A summary of news and reports from the field staff and interns of GHNI, Geneva Switzerland.
AFGHANISTAN: HELPING FARMERS TOWARDS SELF SUSTAINABILITY
GHNI’s Project Manager reports: “Oribigud Village was facing water shortages both for irrigation and household use. The line from the mountain spring to the village was broken and the water that ran through the channel was insufficient to reach the village in the fall. However, this water line was just fixed, bringing water to the village.”
BURKINA FASO: NEW VILLAGE TCD WORK LAUNCHED
Our Associate Field Leader reports: “On the recent trip to Burkina Faso, two TCD projects were accomplished. Firstly, we conducted a school screening with all the students in the village. Three health care professionals were able to evaluate the health of 120 children. This was followed by a parent meeting where the results of the screening were presented to the parents. They were able to see which health issues were most prevalent among their kids. The children then went with their parents to be treated with medication and receive clinical advice from the health professionals. The parents were invited to return to the school the following day to learn and discuss different preventive measures with regards to malnutrition, malaria and corporal hygiene. From these lessons many parents put themselves forward to help with the TCD health committee.
Secondly, we did a seed project WITH the community, FOR the community. During the rainy season, it is a challenge to access and exit the village. Cars and carts get stuck in ditches because of erosion at the entrance of the village. This has caused big issues when villagers have required urgent medical attention. The community and GHNI team laid the foundations with rocks and sand to provide a passageway for the villagers.”
CHINA: GHNI LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP TCD VILLAGE IN WESTERN CHINA HILLS
A widow in her 70′s and her two daughters have determined to make a difference in their community by breaking the curse of poverty and changing the destiny of their ethnic group. Ten years ago they started to teach reading to a handful of children, too poor to attend school. They have since been growing their small private boarding school for extreme at-risk primary students and today have a full curriculum and over 175 students. Last year they turned away two times that many students due to capacity limitations. Through our local partners GHNI is coming along side this work in a variety of TCD initiatives to accelerate the impact this team is having in their community.
EGYPT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRANING CENTER OPENS
GHNI’s Egypt Director reports: “We had a two hour celebration at Ezbet el Nakel where our staff, partners and twenty local representatives were present. Farhan, our Project Manager, shared with the group about the history of the place. He said today a dream has come true. The center is now ready to start serving the community.”
ETHIOPIA: SOUTHERN AREA OF TUKA
GHNI’s Project Manager reports: “In this area we have two women’s groups with 15 members each. There are also 3 men’s groups with 34 members. They are working on different creative income generation activities to support themselves. In addition, most of the villagers are digging their own latrines through the TCD lesson on wellness. This a great change.”
GENEVA INSTITUTE FOR LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC POLICY
The Geneva Institute for Leadership and Public Policy just concluded its 3rd annual Conference for Policy Makers and Leaders in the countries we seek to help. More than 65 policy makers and delegates came from 17 countries to hear from our faculty about key concepts in Post Conflict Leadership and Public Policy. It was our greatest attendance so far and the delegates were able to return to their countries with solid concepts for Leadership and Post Conflict Policies. They also made many new friends to network with and make good legislation for sustainable development.
INDIA
The district of Tamil Nadu records very high suicide rates due to the extreme poverty. Many villages also face water scarcity. GHNI is diligently offering help with suicide prevention training and TCD training in the town of Tirupur. Our most recent training (just last week) included drilling a 750 foot deep-bore well where various local stakeholders and beneficiaries contributed half of the cost. The local villages and our GHNI associates were ecstatic when water gushed at 600 feet. They were yet able to go the extra 150 feet for a much, MUCH higher quality and quantity water extraction. This well provides quality water for literally hundreds of families needing such a basic sustenance for life.
INDONESIA: ISLAND TCD PROJECT PRAISED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
“I just want to say that this program has been absolutely amazing. Some people may say that getting new water systems for our community are the best part of this program, but I totally disagree. We can buy a water system any year. The knowledge that has been shared in this TCD program is by far the most valuable part of this program…we have learned so much.” – Pak Dusun (local government leader).
IRAQ
Professor Mike Shea and colleagues returned from a very well received series of trainings in the Kurdistan Ministry of Education. His curriculum on Transformational Leadership Development was also well received by the leaders who came to the Geneva Institute, who have invited him back!
JORDAN
The House of Ruth that will serve as a training center for poor and overlooked women in Jordan is well on its way. This center in the village of Maen will service more than 5 villages in the surrounding area. The local community is very excited. Our Director reports: “Many young ladies are ready to be trained at the House of Ruth. A children’s education program is also in process.”
KENYA, BULESA DIMA VILLAGE
Our Director reports: “GHNI and partners are educating pregnant mothers and breastfeeding women on how to take care of themselves. We’re also working to eradicate malnutrition from Bulesa Dima and the surrounding area. There has been a great response to this education from the women.”
LIBYA
Despite the great uncertainty of the future of this country, our team continues to open new doors for helping Libya. This summer we have three projects going on in three cities on educating health workers, teaching English, sports camps and more.
MYANMAR
This month a group of GHNI staff conducted two Transformational Community Development (TCD) trainings with two different and significant partners. They helped to equip and train over 60 people in total who are working across Myanmar with the poorest of the poor. They also spent time assessing the progress of GHNI’s TCD projects that our wonderful staff have been working tirelessly on.
NIGERIA: DOGON GADA VILLAGE TCD PROGRAM CREATING SELF SUSTAINING WELLNESS
From our leader: “Our TCD workers taught lessons on maintaining a clean environment with particular emphasis on its relationship to the people’s health and general wellbeing. The standard of cleanliness in the village has increased and particularly, the village Chief and Man of Peace and their wives have led in example. Also, more of the villagers are making use of the pit latrine model that was constructed in the village. Our TCD workers also taught on maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.”
SRI LANKA
TCD efforts continue in villages recovering from the recent war and disasters. We are committed for the long haul.
SYRIAN REFUGEES: GHNI RESPONDING IN JORDAN
GHNI staff is visiting homes that our local partners identify as refugee families in need. A multi-generational group of Syrian women represents the kinds of families we often meet, women struggling to provide for their children, having lost a father or husband, or having had to flee, leaving their men behind who are still involved in the conflict. Receiving boxes of food, fans or mattresses from GHNI and partners is an enormous encouragement to these families facing an uncertain future. In a time when life has handed them many difficulties, your gifts are handing them comfort and vital help. Thank you!
SYRIAN REFUGEES: GHNI RESPONDING IN LEBANON
We will be focusing on wellness at the Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon. This will include hygiene kits and an Operation Christmas Child shoe box distribution.
TURKEY
Our in country staff, Dr K worked tirelessly through the first half of the year helping the victims of the Van Earthquake. In more than a half dozen visits to the region he helped more than 1,100 people, seeing many patients multiple times. Our volunteers continue to be given access to the homes and lives of the people of Otown.