Spreading our Wings to Chepstow u3a
Following a warm welcome from our hosts on the 7th January, we gave an overview of the work of HHI in India and Zambia with the help of films produced by Big Picture Charity Films (bigpicturecharityfilms.org).
We looked at the work of Shibu, a volunteer auxiliary nursing assistant (known as a ‘bystander’), in Trivandrum Medical College Hospital, India. Without his tireless work, eleven patients would not be receiving medical treatment at this present time.
Next, we looked at the dedicated physiotherapy and educational work of Philip Matthew at Happy Valley Special School. He and his staff light a candle in the lives of many vulnerable families. As Mother Theresa said, ‘it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness’.
Happy Valley students exercising
Our work with thirty homeless women at Thanal House highlights that HHI works with the needy from all faiths and backgrounds. Currently, new sanitary facilities are being constructed here.
Thanal House ladies
Self-sufficiency projects of Pastor Wilson include tailoring and leaf-painting, whilst three administrators (called ‘animators’) run 240 Credit Unions enabling over 3000 families to lift themselves out of poverty by regular saving. The World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform 2024 maintain that 44% of the world’s population of 3.7 billion live in poverty, earning less than $6.85/day.
The India presentation concluded with the film of Beulah, demonstrating that HHI works with individuals, sometimes on a long-term basis, as well as with communities, schools and hospitals.
Beulah dancing with prosthetic legs thanks to HHI
We then turned to projects that HHI and our partner organisation Health Help Zambia (HHZ) undertake in the Southern Province of Zambia, with a headquarters in Monze.
The talk focused on support for children and young people, emphasising the paradigm that education can enable individuals and communities to lift themselves out of poverty, thus changing their life outcomes positively.
The supply of fruit to the children’s ward at Monze Mission Hospital and advice on nutrition to mothers to prevent malnutrition is another aspect of our work.
UNICEF report that 20% of girls’ school days are lost because of puberty. HHZ address this through a Menstrual Hygiene Programme for pubescent girls in local schools, providing education on hygiene, myths and taboos. The girls are given free reusable sanitary products and underwear enabling them to attend school during their periods.
Alistair talking to female students
We then presented our work in three special needs schools supported by HHZ, namely Choongo, Muumba and Nanga. Here, disabled children are educated in well-equipped facilities. Wheelchairs and crutches are supplied and maintained at the Monze compound.
As part of our 25th Anniversary in 2024, we raised £25,000 to construct another dormitory at Choongo school, enabling every child to have their own bed.
New Choongo dormitory
Throughout our presentation we emphasised that 100% of all funds raised in the UK go directly to our projects. All UK operating expenses are met by our volunteers.