Asian Aid Newsletter - Summer 2012

SPONSORS DESPERATELY NEEDED One of these children would love to be sponsored by you Humble Beginnings in Bangladesh By Kerryn Patrick Asian Aid Customer Relations Coordinator

At the South Queensland Conference camp in September, I had opportunity to chat with Leon and Dorothy Powrie about their experiences living and working in Bangladesh. In the mid 1970’s, Leon was director of SAWS (Seventh-day Adventist World Service, now known as the Adventist Development and Relief Agency). Here the Powries witnessed the devastation caused by the 1970 Bhola cyclone – considered one of the worst natural disasters in modern history – and the civil war that led to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. During the conflict, SAWS set up a refugee camp for orphaned and single parent children. It was at this time that Leon knew that education was the only hope for these and the exploited children of the Garo Hills Tract region whose land was being stolen. Education would mean more opportunity for the many children in the Hills Tract region who would otherwise remain – and still are – subsistence dwellers making an income from selling fire wood, wild honey or other products found in the forest. Leon’s wife Dorothy worked in the Bangladesh Union Mission, coordinating a child sponsorship program. Finding support for so many needy children was not easy, so Leon invited Maisie Fook, founder of Asian Aid, to visit Bangladesh. Since then, nearly 40 years ago, Asian Aid has been working with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bangladesh to provide educational support for tens of thousands of needy students. Teachers, accountants, conference presidents and many others in professional positions will testify today to the personal impact Asian Aid has had in their lives. In 2011 Leigh Glasspell, an Asian Aid sponsorship team member, visited Bangladesh to run a training program. In a room full of people who represented the Church program in Bangladesh, Leigh asked how many had been Asian Aid students. The response was humbling. “Over 80% of the group raised their hands. I knew that sponsorship had equipped them with skills to lift the next generation from behind the barriers of poverty and injustice,” Leigh told me upon his return from Bangladesh.

The Powrie family in Bangladesh at Leon’s ordination.

“Does sponsorship make a difference?” I asked the Powries. “Absolutely!” they said. “Without an education these children would have no hope.”

Leon and Dorothy, and their two sons David and Wayne, returned to Australia after 31 years overseas. Though now retired in Nerang, Queensland, they remain actively involved in their local church, and also teach English language classes to Korean students. Thank you Leon and Dorothy for your commitment. You opened doors of opportunity and hope for many in Bangladesh.

Issue 11 Summer 2012

In This Issue Dharshan, 9

Rakshitha, 10

Gowtham, 9

Jini, 12

Preety, 8

Roshna, 12

India

Nepal

India

$25

$30

MAD About Service

Mounika, 7

2

By Jeanine Bourgardt Primary School Teacher at Blue Hills College

Blue Hills College Year 12 students will soon embark on another MAD (Making a Difference) adventure to India and Nepal.The students – Kyle Finey, Tasman Chapman and Kirsten Hughes – with support from their teachers – Bronwyn Tually and Jeanine Bougaardt – are choosing to give up the usual Gold Coast annual Year 12 Schoolies’ experience for a service trip.

The Boidya family – Shohag with his mother Rani, daughter Rahel, wife Mukta, and sister-in-law Dhonolika.

Hope in Full Circle Dip, 10

Biplob, 7

Ruth, 11

Jewel, 16

Sagor, 14

Sweetie, 12

Polash, 13

Bangladesh

$40

The school has fundraised to buy equipment needed for the projects in which the students and teachers will be involved and school resources the group will take to India and Nepal. The students and teachers will pay for their own way and expenses. The group will leave on 11 November, 2012 for two weeks.

Suvo, 13

Christina, 11

Laya, 13

Ridoy, 10

Selina, 14

Mina, 14

Arpita, 10

Bangladesh

$40

MY DONATION TO ASIAN AID ORGANISATION LTD

ABN 98 002 286 419

YES! Please find enclosed my gift for the following special needs Women’s Health

$

Anti-Human Trafficking

$

YES Project

$

HELP Project

$

Gift Fund

$

Administration

$

Safe Haven Nepal

$

Special Projects

$

I would like to sponsor a child at Day school rate $25pm Day school PLUS $30pm Boarding school rate $40pm Boarding PLUS $50pm

Titinu, 11

Antor, 11

Monoj, 9

Sandeep, 8

Bangladesh

Nepal

$40

$50

Tertiary rate $100pm

Mr/Mrs/Miss Address P/code Phone No (

) Cheque

Credit card (as below)

$Au $NZ

Internet transfer (we will send you details) Card No: Mastercard

The remarkable story began 29 years ago when Simson Boidya, an employee of Sonapur Adventist School and his wife Rani Boidya, had their second child, Shohag. Sadly the young family would not stay together for long. In 1987 Shohag’s father was violently attacked by a robber and he eventually succumbed to his injuries, passing away in December 1987. Following Simson’s death, the family moved back to their native home in South Bangladesh. Upon moving south, Shohag and his older brother lived in the Kellogg-Mookerjee Memorial Seminary orphanage where they began attending school. This period also marked the beginning of sponsorship for the two young boys. Throughout these early years Shohag began to study the Bible, and in 1996 he made the decision to be baptised.

After graduating from high school in 2000, Shohag went on to complete his bachelor degree in Education at Bangladesh Adventist Seminary and College. This equipped him for working for the Bangladesh Union Mission and for post-graduate studies. In 2008 Shohag married Mukta with whom he now has a two year old daughter. In a reversal of roles, Shohag’s mother is now living with the young family which Shohag says is “a blessing”. In 2010 Shohag graduated with a Masters in Education from Prime University in Mirpur, Dhaka. Having always wanted to work for Asian Aid, Shohag applied and got a managerial position for Asian Aid’s partner Bangladesh Children’s Sponsorship Services (BCSS). This role has enabled Shohag to help children in local villages and to continue to grow the West Bangladesh Mission. Sponsorship gave Shohag the opportunity to gain an education – an opportunity that so many do not have as children in Bangladesh. “Without Asian Aid, my life would have been destroyed in my childhood,” says Shohag. “I am grateful to BCSS and our donors’ agency for giving new life to the children of Bangladesh.” In coming full circle, Shohag’s story of hope continues.

4 News in Brief

5 MAD About Service

OTHER ITEMS: 3 – Abundant Giving 4 – Justice – A Worthy Gift 5 – Humble Beginnings in Bangladesh 6 – Sponsorship

Email

Payment Method

Jeanine Bougaardt (teacher), Bronwyn Tually (teacher), Kirsten Hughes, Kyle Finey and Tasman Chapman.

Asian Aid Communication intern and Avondale College Bachelor of Arts graduate of 2012

There is something special about a story that comes full circle. Such is the case for Shohag Boidya, a former Asian Aid sponsored child who is now working with other Asian Aid sponsored Bangladeshi children.

The group will visit the 3AN School in Pohkara, Nepal, to do much needed painting and to gift the school with a mural, will spend time with the girls at the Safe Haven to show them others care and to talk about positive self-image, and will attend Zenith Academy to learn about the school from the students there. “We believe this is a great opportunity for young people to explore, discover and gain a little insight into different cultures and ways of life,” says Bronwyn Tually. “This experience gives students a chance to practise serving God and others.”

By Julian Bremner

Suffering in Silence: Women’s Health in Nepal

Visa

Erras, 11

Anisha, 8

Sri Lanka

India

$50

$100

Pala, 20

Expiry Date:

Amount This payment is to be

Mahadevaswamy, 9 India $50

a regular monthly payment

a single payment

Card Name Signature Donations over $2 to approved projects are tax deductible in Australia I would like information on how to include Asian Aid in my will

Date

Go to asianaid.org.au for more children waiting to be sponsored. Australia PO Box 333, Wauchope NSW 2446 New Zealand PO Box 97-357 Manukau City Auckland NZ P 02 6586 4250 F 02 9012 0827 E contact@asianaid.org.au W asianaid.org.au ABN 98 002 286 419 ACN 002 286 419

HOPE-A-THON UPDATE: Since Hope-a-Thon, a sponsorship campaign for Bangladeshi children, began on 1 September, 70 Bangladeshi children have been sponsored (number of sponsored children current at date of printing). Help us reach our goal of giving hope to 115 children by Christmas by sponsoring a child yourself or by encouraging friends, family, church friends or work friends to do so please.

Suffering in Silence By Heather Webb Heather is a lawyer from the US currently working in Nepal with the Women’s Reproductive Rights Program (or WRRP) as a Peace Fellow through the Washington DC-based Advocacy Project. Heather is a passionate advocator for women’s human and health rights.

This piece is adapted from an article originally written for The Kathmandu Post and published thereby on 15 September, 2012. During my time in Nepal, I have heard women talk about developing UP from their teenage years to their late 30s, from just days after the birth of their first child to following delivery of a sixth child. I have listened while women talked about actually feeling their uteruses fall down for the first time and revealed their struggles of the years that followed – struggles most often social or psychological in nature. Falling of the womb. Imagine that a muscle to which you have never paid attention weakening such that one of your organs that defines your womanhood is no longer properly supported and begins to fall out of your body. Imagine that, in addition to the tremendous physical pain this causes, your husband blames you and threatens to leave. Your community ostracises you. Your mother-in-law has suffered from this condition without raising a fuss; this is normal for women after childbirth. Why aren’t you able to handle it with the strength that she did? Uterine prolapse, or UP, occurs when the muscles of the pelvis are strained to a point that they can no longer support the positioning of the uterus, and it begins to descend downward eventually coming out of the woman’s body and rendering her unable to engage in many daily activities without tremendous pain. UP is a progressive condition and factors that contribute to its development include malnourishment, strenuous physical labour during

pregnancy and following childbirth, the absence of a skilled birth attendant during delivery, frequent childbearing, and early marriage and childbirth. While in developed countries the condition is largely limited to women of menopausal age, in Nepal UP is also common among reproductive age women, including women as young as 15. WRRP, a program run by the Centre for Agro-Ecology and Development (or CAED), a partner of Asian Aid, is considered one of Nepal’s leading programs in the fight against uterine prolapse. CAED has over ten years experience in the area. The program addresses the high incidence of uterine prolapse in Nepal through a preventative and treatment-based approach. Since WRRP began bringing attention to this issue, various studies have revealed the staggering numbers of women in Nepal who suffer from UP. The 2006 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey reported that seven percent of reproductive age women were suffering from UP. Based on a cross-sectional study – participants were from rural to urban areas, Hill and Tarai regions – of women aged between 15 and 49, the Institute of Medicine and UNFPA estimated in 2006 that 600,000 women were suffering from UP in Nepal. The actual number is likely much larger as women over 49 were not included in the study. “The prevalence of uterine prolapse in Nepal is much more than a medical issue,” Samita Pradhan, the head of WRRP, told me. UP is preventable and treatable. But a culture in which subordination of women is deeply engrained underlies the persistence of practices, rigid gender roles, and disempowerment that put women in Nepal at an increased risk of suffering from the condition and then keeps them suffering in silence. The connection between child marriage and UP is strong. After having married early, young women and girls are unable to take it easy from physically laborious fieldwork

Heather lifts a typical ‘load’ that many Nepalese women are made to carry, which often causes or accentuates women’s health issues such as uterine prolapse.

Nepalese women in a rural village waiting to be seen by a doctor as part of the Women’s Health project.

and housework during pregnancy, or to resist the sexual and childbearing demands of husbands. Many are unable to make visits to the healthcare centre at will for birth control, pre or post-natal care, or treatment for early stage UP. I met Surji Devi Ram during my visit to Madhupatti VDC in eastern Tarai Saptari District. Her family had married her off at around the age of 8 or 9. When I looked at her wide-eyed and asked her what marrying that early was like, she responded, “I didn’t even know what marriage was”. Surji developed UP after giving birth to her first child at the age of 16. After years of suffering in silence from her prolapsed uterus, Surji’s condition was treated because of the support she received through WRRP’s program. Although Surji laments the inability to gain an education that child marriage cost her, she now serves as the President of the Madhupatti Women’s Reproductive Rights Forum and works tirelessly to raise awareness about UP in her community. Through my fellowship with WRRP I have learned so much about life from a very different perspective. I have found it amazing how the layers of understanding keep peeling away the longer I stay here and the more I experience in rural Nepal. This has been a life-changing experience that has reaffirmed my commitment to a career advancing human rights. After spending several months with WRRP I have heard many sad stories related to UP and child marriage. But what is more important to me is the seeds of hope that I have also witnessed. WRRP’s programs are working; they are increasing awareness about UP and breaking down the stigma surrounding it. Beginning in 2013, WRRP expects to begin implementation of a campaign targeted toward ending child marriage. I encourage anyone able to do so to support Asian Aid and WRRP in these endeavors.

Abundant Giving

News in Brief

Vernon McLellan was not thinking of Asian Aid supporters when he wrote: “When it comes to giving, some people stop at nothing”, but his statement is certainly true of you. Over this past year we have been humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity we have experienced. Your gifts of prayer, money, time, ideas and encouragement, have allowed Asian Aid to continue giving hope to those who need it. As we contemplate 2012, we would like to thank a few individuals and groups who have given in special ways this year. Ambassadors – We have such committed ambassadors who are passionate about promoting Asian Aid’s work.Your dedication has seen many more children and projects supported this year. Thank you Ambassadors. Board directors – Asian Aid is blessed with nine volunteers, who each bring a unique and valuable skill set, to help guide many of the strategic decisions that help shape Asian Aid. Thank you for volunteering your time, skills and expertise to furthering our work. Stamps – Nearly every week we receive packages of used stamps – often by anonymous senders – that stamp expert and trader, Robert Howe, cleans, sorts and sells to support the Hungry Money Fund in India. If you have collected stamps this year, we thank you. Due to the generous donations of stamps, our budget for Hungry Money for the next five years has been exceeded. Funds raised by stamps will now support the Anti-Human Trafficking project in India. Art and craft – We have had many beautifully knitted, crocheted, handsewn, drawn and/or created items donated for children in India and Nepal by generous and talented artists. Thank you. In October this year we sent across the final container of donated items. Due to prohibitive shipping costs, future donations will be sold through the Asian Aid Op-Shop in Cooranbong. The proceeds will continue to support the children overseas.Thank you for using your time and talents to bless others. Church and Group Posties – What would we do without these committed men and women who volunteer their time to keep our communication flowing in over 600 churches, clubs, and institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand? Thank you for collecting mail and distributing newsletters in your group. Op-Shop managers, David and Delmae Heise, and the shop’s 20 volunteers – Thank you for faithfully giving of your time to manage and run the shop every Sunday, raising funds for the Sunshine Home and School in India. COSMOS – Avondale College students helped raise over $3,000 for Tonea School in India at the Change is Coming concert in May this year. Thank you guys! Letters and gifts – Sponsored children treasure the contact with their sponsor(s). Thank you for the letters and/or gifts you have sent this year. We encourage you to continue building positive relationships with your child/ren by staying in touch with them. Refer to the letter-writing and gift giving guidelines at www.asianaid.org.au or in our Spring newsletter for more information about this please. Thank you for stopping at nothing when it came to giving to Asian Aid in 2012.

Database Apology

Dr Freeman Books for Sale

The development and launch of a new database in August this year has brought both ease and some challenges. We are aware of and apologise for some inconvenience that the roll-out of the database has caused in relation to sponsorship or payment processing.Thank you for your patience during this transitional stage.

Support Asian Aid’s Women’s Safe Haven project by ordering a copy of Born to Serve, the untold (until now) story of Dr Margherita Freeman, the first Seventh-day Adventist woman to study medicine in Australia. Visit asianaid.org.au (and follow prompts to Avondale College’s Online Store) for more information and to order your copy for $15.

Did you know that Asian Aid Australia is on Facebook and that our online community is growing? Since the launch of our Facebook page in February this year, some 390 people from 20 countries around the world have ‘liked’ the page, 90 discussions have been started, 14 photography albums have been posted, and videos and other media have been shared. Thank you for continuing to tell your friends to join us on Facebook.

New Board Director Asian Aid Australia welcomes Alan Bates as the newest director of its board. Alan, who currently also serves on the board of The Centre for Volunteering, enjoys empowering people to achieve at their best. He has spent 21 years as manager of Volunteer Services for Wesley Mission, coordinating thousands of volunteers. He is currently a Pathfinder District Director for NNSW. His enthusiasm, expertise and vigour will be invaluable to the work of the Asian Aid Australia board.

Indian Wedding Congratulations Josh and Tammy Moses, Asian Aid field interns, for tying-the-knot Indian style with Josh’s family in Bangalore this year. We wish you all the best in your life together.

People and Planet Diaries and Calendars Both items feature extraordinary images of people and places – and unique stories about social and environmental challenges – from around the globe. Asian Aid has partnered with People and Planet this year. Profits from our sales of diaries and calendars will support the Youth Empowerment Slums Project in India. Diaries cost $22.95AUD and calendars $24.95AUD. For your copy, call us on (+61) 2 6586 4250 during business hours, or email us at: contact@asianaid.org.au. Get in quick and while stocks last!

Notes from the Field “Mala wants to be a nurse when she grows up. This dream will likely become a reality due to the support of her sponsor. Without sponsorship, Mala’s father, a day-labourer, would not be able to pay for her education.” Josh and Tammy Moses documented this and other stories during their recent trip to Bangladesh. A collection of some of the stories they heard, the people they met and the experiences they had while in Bangladesh is available through an online publication we have called Notes from the Field. Read and see – yes, there are video stories too – these inspirations stories of hope at asianaid.org.au or at our Facebook page.

Contact Details Prompt communication with you is very important to us. If you have recently changed any of your contact details (email, home address, phone number), or have not provided us with your email address, could you please update these details by logging into your Asian Aid account on the website, or by calling our office? Email is the easiest and most economical way to provide you with information about your sponsorship.

Justice – A Worthy Gift At Christmas time it is easy to become consumed by consumerism, and neglect to appreciate the gifts of good health care, available education, personal security and financial opportunity we are privileged to have. At Asian Aid, every Christmas time, we are reminded again and again of the generosity of our friends who enjoy giving gifts that make a difference and who continue to support precious children and worthy projects. Here are a few projects you may wish to choose as your gift of hope today: The Youth Empowerment Slum (YES) Project – Young people brought up in slums rarely receive a good education or life opportunities. Your contribution will help empower disadvantaged children and youth by offering them free vocational courses and sporting programs. Women’s Health –Your generous donation can give corrective surgery to women in Nepal suffering from uterine prolapse, and help prevent future cases through advocacy and education. Anti-Human Trafficking – No human being should be sold or traded. Your donation can help rescue, rehabilitate

and reintegrate women and children who have been trafficked into slavery in India. Health and Education Lifestyle Project (HELP) – The Indonesian island of Lombok has many job opportunities in tourism, if you can speak English.Your contribution will help provide free and high quality education to locals on Lombok. Safe Haven Nepal – An estimated 15,000 Nepali girls are smuggled into India each year to work in brothels. Your contribution will help The Safe Haven rescue and provide a safe place for girls and women who have been involved in the trafficking process. Gift Fund – Your contribution(s) will allow Asian Aid to gift children in our program with schoolbooks and new clothes at Christmas time. Your support this Christmas will help fight some of the crushing injustices by restoring basic human rights to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Asia. Donate now by visiting www.asianaid.org.au, or by calling our office on (+61) 2 6586 4250.