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KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP FOR LESS The Noows is designed for free by The Media Collective and all print costs covered by Danbro. KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE LIFE OF OPERATION ORPHAN Edition 5 Summer 2018 P.5 P.6 P.11 Sustainability in How you helped... Calling on runners! Congo Bringing you an Can you put your How a family holiday exclusive update on running shoes on for changed lives how YOUR regular Operation Orphan? forever. giving is helping. On the Job! Crafted With Love We have some exciting developments to let you know about, including the appointment of our newest staff member, Rob Sharp. Rob has been focusing most of his time on building – both Donations of wool as well as ready crafted literally and metaphorically. During his first few months he has built a new Forget-Me-Notts squares and strips have made their way storage room, a modified warehouse sorting space and countless beds! from Shetland to Suffolk. This huge team effort is one of many, with people from all over the place sending their squares As most of his work is spent developing for other crafters to sew together. Our our Forget-Me-Notts project, Rob is ambassador Victoria, together with her usually the man for job; delivering (and mum, has been busy sewing some to make fitting) larger household items that come the large blankets you can see here. through our referral scheme. At our Nottingham office we often have Referrals keep coming in thick and fast, visits from knitters when they are dropping demonstrating the genuine needs of off their donations. The people we meet vulnerable families in our local area. Many express that they love the fact that their of the requests we receive are for beds, craft is helping to make a difference. floor coverings and storage. When you see little ones sleeping on cold concrete Our crafting community is fantastic and floors and using plastic bags for clothes keeps us supplied with beautiful handmade storage, it really does confirm the huge blankets, hats, scarves and gloves. need there is within our community. We are thrilled to be meeting many of these These lovely blankets are sent in from all needs through Forget-Me-Notts. over the world (literally received a blanket “I’m thoroughly enjoying being part of from New Zealand recently) to keep kids Our hope is to find some generous this incredibly rewarding work. It has warm next winter! companies who can help us to meet such a direct impact on people’s lives some furniture and bed requests. That and I get the joy of witnessing this first Blankets are used within our Keep a Child would be a huge help. If you know hand. I shared a Facebook post at 7pm Warm project as well as part of our Crisis anyone in this line of work perhaps you the other day and by 9am the following Response. could put a good word in for us. morning, every item on the Amazon wish list had been purchased. Now, because The way people find out about these of people’s generosity I get to go and fit needs in real time is by joining our out a completely new bedroom for this Facebook page. If you haven’t already little girl – incredible!” “It’s lovely to know the things we have made joined please take a look at this for more will actually help someone.” information. Rob Sharp Christine Mee - Knitter 2 www.operation-orphan.org www.operation-orphan.org 3 Heaven Homes Our truck load of aid arrived in Sierra Leone. After taking a while to clear customs, it finally made it to Heaven Homes where the contents are being used to strengthen the care structure in a number of different ways. From school resources and furniture to brand new mattresses, the items donated are being used to improve the school, the homes and the wider community. Thanks to every person who gave to this appeal. Since our last visit Kippy has sought advice from mental health specialists within the country and is awaiting recommendations as to what help is available in Sierra Leone. Our planned expedition in April was unfortunately postponed as a duty of care to our runners, volunteers and partners. This was primarily a safety measure Hebron Home and to not cause unnecessary stress on our volunteers and friends at Heaven Homes during the height of the political tension. As the elections took far longer than anticipated we took the ‘safety first’ decision to postpone the trip until later in When we were first introduced to our Congolese partners, Donald and Marie, we knew the year. We can’t wait to get back there instantly they were the real deal. Having moved from their home country to the UK, this and visit the children. couple would often return to DR Congo for a family holiday. Little did they know one particular holiday would change their lives forever. Marie was introduced to 30 children, to create a sustainable income to orphaned by war and fending for supplement the donations from Operation themselves at a disused property. It was Orphan. This means that they are not then her heart broke for these children and entirely reliant on overseas funding. Now she decided to step in and help. For years they are farming the land to grow their the couple and their wider family have own food supply. been working in the UK and sending money home to provide for these children. They Five of the children are now at university have given their entire lives to this cause. and the 25 younger children are living at their new home. They have moved to Now that we are working together, Donald nearby schools and are settling in well. and Marie are able to concentrate their What was going to be a vacation home efforts on the things that matter most, for the couple has now become Hebron ensuring the children are well cared for and Home, a safe home and sanctuary for have access to all of the things they need. children who have experienced such a traumatic childhood. The wonderful thing is that Donald and Marie have made sustainability a priority In addition to the children living in as they build Hebron Home. Firstly they’ve residential care, Marie and Donald are established a transportation business helping 137 living in the community. 4 www.operation-orphan.org www.operation-orphan.org 5 How You Helped... Anna Keep a Child My name is Anna and I’m 14 years old. I am originally from Mile 91 in Sierra Leone. Moldova I have a sister and three brothers. My life was very different before I came to Heaven Homes. Thanks to the power of social media we recently put When I lost my father and mother I felt so sad a request out for some specific items needed by our and I was suffering. I didn’t go to school, I was friends at Cahul Social Care. They are working hard ten years old then. When I came to Heaven to change people’s attitudes towards disability and Homes I began going to school and learning. offer a fantastic day centre for disabled children. I am so happy for this opportunity and I am We’re also sending items to help children who doing so well at school. When Operation have been left without parental protection. Orphan come to visit us they make us feel so happy. They brought us a guitar so now we can The greatest thing about this story is that no sing with music. I share a room with the other sooner had we made this request known girls at Heaven Homes. We are all like sisters on our Facebook page, we had such an now and we care for one another. overwhelming response! People began bringing in items, purchasing items and arranging to add things to the Keep a Child Warm coat collections. The Project One lady from Belfast realised the postage was pricey and found an excellent way to Anna was one of sixty children who came to Heaven Homes in November 2014. These children contribute by purchasing the requested had been rejected and treated like outcasts. The reason? They had survived Ebola. In many items from Tesco and having them African cultures the usual practice is to absorb orphans into the wider family, however either delivered directly to our office for just one these children had lost all their family to Ebola, including their extended family, or wider family pound. Genius. were simply too afraid to take them in due to their close proximity with the virus. We’re always amazed by people’s Heaven Homes was originally set up as a a flagship children’s home in the country generosity and consider it an absolute school supporting the local community. When because of their excellent standard of care. privilege to facilitate getting aid to the Ebola outbreak happened the school was We know that supporting them is not just people who are desperately in need. closed and the founders decided they had about meeting their physical needs, but also to do something to support these desperate the psychosocial. We are therefore also keen to children. They turned the school into a find ways of helping the children process the temporary home. trauma they have been through. Over the last three years Operation Orphan Thank you for being part of our Keep A Child Find us online! has helped to build four homes.

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