Monthly Archive for February, 2003

February 2003 – Hilary Price

Published by Hilary Price on February 2, 2003 in Diary Updates. 0 Comments

It’s been a wonderful month… Although it got off to a fairly rocky start when I went down with horrendous flu. Despite the grotty bug and feeling awful it was a good time to reflect, take stock and evaluate the fantastic year.

Our new House Parents have settled in very well and are ‘naturals’. Training and supporting them has been a privilege. The children love their motorbike and emulate the look.

THE MOST EXCITING NEWS is that we are transitioning 6 children from one family into the home this month, aged 8 years down to 7 months. This is what we’re here for and it’s where our strengths lie – early intervention, keeping siblings together, and supporting the family.

The other really exciting news is that our first boys (9 & 10) have successfully transitioned back home to their mum. Whilst we miss them, we know that they are ecstatic to be home once more. Their photos smile at us from our notice board reminding us of the happy times (and challenges!) we’ve had together. It’s been an amazing journey and privilege sharing a part of their lives.

Our two ‘wee’ boys (3 & 4) are becoming more relaxed and trusting as the months pass, their health has improved and developmentally they are making significant strides – in fact they are blossoming, it’s a joy to see!

We had our first audit of service provision, which has gone exceptionally well. Feedback is that our service brings strengths, innovation and fills a gap in the provision of care and protection for children. We have also been commended on our good advocacy for children.

Thankfully the contrast between this and last month is HUGE – it’s so good to go out with a bang!

Looking back over this year it’s hard to know what would be the most significant moment as there have been so many. Just being given the opportunity to work full-time and develop the Trust has been extraordinary in itself.

We can announce a 549% return on an investment from one sponsored salary and the accompanying support resource – and this is fantastic – but more important than these necessary dollars and cents and performance indicators is the human factor.

Highlights of the last 12 months would include getting our license to operate the service and the actual opening of the first Homes of Hope home.

Then of course there was the arrival of the first children in the home. I’ll never forget being completely overwhelmed with the realities of that milestone.

We have had so many contributions of faithful, humble people who came week after week to work for the Home.

Other milestones and joyous moments include:

The inaugural dinner dance where over 200 people came together to celebrate and support Homes of Hope
Taking the children on holiday to Lake Tarawera and Rotorua
Seeing the Home of Hope model work through the tough times when the children remained stable, settled and content
Meals and baking delivered on the doorstep
Social workers appreciating our support and collaboration
Developing relationships with agencies for the good of the children in our care
The bittersweet sadness-celebration of children returning to their family
The reality of seeing how hope begins to transform lives is overwhelming. In facing many fears and insecurities over the last year, I’ve learnt, grown and found hope. I could never put a value on this experience – it is eternal.

Hilary

February 2003 – Graham Nobbs

Published by Graham Nobbs on February 2, 2003 in Diary Updates. 0 Comments

The situation:
As a country where the unexpected often occurs, Southern Sudan is in a constant state of flux and changes.

From a period of plentiful rain and mud in early December, the season changed abruptly to humid hot overcast weather on our return in January, to very hot oppressive weather in February. Even the local people are complaining of the heat, which is hitting 40 degrees Celsius during the day.

From a period of relatively plentiful food at the conclusion of the harvest in November the situation has changed to one of food shortage, hunger and requests for food assistance from the UN Food Program.

There is a serious deterioration in people’s health and with the exhaustion of medical supplies over 270 people died of malaria in December and January.

We have had little information about the peace talks although we understand an agreement will be signed by the end of this month and refugees are returning in large numbers from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.

School visits:
The first two weeks of this month have been spent visiting seven schools, to meet with parents and the community in an attempt to ignite interest and support for teachers and the schools.

There have been encouraging meetings but also some disappointments. In some areas where schools have been set-up, little has been done to construct classrooms leaving lessons still conducted outside under trees. I realise establishing a school can be a long slow process but I also believe that ACROSS must keep visiting villages regularly to encourage this progress. Patience and perseverance will in the long-term pay off.

These setbacks can be very discouraging but there are always other encouragement’s to compensate.

We have cleared a large site, burning grass and scrub in preparation for the construction of a large community training centre – which we will start to build in March. We are getting the locals to collect materials and already have the timber, zinc, and cement.

We have also organised teacher training that commences on February 16th and concludes on March 24th. Half the local teachers will be taken out of schools for the course and the remainder for a duplication of the same course from mid-April until the end of May.

25 – 30 teachers will be trained at each course with about 10 to 15 from northern Payams where there is no training or school assistance at present. We are using the training program to assist the area of Pibor County as well. The second half of Phase One training will take place for the same groups from September to December 2004.

Graham

February 2003 – Annette Culpan

Published by Annette Culpan on February 2, 2003 in Diary Updates. 0 Comments

From earthquakes, floods and Bali Belly to magical moments in rural villages with Trust patients and lessons learnt in Hindu Dharma and Karma, this year has been simply awesome.

I’m back in Auckland, but packing up my bungalow and farewelling those who have become my Balinese family was incredibly hard. Every day when I wake I think of this island paradise and her beautiful people and I feel sadness in my heart.

On one of my last days in Bali I went out in the field with Yakkum Bali who work to rehabilitate disabled children & young adults. We visited both new & rehabilitated patients and it was fantastic to see the results of their work in action. One disabled man now runs a carving workshop employing over ten people and producing local work of the highest standard. In the future I hope the Trust may work at times with this effective organisation.

This last month has seen huge leaps forward in the field of fundraising. Over 300 Special Appeal newsletters have been issued, as well as a press release on the closing of this ‘World of Difference Year’. Already in response my local eastern paper has set up an interview as well as another Auckland publication. I also sent out Trust postcards to our highest tier supporters. The greatest milestone for the month however is that our website is now LIVE! Full respect & thanks to Mr John Madden who designed & coded the site free of charge. Check out www.balihealthtrust.com and be inspired!

It’s been brilliant to see the Trust move forward and achieve so many milestones in the last year:

First ever Fundraising & Marketing Strategy formulated & implemented – this for both the 03/ 04 year and 04/ 05 year
Hundreds of patients were treated with groundwork laid for thousands to be treated in 2004
A solution put forward for leprosy patients in Suka Dana Village
Revenue is up nearly 400% on the entire previous financial year, and ahead of budget
Supporters base has grown by over 600%
NZ based events held to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Bali Bombings
Landowners donate a clinic to the Trust on the Northern Coast of Bali
Website developed and live!
The highlight of the last 12 months for me is easily the magical moments with some very brave patients in the villages, especially those with leprosy. These people have taught me humbling life lessons and helped to change my world-view of what I consider to be difficulties & problems. So often in the West we get caught up in consumerism, forgetting to count our blessings and find peace in the fact that our simplest life requirements of good health, food, clean water and shelter are met – when for many especially in the third world these are not.

The lowlights of the year are also clear. The most difficult thing I have had to face remains the smell of rotting flesh from leprosy. This is something I never became used to in the villages and don’t believe I ever will. I am also well and truly over ‘Bali Belly’. The last incident of hospitalisation and being put on a drip was the final straw. The third in the low-light trilogy was being caught in the East Bali earthquake in January – a truly petrifying experience that had me fearing for my life.

This year has also been about facing personal fears & pushing boundaries. I have always loved the ocean but been afraid of both rips & deep water. Tackling the challenge of surfing was incredibly difficult for me, but also extremely fulfilling. The first time I paddled out in a rip on my own, surfed out the back and caught a wave face was euphoric. That same day I faced a big drop on the largest wave I have ever tackled and somehow made it. A good metaphor for this year and for life!

When you experience a year such as this the experience, the people and the cause form a place in your heart. Walking away is impossible. I look forward to providing further support to the Trust in the coming months and thank all of you for your commitment to this organisation and it’s very important work. Slowly but surely together we are making great things happen and every one of you has an important role in this. Sincere thanks to the Trust board, management and to the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation and it’s extraordinary ‘World of Difference’ Programme.

There is a great need for the role of Bali Health Trust in the impoverished villages of rural Bali. This is important primary healthcare work and I feel proud to have had a part in this and also in the organisation of NZ based events to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Bali Bombing.

Thank you for believing.

Annette