March 9, 2013 - Haro Qallo and Negele

9 Mar 2013 (1) SeaCan container from Grande Prairie in Hara Qallo
9 Mar 2013 (2) Bruce in sewing education module, Hara Qallo
9 Mar 2013 (3) Women's shelter, Hara Qallo
9 Mar 2013 (4)  Women's shelter, Hara Qallo
9 Mar 2013 (5)  Teachers at Mala Gofarsa elementary school near Hara Qallo
9 Mar 2013 (6) Mala Gofarsa class room
9 Mar 2013 (7) Mala Gofarsa 1st latrine in progress
9 Mar 2013 (8) Mala Gofarsa school parent presenting honey to Bruce and Chris
9 Mar 2013 (9) Bruce giving jewellery to young women, Darara Orphanage, Negele

9 Mar 2013 (10) Darara Orphanage, Negele
9 Mar 2013 (11) Tractor
9 Mar 2013 (12) Hassen and Miniatimer founders of Darara Orphanage, Negele

9 Mar 2013 (13) Darara Orphanage, Negele
9 Mar 2013 (14) GP hospital beds in Negele, l to r Chris, Kote, nurse

9 March 2013 – After a sumptuous breakfast we visited the Hara Qallo kindergarten (128 students, 64 of whom are girls, 3 teachers and two nurses), women's hostel (64 female students, grades 6 to 11), and an elementary school about 6 kilometres from Hara Qallo with approximately 200 students, grades 1 to 5).  We visited, passed out some donations, talked with the students and adults affected and also with officials, teachers, and administrators.   At the school outside Hara Qallo, we had another meeting under the communal tree and more gifts, this time milk and honey.  As with many previous meetings, we were thanked for travelling so far to visit.  Sure, in total we travelled some 12,000 km by plane and vehicles.  But from the large contingent that greeted us at the school, many walked the six km from Haro Qallo.  (At the meeting in Qundhi, one elder walked for 4 days through the desert.)  The recurrent theme is that everyone we meet is quite resolved to endure significantly greater hardships than we faced to attend meetings and to express their passionate thanks to the representatives of ANSO and Rotary for education support and other projects that promote their well being.  

After saying goodbye to Jemjem and his colleagues at DUBAF, we drove the short distance to Negele and were greeted by Kote, a personal friend of Kathy and Chris Andersen.  We signed into the newly constructed Turaco Hotel which was fortunate since rooms were hard to come by due to Chinese highway construction companies in the area.  After refreshing, Kote guided us to the Darara Orphanage supported by ANSO and run by Hassen and Mintamir.  Hassen and Mintamir started this orphanage in 2003 when their own family was grown and had mostly left home.  Initially they took in 7 AIDS orphans off the street.  ANSO became involved in 2005 and the size of the orphanage was doubled. Currently the orphanage is home to 14 children, the oldest of which is 19 and in grade 12.  Bruce passed out some jewellery collected by teachers in the Grande Prairie public school system to the young women which was a huge hit.  Our next stop was the local hospital which was partially equipped with medical equipment shipped via container from the Swan City Rotary Club in 2009. 

After a rest at the hotel, we went back to the Darara orphanage, had supper, and Chris discussed the future of the tractor supplied to the orphanage by Jim and Mary Helen Boccioletti, owners of Canadian Tire in Grande Prairie, and other orphanage issues with Kote (translator), Hassen and Miniatimer, while Lance and Bruce took pictures and spent some time with the children.