March 8, 2012 eNews

March 8, 2012 Issue No. 17

In this issue

Another Developing Nations Scholarship Success

LifeNets Orphan Care Centre, Balaka, Malawi

Greetings,

It's been nearly a year since the Tōhoku earthquake hit Japan on March 11, 2011. It was the most destructive earthquake to hit Japan and one of the top five most powerful earthquakes of all time. 15,800 people perished with nearly 4000 still missing. LifeNets did its part by providing $11,000 in aid that was sent directly to the the Sendai area. It not only

Dr. Yumi Yamamoto

helped people at time of great need, it also helped us become better acquainted with our friends in Japan who have facilitated the aid.

Over the years, we have maintained a friendship with ophthalmologist, Dr. Yumi Yamamoto who lives in Kochi, on Shikoku, the smallest of the four main islands comprising the nation of Japan. She has been a great supporter of LifeNets donating eyeglasses and other assistance over the years. She visited our home in Indianapolis in 2002. She has now become our LifeNets representative in Japan.

When earthquake, tsunami, nuclear tragedy struck, we asked her to facilitate aid directly to victims which she and her friends did a wonderful job in fulfilling. You can see the entire story on our site at www.lifenets.org/japan. A few days ago we posted an update here about a symposium in her home city of Kochi in which earthquake survivors spoke.

Also in this eNews we write about another wonderful outcome to our Developing Nations Scholarship Program. We have another college graduate in Malawi. We also have stories below about our newly established cattle program in norther Brazil and an update on our Orphan Care Centre in Balaka, Malawi.

We thank you for your support with encouragement and donations. Thank you for all that you have done to make LifeNets an effective way to make a difference in people's lives in so many diverse places around the world.

Gratefully,

Victor Kubik
LifeNets, President

New Cattle Project in Northern Brazil ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LifeNets started a new cattle project in Brazil to assist people in the indigenous tribal area of Maloca de Moscow.

We have already purchased six heifers and placed them in a well watered and grassy area in the tribal territory. The area has grass which was planted many years ago by previous farmers in the land before the area was allocated as region and it has a water reservoir and a river with clean water which has flowed continuously even during the driest periods.

The people have fenced the area with barbed wire and are planning to build a special enclosed area for breeding. The plan is to help them to build up to 20 heads of cattle. This mean that we are planning to help them purchase another 14 heifers at an average cost of approximately $400 per heifer, and a young bullock at an approximate cost of $600, making a total estimated cost of $6200 for the heads of cattle alone, beside other construction costs, vaccinations, etc.

The population of Maloca is mainly farmers and they are planting various types of seed, such as Mandioc, Sugar cane, and Wheat. Another major need that they have is one of a second-hand tractor to help them in the planting of seed and of a scooter to help them to move around in this large area. We hope to help them purchase these two items one once we have fulfilled the initial need for the cattle project.

We thank you all for the help in supporting this LifeNets project of cattle and subsequent tractor and scooter.

Jorge de Campos
http://www.lifenets.org/brazil

Another Developing Nations Scholarship Success ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we see outcomes like this, it gives us a great sense of fulfillment about our efforts to help

Steve Kumalonje

young people who would not have this kind of opportunity otherwise...and returning benefits for the rest of their life as they acquire skills to sustain themselves and their families. Graduate Steve Kumalonje writes:

Hello, this is Steve Kumalonje - one of the LifeNets scholarship beneficiaries. I graduated from the University of Malawi with a Credit Diploma in Journalism whose duration of study is two years. This was on Friday, 2nd March 2012.

Thanks be to you though for the timely material support you sent me in my time of need and remembering the request of mine with regard to a laptop and a digital camera - you did send them at the right time. I also thank LifeNets for their enviable support throughout my two years of study at the University of Malawi...

More about our scholarship program at http://lifenets.org/scholarships

LifeNets Orphan Care Centre, Balaka, Malawi

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We have just received a report from Dr. Sam Chilopora who manages the LifeNets Orphan Care Centre outside Balaka, Malawi.

Goats in Chapita Village January 2012

Since 2010 we have been providing goats to help the orphans with milk. We thank concerned ladies in New Jersey and New York who have held fundraisers from 2008-2010 to help Dr. Chilopora. We had difficulty with the first goats we provided as hardly any of the baby goats survived. After working with veterinarians, we have had greater success.

In his report, Dr. Sam Chilopora sent us an accounting of maize, rice, beans, ground nuts, soybeans, washing soap, salt and fertilizer purchased that amounted to $4375. This relieved suffering by feeding orphans. 150 people were benefited and this has all improved the health status of the orphans. Mosquito nets also prevented malarial deaths. The milk from goats has developed healthy looks on the orphans!

Thank you, Dr. and Mrs. Chilopora for your stewardship of our LifeNets contributions for this project!

YouTube Video of Our Visit to Orphans in Chapita Village, Malawi in September 2010

Here is a report that sent to us by the village chief in January of this year 2012 from Chapita Village where the orphans actually live:

The main purpose of this letter is to extend our gratitude. I, the Chief, together with my people living in Chapita Village in the district of Balaka, are very happy because of the support to develop our livelihoods. Thank you so much for the help of the goats you provided us.

The goats have started reproducing and many in the village have benefited. About 14 people have received the goats. The little orphans are getting porridge, the porridge is cooked in milk from the goats and this has improved the heath status of the orphans.

Many thanks also for the help of fertilizer we have received. The fertilizer will help more people to harvest more crops.

Finally, we request for further more projects that you might consider us, the people of this village of Chapita.

May the Lord Bless You.

Yours, on the behalf of the children

Madam Rose Kida

http://lifenets.org/malawi

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