http://www.worldvision.ie/news/ en Evelyn_Wolf@wvi.org Copyright 2012 2012-05-09T13:18:05+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/09-05-2012-if-you-dream-it...-you-can-do-it/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/09-05-2012-if-you-dream-it...-you-can-do-it/#When:13:18:05Z By Niamh Cooper When my first son, Liam was born I lay awake on the first night of his life staring at this tiny bundle; my heart almost exploding with a love I had never felt before. I vowed to love him always and encourage whatever dreams he has in life. He is now ten years old, far from that little bundle and getting closer to becoming a teenager. He dreams of being a footballer one day, a DJ the next and it’s exciting to witness him at this stage of his life; he can be anything he wants to be. While of course he will come across difficulties in his life, just as we all do, his future is bright. What he dreams today, can become the reality for his tomorrow. It saddens me that this is not this simple for so many little boys and girls his age in the world. Every day in my job at World Vision Ireland, I am confronted with images and stories of children who are faced with the toughest obstacles imaginable in life. And I have made the stupid mistake of presuming that these kids must have given up on dreaming, surely if I were in their shoes I would throw in the towel and lose all hope for a better future. But I am so wrong in my presumption. The one thing that bowls me over every time I am privileged enough to meet with some of these children is not only their resilience, but their determination to dream. On a recent trip to Uganda a met a seventeen year old boy who personified this determination. When I first met him, Geoffrey looked like an average sporty teenager. A handsome young man and I’m sure if he lived the life of a Dublin teen he would be having fun, chasing girls and looking forward to the weekend with his mates. But he is not an average seventeen year old. He is the head of the house and looks after his four younger brothers and sisters. His Dad died when he was a young boy and when he was fourteen years old his Mum left him and his siblings alone, for a new life with a new man. Geoffrey was scared and didn’t know what to do. How was he going to care for his small brothers and sisters? How could he feed them and send them to school when he was just a boy himself? He thought that it might be best to ask other members of the community to take a child each. But he just couldn’t do that. He wanted to keep his family together. So at the tender age of fourteen; an age where most young boys are playing football and starting to notice girls; Geoffrey took on the responsibility of raising four young children on his own. He did this by every means possible. He would work the land of neighbouring farmers for a small fee…enough to provide for a meal that night. He would get a loan from a neighbour and travel to the local market to buy salt which he would sell on to locals in his community for a small profit, pay back his debt and spend the money he made on feeding his family. This would be a struggle for any person, but imagine how hard and how frightening it was for fourteen year old Geoffrey? You could understand if he gave up hope, if dreams were the last thing on his mind. But he didn’t. He had hopes and dreams for his family. He dreamt for a better life for them all. When he received a goat from World Vision he grasped the opportunity to turn this dream into a reality. He sells the goat’s offspring to pay for his sibling’s school books and uniforms and continues to work at whatever job he can to provide for them. Astonishingly, throughout all of this Geoffrey has stayed at school, determined to get an education and become a success in life. He is in his final year of technical college and once he graduates he plans to set up a business with other young tradesmen from his class. He dreams of becoming a successful business man and I would bet every cent I have that this dream will become a reality. When I said this to him fixed me with a resolute stare and he told me that he will never give up, no matter what happens, he will never give up. His determination was palpable. He is a formidable person, one of the most inspiring I have ever had the privilege to meet. During our conversation I almost forgot how young he was but then I looked up and around the room and every inch of the wall of his small mud hut was plastered in images from the sports pages of discarded newspapers. Football stars stared down at me, just like they might from the bedroom walls of hundreds of seventeen year old boys around the world. And when I asked him what team he supported the strong serious, grown up expression that he had held throughout our chat disappeared and was replaced with the young beaming face of a teenager as he proudly proclaimed that Arsenal were the best team around. He was still a teenage boy. His youth was stolen from him when he was forced to become a responsible grown man at the age of fourteen. But he never stopped dreaming. He dreamt of a better life for him and a better life for his family. His determination will ensure that dream will come true. So now, when Liam asks me if he really can be anything he wants to be I can honestly tell him yes he can. Recessionary times in the western world has made things more difficult for many and some use this as a reason to give up, to lose hope, to stop dreaming. Geoffrey might only be seventeen but within the half an hour I spent with him he taught me so much. One of the most important lessons I learnt is to never give up on dreams, because dreams provide hope for today and are what will create the reality for tomorrow. Niamh Cooper is Head of Communications & Advocacy with World Vision Ireland   Our blog 2012-05-09T13:18:05+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/26-03-2012-meeting-kony/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/26-03-2012-meeting-kony/#When:10:38:02Z James Odong from Uganda – now a senior World Vision staff member –was captured by Kony’s army at the age of 19 and came face-to-face with the rebel leader himself. After escaping his captors in 1989, James worked to set up a Children of War Centre which has helped more than ten thousand former child soldiers. Here, James tells his story for the first time. I only met Kony once; but I knew immediately it was him. He visited the rebel camp in the bush where we were held as prisoners. I was paraded in front of him by a rebel soldier who told Kony I was a “traitor”. Kony looked me in the eye. Gesturing to me and five other prisoners, he told the soldier: “Understand them, and deal with them.” Several of my fellow prisoners were later murdered. listen to ‘Meeting Kony’ on Audioboo (function() { var po = document.createElement("script"); po.type = "text/javascript"; po.async = true; po.src = "http://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/assets/embed.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })(); Life changed forever This happened a week after I was taken prisoner – a day I still remember well. I was 19 years old, and the year was 1989. It was a Friday morning and I was riding my bicycle through Gulu, my town in northern Uganda, when I fell off and broke a bone in my hand. I went to a hospital 3km outside town to get treatment. While the doctor was putting my hand in plaster, there was a commotion outside. He rushed out to see what was going on – and never returned. When I went outside, there was a scene of chaos as rebel soldiers looted the hospital for drugs. I fled across the courtyard into a basement – but, at that moment, a group of soldiers came back out of the basement and grabbed me. That’s the moment I was abducted – and my life changed forever. Facing certain death They removed my shirt and shoes, and forced me and other prisoners to walk for three days into the bush. They were convinced I was a government spy and that my hand was in plaster because I had been shot – not because I had fallen off my bicycle. The rebel soldiers told me I had a simple choice: either accept I was a spy, and start fighting for the LRA on the front line – or be killed. Both scenarios meant certain death. Even if they didn’t kill me, with no military training I would be sure to die on the front line. Abuse “that you can’t imagine” Six of us were imprisoned together in a makeshift camp in the bush. One of them, a man my age, had his head cut open with a machete by one of the soldiers. They left him for dead. Miraculously, he survived and is now a university lecturer. We still stay in touch. Anyone who tried to escape was brought back to the camp and killed in front of us. We were forced to sit in a circle and watch. I was held there for 47 days. Every day, children were killed in front of me with a machete. Some of them were as young as nine. I saw all kinds of abuse. Intimidation and sexual abuse that you can’t imagine. If a child cried because their feet were swollen and they couldn’t keep walking, they were killed with a machete. I saw all this. It was my broken hand that saved me. They knew I couldn’t fight until it had healed, so I was spared being sent to the front line. A school friend, who was conscripted by the LRA, hatched a plan to help me escape. Looking to the future Out of every terrible situation comes good. In the years after my experience, I met scores of children who had witnessed the same. Their stories were more than just words to me; I understood how they felt and the devastation it wrought on their lives day after day. There was no support, and little understanding of what they were going through so I helped to set up World Vision’s Children of War Centre in northern Uganda, to address the needs of children traumatised by war. We have helped rehabilitate more than ten thousand children from Uganda and neighbouring DR Congo. I’m now Associate Director for Peacebuilding at World Vision International. We work with all people involved to help them overcome the horrors of war, become reunited with their families, and to lead as normal a life as possible. This is just one part of Africa. Children continue to be affected by conflict right across the globe, across generations. We have a responsibility to support children affected by the horrors of armed conflict – and to shield them from seeing things that no child ever should. James Odong is Associate Director for Peacebuilding at World Vision International. He has been speaking at a World Vision UK summit, with representatives from nine governments, the UN and the ICC – on how to protect children from armed conflict.       Our blog 2012-03-26T10:38:02+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/faqs-about-the-west-africa-hunger-crisis/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/faqs-about-the-west-africa-hunger-crisis/#When:16:20:22Z The deepening food crisis in West Africa has sparked fears of a major famine. Unless urgent action is taken, events in the region might easily mirror the kind of devastation seen recently in the Horn of Africa. With our ongoing coverage of this escalating emergency, you may have a variety of questions about what’s going on in West Africa. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the crisis and how World Vision is responding. What went wrong? Poor rains have led to poor harvests. Crop yields have been nonexistent in some areas — and severely reduced in others. In addition, recent conflicts, the return of hundreds of migrant workers, and a flow of refugees from Mali into one of the most affected areas of Niger further strain an already stressed food supply. How many people are affected? About 23 million people spread across the region in countries such as Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Chad, and Senegal. Most are either already facing desperate food shortages or are in imminent danger of such shortages. How is the current emergency different from previous crises? The gap between the previous West Africa food crisis and the current one is barely two years. Although the Sahel region is prone to droughts, the typical period between instances of drought was previously five to 10 years. Affected populations have exhausted their traditional means of coping with these kinds of emergencies. What is the impact on children? Hungry children are more vulnerable to malnutrition and disease, and they must walk longer distances to find water — making them vulnerable to attacks by animals and human predators. How is World Vision helping? World Vision has extensive programmes in Niger, Mauritania, Mali, and Chad designed to meet immediate needs and improve long-term food security. Some of our response activities include: Nutrition programmes for children Free food distribution Distributing seeds Educating parents to help them keep their children healthy Providing additional livestock   How has sponsorship helped prevent the worst in some areas?  World Vision Ireland child sponsors support the communities of Guerrou and M’Bagne. Their generous donations mean that over the past years, we have worked with the communities to develop prevention methods including water and food conservation projects. As a result, the children in these communities may feel the growing pressure of the situation but have yet to feel the full impact of the crisis thanks to you. But if the crisis worsens, assistance from the Irish public and international community will be vital.  For more information on sponsoring a child in Mauritania, please contact our Supporter Care Team on 01 - 498 0800 or email ireland@wvi.org.  Our blog 2012-03-22T16:20:22+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/20-12-2011-your-kindness-really-is-appreciated-this-christmas/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/20-12-2011-your-kindness-really-is-appreciated-this-christmas/#When:13:58:27Z Christmas is a very special time of year to me, as I am sure it is to many. It’s not very often that we take time out to enjoy the company of those dearest to us and really appreciate them. It also gives me an opportunity to reflect upon just how much World Vision Ireland’s sponsors are appreciated by the children and the communities they support in Africa. At Christmas time we give each other gifts but the gift that our child sponsors give to communities is a life changing one. Because of our child sponsors children are being taught in schools in Swaziland rather than under trees, many families in Tanzania now have access to clean water and no longer have to witness their children becoming sick from contaminated sources. Many farmers in Kenya, in the Horn of Africa, have managed to produce much needed food, thanks to the drought resistant seeds and irrigation training they received, funded by World Vision Ireland child sponsors. The summer this year brought the devastating news that thousands were dying in the Horn of Africa because of the worst drought it had experienced in decades. Despite tough economic circumstances here, the response from World Vision Ireland supporters was overwhelming and over €105,000 was donated to our Horn of Africa appeal. Thanks to each person who made the effort to donate their hard earned money, because of your generosity thousands of lives have been saved. I had the pleasure of witnessing just how far child sponsorship money goes when I visited Mutonguni in Kenya in November. What really struck me when I was there was just how grateful the people in the communities we support were to our sponsors back home in Ireland. Everywhere I went people came up to me and told me that they were praying for us in Ireland and they asked me to please let the special people who sponsor the children there know just how much they appreciate their kindness. So this Christmas, as you spend time with your family and friends remember that there are so many people in Africa thinking of you. The money you have given has changed the lives of thousands of children. You have given the greatest Christmas gift imaginable. Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.   Our blog 2011-12-20T13:58:27+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/01-12-2011-we-will-not-give-up-the-fight-on-hiv-aids/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/01-12-2011-we-will-not-give-up-the-fight-on-hiv-aids/#When:10:35:50Z By Helen Keogh, CEO , World Vision Ireland It is estimated that around 1,000 babies are born with HIV every single day. Half of them will die before their second birthday. This is a shocking fact when one considers that the medicine exists to prevent this from happening. These children have as much a right to life as everyone else around the world yet in 2011 they are still dying of HIV/AIDS. We have made some progress. In 2005, only 15% of HIV-positive women in low- and middle-income countries had access to antiretroviral drugs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. In 2009 that number increased to more than 50%. This proves that we can make a difference, but even with this progress made, half of the HIV-positive mothers who need help to prevent spreading HIV to their children don’t receive it. We cannot allow this to continue. About 90% of children living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa where AIDS accounts for 8% of all under-five deaths. In high income countries the mother to child transmission of HIV has been virtually eliminated thanks to effective voluntary testing and counselling, access to antiretroviral therapy, safe delivery practices, and the widespread availability and safe use of breast-milk substitutes. If these interventions were used worldwide, they could save the lives of thousands of children each year. World Vision is determined to do something about this. We have committed to continue our HIV and AIDS response around the world until no child is infected with HIV. We believe that it is important to integrate HIV/AIDS initiatives into all of our programmes. HIV is not a competing priority. We should not have to choose whether to respond to HIV or respond to some other critical issue. Rather, HIV is a critical component that must be factored into all programmes in countries, especially those countries with high-HIV prevalence. For example, World Vision Ireland works with the local community in Shiselweni, Swaziland to support 22,150 people living there. Swaziland has the world’s highest HIV infection rate. UNAIDS estimates that every second pregnant woman and 26.3% of Swaziland’s adult population is infected. Life expectancy in Swaziland is a shocking 37 years because of HIV/AIDS. As many as 130,000 children have lost their parents to HIV related illnesses and one third of children under the age of 18 do not live with either parent. Grandparents are stepping in to care for orphans but often don’t have the earning power and resources to support their grandchildren. As a result, 40% of orphaned children do not have their most basic needs, such as a meal per day met. Currently 1,345 World Vision Ireland sponsors fund the Shiselweni ADP in Swaziland. Addressing the problem of HIV/AIDS is integrated into every element of our work there. For example, we support credit unions, to assist local income generation. Many of the women who are members of this credit union are infected with HIV/AIDS so the credit union and the World Vision funded HIV/AIDS support group interact frequently. Women at the credit union chat openly about how HIV/AIDS affects their lives, without worrying about being stigmatised. They offer each other advice and support each other to live as happily and healthily as they can with this illness. The women you meet in places such as these credit unions are strong, inspirational people. We owe it to them and we owe it to their children to keep the fight against HIV/AIDS alive. We cannot rest until no more children are being orphaned or infected by this terrible disease. On World AIDS Day we must remember that the fight is far from over, we are winning the battle, but the war on HIV/AIDS has yet to be won.   Our blog 2011-12-01T10:35:50+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/supporting-mothers-in-mutonguni/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/supporting-mothers-in-mutonguni/#When:12:07:19Z by Helen, Keogh, CEO, World Vision Ireland Today I met an inspirational lady; a farmer by the name of Christine Musili. She was looking after her nine year old daughter who was off school for the day because she was sick with a cold. A normal occurrence for many Mums all over the world, but an unusually happy one for Christine. In the past when her children got sick it was with more serious ailments than a simple cold and back then, she did not have the means to help them get better as easily as she would have liked. Before World Vision entered her life Christine did not have access to the clean running water that is now piped to her home. Her four children used to have to trek for miles in soaring temperatures to a local lake to collect unsanitised and dangerous water. The children often suffered from stomach bugs and diahorrea and she did not have medicine or clean water to hydrate them and nurse them back to health. They were frightening times, as any Mother can imagine, and she often feared for her children. As well as worrying about the health of her children Christine also fretted about how to put food on the table. She owned some land and tried her best to grow crops to feed her family; a difficult task when the earth is regularly scorched due to recurring periods of drought and you have never been trained in farming techniques. Life changed for Christine and her family five years ago however, when she was accepted onto a World Vision poverty reduction programme. She joined twenty other small farmers from her community and was trained in organic farming and taught irrigation and water conservation techniques. Water was pumped to her home from a pipe World Vision created which tapped into a national water resource running miles underground. It was clear to me today as she lovingly walked me around her farm how proud she is to be a skilled farmer. She tended to her crops with a gentle expertise that exuded a love and enthusiasm clear to anyone who watched her. But as she waved goodbye to me, her arm was wrapped protectively and lovingly around her young daughter, who nestled into the comfort of her Mum. It struck me that as proud as she is to be a farmer, her proudest role in life is that as a Mother, just like most working Mothers around the world. The support she received from World Vision has given her the means to provide for her family but more importantly perhaps, it has given her the ability to be a Mother, without having to worry about real and dangerous risks to her children’s lives every day; something every Mother in the world should be able to do. I left Christine’s farm and family home with a real sense of pride in what has been accomplished thanks to the generosity of World Vision Ireland sponsors. Lives have changed so dramatically and smiles have, in so many cases, replaced tears. Child sponsors in Ireland should be so very proud of what they have helped achieve. I know I am. Our blog 2011-11-17T12:07:19+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/helping-young-people-in-mutonguni-to-achieve-their-dreams/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/helping-young-people-in-mutonguni-to-achieve-their-dreams/#When:13:18:19Z by Helen, Keogh, CEO, World Vision Ireland It’s always great to see a young person reach their potential; to witness their hard work being rewarded with success. It’s particularly special to me, when I see a young person who has the odds stacked against them, achieving their dreams. Kevin Musyoka is one of these people. He was struggling to survive on low paid work in Nairobi before he heard World Vision were offering to support 300 orphaned and vulnerable children to learn a trade through a poverty prevention programme. He applied to a masonry course, was accepted and hasn’t looked back since. World Vision paid for his school fees, board at the school and found him a surrogate parent, who provided him with advice and emotional support throughout his course. When he graduated, he was presented with his own tool kit, so that he could start working in his trade immediately. When I met Kevin today, he was building a beautiful church with skill, precision and passion. He had already lined up his next contract and was building a home for himself in his rare spare time. He was also able to support the family he left behind in Nairobi and provide for their needs. I also met Morris Musee, one of the amazing surrogate parents who support young men and women like Kevin. He told me that Kevin was one of the many success stories he had been privileged enough to witness since this programme began five years ago. He stressed that this programme had not only changed the lives of the young people involved but it had also had an immensely positive effect on the whole community. Young people, who may have ended up in trouble or may have spent their lives struggling to survive, now had a real future. And it wasn’t just about the fact that they now had enough money, it went much deeper than that. These young people, many of whom were orphaned by disease such as HIV/AIDS, many of whom had accepted that life did not have a lot to offer them, now had hope and now felt proud of their own achievements. By supporting young men like Kevin we change not only their economic situation, and that of their community, but we, perhaps more importantly change their outlook on life. Making dreams they may never before have dared to dream before become realities.   Our blog 2011-11-16T13:18:19+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/simple-support-thats-changing-lives/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/simple-support-thats-changing-lives/#When:09:33:39Z by Helen, Keogh, CEO, World Vision Ireland Simplicity seems to be the word of the week. It’s the simplest of things that can make such a difference to someone’s life. Today I met two people whose lives have changed completely because of three goats they were each given by World Vision. These, ‘supergoats’, who produce up to three times more milk but can survive in the harshest of conditions, have given these farmers an income, security, pride and hope for the future. The first farmer I met was called Robert, a small man, with a huge smile who welcomed me with the greatest of warmth. Robert’s daughter died fifteen years ago leaving behind a young son, who Robert promised to raise. He was a small farmer at the time and struggled to survive with what he had. Five years ago he heard that World Vision was setting up a programme that would see 20 farmers in his community each receive 3 ‘supergoats’. These farmers were to become a team who support each other and learn from each other. Each farmer would also be trained and receive ongoing support from World Vision staff. Robert was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of this programme and he says his life has changed since. His supergoats have reproduced and he is now the proud owner of eight healthy animals. His grandson is now in secondary school and is at the top of his class. He plans to go to college and to become a teacher. According to Robert none of this would have been possible without the support of World Vision. Felistus, was the second goat farmer I met. Originally a hotel worker from the city of Mogadishu, she moved to rural Mutonguni with her husband, a business man and her young daughter in 2002. Unfortunately, shortly after she moved her husband passed away. She found herself in a place where she knew few people and with no income to support herself and her daughter. She then heard of World Vision’s programme, she applied, was accepted and received her three supergoats. Her life has changed completely ever since. She now owns eight goats and earns a good income from the sale of their milk. Her daughter is in boarding school and plans to become a nurse. Felistus lives alone and visits her daughter whenever she can, but she is not lonely, she tells me. She has the company of her beloved supergoats, one of which, Claudestine, she refers to as her ‘second husband’. She has other favourites too; Winnie and Kate and the latest addition…a little kid she named World Vision. Its not rocket science. It’s simple. Provide a person who needs some support with the means to support themselves and you can change their lives and the lives of their families forever. Robert and Felistus are just two examples. I have been blown away by the enthusiasm, the determination and the entrepreneurial mindset of the people I have met in Kenya. They have grasped the opportunity to change their own lives with a little assistance from World Vision. A little help has gone a long way here in Mutonguni and it has been an honour to witness it. Our blog 2011-11-15T09:33:39+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/hopelessness-replaced-by-pride-and-ambition-for-children-in-kenya/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/hopelessness-replaced-by-pride-and-ambition-for-children-in-kenya/#When:09:30:57Z by Helen, Keogh, CEO, World Vision Ireland It’s often the case that the simplest ideas make the biggest impact. Take a water tank for example. Today I visited two schools in Mutonguni, Kenya that demonstrate what such a simple thing can do. First, a water tank, which traps the infrequent rain, means that the children have clean water to drink, keeping them free from diseases such as cholera. Secondly, it means that they can now wash their hands. This protects them from becoming ill with a tummy bug that may be easily remedied for you and me, but can take the life of children in some parts of the developing world. Thirdly, it enables these small schools to set up fruit and vegetable gardens which produce fresh veg and beautiful juicy fruit. This produce not only feeds the children with nutritious food but also provides a source of income for the school as they can sell surplus produce locally. This money is then spent on the less fortunate children in the school, buying them uniforms and books. Fruit and vegetables are sent home to the families of these children, so it’s not just the school children that benefit. Young saplings are also given to these families, so that they can plant their own vegetable patches at home. And the result of this simple but powerful initiative; attendance has almost tripled since the programmes began five years ago. Although education is free in Kenya, it is sometimes the case that the children are too hungry to attend or if they do attend the little food that is available at home might be eaten by the time they return. Thanks to the programmes at the schools I visited today, the children not only are healthy, alert and able to learn, but also know that they are sure to be fed if they go to school. On top of this they are learning a skill could sustain them for the rest of their lives. As they sang and danced and laughed today, giggling at this strange foreign woman visiting their school, it was clear to me that donations and funding for World Vision projects such as these really do change lives. These children now have ambition and real hope for their futures, something every child deserves but too many are denied. The water tanks and the gardens they support did not cost much and are now self sustaining. They have empowered the children and the community. What I saw today is living proof that donations do make a difference, they do change lives. As I was leaving the schools the children waved goodbye and shouted ‘thank you’ at the top of their voices. That thank you is not really for me but is for everyone who has supported these children and children like them by caring enough to support World Vision Ireland. You have made a difference. by Helen, Keogh, CEO, World Vision Ireland   Our blog 2011-11-15T09:30:57+00:00 http://www.worldvision.ie/news/15-09-2011-getting-ready-for-swaziland/ http://www.worldvision.ie/news/15-09-2011-getting-ready-for-swaziland/#When:13:01:34Z Editor’s note: Judith Gilsenan, Head of Marketing & Fundraising with World Vision Ireland, and Rosaleen Tarleton, Supporter Care Manager with World Vision Ireland are just back from a short trip to Swaziland where they prepared for our sponsor trip to the region in November 2011.In this blog post Judith shares some of their experiences from the trip. Rosaleen and I had our organising hats on for this trip. Our goal was to ensure that when we arrive with our sponsors in November everything will run to plan and that the sponsors would get a real view of what life in Shiselweni ADP is really like. We also took the opportunity to inspect accommodation and tourist areas of interest.   If you have signed up to join us on the 2011 trip, you may want to stop reading now – spoiler alert! The Swaziland Team is as excited as we are about the sponsor trip and could not have been more welcoming. Their preparation was flawless and their patience (for delayed planes and nonstop questions) was endless! We started our planning trip at the local health centre which takes about 80 patients a day and has two nurses. We built houses for them recently so that really high calibre staff would be attracted to live in a pretty remove area. Next, we moved on to visit Robert Shabangu, a 39 year old pastor, husband, father of four and bee keeper with serious ambitions. The Swaziland Team also brought us to see the Lugedzeni Water Project which frustratingly isn’t flowing because funds have dried up. The funds raised for the trip in November will help kick-start this project again ensuring that clean water is brought to the nearby households. The impact will be instant and life changing just like the Mawelawela Water Project which actively services 125 houses already and by its completion will support 182 houses. The sign of Swaziland’s shocking life expectancy (37 years) were everywhere as we met young widows and mother of four, five and six children really struggling to make ends meet. We’re doing what we can but our list of people in need just grows and grows. Of course our sponsors will also meet a number of sponsored children on their trip, so Rosaleen and I visited a number of households, speaking to mothers, children and even child-headed households. At the end of each filled day we returned to The Forrester Arms Hotel where every time we walked in the door, I was struck by how lovely the atmosphere was made by the team there. In November this will be just the same and our group will get a chance to reflect on the experiences of each day. We had an amazing trip and can’t wait to go back in November to show all our travelling sponsors what their donations are achieving. If this made you consider coming along on our 2012 trip, get in touch with either Rosaleen or myself and we’ll talk you through the details.   Our blog 2011-09-15T13:01:34+00:00