ARMENIA – (Spitak) House of Esther Refugee Center

I love being present and on-the-ground in an update such as this! These people are absolutely wonderful … these refugees who have been through so much pain, are life-giving yet again!

Great pleasure is mine in being here in Spitak, ARMENIA, House of Esther(HoE) … and in relating to you these refugees from war-torn Syria. It’s difficult to communicate their gratefulness in our presence and our meager gifts of time, teaching and relationships deepened. A warmer audience one will not find.

Each has a story of great loss of homes, family members, friends, neighbors.

Since my time here last year, chicken coops have been expanded, a fish farm started, gardens enlarged, fruit trees planted, volunteers recruited, furniture and appliances delivered, buildings insulated, and many other living conditions improved. Deeper yet is the foundation of “HOPE” they now have, in a secure location free from war-tensions and greater losses.

A primary focus has been in the teaching of TCD-Transformational Community Development. While I usually teach such courses in villager-settings, this material is adaptable to HoE and refugees starting lives over. Our aim in HoE is for it to become as self-sustaining as is possible.

Local entrepreneur Gayane was very gracious in showing us her business as well as translating for us in the TCD sessions.

Thanks for being such an integral part of such Help and Hope to others!

Daniel

GHNI Lead Assist – C./S. Asia and E. Europe

On September 23, 2017 By Daniel EmigIn Armenia, GHNI, refugee, Self-Sustainability, TCD1 Comment

Bangladesh TCD … and FLOODING

On August 30, 2017 By Daniel EmigIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Transformational Community Development (TCD) in Bangladesh with GHNI is still quite in the early stages. Yet so much good has happened in our time there. With excellent partnerships in place from the start, it has made all the difference in how quickly and quality went hand-in-hand.

Education has been at the forefront since day-1. It’s been amazing to watch how:

many more children are attending school
many more children are experiencing the value and future in education
many more parents are now being “pulled-into” the education process, embracing how their children need to continue furthering their education, even at the expense of needs at home
many parents are being ushered into the reality of facing old ideas of marrying off their very young daughters … and instead, allowing them to finish school and potentially into higher quality lives married or single

With better educations, comes organically, better methods of micro-enterprise, food cleanliness and harvesting methods. So much of life goes hand-in-hand, regardless of living in Bangladesh, Serbia, Armenia or West Chicago, Illinois. Life is extremely interconnected.

Woman & 2 loan-animal micro-enterprise Bangladesh 8-’17

Catastrophic flooding in Houston, Texas USA and Bangladesh were only days apart. All of us in the USA are helping the Texas victims in whatever capacity we can. If you are so inclined, please consider helping the flood victims of Bangladesh.

Giving to this is via our regular Bangladesh site at:

http://www.globalhopenetwork.org/us/village-transformation/bangladesh/champion-village

Always huge “Thank you”(s) to each of you who undergird our work in GHNI to villages we vest in … YOU vest in !

Daniel

House of Esther (HoE) – Spitak, ARMENIA … progress!

On July 13, 2017 By Daniel EmigIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Refugee Center “House of Esther” in Spitak, ARMENIA has seen huge progress this Spring and into June. Focused acutely on becoming a self-sustaining entity as rapidly as possible, HoE has set up:

Fish Farm equipment and initial fish fingerlings
Rain-water recovery system for irrigating crops
Green-house below-ground foundation and initial ground-water recovery piping

Several new refugees from Syria are now living and working there.

TCD-Transformational Community Development in its 1st stage of TOT-1(Training of Trainers), is to be taught in September.

GHNI is excited to announce that several visitors are also to be there in September, during the TCD training time.

Funds are needed now to finish the greenhouse and HoE still needs all centralized heating systems in place by this Fall. Will you please consider these needs and contribute. Budget analysis indicate that HoE still needs almost $20,000 to finish all needful items before October. Give at:

http://www.globalhopenetwork.org/us/village-transformation/armenia/house-esther

And also consider joining us there in September!

Thanks! Daniel

https://vimeo.com/200984630