ISSUE 6 February 2010   |   Visit our website   |   How you can help
 
CONTENTS:

 

  
ISSUES:

Contact Us
Tel: (02) 9887 1665
or Email Us.

Mail
PO Box 6234
North Ryde
NSW 2113
       
  PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM MAHBOBA
  "2009 was another challenging year for the people of Afghanistan and unfortunately the situation remains unstable. However, despite the continuing bleak outlook, 2009 was a good year for Mahboba’s
Promise".

The programs we have implemented over the last 10 years have been life changing for many Afghans. By providing them with knowledge, whether in the form of an education or teaching them a skill so they can live in dignity, we have made a significant difference to many lives.
Mahboba Rawi
 

" Our sponsorship program continues to grow and we
now support 171 widows and 247 children... "
       
  There is still so much that needs to be done and it pains me when I visit to see such suffering. However, I am realistic enough to accept we cannot help everyone. Over the next five years in partnership with Muslim Aid Australia we
plan to invest in Permaculture Projects to assist Afghan farmers with their skills
and teach them how to maximise the limited tillable land.

Our sponsorship program continues to grow and we now support 171 widows and 247 children. We very much appreciate the support of our sponsors as this not only provides certainty for the recipients, but their whole community benefits.

In 2009 I visited Afghanistan twice. The first time I was accompanied by Virginia
Haussegger the face of Canberra ABC News who came in an unofficial capacity to see the country first hand. This was wonderful as it enabled her to generate valuable publicity for our organisation when she returned home.

During my second visit I spent a lot of time at Hope House chatting with the children. This gave me an opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished over the years with our various programs. When I started Mahboba’s Promise my goal was to start a charity that would put aid straight into the hands of the people who needed it. And this is what Mahboba’s Promise is doing, going to the root, not the top of the tree. 100% of Sponsorship money goes to the recipient and our overheads in Australia are minimal, thanks to the valuable support of
volunteers who spend time in the office or organising fundraising events.
When I was in Afghanistan last year a widow approached me. She had waited 2
years for my return and asked me whether I could provide her with seeds. She had land and her children could work for her, but she could not afford any seeds to plant. A small donation has made such a difference to this woman’s future and has made her self sufficient.

 

 

The visits to Afghanistan make me truly appreciative of my life in Australia. Here I have medical care, I can drive myself anywhere, there are trees everywhere, water comes from a tap and I have electricity at the flick of a switch. Knowing I have so much, makes me more determined to share it with others who are less fortunate.

I would like to sincerely thank you for your continued support and generous donations which has enabled me to help many people live in dignity and given them hope to believe they will have a future. To stay informed about our work helping to change lives, especially those of women and children, please visit our
website at www.mahbobaspromise.org.		    
       
  AND THE WINNER IS...

Everyone loves a winner and 11 year old Najeeba, one of our sponsored orphans at Hope House, recently won a gold medal in the local Taekwondo championship.
Traditionally girls do not play sport in Afghanistan however, at Hope House the
girls are encouraged to participate. This is very liberating for them as they compete with the boys and discover a newfound feeling of freedom as they go through the complex moves of Taekwondo..”

 
   
       
  WINTER APPEAL RAISES $21,000 TO DATE

MOur 2009/2010 Winter Appeal received a generous response but we are still short of our target of $30,000. The money raised will go a long way to buy wood and coal to warm three of our Community Centres and will be used to
provide emergency blankets, fuel, food and medical care to those who are freezing.

 In Afghanistan there is no central heating or heaters in homes. Some people use gas heaters, which is very dangerous. The common thing for heating is to put temporary chimneys in each room. After three months of winter,
every room needs to be repainted as the smoke discolours the walls.

Mahboba’s Promise supports 500 widows and orphans outside our Community Centres. Thanks to the response to our Winter Appeal each family will
receive enough coal to last them for the 3 months of winter.

Last year the snow was heavy. This year the falls have been lighter but with 2 months of winter ahead, this situation could change. It has been a
bitterly cold winter and with many people still homeless, thousands of women and children are expected to die from cold, preventable diseases and malnutrition.

If you haven’t gotten around to making a donation to this much needed appeal, its not too late to bring warmth to someone’s life. Please go to our web site and donate.

 

  

 

   
       
  CONERGY AUSTRALIA HEATS UP HOPE HOUSE

Thanks to Conergy Australia, the kids of Hope House are enjoying instant hot water. Five Solar Hot Water Heaters were donated by Conergy Australia and after several months spent negotiating their transport, these were safely delivered to the Community Centre where they have been installed on the roof.
This represents a considerable saving for Mahboba’s Promise and frees up money
which had been budgeted for buying wood to heat the water. Even in the summertime, the water from the local well is extremely cold. 

 

 

 
 

   
       
  NEW CLINIC PROVIDES MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE

With the support of Variety Club and donors like you, Mahboba’s Promise opened a Medical Centre last year to provide medical and dental care for Hope House orphans and widows, as well as the local community.

This facility is currently staffed by a doctor and dentist from the local community. Demand for the clinic was initially so great, the staff worked very long hours at no extra
cost to Mahboba’s Promise to accommodate all the widows and orphans needs.

Main concerns for the children have been skin problems, including scabies and fungal infections as well as Lashmania caused by a mosquito bite which needs to be treated daily with an injection to prevent the skin from deteriorating. Hearing and gum problems are also prevalent. For the
widows, the clinic provides their only hope of medical care.

 

 

" The biggest challenge for Mahboba’s Promise is to keep up medical supplies in the clinic. The first supply ran out in 2 months "
  The biggest challenge for Mahboba’s Promise is to keep up medical supplies in the clinic. The first supply ran out in 2 months.    
       
  COMMUNITY CENTRE GETS LIFE SUPPORT

At the beginning of last year the Hazrit Ali Community Centre in Kabul run by Uncle Sabit which is home to 35 children was in danger of being closed due to lack of funds. The Muslim Ladies Volunteers Group held a Ramadan Fundraising Dinner which raised a staggering $55,000. This will go a long way to keep this special Community Centre functioning. In addition to this another donor very generously sent funds for running costs of the centre for a whole year.

These funds are already making a significant difference to the childrens daily lives and the gratitude is clearly evident in their eyes. More importantly the fact that you are helping us tokeep Mahboba’s Promise, helps to give them hope
for their future..”
 

   
       
  CRAFT PROVIDES TOOLS FOR SURVIVAL

The recently opened Handicraft Artisan Training Centre in Panjshir Valley has been well attended by widows eager to learn a skill so they can make money to support their children. Needlework is very popular and the women are learning to make scarves and table linen.

Following on from the success of the Panjshir Valley Handicrafts Project,
in partnership with the Australian Embassy in Kabul and Stateless Systems (Retail Me Not) we will be starting our new Handicraft Artisan Training Centre from Hope House during March 2010 and we are aiming to recuit as many widows as we possibly can to join this course.

Builders completed an extra level on Hope House to accommodate the continuance of the Quilting Project for the widows in Kabul. We plan to reopen this course during 2010.

    
       
GG MEETS WITH MAHBOBA

The Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC met with Mahboba to discuss the work of the charity. This meeting provided a unique opportunity to gain valuable recognition for the organisation.
       
  VOLUNTEER PROFILE - Sue Johnson, Warwick, QLD
 
All I need is a Shed! 9 years ago Sue Johnson had a life changing experience. The 6 o’clock news showed a young Afghani girl eating grass and wearing very little clothing, even though winter was approaching. At home, her own children were complaining about having to eat their vegetables.

“It was as if something awoke inside me,” said Sue. “I felt I couldn’t continue my life without doing something to ensure that I had contributed to a child somewhere less fortunate having a meal.” Sue explained to her children how she felt and after a brain storming session they decided to sell some of their toys and unwanted articles by holding a garage sale. But what to do with the money!

A friend mentioned Mahboba’s Promise and this sparked a relationship between two kindred spirits with a desire to help others.

Heartened by the response to her ‘one-off’ garage sale, Sue was motivated to carry on throughout the year from her ‘shed’ and with the help of volunteers, she opens each Thursday to the public. Once a year she holds a From the Heart Garage Sale which the local community gets behind.

“My children got behind the project and it has changed their lives. Recycling has become second nature to them and they are very aware of the traps of materialism and consumerism. They are enriched by the positive energy that comes by making the world a better place,” says Sue. “My goal is to go to Afghanistan with Mahboba and give the love that is in my heart to each of the
children in person, as I have been doing in spirit for the last 9 years.” Says Sue.

Such is the popularity of her recycling efforts that Sue is running out of space in her ‘shed’ and is appealing to anyone who can help her build a permanent facility with shelving so the goods can be property displayed. She has the land and the motivation, all that is missing is a network of people who can help her realise her dream of a more professional facility to maximise sales.

If you are interested in providing support or can assist in anyway, please contact Sue Johnson at: suesun.j@bigpond.com
   
       
  New to the Team

We welcome Lynn Brewster who joined Mahboba’s Promise in March 2009 as Finance & Administration Manager. Lynn comes from the UK and moved to Australia with her partner at the beginning of the year. She had wanted
to work in the Not for Profit sector and the timing was right as Gill Shaddick who had been in the position for 5 years left due to family commitments. Lynn has bought a wonderful feeling of ‘can do’ and a new energy to the office.

    
       
  We can’t do it without you!

And last and but by no means least, an enormous thank you to our corporate sponsors....

Bio-Distributors: Biodynamic & Organic Wholsalers of Tasmania
www.biodistributors.com.au

www.retailmenot.com

 

 
       
  Donating directly. The internet is a great way to make your donations. It’s a great help to us though if you use your ID number or your name or let us know that you are going to donate so we can issue you with a receipt. The bank charges $60 an hour to trace donations for us which sometimes we do in desperation!    
       
 


Mahboba Rawi

ABRN 135 823 880
Mahboba's Promise Inc is an Association Incorporated in NSW
and the liability of members is limited.
Mahboba’s Promise is a non-profit organisation that brings hope to orphans and widows ravaged by war.
PO Box 6234 North Ryde NSW 2113

OUR THANKS TO ALL OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS AND DONORS WHO HELP MAHBOBA’S PROMISE TO CONTINUE ITS WORK IN AFGHANISTAN.

   Contact Us
Tel: (02) 9887 1665
or Email Us.

Mail
PO Box 6234
North Ryde
NSW 2113
       

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