Drastic Times Call For Action
Some may recall that I devoted a good chunk of the past thirty years of my life endeavouring to assist some sixty-three struggling businesses and organisations via Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) in fifteen countries throughout the Pacific and Asia.
Most of those assignments were to businesses, some of the hosts became friends, we remain in contact and they still request assistance and guidance - like hotel owners that have loans and overheads, but NO guests or income - impacted by COVID-19.
Others were organisations supporting local communities.
Unlike in Australia (and other 'western' nations), there is no government support or financial incentives - and, unfortunately, there were even instances where businesses took advantage of that support to make bigger profits (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-18/companies-report-large-boost-profits-after-receiving-jobkeeper/13256210). There are organisations offering support but, there are instances were 'charity' organisations use donations to pay themselves and their substantial overheads (https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=topten.detail&listid=28).
I have just learned that an organisation I worked with in Timor Leste, that is literally saving lives, was also impacted by COVID-19, and now the country has been hit by drastic flooding.
That organisation is HIAM HEALTH who take in impoverished families, educate them about health and nutrition, teach them how to grow their own fruits and vegetables and they leave nourished and more knowledgeable - more on their website (https://www.HIAMhealth.org/HIAM.html). Without immediate help: they are about to close the doors! The comment was that they have "suffered horrendously".
Let me give you just two short stories about my time with HIAM Health-
* I recall a scrawny young mother being admitted with an undernourished, very young, son and daughter clinging to her ragged dress. That night the father came and took the son away (probably ashamed) and next morning, the mother left with the daughter. I asked the staff what would happen to those kids and their response still haunts me: "They'll probably die."
* There was a very young and shy boy with his mother. After a few days of looking at me with curiosity, and me endeavouring to connect; he gradually came out of his shell and would run up to me each morning, wanting to shake my hand and all the mothers would laugh and cheer. He left happier and plumper than when he arrived. It was just a few weeks later that one of the staff told me that he had died … of measles … on his fifth birthday! I still can't even type that without tearing up!
SO -
HIAM Health have started a GoFundMe page to scrape some funding together in order to continue with their great work. ANY contribution would be much appreciated - and you will be literally helping to save some desperate lives.
Please contribute if you can, and circulate this message to your friends and through your social media - say "from a friend' or something - feel free to use this link - which features this message…https://sites.google.com/site/bevansblog/hiam-health-needs-help
THANK YOU!
If interested, you can read my original blog on Dili….https://sites.google.com/site/bevansblog/dili-timor-leste