TWINNING WITH MADAGASCAR
Twinning with Madagascar
Through our association with AIC (International Association of Charities), The Ladies of Charity have become aware of the needs of Madagascar. There is a great need for food, clothing, housing, medicine, schooling, and more. Even the basic need of water is not taken for granted. This is a county not only of people lacking lifes’ necessities; this a country often struck with natural disasters and epidemics. Because of the disparity of these people, LCUSA has taken up an annual collection for those in Madagascar since 2003. The funds we collect provide food and school supplies to orphans and abandoned children.
Recipients:
Our funds assist the volunteers who collect the “running-in-the-street children” to pay their school fees and provide them with one meal a day eleven months of the year. The volunteers served 389 children in 2005.
The volunteers encourage those who receive to contribute to their own well being. One such program invited children to bring wood for the fire, thus allowing them to help with the daily cooking.
Objective:
To provide urgent needs of food, clothing and medical care, pay school fees and provide supplies; give spiritual, health and civic education; dialogue with mothers; in addition to scholastics, teach agricultural techniques, sewing, knitting, weaving and gardening.
Results:
Many children do well and continue on in school. Others cannot do school work at home, as there is no light; they may have no assistance at home with school work as many of their mothers are illiterate. Still others are obliged to work in order to provide food for their family.
Evaluation:
The children and the volunteers send their thanks to the Ladies of Charity for their help which provides great opportunities of change for the children. As the photo above shows, the children bring the wood for the fire. The Ladies of Charity through their generosity provide the food for the fire.
This article was taken from Ladies of Charity USA quarterly publication,
The Servicette
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