Global Hope Network International | Archive

Kenyan boy finds triumph out of tragedy

// May 20th, 2011 // No Comments » // Kenya, tcd, TCD Education

Habiba Mengesha is not only a mother of four beautiful children, she is also GHNI’s Co-Director in Kenya. Together with her husband, Wubshet, they implement, coach and oversee Transformational Community Development in four villages across northern Kenya. She writes the following story of triumph and hope.

True hope brings great transformations. I have so many stories to tell about how GHNI has changed the lives of so many people for good. But for now, I will narrate a story of young boy named Abdi who lost his father 15 years ago in Gambella village.

Abdi’s father and mother were among 20 people who were taken out of the village to be killed in a cold blooded circumstance in 1994. But his mother was the luckiest amongst of all the families and the only one who survived the mass murder. She was left with nothing apart from Abdi – who was two years old – and his two siblings.

After learning of the death of her husband and her other relatives Abdi’s mother became traumatized and mentally ill. In that situation with her abnormality she managed to raise her three children who never knew what comfort was all about. Even at the age of five they walked from farm to farm looking for casual jobs just to get something to eat.

It was just last year when Abdi, whose father was killed 15 years ago, passed the national exam necessary to go to secondary school – and he passed with high marks. His mentally-ill mother came and narrated her story to us. Even though she has been through so much, she has hope for her son. Abdi qualified and we accepted him for a GHNI Scholarship to attend secondary school. The school is in a neighboring town requiring him to board there. Now he will be able to continue his education and pursue his dreams in life.

With this great accomplishment they could not believe that they will make it in life one day. This has brought great hope for the mother, Abdi and his two brothers.

GHNI broadcasted on Noteworthy News

// May 11th, 2011 // No Comments » // News, tcd

Noteworthy News recently highlighted GHNI in their “Shining World Leadership” segment. This program is broadcasted on 14 satellite platforms and on over 90 cable and IPTV networks, in more than 60 languages and over 40 language subtitles to date. Thank you Noteworthy News for this outstanding piece!

Giving a high-tech voice to low-tech villages

// May 5th, 2011 // No Comments » // Adopt a Village, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, tcd

So maybe I’m biased, but I have to say, I love how GHNI is focused on building relationships and two way conversations between partners and villages. We’re using the latest technology to build bridges between worlds, like LIVE video Skype calls between partners and villages. And then we thought, why not let the villages share their stories directly with you through a platform we use all the time – blogging! We didn’t know quite how it would work since some of the places have very little internet access, but we decided to venture out and try.

Our tech gurus trained two local guys in Garmaam, Ethiopia and Ola Nagele, Kenya on all the tech savvy ways to post pictures and send updates through mobile phones – and they’re doing great! Well, at least when the internet isn’t down. Some things…well…a lot of things are just not in our hands.

Our newest village blog recently went live from Camba Berua, Indonesia, where GHNI’s Phil Costello makes you at home in this fishing village through videos and blog posts.

Village blogs…it’s our new way of amplifying the voice they already have and making this world a little bit smaller. Follow along and join their journey!

Here’s the latest post from Phil in Indonesia:

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since I first set foot in Camba Berua. Now after seven months of working with the community, I’ve gotten to know many of the families on a personal level. Inspired by a blogger/photographer from the States named Jeremy Cowart, I had the idea of taking a few of the photos which I took almost a year ago and giving them to families around Camba Berua.

I chose a few of my favorite pictures and our GHNI team set out to give Portraits of Hope to families in Camba Berua…(video by Tim Stark)

Children and Art in Afghanistan

// March 23rd, 2011 // 5 Comments » // Afghanistan, tcd, TCD Education

Shukria is a 9 year old girl in the village of Qala e Nadir, Afghanistan. Along with the other girls in her village, Shukria doesn’t go to school.

GHNI has been working together with the village of Qala e Nadir in Transformational Community Development (TCD), where one of the expressed needs of the village is education for their children.

In one small step toward education, GHNI provided notebooks and pens for 40 children in the village – both girls and boys. Shukria got her own set and was thrilled knowing that the older boys in the village could begin to teach her and the other girls how to write the letters of the alphabet.

Last November GHNI ran three mornings of art classes in Qala e Nadir led by Debi Partridge, a volunteer artist from the U.S.

The girls were so excited to paint and draw, especially Shukria who loved to draw pictures in her notebook. The second time Debi returned to the village, the boys asked to join the class as well as a mother with her baby.

These children all loved the opportunity to sit, paint and draw. It was a wonderful time, with many of the children expressing themselves through drawing, painting and crafts for the first time. Shukria was so happy when Debi admired the drawings she had done in her notebook. Debi also helped the children paint pictures of themselves and make some paper flowers.

GHNI Director in Afghanistan, Pat Lightborne shared, “It made me realize that creativity needs to be fostered. Art may be a seemingly frivolous activity, but for a few hours it gave these children an experience that they treasured.”

Shukria hopes that GHNI will continue to help their village and that one day she will be able to read and write.

Field Update on Crisis in Egypt

// March 10th, 2011 // No Comments » // Disaster Relief, Egypt, tcd

Jamal Hashweh, Field Director for Egypt, shares this first-hand report of GHNI’s work among the poor affected by the recent revolution.

GHNI food distribution

Currently, the situation in Egypt is very difficult. Imagine 20 million people in Cairo without a police presence. It is a mess. People are torn between hope for a brighter future on one hand and fears and instability on the other.

Poverty has increased. Hundreds of thousands are crying out for help. Is there anyone who hears their cries? Is there anyone who cares? Let them come!

While I was in one area of Cairo, the sound of fire grenades was very loud and constant. Without the presence of a police force, robbery is not controlled. A sense of safety and stability does not exist. Last week, at a school attended by the children of our Partnership Coordinator, a burglar broke in and stole things during the day while classes were in session. The students were terrified and the school administration asked the parents to come and take their little ones home. One of the students, a 12-year-old girl, told me she was scared when she saw the thief, but also said she knew that God was protecting her.

Children in Ezbet El Nakhel

A team of twelve people are visiting poor families in three areas of Cairo: the slum area known as Ezbet El Nakhel, a second area called Ezbet Abu Karn and the third is Kuniassa on the outskirts of Cairo. Some food parcels have also been given out to some poor families in the city of Alexandria. In addition, the same team is helping Libyan refugees amassing on the border of Egypt and Libya.

Our efforts are concentrated in the first area, Ezbet El Nakhel, where we have our Transformational Community Development (TCD) program already in place. Even though there are reports of violence between Muslims and Christians in Cairo, our team has seen both working together in the community regardless of faith.

I met the sheik from the local mosque and he has a great heart to help the people there. He told me that we can use the hall attached to the mosque for our TCD training program, offering the neighborhood residents instruction in health, hygiene, nutrition and clean water safety. Our team will start planning lessons and will provide the instructors and needed materials for community classes together with one of our partners.

Jamal with elder of mosque in Ezbet El Nakhel

GHNI Egypt Partnership Coordinator, Farhan, said “We communicated with these families through key persons in the areas, like the elders of mosques in Zarayeb Ezbet El Nakhel and the elder of mosques in Ezbet Abu Karn. The receptive reaction of people has been amazing and has been very encouraging for us to go on in our work. They told us that we offered them things that they need desperately, things that government leaders never cared enough to provide for their people.” They deeply appreciate the authentic care and tangible assistance of the GHNI team.

I really feel that we have seen some great opportunities to bring help and hope to the needy in Egypt. The food parcels are bringing us very close to the people in need and the leaders of the communities in all three areas. This is a good foundation upon which to build GHNI’s Transformational Community Development program in the months and years to come.

Delivering food parcels in Abu Karn

If you would like to help families and Libyan refugees in this crisis, you can help feed:

1 family for 1 week = $10
1 family for 1 month = $40
3 families for 1 month = $120

Thank you!! Your gift will have a profound impact in the lives of these families and refugees.

Teaching the “Circle of Life” in Africa

// March 3rd, 2011 // No Comments » // Nigeria, tcd, TCD Food

I’m just a skinny boy from Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up in the suburbs I would have to drive 50 miles to see a cow. Imagine how I felt when I had to give two talks to subsistence farmers – one on organic fertilizer and another on organic pesticides. These are just two of the seven talks I had to give during GHNI’s recent Transformational Community Development (TCD) training in Northern Nigeria. During the three days of training we had 102 people representing 7 different tribes.

“There’s poop there … there’s poop there … and there,” I shouted and then my translator translated as I led the class of eighty on a field trip into the harvested corn fields. “There’s poop there … oh, there’s a fresh one there … oh, there’s a BIG one there,” the tour continued. There was a pile of poop just 10 feet from the door of the building where the training was being held.

Jeff with the father of the village chief

With every eye on me, I explained how the earth gives us good nutritious things to eat – it helps us grow – and then when animals poop – they give back and nourish the earth. When I said this I made a great circle with my arm and mumbled to myself, “Oh my goodness, I’m teaching the ‘Circle of Life’ in Africa.” It was a good day.

It was a good week. We are working with the village to help them solve their water problem, plant a demonstration “miracle” acre, have people start small vegetable gardens, and dig pit latrines. If these improvements help the people of Dogon Gada, these changes could spread like wildfire through the 22 communities involved in the training.

One last thing – this whole Circle of Life starts with you. Without you and your support the people of these villages never would have heard that they can take something that spreads diseases and is bad (poop) and turn it into something good (fertilizer). Thank you!

Jeff Latsa
GHNI Field Director

Feeding Families in Cairo’s Slums

// February 18th, 2011 // No Comments » // Egypt, tcd, TCD Wellness

This footage was filmed just weeks before the People’s Revolt in Egypt by GHNI Videographer Dennis Mormon. This is Ezbet el Nakhel.

Electricity is in the air. The world is watching as Egypt’s president stepped down and political reform stands on the edge of the unknown.

In these critical days GHNI and partners have been busy preparing and distributing emergency food packages for destitute families in the slums of Cairo. Many of the people in these areas, like Ezbet el Nakhel, are garbage collecters. They rely on the little money they can work for each day to feed their families.

Thank you to all of you who responded in helping to provide the food packages! So far more than 600 families have been served and our team and partners are hoping to reach 1000 by the beginning of next week.

Your generosity is feeding families today and helping long-term as GHNI builds relationships and empowers Ezbet el Nakhel through Transformational Community Development (TCD). The objectives of TCD are to help villages become self-sustaining in the areas of education, clean water, wellness, food security and income generation.

If you would like to contribute to GHNI’s work in Egypt, you can do so below. $10 will feed a family for a week. $40 provides for a family for a month.

The events of the last few weeks have stirred up a renewed sense of hope among the Egyptian people. Change is possible!

Thank you!

The Power of Partnership

// January 27th, 2011 // No Comments » // Indonesia, tcd

By Phil Costello, working with GHNI in Indonesia.

Recently, after meeting with the Mayor of Makassar (a city of about 1 and a half million), I was reminded of the power of partnership. Once a year, our team meets with the local government to share about the progress with our projects in Indonesia.

As I sat there listening to one of our teammates describe the transformation taking place in one of the communities, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that yes, GHNI is a humanitarian aid organization. Yes, we help underprivileged communities lift themselves out of poverty, but in another sense our main role is a “connecter” of partners.

I think of Juwita, a shy 14 year old girl who lives in Camba Berua, a small fishing community located north of Makassar. Last Friday, Juwita sat “front and center” as our team facilitated a lesson on goal-setting and “dreaming big.” In a matter of 30 minutes, Juwita transformed from a shy girl to an excited teenager with a new dream. Her eyes lit up as she shared with the group that her goal for this year was to study harder and to get better grades so that maybe one day she could go to college.

We would never have met Juwita if it wasn’t for individual partners like you and we would not be able to work in Camba Berua if it wasn’t for our partnership the government of Makassar. Camba Berua would not be seeing the transformation that is taking place if it wasn’t for individuals and families in the community partnering and working together. I think Juwita would agree, there is power in partnership.

Algonquin to Gambella

// January 11th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Adopt a Village, Kenya, Supporters, tcd, Volunteers

My camera viewfinder usually points at scenes of abject poverty and unimaginable human suffering where GHNI is working among some of the poorest villages around the world. For this story I found myself passing by flower gardens, flowing rivers and entering lovely homes with white picket fences in the suburban Chicago neighborhood of Algonquin, Illinois.

I interviewed the Lossau family (featured in this story) and six other neighbors participating in Adopt-a-Village with GHNI. Adopt-a-Village is a program that aims to connect small groups from the developed world with a specific developing village in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Matt Lossau and his neighborhood group are partnering with Gambella, Kenya. They’ve made a 3 to 5 year commitment to help bring TCD or Transformational Community Development to Gambella in food, water, wellness, income and education projects. As you’ll see in this story they are building a true relationship with the village through regular updates, GHNI Compassion Trips and actual video conversations.

While producing this story I realized a unique aspect to this program that might not be obvious at first glance. The transformational process is two-way. As partners build a relationship with the village to help them out of poverty, they find that they are transformed as well. This may be just as valuable for neighborhoods here at home as it is for villages in need thousands of miles away.

I hope you’ll take time to look around GHNI.org and learn how to adopt a village.

Algonquin to Gambella from Global Hope Network Int’l on Vimeo.

Shirin Faridi is a producer, reporter and media consultant with a passion to tell the stories of overlooked or marginalized people in war zones, natural disaster and developing countries. She’s a regular contributor to ghni.org presenting reports that show GHNI projects around the world.

What a Difference 16 Months Makes

// January 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Adopt a Village, Myanmar, tcd

When I first went to Burma (Myanmar) in August of ’09 the orphans GHNI had taken in (many of who had been rescued from the Irrawaddy Delta following Cyclone Nargis) were still living in a pig pen. Our staff, David and Nancy, are a couple of incredible passion and vision. When I sat down with them 16 months ago, Nancy explained the situation of these dear children as tears welled up in her eyes. It was humbling to see the sincere love of this couple for the poor and needy of their country. It was a welcome reminder that transformation and development is not about a project or program but a sincere investment of compassion in the lives of people.

The new home for the orphans

Vision is a wonderful thing, however making that vision a reality is a completely different kettle of fish requiring plenty of perseverance and dedication. I don’t know anyone who works as hard as these guys. I have had the privilege of going back twice this year and I have been astonished by the transformation. The orphans now have two beautiful homes, a place of refuge and of sustainable personal growth. On the same plot of land, they now have a pig and chicken farm which provide income for these children allowing them to attend school.

Thank you to so many of you that have made this dream a reality.

In my last visit, along with friends, Anna, Haydi (Australia) and Jon (Singapore), it was really special to spend fun times and invest in the lives of these kids. It is exciting to see the progress that is being made and to see the joy through their beautiful smiles.

We also had the exciting opportunity to carry out a Community Health Education training during our time there. Twenty-nine students were taught the value and how to implement community-based health care projects in some of the poorest rural villages in Burma.

As we moved out to the villages, we were able to conduct a health survey in our first TCD (Transformational Community Development) village with permission and invitation from the local authority (not easy!). This is a huge step forward as we look to make an impact amongst the poor in helping them become self-sustainable in a difficult to reach country.