to interested spinsters who can now afford sewing machines, while taking commissions on dresses and other speciality clothing orders.

Current Status (Motorcycle Repairs): 2009 beneficiaries are working together as a team and have taken in 4 people as interns, learning the skills and working under them, their business continues to grow in the surrounding community and have more patronage than expected. Interns will become full time employees in October of 2010 and the shop is expected to expand to neighbouring cities in 2011.

Current Status (Welding): 2009 beneficiarie Hamza Ya’U will have earned enough money working for the Bauchi Welding company to poen up his new shop in late 2010/early 2011 while new trainees Abdulrahman Aminu and Ibrahim Maikasuwa will finish their training in 2010 and are expected to open up their own shops in surrounding communities in mid 2011.

3.   We have graduated our second class of new fish farmers and had had our second harvest of fish since the program’s inception. The new results have allowed the farmers to send the majority of the children to school removing them from subsistence farming life styles. An estimated 1000 lives were improved or saved through our Vitamin B deficiency portion of the project where fish that are unable to be sold in the market place where given to families in need in the surrounding area. New sales of the fish have allowed farmers to collective make road improvements to their village and other public works projects designed to improve the community and their business.

This project has gained national attention and has multiple organizations working to duplicate its results throughout Northern Nigeria. Our fish farming program is set to expand in June of 2010.

Current Status: Fish farmers have finished all the preparation in anticipation of adequate rainfall which is predicted to occur in the by August 12th according to weather experts for the next session of fish farming programs

Expansion classes have begun training other people in the community, allowing for 4 to 10 new fish farms to be created in January of 2011, once lessons are complete.

4.   We are currently selecting our new leaders for June 2010 enrollment accompanied with their project ideas, with only 15 positions for our new Bauchi leadership development class we have received over 500 applications from not only the local community but as far as Borno, Joss, Nassarawa and Taraba states.

We will have select new students and project ideas within the next month.

Current Status on New Students: We have completed four weeks of training in areas of leadership, personal management, team building, non-profit activities, project management, human rights, Demonstrations and tasking them to come up with project ideas that will assist them in implementation of the propose projects. Each week we have three classes, Monday, Thursday and Saturday respectively, we have two weeks remaining to finish the training and send them into the field to start the groundwork for their new business ideas for Bauchi.

Pictures:

• Fish Farming Success (JPG)
• Full Size Fish (JPG)
• Fish Farm Overflowing (JPG)
• Sold!!!! (JPG)
• First Group of Fish Sold Feeding Thousands (JPG)

Thank you for your generous support our programs. Your support enables our long term relief and rehabilitation programs in Sri Lanka.

Despite challenges, Sarvodaya Movement of Sri Lanka, continues to provide relief and rehabilitation programs to thousands of people in Northern Sri Lanka. At the same time, Sarvodaya's peace programs are creating long lasting friendship and bonds among Tamil and Sinhalese youth by bringing them together on service projects.

About 240 Sinhalese and Tamil youth came together in Jaffna, Northern Sri Lanka, and Monaragala, Central Sri Lanka, for a four day long camp. Tamil youths lived with Sinhalese family, while Sinhalese youth lived with Tamil families in each other's villages.

They also came together to renovate a church in and a hospital. During the four days, they learnt about each other's culture, customs and languages breaking stereotypes and enmity.

Our peace and rehabilitation programs are possible because of your generosity.

Thank you.

Thank you for your support to our scholarship programs. Your contributions enables 40 children from poor and underprivileged family go attend Jyotidaya School. Jyotidaya School is a part of Sarvodaya Nepal, which provides affordable quality education to 280 children from the community. Run by local youth the school is a unique national model in Nepal.

In recent national examinations, taken by all students after 10th grade, 100% Jyotidaya School students passed; while the national average was only about 64%. Since the school started taking the examination, in 2007, 100% students have passed.

All students who completed the national examinations have gone on to join higher secondary schools and colleges.

Our programs are made possible by your generous support.

Thank you.

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated to support our 2010 Summer Arts Camp! We have posted several new photos, labeled 2010 Camp.

Monday, August 2 started the 2010 Summer Arts for 70 children from various Phnom Penh, Cambodia NPOs. The traditional opening ceremony welcomed campers who then lit incense and expressed their hopes for success of their efforts.

The camp will provide a total of 43 days of outings for institutionalized and disadvantaged children who would otherwise have not have any structured activity during the 2 month school break. Our original plan had been to include 100 children this was scaled back in response to a funding shortfall. Even so, we are delighted that we are able to provide this opportunity for fun and education for our 2010 Campers and we are very grateful to all of you to helped to make this year’s camp possible.

Please feel free to email with any questions or comments.

More photos can be see by visiting our website at www.kasumisou-foundation.info and clicking on the AAA link

Thank you again for your generous support !

Links:

• Kasumisou Foundation- please click on the AAA link

Pictures:

• Summer Arts Camp 2010 Opening Ceremony (JPG)
• 2010 Camp-Children learn basic hand positions (JPG)
• 2010 Camp-Students learn about posture (JPG)
• 2010 Camp- Trying out new steps (JPG)
• 2010 Camp-Concentration is hard to sustain! (JPG)
• 2010 Camp-Children of all ages are welcome! (JPG)

While our staff faced hard time in the ground our campaign toward this project is promising.

Women in ONURA rural communities of southern Sudan still have no access to a Posho mill. They have to pound the corn into flour by hand. Corn flour is staple diet serve as Ugali. The Ugali would replace potatoes, rice or bread in northern America’s diet. Each day, women, and young girls spend several hours pounding the dried maize using their hand by squatting on their knees. The work is a hard one but women have no choice.

Quote from a small girl:

I cannot say no to pound dried maize flour to cook Ugali when I am asked by my father. “I have no voice” and even if I am tired I have to because maize pounding and cooking is regarded women’s task.

Our only help; is to have a Posho Mills in Onura local community.

Women in ONURA sub village really need the Posho mills soon. When this is delivered it will serve three things; women’s healthy will improve, women have time for themselves and their children.

We are very grateful for your help and we look forward in partnering with you until the project has reached the goal. You will be hearing from us again in the next three months with latest project report.

Thanks for your ongoing supports!

Pictures:

• Rebecca Lamunu (JPG)

AHD staff started implementation of the prject and some 300 Nadi filter units installed. 150 Nadi filter units working well and AHD team busy to install further 150 units that poor IDPs and have access to safe and clean drinking water at their camps / door step. Please find some snaps of Nadi filter and Mosquito nets. In snaps you can see project leader visits in camps or families living in open air and usage of Nadi filter units.

The New floods hit Thatta city head quarter and nearby Tehsils and about 162,000 people displaced from their houses, every where in Lower Sindh IDPs and no way to settle displace people, Now the situation is more danger and Govt. facilities insufficient to cover large no. of IDPs.

We at AHD looking this project quick support to cover 3,000 families and total 25,000 households with safe and clean drinking water .

Looking your favorable response as Lower Sindh IDPs in danger position and if not supported on time water borne disease will attack many IDPs.

GOD help us all to support IDPs on time

I have nothing word to say but hope GOD help us

Pictures:

• Nadi filtered safe and clean drinking water in use (JPG)
• Safe drinking Nadi filter installed for IDPs (JPG)
• Nadi filter installed for IDPs for safe drinking (JPG)
• Sajida during Nadi filter & Mosquito net provision (JPG)