Projects 2009-2010

Your Title Text

A Child´s Hope Fund
Changing Lives: One Child at a Time!

Projects 2009-2010

During this current fiscal year (starting July 1, 2009), we have been fortunate to make the following shipments of humanitarian aid:

Country	Project	Description	Value
Philippines	MOPSIS	Toys	$100,000 (est)
	MOPSIS	Medicines	$1,271,423
	MOPSIS	Tents, shoes, etc.	$51,185
Guatemala	Esperanza de Vita	Medical & Clothing	$196,946
Malawi	Namikango Maternity Hospital	Ambulance and Medical supplies	$171,206

Philippines

The Philippines is a 7,107 island archipelago off the mainland coast of Southeast Asia, with almost 100 million people. Won from the Spanish in 1898, the country was a U.S. territory until 1946, when it was granted independence after World War II. Its government is representative democracy, modeled on the U.S. governing model, with two legislative houses dominated by a multi-party system. One challenge facing the country is its 87 languages and dialects, although English is now the required language in schools.

Filipino infrastructure is also impeded by transportation between islands. While most cities have airports suitable for the jet age, its thousands of islands and impoverished people combine to make water transport extremely common, and often quite dangerous. Lack of financing and weak government policies combine with corruption to make bringing the Philippines’ economy back to its leadership role in the region is thwarted at many levels.

For almost 20 years, ACHF’s main partner for the delivery of locally needed health, nutritional and educational supplies has been the Naga-based Compassionate Franciscan Sisters of the Poor (popularly known as MOPSIS) a religious order very much in the heart and model of Mother Theresa’s work in India. Founded by Mother Joan Claire Chin Loi in Jamaica, the order is dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor. MOPSIS works closely with other local organization to distribute hundreds of tons of relief and development supplies every year from donated warehouse space.

ACHF’s three shipments this year to MOPSIS have a total value of just under $1.5 million, and include medicines and emergency disaster supplies (sleeping bags, shoes, tents, etc.) for typhoon victims, and were distributed by MOPSIS itself, as well as various orphanages and day care centers, Bicol Medical Center, Naga City Hospital, Pacol Elementary School, Sorsogon Elementary School, Jummels School of Learning, the Daughters of Charity, the Boy Scouts and the Naga City Council. Additional supplies were distributed by MOPSIS to dump dwellers at Camarines Sur and in the outskirts of Manila.

Guatemala

Guatemala is in Central America, bordered to the north by Mexico, and on on other sides by the Pacific Ocean, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador. Its population is roughly 13.25 million. The government is a representative democracy, headquartered in Guatemala City. Its landscape is considered biologically significant for its diversity. Its official language is Spanish, and the country won independence from Spain on 15 September 1821. Its name rooted in the concept “land of the trees”, Guatemala is especially significant in history for the Tikai Maya Ruins.

Guatemala is one of the ten poorest countries in Latin America. 56.2% of the country lives below poverty levels, with recent annual inflation at 5.7%. Some of its main export products are fruits (bananas) and vegetables, flowers and handicrafts. Mineral exports include gold, silver, zinc and cobalt.

ACHF’s focus this year has been on Ministeria Esperanza de Vida, in Rio Hondo, Zacapa. The ministry serves a wide range of the population, including an elder home, a children’s home and a school attended by over 350 children. Also important to ACHF’s vision, MEdV helps other local organizations assist children living in their own unique facilities.

During our current fiscal year, ACHF shipped $196,549 of clothing, medical and educational supplies, ranging from first aid spray, cough syrup, hygiene supplies, furniture and clothing, to diapers, bandages and syringes.

Malawi

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa once known as Nyasaland. Freshwater Lake Malawi separates it from Tanzania and Mozambique. The country has just under 14 million citizens, with Lilongwe its capital city. First settled during the 10^th century, the British colonized the country in 1891 after explorer/missionary David Livingstone reached Lake Nyasa (now Lake Malawi) in 1859. The British ruled the country until 1964. Malawi’s government is multi-party democratic; is foreign policy is pro-Western while it participates in several international organizations.

Malawi is one of the least developed and most densely populated countries in the world. Its agicultural base has been hounded by drought in recent years, and its people gripped by famine. Since 2007, marked improvements have been seen in economic growth, education and health care. Even so, the population is plagued by both low life expectancy and high infant mortality. HIV/AIDS has drained both the local labor force and the government treasury, neither a good indicator for prosperity.

This year, ACHF is helping the Namikango Maternity Hospital in Thondwe. Well know to ACHF staff, the hospital is part of the “Malawi Project” and has been instrumental in helping upgrade delivery of medical care in the entire country. The Hospital is also deeply involved in the mechanization of agriculture, where only hand tools had been used for centuries, as well as school textbooks. The Hospital stores goods we ship in its central warehouse, where other organizations send their vehicles to pick up materials they need. ACHF’s contributions this year include an equipped ambulance and medical supplies valued at $171,206.

Main Navigation