ROSE CHARITIES CANADA PROJECTS

CAMBODIA 

The Rose Charities Eye clinic provides free eye treatment for the poor of Cambodia including sight restoration surgery and prevention of blindness procedures. The cinic treats approximately 1500 patients per month and performs over 100 cataract and other surgeries per month. 

Since opening in 1998, it has restored the sight of 10,000 Cambodians with cataracts. It is also Cambodia’s leading ophthalmic facility providing free eye tests. Glasses are provided for a small fee or at no charge for those who cannot afford to pay. The clinic is run by a skilled Cambodian team led by Dr. Hang Vra and a staff of nurses, optometrists and medical assistants. It is situated at Kien Khleang, a suburb of the capital city, Phnom Penh 

Dr. Vra and his team are supported with advice and funds by a group of experts from the New Zealand, Canadian and Nepalese branches of Rose Charities. They make regular trips to the clinic to teach new skills provide equipment and funding. This clinic is dependant on funding from individual donors. By using local resources and staff, they are able to stretch the tiny budget to create miracles. In 2007 a cataract surgery costs just $25. 

Many cataracts in Cambodia are left untreated until the person loses all sight. At this stage he or she becomes a burden to the family, unable to work and often requiring one of the children to leave school and become a guide.  A sight restoration surgery improves the quality of life for the whole family. 

Without this clinic, many poor Cambodians would be unable to afford treatment. If you would like to support the work of this clinic please donate through the Rose Charities branch of your choice.        Website:   www.RoseCharity.org

A  child born with cleft palate in a wealthy country has surgery within days of birth. In Cambodia many parents cannot afford the surgery. Their baby faces a childhood of suffering. A baby with cleft palate has difficulty nursing. There are recurring ear and throat infections. The facial deformity exposes the child to persecution and neglect. The child cannot go to school and many assume that he or she is mentally retarded.  

The First-Rose Clinic undertakes free surgical procedures to improve quality of life and relieve suffering in Cambodia. The clinic performs cleft lip and palate repairs, and other simple surgeries including  land-mine amputation stump remodeling for fitting of artificial limbs, burn relief including acid burn victims, correcting limb and other deformities. The First-Rose Clinic is run near  the Chea Chumnas Hospital in the suburbs Phnom Phen. All treatments are free of charge. The clinic is run by a skilled Cambodian team led by surgeon Dr. Nous Sarom. The Clinic receives funding, technical support and training from Rose Charities, Operation Rainbow Canada and from the University of Hong Kong. The work of the clinic is dependant upon funds from individual donors. A cleft palate operation costs approx $80. ( 2007).  Website.   www.RoseRehab.org  

If you would like to   donate please click here.       

SRI LANKA   

Rose Charities Canada responded to the tsunami by sending pediatric teams of volunteers to the Kalmunai Base Hospital. The teams supported the staff at the hospital, ran the pediatric ward, held daily pediatric clinics, and visited the camps.

It quickly became apparent after the tsunami that the psychological needs of the children were a greater priority than physical healthcare.  The medical teams saw numerous children displaying symptoms of severe psychological trauma.  The first step was to develop a childrens clinic where the children could be helped through drawing and other counseling techniques. The program was then expanded to bring  counseling into the schools and camps. Using Canadian experts to train trainers at the Mental Health Unit of the Kalmunai Base Hospital, a group of volunteer Child Support Workers was trained and a system of school counseling was established in 18 schools in Kalmunai.  This network supplied support to over 10,000 children and their families over the following 2 years. The Mental health Unit trained over 150 support workers for other organizations.

The tsunami caused many children to lose a year or more of education. The schools were damaged, books and supplies destroyed, families suffered appalling losses and were living in crowded shelters without electricity. This became a major source of stress, particularly for the high school students with graduating exams ahead.  The Educational Support Program began with almost no funding and was built entirely on community spirit. Led by Rose Charities Sri Lanka, ninety-six local teachers volunteered to work 6 afternoons a week for 4 months.  Nearly 1000 high school students  received  4 months free tuition leading up to their exams.  The average pass mark was 75% and 11 students were accepted into University.  There is now 2 years CIDA funding for this program (2007 & 2008).  The program has expanded to include 3 pre-schools for children at risk, English language classes and school drop out programs. In 2007 a young student from the program earned the highest O Level Examination marks in the whole of Sri Lanka. She obtained 100% in 10 subjects.

In 2006/2007 Kalmunai was badly affected by the civil war.  Some 2500 refugees flocked into this already distressed community and the local people did what they could to help. School children donated bags of rice and Rose Charities organized meals and basic supplies for the new arrivals and counseling for the children and families.  In 2006 Rose Charities Sri Lanka was awarded a CIDA grant to develop “Youth Programs for Peace”

This program combines school counseling, conflict resolution training, educational support, sports and vocational training to enhance peace in the different religious and ethnic communities in the region.   

As part of the CIDA funded Sports for Peace” Rose Charities Sri Lanka organizes a school basketball league.  Twelve schools take part and are picked from the Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim, Hindu , Christian and Buddhist communities.  The children attend training camps and tournaments together. The 2007 inter-school was attended by a huge local crowd and has become a  positive focal activity for the community. We would like to find the funds to expand this program to other schools. There is a shortage of equipment, many of the children play barefoot, particularly the girls. 

University is free in Sri Lanka, however many students from poor families are forced to turn down their university places because they lack the funds to pay for books, transport and food.  The University Scholarship program provides grants of approx $10/month to cover their living expenses. This is enough to make the difference and allow them to go to University.  In 2007 there were 27 scholarships in place. All the students were doing well.  One engineering student won the highest marks on the campus in 2007. The scholarships are supported by sponsors in Canada and USA.  For $250 per year you can sponsor a student. 

 It was started by BC school girl Amanda Yogendran. She travelled to Kalmunai Sri Lanka with her father after the tsunami in 2006 and was appalled to discover students turning down their free university places because they could not afford the text books and other small expenses.

Thanks to Canadian and USA sponsors who donate $200/year, 26 students are now attending university from Kalmunai.  We try and find sponsors for 10 or more students a year.  If you would like to sponsor a student please contact: RoseHQ@aol.com

The Rose Micro-Credit Committee is a group of Vancouver business leaders whose target is to foster micro-credit projects worldwide and to raise $1 million for micro credit. Micro-credit is giving small loans to people to start small  businesses to increase their income and help them escape from poverty.  As the small business grows, the loans are repaid and the money is given out to others in more small loans. The Rose Micro-Credit project in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka is a pilot project that incorporates training in running a small business as part of the loan.  This project began with just $5,000 of loans and is building up incrementally until it becomes financially self sufficient.  Each expansion step is monitored by the Committee. By March 2008 there are over 200 loans given out

If you are interested in donating to this project or taking part in this group please contact :

Josephine de Freitas   Josephine@shaw.ca

Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious problem in Nepal affecting all strata of society. The problem is also rife in the prisons. There are few treatment centers available to the poor and no prison services for drug and alcohol addiction.

            RIC-Rose Nepal runs two community treatment centers, one in the border town of Lombini and one in Kathmandu. Treatment is free. The patients first undergo a medical or herbal detox, then begin their therapy.  The patients live at the centers and do all the housework, cooking and gardening. Many patients continue to work as volunteers after their treatment is complete. The Centers follow the 12-step treatment, uniquely combined with Vipassana meditation. They have a remarkable success rate. A USA trained therapist, Mr Binod Ayal, runs the program.

            RIC_Rose also runs drug and alcohol addiction programs in three prisons in Nepal, two for men and one for women. There is also a day center for street children. The entire program is run with an army of volunteers and one paid employee.

VIETNAM  

The Sia Center is a small blue house set among green padi-fields. It situated in a poor rice farming area outside Hue in Central Vietnam. Few in this community can afford the treatment services available in the cities, and the blind are often marginalized. The Center provides training and support, food and shelter for approx 35 blind and partially sighted men and women.  The Director and nearly all the staff are blind. They work on a tiny budget, supplementing their income by selling joss-sticks and toothpicks which are made as part of the vocational training.  In 2007, a $1000 donation for Rose Canada enabled the opening of a Braille reading and writing program .  Classes for 20 are held daily. The teacher is an inspirational young man. He was a successful young university student who suddenly went blind during his second year and had to leave university. Instead of giving up hope, he taught himself Braille and is now dedicated to teaching others. His dream is to get a computer for the center, to teach computing skills for the blind.

The Sia Center is a project of Rose Charities Vietnam. Other projects of Rose Charities Vietnam include the 'Nguyen Children's Fund' , and, currently in planning phase, assistance in development with a corneal tranplant eye bank in Ho Chi Minh City. 

EAST AFRICA 

“In our forty years in Africa, Don and I worked hard to help this wonderful continent meet its potential. I want to ensure that our work and our vision will live on”                                                                                   Dr. Liz Hillman

Professors Don and Liz Hillman received the order of Canada for their lifetimes dedication to pediatrics in Africa and worldwide. The Hillman Medical Education Fund will advance medical education, particularly in Africa, with a special emphasis on supporting low income students who have been identified as potential leaders in healthcare.  The fund is administered by Rose Charities under the guidance of Dr Liz Hillman.  Working with the Kenyan Pediatric Association, funds in 2008 will be used to train University of Nairobi physicians in Newborn Resuscitation Techniques.      DONATE

MADAGASCAR

UCCAN is a Rose Charities Partner organization dedicated to helping children and communities in need in Madagascar. We work with a variety of Malagasy-run projects which reach out to abandoned, orphaned and underpriviledged children.

UCCAN recently (in 2006) began working closely with a rural community development initiative, Mahastara, in the village of Tsarahonenana. UCCAN teamed up with Mahatsara to open a school in their small village. The school is unique in its mission to provide an education that goes beyond academics to include a student and community health program, a daily nutrition program which will soon be accompanied by a community garden, an adult literacy program and a student/community sports program.  www.unitingchildren.com 

 GENERAL