HOW OUR WORK HAS CONTINUED IN SPITE OF LOCKDOWN

Sri Lanka has been badly hit by the pandemic, and there have been a series of ‘lockdowns’, followed by partial opening up, and then another lockdown. Different regions have been worse hit than others. It has been particularly bad in the Colombo area where Rohan lives. (As you may know, he has been working with us since the Tsunami and during the Civil War.)

The Eastern Region, where our work has been concentrated recently, has fared a little better, and as we write, things are opening up again. In
order to help all those individuals we are supporting (like our elderly granny, Arosoma), we have continued our regular payments and also a
slightly reduced salary for our teachers. Repairing damaged homes, (even those built by government agents, with substandard materials, after the Tsunami), has also been an important part of our work.

Africa has followed a similar pattern; Ghana continues to be badly hit by the pandemic and lack of vaccination supplies. However, in September we received more positive news about our little school in Asiakwa. The headmaster has told us that they are re-opening again after a second closure earlier this year. He has asked permission to have poultry on our Star Action land adjacent to the school, so
chicken and eggs can be used to supplement the school lunches. We are continuing our sponsorship of our very poor pupils, so they can attend school and also giving them their new uniforms and lunches.

India: Schools in Tirenuveli have recently reopened and life is gradually returning to normal, so we are planning to commence our new project. Through this, we will be able to give support to many more children, (mainly girls), living in their own homes, but with Star Action paying for good food for the family, and providing school uniforms and paying the school fees.

Richard & Sasees have been extraordinary in their dedication thoughout; they are pictured here following a post-Covid review meeting.

EMERGENCY COVID APPEAL FOR INDIA

UPDATE Feb 22

Thank you so much for your wonderful response to our appeal; your compassion & generosity enabled us to give the much needed extra help to our STB/Brighter Life Children’s home in Tamil Nadu, South India. In this compact community district (Tirenuveli has three and a half million inhabitants), most needing to earn daily wages, it was impossible to maintain Covid 19 Lockdown in the way it has been done throughout much of Europe. Inevitably Covid badly infected some of our children (and our elderly family too). With your help we were able to give them the care they needed, and they have recovered, except, sadly, Richard`s own mother, who passed away later in the summer.

 

Please consider donating to help support our Brighter Life family in this very difficult time: any help you feel moved to give will be greatly appreciated – we will use these extra funds immediately to take advantage of any medical or other assistance they can get.

 

Several of our children are already seriously ill. Social distancing is not possible, so the virus is spreading rapidly. Richard and Sasees are exhausted, as you can see from the photo. 

Richard’s mother, Chandra, is ill and other relatives too. They live far away, in a part of India even worse affected, so of course this is adding  to their distress, as well as the death of four of Richard`s ex-school mates, all only in their forties.

 

There is no NHS in India, and most medical care is expensive, and even if there is the money for it, there is no vaccination available at the moment for most people –  as you will know from the news.

 

 Sasees tells us that the local hospital in Tirenuveli has advised: ‘steaming process for the children to avoid virus entry through nose and mouth. We have started this with our children. In the steaming process we boil water and then add eucalyptus oil. It clears the nose and throat and this process is helping us a lot.’  They, and we, are hoping this will also help protect Rosammal, the only older resident in our care at the moment.

 

Now we have heard that poor Mayakannan has a swollen face after his fever – as you can see in the photo – and the hospital are doing more tests. Any form of treatment for him or any of the children is expensive and adds to the worry for Richard

and Sasees. (They are trying to work within a very strict budget as they know our limited funds are very over-stretched at the moment.)

Any additional help you feel moved to add to the support you are already giving us will be greatly appreciated – so we can remove money worries –  allowing them to take advantage of any medical or other assistance they can get. (For example more nourishing food,  and herbs, and help for Sasees with the cooking, cleaning and washing! She is doing this now, in addition to caring for the children, and trying to keep up with their ‘home lesson’ as schools are of course closed again.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zahra’s progress

Veterinary colleagues

Image 1 of 8