LIFE GOES ON, DESPITE FLOODING AT HOPE HOUSE

By David Nunley I am involved with a couple of orphanages here in Bangladesh. In fact, it has become my passion over the past three years to try to help improve the lives of a few innocent children in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. Orphanages in Bangladesh are not what we would consider orphanages in the West. Although many of our children do not have a mother or father, over 50% have one parent and the entire family lives in extreme poverty and actually are considered to be destitute. Some children come from bad or abusive family situations where they are harassed and discriminated against by neighbors and the community. History As you know, Bangladesh is a Muslim Country with a population of around one hundred and forty million. Although, the religious breakdown of the population is not known exactly, projections are about 96% Muslim and 4% Christian and Hindu. I've chosen to support a small group of somewhat desperately poor Christians in the Districts of Jessore and Khulna. Now, I would like to tell you about my experience with this group of children. A young man 33 years old named Christopher Sarker came to me in Dhaka four years ago and asked me if I could help him by conducting some water quality tests on the well water at two orphanages he was responsible for. These orphanages are located in Jessore and Khulna Districts, 240 kilometers from Dhaka near the Indian border of West Bengal. He explained that the Government water testing program had somehow overlooked them and he was seeking testing help to insure the safety of the children. Of course, I agreed. Three weeks later I scheduled a trip there and the first stop was the Hope House Girls Orphanage located in the small town of Keshabpur in the Jessore District. This orphanage housed 34 girls ranging in ages of 4 or 5 to 14 years old. I was greeted with shy smiles and giggles and girls running away to hide in their dormitory. They seemed to be clean and healthy and somewhat typical of village girls in Bangladesh. Christopher and his wife, Protikkha invited me inside their meager living quarters and gave me a traditional welcome with tea and fruit and cookies. We talked for a while before beginning the water test and I learned that several of the girls had some medical problems like skin infections and gastric and diarrhea problems, etc. They explained that they could not get the proper medical help due to the fact that they were Christian and from the former Indian “Untouchable Cast.” A brief explanation and history You may be aware that in 1947, the British Government who was the colonial ruler in this region had the bright idea to partition off the Muslim part of India which became known as East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). People of the Hindu religion were moved to Calcutta, India, State of West Bengal and Muslims were moved to East Pakistan (Bangladesh). There existed a cast system among the Indian Hindu peoples (continues to exists to a great extent) and these “Untouchables” were the lowest caste which literally means that no one in higher casts could touch these people and if they did accidentally brush against one of them, they would have to go through a serious bathing ritual or as my Grandmother would have said, “a good scrubbing.” Christopher’s Father who was a Baptist Minister, and his community of 12,000, were from this “Untouchable Caste” who decided they would stand a better chance with the Muslims than with the Indians, so they stayed in Bangladesh. They all converted to Christianity to further shed themselves of their former “Untouchable” status. Overall they are probably treated better than they would be in India, but the Bangladeshi Christians as a whole, generally have a difficult time here where they represent about 1% of the population. The rural Bangladeshi Christian communities are among the poorest of the poor and can only find back-breaking day labor jobs which pay about $.60 cents for women and $1.00 for a man per day during rice harvesting time. Protikkha and Christopher also explained that the children were not always able to get their vaccinations which are provided free at the local government health clinics through World Health Organization (WHO) programs. These included polio (prevalent in Bangladesh), Rubella for the girls, Typhoid, Cholera, Diphtheria and Tuberculosis and Smallpox. Free services provided by the government are often denied to the poor for various reasons like; “you need to complete the application” and “if you can’t write, you can’t complete the application; sorry.” In the case of these children, the first question asked on the application is; “who are your mother and father?” Of course, many of them don’t really know, so there is a problem. If you can pay a little money, all these problems can be solved easily but the poor cannot afford to pay extra money … we Americans call this dilemma “Catch 22.” Christopher’s problem was multiplied by 34 girls and by 36 boys and he had neither the power nor the money to solve this problem. His status as a Christian in the community dealt him an even greater problem in finding a solution. To shorten the conclusion to this tragedy, I will simply say that through the intervention of some good people and some time spent within the various Ministries (Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and a little money, most of those problems are now solved and the children all have up-to-date vaccinations and are in school every day. Local doctors have been arranged and usually, a phone call from me to the doctors to remind them of their moral obligation and our pre-arranged agreement to see the children for treatment when needed is all that’s required. These children are really hopeless without good health and education. With reasonable health care and education, they are only helpless. As you can all imagine, children living in very close quarters like the dormitories at the orphanages will surely create some health problems. If one child catches a simple cold or minor skin disease, most of the others will likely contract it. Twenty years ago, 2 million people a year died of simple diarrhea in Bangladesh. Thanks to awareness raising campaigns from UNICEF and the promotion of oral re-hydration solutions readily available to everyone, the death toll has dropped dramatically to around fifteen to twenty thousand. Unfortunately, most of these deaths are children of the rural poor ….. that’s a complete other story. None of our children from Hope House will die from dehydration as a result of Diarrhea, I promise you!! The day to day caring for the children is ongoing and we struggle sometimes with funds needed for food clothing and other basics, but we always seem to be able to get it done somehow. The girls are much more vulnerable that the boys and need special security and attention to their personal needs, and which brings me to the next much needed project. As everyone knows, Bangladesh experiences dramatic flooding every year during the 6 month Monsoon. The boy’s orphanage is located in a place which is not prone to flowing and in a project two years ago funded by the Altrusa group of Atlanta, we raised the floors of the boy’s dormitory and study hall one foot with brick and cement and they are now high and dry. Unfortunately, due to many levees being built in the area, for the past 5 years, Hope House Girl’s Orphanage floods. Usually the water level inside the dormitory is around 4 feet, but sometimes up to 6 feet. The girls have to move to the roof for two to three months every year. What is remarkable to me is that they all seem to adjust very well and when I visit them during flood times, the smiles are just as big as ever and their attitude is always good, even in such miserable conditions. Due to the annual flooding, the water lagging has taken it’s toll on the building structure and both the dormitory and Christopher and Protikkha’s attached home has become dangerously unsafe from falling cement and now the re-rod can be seen in many places coming through the ceilings. We must act during this up coming dry season to solve this problem. Basically, the 35 year old structure must be demolished, the land raised 6 to 7 feet and new facilities built. The church organization owns the 1 acre plot where the orphanage is located and we would like to have the ability to expand the facility to accommodate up to 60 girls in a three story building which could be easily accommodated on one acre with lots of secure, outdoor recreation areas. I have an architect/designer who has agreed to complete the design and building plans free of cost. Construction cost in Bangladesh using local labor is probably the lowest in the world. I estimate this three story brick and cement building with office, residence for Christopher and Protikkha, kitchen, canteen, shower, deep tube-well water supply and toilet facilities for 60 girls and 6 staff will cost between one hundred and one hundred and twenty five thousand US Dollars. When the design is complete, we will have a more exact estimate. I have contacted some churches in the USA and gained some interest to fund this project, but some churches are really needed to provide regular monthly funding for the day to day needs of the children. For the past three years, the boy’s orphanage operating cost ($1,500/mo) is being funded by a Malaysian Missionary, Rev. Jeffery Oo and their facilities are simple, but good . Sorry to write such a long mail regarding this important matter, but I must take every opportunity to tell the Hope House story. I am currently working on a Hope House web site with lots of photos which will be updated regularly. I am hopeful that we may be able to obtain some donations through the site. Any assistance you may be able to provide through your media will also be greatly appreciated. I would also welcome anyone who is willing to come to Bangladesh to visit Hope House and review our program.

Improvising During The Flood Period At Hope House

Map Of Bangladesh

Vassula Donates Money To The Poor People Of Bangladesh

VASSULA AND "TRUE LIFE IN GOD" COME TO DHAKA By: Cecilia Lutz We arrived in Dhaka after Vassula's mission in India was accomplished. Dhaka is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, whose Muslim influence is reflected in the more than 700 mosques and historic buildings found throughout the city. This busy and colorful city has a huge population of 12.5 million people, predominantly Muslim, with Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian minorities. I could feel Vassula's eagerness to be in Bangladesh once again, this is where she lived when True Life in God started 20 years ago, on November 28, 1985. She had come to visit the Beth Myriam, the first TLIG school to be opened in the world, and pay a call to her friend, the Ven. Suddhananda Mahathero at the Dhammarajika Monastery and Orphanage, as the Ven. Buddhist Monk was ailing and weak. True Life in God's Beth Myriam Project was launched after Vassula was given a vision in the Holy Land back in 1998. In August of the following year, Vassula was invited to witness in Dhaka, accompanied by Catarina. The Holy Spirit's inspiration for the Beth Myriam in Dhaka came in the form of a question from Vassula to Catarina: "when will you open a Beth Myriam in Dhaka?" Carol Chamberlain, who had been assigned to Bangladesh 3 years earlier, was then called to establish the local contacts, and with Catarina and the precious help of Duleep, the first Beth Myriam was born on the 10th of December 1999. Today, 100 meals a day are prepared to feed the poor. Catarina and Duleep are helped by the caregivers, devoted souls offering an oasis of peace and love from Our Lady and Jesus. The Beth Myriam caregivers encourage their guests to say their own prayers of thanksgiving before meals. There is no mistaking it is Our Blessed Mother's House by the many holy images and icons decorating the walls. Underneath Our Lady's icon in the dining room is an inscription: "Jesus and Mary are offering this meal to you." Visit to Beth Myriam Dhaka This Beth Myriam has been functioning every single day since it opened. The humble people were overjoyed to express their thanks to their special visitor. It is run very efficiently with meal cards distributed to the families, and the nutritious food is served according to a Menu Schedule that Carol had put together back in 1999 and posted in the kitchen. During Ramadan, the Muslim period of fasting, this Beth Myriam prepares special lunch boxes for the people to take home and eat after they break their fast. Care is always taken to respect other religious traditions; the objective is to give food, clothing, education and medical assistance to all God's children in need, regardless of belief and practice. Four times a week, the Beth Myriam hosts an hour-long Bangla school-class teaching the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic to 25-30 children from the slums, aging from 5-12 years of age. At the same time, an English class for the children is also offered. True Life in God readers are encouraged to experience life in a Beth Myriam, two clean rooms are available here for those interested to go to Bangladesh to visit or help out. A day in Kulun Village, to see the True Life in God School About an hour's drive from Dhaka, one reaches the river crossing point to Kulun Village, which is one of 5 Christian villages in the area. The whole village and the parish priest from the nearest Catholic Mission were on hand to welcome and thank Vassula. We were accompanied by Fr. Waseem Walter, Catarina and Duleep. The children of Kulun had to walk long distances to go to school a few years ago, discouraging many parents from giving their children an education. The Lord inspired one of the villagers to request Catarina and Duleep to offer the village children the facility to learn by building a school for the little ones. The request was granted, donations were given for its construction and the school furnishings. TLIG Bangladesh sees to the salaries of the teachers and the maintenance of the school. In this Christian village, the teachers read the True Life in God Messages to the children once a week. A very generous donation was made by a devoted reader of the TLIG Messages, and inspired our friends in Bangladesh to build an extension to the initial building. Vassula's visit was a good opportunity to set the foundation stone for this extension. Taking the trowel with some cement, Vassula laid the first bricks for the foundation of this continuing act of charity. Vassula's mission in Bangladesh was to observe and document Beth Myriam Dhaka. She was happy to see the cleanliness and the quality of the food served, and most of all the grateful and joyful smiles of adults and children in their Blessed Mother's Home. This Beth Myriam has been functioning every single day since it opened. The humble people were overjoyed to express their thanks to their special visitor. It is run very efficiently with meal cards distributed to the families, and the nutritious food is served according to a Menu Schedule that Carol had put together back in 1999 and posted in the kitchen. During Ramadan, the Muslim period of fasting, this Beth Myriam prepares special lunch boxes for the people to take home and eat after they break their fast. Care is always taken to respect other religious traditions; the objective is to give food, clothing, education and medical assistance to all God's children in need, regardless of belief and practice. Four times a week, the Beth Myriam hosts an hour-long Bangla school-class teaching the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic to 25-30 children from the slums, aging from 5-12 years of age. At the same time, an English class for the children is also offered. True Life in God readers are encouraged to experience life in a Beth Myriam, two clean rooms are available here for those interested to go to Bangladesh to visit or help out. The Lord goes slowly and quietly, bringing His people back to him. Simple efforts inspired by the Messages bring about so many blessings to God's people. Acts of love such as these are the sublime expression of God's Love in us. May God bless the good work of TLIG Bangladesh. We were graciously received by the Orphanage administration members and the Venerable Suddhananda Mahathero, who is the Chief Monk, President of the Bangladesh Bouddha Kristi Prachar Sangha Monastery and also Vassula's old friend. One can feel a special relationship of gentleness and deep respect between Vassula and the Ven. Suddhananda. Their conversation revolved around Pilgrimage 2005 which unfortunately the Ven. Suddhananda was unable to attend due to last minute health problems. They discussed matters on the situation in the world today threatening to draw God's Justice upon us. She indicated to him that the NY towers and the Tsunami disasters were prophesied in the Messages and have come to pass, and that the Lord has warned us of another much graver event to happen. Vassula requested the Ven. Suddhananda and his monks offer their prayers and fasting for the world to return to spiritual values. The TLIG International Beth Myriam Fund continues to support the Dhammarajika Buddhist Orphanage in Dhaka, an act of love that binds us to our Buddhist brothers. Our short stay in Bangladesh was fruitful and filled with graces to see True Life in God so alive ... after all, this is where it was born 20 years ago. BACKGROUND Vassula Rydén who is Greek, born in Egypt, belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. God approached her back in 1985 while she lived in Bangladesh in a most extraordinary way to use her as His instrument and charge her with His messages for all mankind. In truth it is a reminder of His Word. In these messages for our times, God is calling us to repentance, reconciliation, peace and unity. In the very beginning of God's intervention she was totally confused and feared she was being deluded; this uncertainty was truly her biggest cross, since she never heard in her life before that God can indeed express Himself to people in our own times. Because of this she feared and tried to fight her experience away, but instead of diminishing, God approached her even more intensively. As the sacred communication progressed there was perceptible change as Vassula grew in faith, knowledge and love of God. Her need to seek reassurance lessened, she became more comfortable in this unusual role which in turn allowed fuller statements from her divine visitor. The principle motive throughout is the divine love of Jesus expressed in the bridal terms, characteristic of mysticism, but manifested as an effulgence, an outpouring of the ineffable love of Christ. The fact that Vassula, without ever having received any catechetical instruction, let alone theological formation, is able to write about such profound spiritual matters without committing any errors, is itself a powerful confirmation of the authenticity of her messages. Since 1988 Vassula has been invited to speak in more than 60 countries and has given over 800 presentations. Vassula receives in all of this work no personal royalties, fees or benefit for her efforts. So far the books have been translated into more than 40 languages. They are written in such a clear and direct language that anyone of reading age can understand them. At the same time their content is so rich and profound that brilliant theologians have been inspired to write books about the spirituality of the messages. God himself has chosen to name these divine messages: True life in God. Wherever she is invited, whether in Asia, the Americas, Australia, Africa or Europe, she is welcomed by crowds of people of all ages from every imaginable social class and milieu, both Christian and non-Christian. Among those who come to hear her testimony are not only lay people, but also their spiritual leaders and hierarchy. Also other religions, like the Israeli Jews invited her, as well as the Buddhist monks of Hiroshima and of Bangladesh to give her testimony. The attendance of her meetings has reached up to 400,000 people and among them, in some countries there could be Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Jews. She was invited on three occasions to speak on unity in the World Council of Churches of Geneva and once in Romania in Iasi at a meeting called : "Unity and renewal, consultation and Christian spirituality for our times." In 1998 and 2001 the United Nations in New York, a section based on Peace in the World, working specifically between Jews and Palestinians, invited Vassula to address them and repeat what our Lord says to us in the messages to obtain peace in the world. In 2001 she was invited among other speakers by the International Bridgettine Centre of Farfa to speak on Ecumenism and Spirituality. Since May 2002, Vassula was invited to inter-religious meetings to give her testimony. The first one was held in Dhaka where the opening was done by a Muslim Imam. After that she was invited by the Archbishop of Taipei Joseph Ti-Kan to give her speech to non-Christians. Vassula's speeches on reconciliation and unity started to be known and appreciated among non-Christian. In February 2003 she was invited by the Venerable Suddhananda in his monastery in Dhaka to honour her with the Peace Gold Award for her efforts of propagating peace in the world. She was nominated for this peace award by the Buddhist monks as a distinguished personality in recognition of her great contribution and her efforts for establishing inter-religious harmony and promoting world Peace among all peoples and faiths. The function was inaugurated by Rev. Michael Rozario, Archbishop of the Catholic church in Dhaka. Among other guests was the Secretary of the Apostolic Nuncio in Dhaka, as well as Muslim Professors from various regions of Bangladesh and from the four major religions, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. In Scriptures it is written that faith without good works is quite dead. The fruits of True Life in God are not only the conversion of the heart but the good works the readers have begun. After experiencing our Lady in a vision, Vassula was asked by her to feed the poor as well, for spiritual food was not enough. Since then, many houses called Beth Miriam (house of Mary) started to function from the friends of the messages to feed the poor. Those houses are progressing to have schooling as well for the poor children. There are now many worldwide -- in Egypt, Bangladesh, the Holy Land, multiple in the Philippines, Venezuela and Brazil, an orphanage in Kenya and help is given as well to 600 Buddhist orphans in Dhaka. Visit the website: TRUE LIFE IN GOD

BOTTOMLEY HOME ORPHANAGE IN DHAKA, BANGLADESH Born on the 5th October 1978, Brian Byrnes was killed in a traffic accident on October 2nd 1998. Brian was a very popular young man, so much so his family received £510 in donations from relatives and friends. Determined that some good would become of this, his Brother Alan (me) flew over to Dhaka in Bangladesh to visit the Bottomley Home Orphanage. These kids are the lucky few, as large numbers of children have to survive on the streets. Still, the Orphanage is in a very bad condition when compared to our standards. With the £510 I was able to purchase a Power Generator (a power cut happens almost every day, usually at night), ceiling fans for the Dormitory (the humidity is a nightmare), an extractor fan for the Kitchen and 6 months of medical supplies for over 100 children. I was able to do a lot with the money, but as you can see from some of the pictures I took, there is much more needed. ABOUT THE BOTTOMLEY HOME ORPHANAGE. The Bottomley Home Orphanage is for children of school-age upwards. Education is not cheap in Bangladesh and the caring authorities at the Orphanage provide good quality education including spoken and written English with the hope of breaking the cycle of poverty. The children in the Home are established in a caring environment and do not look for major upheaval of adoption, especially to a foreign country. THE GOAL The aim is to raise at least GB£1000 per year. I plan to go back to see what else I can do to raise the standard of living for these children. This website will be updated then to show everyone what I was able to achieve with the donations. When I fly out to Bangladesh, I pay all my own expenses, and take the monies donated each year to help to further improve the lives of the children of the Bottomley Home Orphanage. WHY BANGLADESH? Bangladesh is one of the poorest nations of the World with a GDP per capita of US$ 370. Compared to the UK at US$ 22,640 and the USA at US$ 30,600 (1999 - from www.worldbank.org). As you can see I was able to do quite a lot with just £510. We the family wanted to see the money actually DO something. People who donate money like to see what it has achieved. When anybody donates to this fund they can see where their money is going and we can honour Brian's memory. HOW DO I KNOW THIS ISN'T SOME SCAM? If you are in any doubt then please contact the Orphanage directly at Bottomley Home Orphanage: No 3 Tejkunipara Farmgate Dhaka - 1215, Bangladesh Tel - +880 2 9112905 The orphanage now also has internet access provided by Austik, an Australian company and also help to support this orphanage, please visit their site. Why not e-mail the Orphanage directly, but please remember that they are only learning and English is not their first language, in some cases it is their third. Contact the orphanage at Bottomley@agni.com We are now registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Our registered number is 1091036. Our Inland Revenue Charities number is VAB11YG We are registered as a Trust with 4 Trustees -- Alan Byrnes, Peter Byrnes, Paula Byrnes & Stephen Hughes -- who by the constitution, are forbidden to make any profit. Although we are allowed to take expenses we will never take any. I travel to Bangladesh at no cost to the fund. Every penny donated to the fund goes to the Orphanage. The kids there really need it far more than we do. The main advantages of being a registered charity are that we can reclaim UK tax on bank interest payments and on any donations from UK taxpayers providing the donation is in the form of Gift-Aid. For the tax year ending April 2005 we have received £135.74 from the Inland Revenue. This is equivalent to more than 1 years sponsorship for a child at the orphanage!! On behalf of the children of the Bottomley Home orphanage we would like to thank the Chancellor of the Exchequer. If you would like a copy of our latest newsletter then please e-mail us -- at the below address -- with your postal address as it is too big to send electronically. Orphanage@Blueyonder.co.uk We would like to emphasise the fact that we do not take any administration or travel expenses from the monies collected, 100% goes to improving the lives of the children. I pay my own airfare to Bangladesh and any other expenses. Finally, please note that I an Atheist, with Aminda a Buddhist, borrowed a van from a Muslim to take supplies bought with your donations from a Hindu trader to a Christian orphanage. Isn't this the way it should be? Photographs of some of the children in the Orphanage along with a brief history of each. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CHILDREN CHILDREN’S PHOTOS AND STORIES HOME PAGE

Map Of Pakistan

Boys From Sidara Orphanage In Peshawa, Pakistan

SIDARA ORPHANAGE Since late 2001, we have been supporting an orphanage run by RAWA (Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan) in Peshawar: in fact this is a joint venture between FemAid and RAWA which we launched together. It was named after our first major sponsor, designer Stella Mc Cartney who held a charity sale at the Thadeus Ropac Gallery in Paris, selling specially designed T-shirts for this cause. Situated at the north of Peshawar, in a typical slum -- a far cry from the majestic crumbling beauty of the old city, the surprisingly spacious house is in a cramped street in something of a residential area. There are seven rooms which house some 50 children aged between 6 and 12 -- 30 boys and 20 girls. These children have been saved from refugee camps and slums. RAWA’s orphanages (of which there are half a dozen within Pakistan) receive children who have lost at least one parent, usually their father (here ten have actually lost both), or whose parents for reasons of sickness and/or extreme poverty are unable to care for them. Widows frequently feel they are too poor to look after their offspring (of which there is a national average of seven). At Sitara, there is one child here who narrowly escaped being sold -- unlike his unfortunate elder sister whose present whereabouts are now unknown. Another two were brought here after their widowed mother would chain them all day when she went out to work. They still bear the marks of their shackles on their wrists. Parents prefer to ensure safety for their sons than their daughters. Apart from their inferior status as girls, they might bring in money through marriage. According to Muslim law (unlike India where brides have to bring in an ample dowry), the husband has to pay what is known as 'bride-price' -- basically payment to parents a kind of compensation for removing their work force and transferring her potential fertility to his clan (as if purchasing a heifer). Because of the intense poverty, girls are sold off at an increasingly younger age, sometimes before puberty (and these marriages are consummated...)Likewise, I visited their orphanages which cater for children who have lost at least one parent, generally their father. In Pakistan, nearly all the poorest boys and some of the girls (Pakistani or Afghan) from age seven onwards do some kind of work after class, often until nightfall -- begging at gas stations, rag-picking, collecting paper off rubbish mounds ( one kg for one rupee), hammering nails into shoes, making metal wire sponges (25 dozen for 10 rupees-sold individually at 8 rupees, $1=50s). Needless to say, these frail kids look at least three years younger than their well-nourished Western counterparts -- their growth has been stunted by poverty. I could not believe their age at the orphanage and checked by looking at their teeth. Six/seven year olds looked like Western four year olds, and that does come as a shock. ABOUT THE ORPHANAGE A RAWA orphanage is a way of life. Education is at its core, as well as children’s physical and emotional well-being. Here, as the housemother told me, children presented all kinds of war traumas. In the beginning, most children fought at meal times over food, and would regularly hide some under the mattress. They would eat as much as they could out of fear that the opportunity might not repeat itself. Many could not sleep in beds and would lie on the floor (something Auschwitz survivors apparently did as well for a long time after returning from camp). They didn’t want to dirty the toilets, so they would go outside in the yard. Nightmares, bed wetting, general anxiety are still part of their life. I saw one ten year old burst into uncontrollable tears because he had suddenly thought of his father, killed by the Taliban. The lady in charge of the cleaning took him in her arms in the most loving, touching way. In the West, we would call upon psychologists but there can’t be that many fluent in Dari and Pashtu, but this kind of therapy is not part of their culture. Here, a regular carefully planned life-style is helping to rebuild these children. All of them are enjoying, for the first time in their life, comforts we would deem elementary but appear to be a luxury in this context. Bunk beds with decorated sheets, a bathroom in every bedroom, light, cleanliness, a place to play and watch TV, classrooms where they are getting enough basic education to start in a Pakistani school in the autumn. They get three daily meals, whereas previously they subsisted on bread and tea. As a treat, fruit and meat are served a couple of times a week and we have ensured weekly ice-creams. They sing songs about Afghanistan and democracy, learn about conflict resolution through discussion and exchange, even gender equality in a very deft and subtle way -- all things RAWA has evolved across the years, not through some patronizing internationally sponsored scheme (of which I have seen many fail in war-torn Bosnia) but through working on a grass roots level, tactfully balancing different needs and modern feminist aspirations with the existing culture. Of course, problems ensue when these children go to visit their families- the upkeep of family ties is encouraged. They return on average once a month to the camp and a room is used by parents on visits. Girls especially have trouble re-adapting, as they have been treated like privileged boys in the orphanage ! There has been the heartbreaking case of a mother visiting her son, only to find herself rejected by the boy who found her too primitive. Visit the website: SIDARA ORPHANAGE

A Five Pillars Baby

FIVE PILLARS ORPHANAGE Are you aware that in Pakistan today thousands of children are without any parents? These children are either abandoned by their parents, due to their inability to financially support them, or because they are orphans. The Five Pillars Charity is a UK-based charitable organisation that was set up in 2002 to help build an orphanage and has been working to this end. The Charity has acquired about 3 acres of land in Manda, about half an hour from Islamabad in Pakistan for this purpose. Work on constructing and furnishing the orphanage has started and we would like this work to be completed as soon as possible with your help. The aim is to offer accomodation and education to children so that can live something like a normal life. For all the latest on our activities and events please check our News section. OUR AIMS We aim to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone, especially children. We want to ensure each individual’s basic needs are catered for and that they are equipped for an independent future. To guarantee this, the following are essential: Food: Five Pillars will provide a balanced food supplies to all the children in its care as well others who have nothing left after the horrific earthquake in order to eliminate hunger and the degradation of begging. Shelter: We want to give a safe home to orphans left behind in thousands after the earthquake, to prevent them from sleeping rough on the streets and save them from being used as slaves. Additionally, for orphans we aim to arrange guardianship for each child. Clothing: We want to guarantee all individuals have appropriate clothing, including uniforms for school. Education: In providing a good standard of education for each child, we will empower them to provide for themselves and stand on their own feet as adults. Through religious guidance we can provide moral and spiritual direction so they learn to respect each other. THE FUTURE Our vision, is to have these Five Pillars Homes around the world, operating to provide a refuge for poor and needy children. We would like to initiate other related projects once this first orphanage is established. Examples include the following: * Establish training centres * Provide an environment for obtaining qualifications * Provide financial assistance for educational scholarships * Provide medical care and attention and health education Visit the website: FIVE PILLARS to see ways in which you can help. The cost of each child is about £30 per month, that will include their upbringing, education, cost of teachers and any other costs involved in running the school. If you prefer you can make just one off contribution. During the month of Ramadan we hope that people will contribute generously. We welcome help with fundraising and administration assistance. We will be extremely grateful if doctors, teacher, dentists are able to give their time and visit children to offer the their services. Additionally, we are always looking for an extra pair of hands, to help us in the administration of running this project. Please contact us, if you are able to help in this respect.