april 1 2003
by cor visser
When I left Burma on the 15th. of march 2003 , the provisional
building was almost ready. It looked great, the newly renovated
building. A complete new ground floor, walls made of bricks around
with glass windows, behind the building new toilets , showers and
washing facilities, a first floor with three rooms, new wooden
walls with glass windows, a big balcony with a beautifull view
over the hills and lake and on the repaired roof two solar panels.
The last days I went with Daw Helen through the building for the
details, where to make the cupboards, wardrobes, what do we need
for furniture etc.
She had made a list with all what was necessary to start, bedrolls,
mosquito nets, blankets, clothes , some kitchen utensils . I felt
happy to see how delighted she was to hear from me that there was
enough money to buy everything.
The official opening ceremony is planned at 17 april, the first
day of the Burmese new year. We could start with maximum 20 girls
and at that moment there were already 10 girls waiting to come.
I really felt sorry that I could not attend this ceremony but U
Tet Tun, the father of the boys orphanage, promised me to make
pictures and send them to us for publishing them on the website.
So I left with good feelings. Gratefull for all the people who
gave money to make this happen, also a little bit proud because,
when I arrived in october, I had not the slightest idea that
we could already start an orphanage with 20 girls half a year
later.
At that time, we had raised in Holland about $5000 and about 10
people had ‘’adopted’’ a girl. I had a
vague idea that maybe after two or three years we would have money
enough to start the building process and maybe half a year later
the girls could come in.
Now, at 15 march, we had raised in Holland, in Switserland and
in Burma more than enough money to renovate an old building (costs
$6300) already present on the land, and because more than 20 people
had already promised to adopt a girl for $10 per month, there was
money enough to run this provisional orphanage.
Already, within half a year, a home, food, clothes and school for
20 girls, it is something!
And good prospects that we will reach within some years the ultimate
goal of a new building for 50 girls and enough income to feed,
clothe and educate them.
Why I am so sure about that?
First of all because of the enthousiasm I met when people heard
about this plans. Friends in Holland who trusted me, believed in
the importance of the project and offered to help, with money or
with other things. Especially when they heard that we worked almost
with no costs and that their gift went for more than 95% directly
to the project, worked in favour on their willingness to give.
A lot of them were women, expressing their solidarity with other
women in a very poor country with hardly no chances .
The same or even more enthousiasm I experienced in Burma, where
I met tourists, brought them to the new building of the boys orphanage
and showed them our plans to start also a girls orphanage. Some
people I didn’t meet at all, but they red the leaflet “Help
us etc..’ that was hanging on the wall of some guesthouses
and hotels or restaurants, and they reacted via internet, or they
just came along the boys building in Minethouk and offered help.
Heartwarming reactions. Sometimes just falling out of the sky in
my e-mail inbox. It gave me a kick , sometimes even tears of joy,
I didn’t feel myself struggling alone, and with more and
more energy I continued working on this project. Now, as part of
a growing international network aimed at supporting a small project
in Burma to help some girls to get a better live.
I will introduce you to some parts of this network.
In Holland we (me, my friends Simon Goede and Maria Overmars)
made a foundation (Stichting Care For Children) for making the
gifts tax deductable, and asked our friends money by sending them
a ‘begging letter.’ (and asked them to forward this
letter to their friends).
Some friends had something to celebrate (a birth, a 25 years marriage)
and asked their friends not to give presents, but give the money
to the orphanage. Other friends asked a local organisation to ‘adopt’ the
project, to organise a sponsor race etc.
So decided the local Lions and Rotaryclubs in Landsmeer to adopt
this project for their fund raisingactivities in 2003.
In another town in Holland, in Monster, Hans and Dea Boudri ( hans_boudri@hotmail.com ) , back from a holiday in Burma and Inle lake, are also making
plans how to collect money in their town.
Until now, we collected in Holland more than $9000 and 27 people
adopted a child.
In Switserland, Gabrielle Scotti (gabrielle@massage-sante.ch) raised
$1700 and transferred it to our bank in Holland.
She visited the boys orphanage a year before and collected also
for them money.
In Amerika, Suzanne Grossman ( suznherb@hotmail.com ) and Roberta
Raab visited this year Minethouk and started also a fund(info@childshelterinternational.org ) and activities to raise money . They got already support from
other Americans who came along in Inle Lake.
In Austria, Heine Janecek( heides.frisoerstube@A1.net ) and Eveline
Dreher ( eve.dreher@utanet.at ) also visited the Inle lake and
everything, became enthousiast and went back home with a lot of
plans to raise money.
In Italy, Faris Francis Khan ( farisk@tiscali.it ),
after a visit to the boys orphanage, will try to convince his colleague-hoteliers
in Rome so far that each hotel will adopt a girl. And this is not
all. I got many stimulating individual reactions, many promised
to adopt a girl. And when you are doing something that is not mentioned
here, please write us and we publish it on this website. You have
no idea how encouraging it can be for others. Some transferred
already money, others are apparently waiting for some sign from
us. I should say: don’t wait anymore . You know the banknumber,
it’s on the website, ok, again:
RABO Bank Holland
Acc.nr. NL64RABO 0383573084
Care For Children
Maybe some people are thinking that already more than 20 people
adopted a girl, and more we cannot have for a year or more: ok,
that’s right, but we could save this money and use it for
the new building, for a computer learning centre, for making small
business what’s making money for the orphanage etc. etc..
Anyway, the first half year, we cannot connect an ’adopter’ to
a concrete girl. The girls are not yet there and we neither. (
I hope to go again in october this year). And we have not yet decided
exactly how to do it. So, adoption means for the time being, donating
regularly money to the orphanage for a longer time, up to you how
long.
I met people who wanted to adopt a concrete girl, finance her at
least until her 18th and possibly until finishing a university
study. The ultimate goal is livelyhood for 50 girls and a
new building, and that‘s still a long way to go!
By the way, some women , friends from my tennisclub, promised to
give regularly until their dead, (alas they are already over 70),
another promised: ‘and when I die, I will ask my daughter
to continue it.’
Finally, I will give a concept of the policy of the orphanage.
Most of it is already discussed by the people in Minethouk who
are mixed up in the organisation of the boys orphanage. But suggestions,
remarks etc. are always welcome.
About the policy of the orphanage:
-The orphanage is open for girls from all etnic groups and religions.
priority will be given to full orphans
girls will be accepted from the school age( from 5 years old).
They will leave at the latest at the age of 18 years or when they
finish the highschool.
As long as there is no new building, the maximum number of girls
will be 20.
The new building will be appropriate for maximum 50 girls.
for the time being the staff will exist of two persons c.q. Daw
Helen and an (female) assistent. Their salary will be in line with
the salaries of the staff of the boys orphanage.
For the first years the organisation of the boys orphanage will
also serve the girls orphanage. Later will be considered a separate
organisation.
As long as there is not yet a new building, the kitchen of the
boys building will also be used for the girls.
All the girls will get the possibility to visit the school (primary,middle
or high school) in Minethouk
The financial administration of the girls orphanage will be separate
from the boys’one.
Two times a year there will be given to the donors a report of
the situation.
One time a year their will be given a full report of all the income
and expenses of the orphanage to the donors.
This was it for the moment.
When you have something to ask or to suggest or stimulating stories
to tell, please don’t hesitate.
Sorry for my limited English, it would be nice when somebody would
improve my writings a little bit before publishing.
Greetings from
Cor Visser
ceesvis@hotmail.com
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