‘Asante sana!’ How Useful Gifts are helping change lives
TEAR Australia is pleased to provide this update on how Useful Gifts are helping transform lives around the world.
As of May 23, 2008, an incredible 25,700 people had bought from our current Gift Catalogue!
Every gift is part of a long-term program designed to give communities the resources they need to address their problems in appropriate, sustainable ways. But do they work? Read what some of the people who have benefited say:
‘Asante sana’ for the Toilets
In 1974, Rosemary and John married and moved into their new home. Every day since, Rosemary has walked to the river to fetch dirty water for the household. And every day, the family has used the surrounding bushes for a toilet.
But no longer. With the support of her women's self-help group and a subsidy from one of TEAR’s Kenyan partners, Rosemary has built three toilets in her compound. With twelve people (and the neighbours!) using these loos, this will clean up the environment considerably. Already, Rosemary is noticing an improvement in her family’s health and says ‘asante sana’ (‘thank you’ in Swahili).
‘Awkhun’ for the HIV Care
Chom Pun is on the front line of fighting Cambodia’s HIV epidemic. She is a volunteer with a village home-based care program. Each week she visits her neighbours living with HIV to check their health and the well-being of their families.
Chom Pun knows how difficult it is to care for people with HIV. She nursed her husband as he grew sick and eventually passed away from an AIDS-related illness. They sold their farm to pay for his care, and now she must work other people’s fields to keep her family going.
Since the home-based care program started, there has been a marked reduction in discrimination against people living with AIDS and their families. For this, Chom Pun says ‘awkhun’ (‘thank you’ in Khmer).
‘Dhanyawad’ for the Goats
Gewaram and his fellow farmers in Rajasthan, western India, have lived through drought and floods over recent years. Their crops and animals have struggled to survive the harsh conditions, and many have died. The farmers have realised that as the climate changes, they are forced to adapt their traditional methods, and introduce new drought-tolerant species.
A breed of goat that produces more milk and better meat is beginning to revive their herds. These animals bring much-needed income, and make an essential contribution to food for families, which is why Gewaram and his community say ‘dhanyawad’ (‘thank you’ in Hindi).
To everyone who has purchased from TEAR's Arguably, the World's Most Useful Gift Catalogue, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!