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Fall 2016
Journeys of Solutions
Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter as we near the end of a hot and dry summer in Western NY. The articles in this edition describe the great work volunteers are accomplishing with support from our donors. Some examples: in Tanzania, houses were constructed for the families of Kilimanjaro porters and guides. In Kenya, the Eco Moyo project acquired title to their own land and have started to develop their vision of a self sustaining school.  In El Sauce, Nicaragua, more house have been built, an after school program is running, and a new project has been started to refurbish bicycles to give to people in need who cannot afford them. Have you considered starting a monthly donation subscription? Many projects have reoccurring costs and would welcome a steady stream of income. 

Bob Kuehl, JOS President
 
Students performing in music class

AMIGOS IN ACTION - NICARAGUA

We have hit the ground running at Amigos en Acción in El Sauce, Nicaragua! We have 25 students in grades 4 through 6 participating in our before-school program that functions from Monday through Friday every week and is able to happen thanks to our donors.

During the program, our students receive homework help and reinforcement for their classes, eat a healthy snack prepared on the premises, learn English, and participate in other extracurricular activities that encourage team building and confidence and self-esteem development.

During the months of June and July, we had the pleasure of having two volunteers, Alicia and Jesse Kinne, who supported the program in many ways, including helping teach the English classes and leading a music class. The students loved learning and sharing with Alicia and Jesse, especially getting the opportunity to learn folkloric songs from around the world.

To finalize their music class, the students performed a concert for their families, teachers, school directors, and officials from the local Ministry of Education. In total, they performed 8 songs, which they learned in less than 7 weeks! Their favorite song to learn and perform was I’ve Been Working on the Railroad – a song they learned in English! We also had the opportunity to display our students’ talent with the song Que Canten los Niños, where 12 students had solos.

We received a visit from Hilton students who were in El Sauce in August, and the students got to show off their English knowledge and perform the songs that they learned for the concert. We are always open to receiving volunteers who want to share with us and teach new skills to our students!

Check us out on Facebook to keep up to date: Amigos en Accion El Sauce

- Ashley Sullivan, Project Lead
Local veterinarians operate at the Free Spay and Neuter Clinic, El Sauce, Nicaragua

EL SAUCE - NICARAGUA

Hilton High School Spanish Teacher, Michele Ariola, led Hilton High School’s 3rd trip to El Sauce, Nicaragua earlier this summer where two new homes were built in conjunction with 4 Walls and “Amigos en Acción.”

The Hilton group sponsored El Sauce's second free spay and neuter clinic in El Sauce on Sat. 8/5. Local vets from El Sauce performed the surgeries.  Students were also involved in building two stoves for local families, and helped to distribute several suitcases of donations. 


- Michele Ariola (Spanish Teacher – Hilton HS)
Building housing with Hilton High School Seniors

4 WALLS PROJECT, NICARAGUA


More than thirty students worked side by side with their Nicaraguan friends this summer. "I sweat a lot" said Noah Neale, a senior at Hilton High School. Nicole Bansbach's best memory was of the Nicaraguan people theneslves. "They ae so friendly and personable," she said, "I can't wait to go back!" With the construction completed this summer, the 4walls project has provided 115 people with homes.

-Colleen Dunham
Los Buffalitos

EL SAUCE, NICARAGUA

The final football (soccer) game of the season was played on September 3rd.

The Buffalitors are boys and girls from the poorest barrios of El Sauce. They learn teamwork and other skills that enable them to be catalysts for change and role models for other in their town.

-Colleen Dunham
All Aboard in El Sauce

TWO WHEELS PROJECT, NICARAGUA


Andrew and Asia Czerwinski, project leads on the 2 Wheels Project, finally returned home from their one year trip a couple of months ago. To quote Andrew "now that we're back we've been trying to finally get the project up and running while settling back into our everyday lives." Their partners in Nicaragua have visited the first of the schools that they will be supporting, selected the first ten recipients of bicycles, and visited them and their families. Funds have been transferred for this first allocation of ten bicycles, and all involved are excited about the project growing every term from here on.

Alex Solano, shown below in the green shirt, also recently traveled to another town in Nicaragua to purchase used bikes wholesale. The photo below shows the ;latest shipment en route to Nicaragua on top of a bus.The Two Wheels Project wants to make it easier for children to get to school. Each refurbished bike not only helps the child, but also the whole family with daily transportation.


Andrew and Asia Czerwinski-  project leads

Listen to Kami thank JOS supporters.....

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND


The call came at 10 PM after I was in bed.  I heard “Rick, we have to do something….”

Much still needs done in Nepal but here is a lovely thank you from our Sherpa friends from the outreach last year.

Here is a endearing thank you from Kami.

https://www.facebook.com/PPSLifeMatters/videos/731366957007413/  

Here is a longer documentary made in Nepal about the Earthquake. At the end are thank yous from many of those we assisted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p1MKhuXM0Y

  - Rick French
JOS project lead Lindsay Sanner with studnets of the Eco-Moyo School

ECO-MOYO SCHOOL, KENYA


Wonderful things continue to happen at Eco Moyo, Kenya. Sponsors have been secured to cover monthly operating expenses for the school for the remainder of the year, which relieves a lot of the school's immediate financial pressures.  Planting continues of local "spiky plants" and banana tress - with about a third of the plants surviving the recent unusually dry spell.

Collaborations continue to be sought with Norweigian architectural firms to assist with the ongoing design and development of the school site. Progress continues on the laying of two new roads.
Rain is dearly needed in this area and with no water yet accessible on site and no access to a compactor, progress is slow.  Nonetheless, with everyone's eyes on the final goal of increasing the school's accessibility, the work cheerfully continues.


- Lindsay Sanner, Project Lead
 Raziki and his family

UPDATE - GUIDE/PORTER EDUCATIONAL SPONSORSHIP

Raziki is a long time cook and friend of Pack Paddle Ski. JOS supporters have helped to support his family through the guide/porter sponsorship program in addition to funding $2000 to add a room to his house so that all 5 family members do not have to sleep in one room in two beds anymore.

Learn more about his Raziki's life and how JOS supporters have changed it at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vzLki_PKJ0

Thanks for listening…

-Rick French
 
Ambulance service up and running

KAMEKE MATERNITY CLINIC - UGANDA


The year has brought slow but ongoing change at the medical center. Progress continues at the new, part-built, new medical clinic, while in the meantime services continue to be provided to townspeople at the current, rented premises. Charles Okia, clinic manager, does a great job in balancing the tremendous demands placed on the clinic by the overwhelming medical needs of the community, but many challenges remain. With an ambulance service now in place, families living in remote areas can now be reached and transported to the medical clinic or more specialist facilities further afield, however, there continues to be a need for increased staffing/outreach services as well as training for existing staff.  Thanks to JOS and its supporters for your ongoing help in reaching our goals - every little donation helps!

- Kirsti Shields, project lead
Work in progress at the handicraft building.....

WIDOWS OF INDIA, INDIA


Great progress is being made on this additional upper floor to Shanthimalai Handicraft building on Chengham Rd. in Tiruvannamalai - as this project continues to grow in scope and success!

 
There will be an office for a full- time counselor (from Pondicherry) for the widows, who will start this newly formed position in May. Her responsibilities will include screening widows in the villages for their needs and eligibility for care at the Om Shanthi Old Age Home, as well as for the handicraft training program. She will also take responsibility for keeping records, and for follow-up with the women in these programs. In addition, there will be a room for teaching English, basic reading and writing, to include basic computer training as time goes on. These very important basic and necessary skills will support the young widows in their effort to become independent and productive members of their society, enabling them to be independent and to care for themselves and their children. Also, some of this space will be allocated for Kalai's needs as manager of the handicraft program, and for additional space for the actual handicraft work itself.
 
All this is possible because of your collective donations! Please continue to do what your heart suggests. (No amount is ever too small!) Together, we can do many more great things! (Go to http://widowsofindia.de
/?lang=en
)

- Paulette Elberti, Project Lead

In 2012, the United Nations declared the International Day of Charity, held each year on Sept. 5, to do just that.

Also known as World Charity Day, its purpose is to “mobilize people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities,” according to the UN. The holiday also coincides with humanitarian Mother Teresa's death anniversary.

While the holiday provides a great opportunity to donate, it’s important to give generously throughout the year to causes that are close to your heart.

RAISING VOICES RAISING ROOFS

May's Raising Voices Raising Roofs trip put in motion two year's of community connections with our Tanzanian friends. In February, we will spend time in a remote part of the African country to
build homes for unwed mothers.

The trip will be life-changing for those who come, not to mention the impact it will have on the women and their children. Learn more about the project and make a donation
here. A gift of $100 places your name on a brick in the wall of a home. You can help us reach our goal of $17,000!


Another Raising Voices Raising Roofs trip will take place in 2018. If you are interested in an experience that includes living and working alongside the people whose home you are building, email the office for more details on these volunteer adventures.
Check out the
Life Matters Facebook page for videos and updates on these projects.

-Rick French

NEWS FROM KARATU, TANZANIA

Child Sponsorship Program 
 
2016 has been another exciting and busy year (thus far!) for the CSP in Tanzania! In fact we are celebrating 7 years of supporting our students, many of whom are now in secondary schools across Tanzania!!

As you likely recall, Elizabeth returned to Tanzania last November for a brief visit with our sponsored students and partners. The children, now many young teens, had grown taller and the boys' voices deepened. All the while their self confidence remained and continues to remain high. Simply put, through the generosity of our JOS donors, the lives of these children are immensely transformed. 

FROM 11 to 19
Our CSP grew to 19 children since its beginning. In advance of the 2016 school year, we worked with one incredible JOS- and Tanzania supporter, Fiona Hall, to transition the students she has supported since 2010 to her company, All Around Tanzania [pls hyperlink "AATZ": http://www.allaround
tanzania.com/children-we-sponsor]
. The students continue to thrive at their respective schools and enjoy visits with Fiona and other AATz folks. Our remaining JOS students, all but one from Shalom, relish their moments together during holidays when they can be with their Shalom family. 

 
 
MR. TOM RETURNS TO TANZANIA
In May, longtime JOS supporter and volunteer extraordinaire, beloved Mr. Tom, returned to Karatu for a two week stay. Mr. Tom spent quality time with Tumaini students and teachers alike at both the junior and secondary schools. The laptop computers he brought along were gratefully received by all, many laughs were shared too of course!

PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS
Tumaini Junior School students are just beginning their third and final school term of 2016. Our sole primary student, Shedrack is in the midst of completing Standard VI. Shed is a strong student, a class leader and fantastic athlete. He was and remains our youngest student so has surely benefited from so much time at Tumaini Junior School. He is ecstatic to become a Standard VII student come January though certainly he has been a remarkable leader and role model to his fellow students for quite some time! 
 
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS
Now that our secondary school students are dispersed across the country, their time in Karatu is limited. Between school holidays they excitedly return to Karatu where they visit with their Shalom brothers and sisters and even take a few tuition/tutoring courses offered by Tumaini Junior School. Our one student, Naomi, at Tumaini Senior Secondary School is loving TSSS. Most recently, the school was officially opened by ministry officials during their visit. Students are now back and excited to finish their last few months of the year.
 
In addition to learning new subjects like advanced chemistry and physics at secondary school, our students are also exposed to new lessons and school clubs, some learning on iPads whilst others are participating in debate club, dance and choir, and even becoming school prefects. 

Finally, two of our students, Rose S and Charles E will soon sit for their Form II examinations which determine if students will matriculate to Form III. Also, 2017 will be a landmark year, as five of our students are set to sit for their Form IV exams and if passing them, they will graduate from secondary school! 

WHAT'S NEXT?
With the majority of our students now in secondary school, and thus that much closer to college/university, we are in the throes of developing a college fund. This fund will enable our hardworking students to advance in their studies, be it to (two years of) A-levels, a technical school, or beyond. Elizabeth will be sharing more news on this before year-end so stay tuned! In the meantime, to learn more about this exciting development, contact Elizabeth: orphanageprojects
@journeysofsolutions.org
.

It has been a privilege to journey with you and these children as they continue to pursue their respective educational endeavors.  Asanteni sana!!

-Elizabeth Morreau Kallop, Project Lead

 

 

JOS Board of Directors:

Bob Kuehl, President
Bonnie Dupuis, Treasurer
Linda Artruc
Lisa Bouchard
Rick French

Kathy Schmidt
Kirsti Shields
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Our mailing address is:
Journeys of Solutions, Inc., PO Box 28, Webster, NY 14580