Forgot to tell about our Jean Mary in Haiti. He is nearly 5 now, and was admitted to the American-English school! I.e. it is an English-speaking school that follows the American curriculum.
After the first day (last Monday) he announced he could speak English: yes and no.
By the end of the week he could count to 20 ( and know other things, beyond a doubt) and when asked what he liked best about his new school he said what every American kid says: lunch and recess!
Monday, October 18, 2010
OneBigBoost is growing!
This is all so exciting!
Since the visit to Haiti, many things have happened.
We are still receiving donations and, in spite of the large amounts we have herded to the proper places, we still have a sizable amount left. Since there is SO much to be done that is a good thing!
(my cat just tried to jump onto my desk and missed - that was weird! You should have seen the dumb look!)
We sent large amounts of money to Haiti, in chunks, until the last refugee patient had left the hospital. Over Easter we decided to entrust Dave Porter, Keystone College, with $500 to help his work with a permanent project at the orphanage in Gwo Jan, Haiti. (part of Port au Prince)
Our next project took us back to Nepal. Beth knows a group of people who are involved in translating an English-language novel into Nepali. The name of the book is SOLD, written by Patricia McCormick. It describes the typical situation in Nepal and its neighboring countries: a 12 year old girl is taken from home, for a cash exchange, with the assurance that she will have a good job, good family and education in Kathmandu. Instead, she ends up in brothels in India. Letting the families in Nepal know what is going on - an estimated 1200 girls each year - is not simple: most people in the mountains cannot read or write, nor do they have television. But most everyone has radio! And this is how this group is trying to reach the population most affected by the situation and the project has several segments.
1-Translation of the book into Nepali
2-Distribution of the book to all libraries and schools (3 books to each)
3-An amazing, acting-out of the book by Nepali radio actors, one evening a week, to inform
people in a way they are eager to follow. Like a radio play.
4-Workshops for (mostly rural) teachers, making them aware, learning to identify and teach the
community about the truth of these 'families'.
OneBigBoost decided to sponsor two of these teacher workshops at $300 each. One time, one place, serving many.
It is not so easy to really stick with that, but focus is a must. There is so much need everywhere.
I always wonder what will be next, or will we 'get stuck' with the money left in the account? And what if people keep giving money?(which is happening)
So now another two things have happened.
1- I read about the problem in Haiti with last years' tents and tarps falling apart, leaving people in hot sun, drenching rain and night-time cold. I kept wondering how we could kelp just a few people/families. A dear friend said "hey-I know a man who owns a tent factory. A big one. I'll have him call you!". And she did. Markus is the CEO of a huuuge tent-making company in Wash State, something ..folding homes...google it. They are all yurts, anywhere from family yurts to complete hospitals. He is the one who donated thousands of these to Pakistan, works with the Red Cross, armies etc. Knowing all that, I decided to ask him to sell us 10 yurts at the lowest yurt price you get if you buy 5 000 of them. At first he laughed, then told me he will have an offer for me on Thursday..... We have designated $3500 for it, possibly giving home to 10 families that way.
2- This group of young NGO people are building self-composting toilets all over the quake area, and doing a great job. They are collecting all the compost, and want to start a model garden in Febr/March. OBB is going to designate $1500-$2000 to buy quality garden implements, tree saplings and tons of seeds. Sari's daughter, Elina (16) , is hoping to fly over from Finland to help me with this exciting project. It will be wonderful to have her by my side!
OneBigBoost/I was invited to do two presentations about our organization at the PA celebration of the United Nation's 65th anniversary. That celebrations is this Thursday, Oct 23, and Tjitske was a marvelous over-the-phone teacher to teach me PowerPoint. I was very impressed. I'm loving it, and set up a 22 minute presentation, leaving enough time for questions and accidents of the 35 minute session (x2). The presentation is about the power of one, that small things make a big difference in a person's life. That one small act is really perfect - it doesn't have to be a multi-million dollar, complex organization with complex rules.
It starts with a beautiful picture I took in Sussex: a lone poppy sticking its head through a fence.
But wait...there's more! The mayor of Scranton contacted me yesterday: they need to know our umbrella/connection to non-profit 501(c)3 contact (thank goodness we have that!!) - because the Scranton Foundation is giving us a donation on Thursday. Oh boy. And Markus is going to be there, and I'm sitting with him for lunch.
What a life!
So yes, besides the utmost joy of having a son and a daughter who are blossoming in their work, TWO daughters pregnant and as always beautiful, having everyone home for Thanksgiving AND going to Jamaica for our 40th....life is a beautiful place to be.
Since the visit to Haiti, many things have happened.
We are still receiving donations and, in spite of the large amounts we have herded to the proper places, we still have a sizable amount left. Since there is SO much to be done that is a good thing!
(my cat just tried to jump onto my desk and missed - that was weird! You should have seen the dumb look!)
We sent large amounts of money to Haiti, in chunks, until the last refugee patient had left the hospital. Over Easter we decided to entrust Dave Porter, Keystone College, with $500 to help his work with a permanent project at the orphanage in Gwo Jan, Haiti. (part of Port au Prince)
Our next project took us back to Nepal. Beth knows a group of people who are involved in translating an English-language novel into Nepali. The name of the book is SOLD, written by Patricia McCormick. It describes the typical situation in Nepal and its neighboring countries: a 12 year old girl is taken from home, for a cash exchange, with the assurance that she will have a good job, good family and education in Kathmandu. Instead, she ends up in brothels in India. Letting the families in Nepal know what is going on - an estimated 1200 girls each year - is not simple: most people in the mountains cannot read or write, nor do they have television. But most everyone has radio! And this is how this group is trying to reach the population most affected by the situation and the project has several segments.
1-Translation of the book into Nepali
2-Distribution of the book to all libraries and schools (3 books to each)
3-An amazing, acting-out of the book by Nepali radio actors, one evening a week, to inform
people in a way they are eager to follow. Like a radio play.
4-Workshops for (mostly rural) teachers, making them aware, learning to identify and teach the
community about the truth of these 'families'.
OneBigBoost decided to sponsor two of these teacher workshops at $300 each. One time, one place, serving many.
It is not so easy to really stick with that, but focus is a must. There is so much need everywhere.
I always wonder what will be next, or will we 'get stuck' with the money left in the account? And what if people keep giving money?(which is happening)
So now another two things have happened.
1- I read about the problem in Haiti with last years' tents and tarps falling apart, leaving people in hot sun, drenching rain and night-time cold. I kept wondering how we could kelp just a few people/families. A dear friend said "hey-I know a man who owns a tent factory. A big one. I'll have him call you!". And she did. Markus is the CEO of a huuuge tent-making company in Wash State, something ..folding homes...google it. They are all yurts, anywhere from family yurts to complete hospitals. He is the one who donated thousands of these to Pakistan, works with the Red Cross, armies etc. Knowing all that, I decided to ask him to sell us 10 yurts at the lowest yurt price you get if you buy 5 000 of them. At first he laughed, then told me he will have an offer for me on Thursday..... We have designated $3500 for it, possibly giving home to 10 families that way.
2- This group of young NGO people are building self-composting toilets all over the quake area, and doing a great job. They are collecting all the compost, and want to start a model garden in Febr/March. OBB is going to designate $1500-$2000 to buy quality garden implements, tree saplings and tons of seeds. Sari's daughter, Elina (16) , is hoping to fly over from Finland to help me with this exciting project. It will be wonderful to have her by my side!
OneBigBoost/I was invited to do two presentations about our organization at the PA celebration of the United Nation's 65th anniversary. That celebrations is this Thursday, Oct 23, and Tjitske was a marvelous over-the-phone teacher to teach me PowerPoint. I was very impressed. I'm loving it, and set up a 22 minute presentation, leaving enough time for questions and accidents of the 35 minute session (x2). The presentation is about the power of one, that small things make a big difference in a person's life. That one small act is really perfect - it doesn't have to be a multi-million dollar, complex organization with complex rules.
It starts with a beautiful picture I took in Sussex: a lone poppy sticking its head through a fence.
But wait...there's more! The mayor of Scranton contacted me yesterday: they need to know our umbrella/connection to non-profit 501(c)3 contact (thank goodness we have that!!) - because the Scranton Foundation is giving us a donation on Thursday. Oh boy. And Markus is going to be there, and I'm sitting with him for lunch.
What a life!
So yes, besides the utmost joy of having a son and a daughter who are blossoming in their work, TWO daughters pregnant and as always beautiful, having everyone home for Thanksgiving AND going to Jamaica for our 40th....life is a beautiful place to be.
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