Africa, Central America, Education, Emergency Response, General interest, Haiti, Health Education, Healthcare, Income generation

Rose Charities Canada achievements 2024!

Chair Year End Letter

October 31 st 2023 to November 1 st 2024

A Happy New Year to volunteers, friends and supporters of Rose Charities Canada! We thank you for all your assistance this year -in whatever way that has been– in enabling us to continue working with
people in need across the world.


Our projects have encountered numerous challenges in many of the countries they operate in – factors often unsurmountable and out of their control. Extreme poverty is the number one issue in most
countries bolstered by violence (including gender-based violence), internal conflict, political instability, government corruption, high inflation, and blackouts (Ethiopia, Zambia). Alongside this is the impact of climate change that has been seen, for example, in flooding (Nepal) and in drought (Zambia). Moreover, there is the brutal and ongoing oppression of women in Afghanistan that restricts basic rights such as
education, employment and having a voice to express opinions.


It is hard to see some “light” in these situations and believe that a small amount of help can make a difference. But we can assure you it does and, moreover, gives hope for many individuals and communities. The leaders and volunteers in our projects are putting into action the sentiments of NkosiJohnson (12-year-old AIDS activist who died in 2001) when he said “Do all you can, with what you have,in the time you have, in the place you are.”


It is in the individual stories that we hear about the impact of this“compassionate” action and thedifference it makes in peoples’ lives.
At one of the annual Soccer Camps in the Haiti Children and Youth project a young man who wasparticipating suddenly disappeared after a few days. It was later discovered that he was in severe pain with an inguinal hernia. Arrangements were made by the project for him to receive surgery and follow up care including a ride to and from school so as not to miss classes.

In a training visit to Guatemala by the Safe Motherhood team the benefits of their classes were highlighted in the following story “the day after we taught the technique to help birth a baby with the umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck, we heard one of our students excitedly share that she used the technique with great success at a birth during the night”.


We had hoped this year to send some funds to Afghanistan to set up small scale education classes for elementary school girls. However, this was deemed too much of a risk when the Taliban further restricted any schooling for girls. But to try and “do what we can” the funds will now be used for women to learn some basic skills to develop a small business (sewing, food items) and provide for their families.

An aspect of our education projects worth highlighting has been the importance of going beyond the basic curriculum of learning in schools. Many of the projects working in school settings are providing
enrichment and encouraging creativity with music and art classes, dancing, visits to museums and galleries, playing sports and other games, cooking, going swimming, and adding fun to standard teaching. Our projects are dedicated to helping children thrive despite the environment they find themselves in.

There has also been an exciting initiative in Zambia (Malambo) to provide environmental education for children in several schools with a focus on sustainable practices including tree planting to combat the impact of climate change. To highlight the scope of the projects and their achievements, I am attaching a summary of the outputs for 2023 to 2024. The range of activities is extensive reaching into the unique needs of a particular community. Renovations to schools, enrichment programs, school supplies, soccer camps , homework classes, scholarships from K to University, provision of water filters for clean water, the completion of a Maternal Care Centre, eye care for remote communities in Nepal, birthing skills for rural midwives in
Guatemala, the production of a video raising awareness of sexual violence against girls in Uganda, a school based malaria project providing rapid diagnosis and prompt treatment in Uganda, and tree planting in Zambia. The numbers of recipients are not necessarily the important factor. Some are higher than others but, more meaningful, is the impact of these activities on the life of an individual. “Doing what we can with what we have”.


We look forward to another year of inspiring and creative approaches in the work of our projects. This could not be achieved without the dedication and commitment shown everyday by the volunteers in the field. On behalf of the Board of Directors we thank you all again for your steadfast support in allowing the projects to grow and be a beacon of light in a time of global instability.

Best wishes

Maggie Francis
Chair, Board of Directors
Rose Charities Canada

January 5 th , 2025

Africa, Central America, Community Support, Education, Emergency Response, Environment, Events, General interest, Haiti, Health Education, Healthcare, Income generation, Nepal, People, Rose Charities People, Rose News, South Asia Region, Women focused programs, Youth programs

Rose Charities Canada – Outputs 2022-23 and letter from Chair Maggie Francis

Chair Year End Report

October 31 st ,2022 to November 1 st , 2023

We have come to the end of another year for Rose Charities Canada with many achievements and “good news”. Our projects have carried on amidst global wars and conflicts, earthquakes, fires, floods and the
ever-encroaching impacts of climate change.

The need for humanitarian aid is widespread and as a result it is sometimes hard to know where to help.

As an organization we do step in for emergencies but we prefer to support communities in the long haul. For this reason, many of our projects have been operating over a long period of time with a great
track record and, moreover, they are well established with very positive outcomes for individuals and communities. This often results in a “ripple effect” where the small seed of a project flows out to the
wider community and future generations. For example, indigenous midwives in Guatemala are given skills to promote better outcomes in childbirth; their knowledge is then transferred to future midwives
and thence safer births.


Another example of this is in the planting of tree seedlings in Zambia which over time help to mitigate against erosion and drought bringing agricultural opportunities and food security to local communities.
In my report this year I have chosen to include the results(outputs) that most of our projects have indicated in their annual reports. I have done this because it demonstrates the wonderful scope and variety of activities the projects provide on budgets that are low in comparison to the big aid organizations. The activities can, more or less, be categorized into education, health and community development. However, they seem to offer much more in terms of broader impacts such as hope and
opportunity for the future.


It is also interesting to look at the numbers of lives benefiting from each project. Some of these numbers are large for a relatively small organization. For example, the development of a Maternal Care
Centre in Ethiopia will provide services to a community of 157,00 people. Or the production of a music video raising awareness of sexual violence towards girls in Uganda has likely reached thousands of
people. But numbers do not tell the whole story. We work from the premise that every life matters. Our understanding is that “If you concentrate on small, manageable steps you can cross unimaginable
distances” (Hick)

If you look at the outputs from Nepal you will see that nine girls were helped with their education. One of these women, married at a young age, had been unable to finish her schooling due to responsibilities
at home. The scholarship enabled her to complete her high school with the chance of lifting the family out of poverty. In fact, she obtained her certificate alongside her daughter!


In addition to individual successes, we also support whole schools – Stand Tall (200 students); Volset (250 students) and the indigenous Mayan school (37 students) in Guatemala. And then there are theenrichment programs in Ecuador, Haiti; health education workshops in Uganda with Grassroot Doctors; educational supplies; food security support and the list goes on.


When I look at the year end annual reports, I am truly impressed and inspired by the work of all our projects. And I know the board joins me in thanking everyone – volunteers, donors, supporters – who
have helped to make them a success.


With very best wishes for another productive year ahead!

Maggie Francis
Chair, Board of Directors
Rose Charities Canada
January 23rd, 2024

Education, General interest, Haiti, Youth programs

Haiti Children & Youth Project: summer and autumn 2023 update

SOCCER CAMP
Two Soccer Camps were again held this past August, one in Jacmel and one in Lavalee. Each camp ran for three weeks and Monday to Saturday each week. A total of 170 children and youth attended the two camps which were coordinated by 21 volunteer leaders and 9 other volunteers.

The Soccer Camp in Jacmel was one of the best camps that the Haiti Children & Youth Project has organized, it hosted 110 participants and offered a variety of new activities.

This year the children and youth were divided into groups of 10. Every day of the camp the groups met with their assigned leaders to enjoy an activity and eat a meal together. The groups could choose from several different activities:

  • A trip to the beach or pool,
  • Visiting an art gallery,
  • Cooking,
  • A visit to the countryside just outside Jacmel,
  • A mission day (spending the day with a single parent family or an elderly person to help them with household chores),
  • Learning to make decorations with balloons and material for a celebration or party,
  • Visiting the historic area of Jacmel,
  • Going out for an icy and sugary drink, similar to a slurpee, called fresco.

Another change this year was that camp attendees, leaders, and volunteers prepared their own meal and occasionally went out for pizza or sandwiches. For many of the children and youth it was the first time they had eaten pizza and the first time they had eaten in a restaurant – for most pizza is now a favorite!

In the late afternoon the groups gathered for soccer instruction and soccer games along with relays and fun games OR an education session and informal talent show (singing, skits, dancing, reciting a poem, etc.). Soccer instruction and games were scheduled every second day with education sessions and talent show on alternate days.

At the end the camp all eleven groups in Jacmel decided to organize a potluck with each group preparing a different part of the meal and helping to decorate the project office for a celebratory party. Their creativity was amazing! This final camp event was an emotional moment and a fun time for all.

While in Haiti for the Soccer Camps, Jean had the opportunity to talk one on one with several of the participants in Jacmel along with some of their parents or guardians. Unexpectedly his guidance and counsel were needed for a few sensitive situations with youth and their families which, thankfully, all had positive outcomes.

Also, at the start of camp it was evident that a few of the children and teens were in great need of shoes or flip flops and clothes so some of the Soccer Camp funds were used to purchase these individuals the item of clothing they needed the most.

SCHOOL BURSARIES / EDUCATION SUPPORT
During the 2023 Soccer Camp, and with the support of very generous donors, 173 children and youth received school supplies and bursaries for the 2023-2024 academic school year.

MEAL PROGRAM 
This year-round program in Jacmel continues to have a significant and positive impact on the lives of the 100 children and youth who are registered to attend project activities in Jacmel. When Jean
spoke one on one with the children and youth who attend project activities, along with some of their parents or guardians, all expressed gratitude for the meal program. The parents and guardians are very appreciative because, since the program began, they have less stress about how they will provide adequate food for everyone in their household. One single mom shared that she is extremely thankful for the meal program because she cannot afford to cook everyday so it is a great reassurance to her that the project provides her three children a nutritious meal 6-7 days a week.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
Many people in Jacmel and Lavalee, and all through Haiti, are unable to seek medical care from a doctor or nurse, or at a hospital, when they are unwell or have an accident because they are unable to pay for these healthcare services. The Medical Assistance program enables those in need to seek medical assessment and care by helping them pay their medical bills so – it is a real blessing for the community and saves lives.

Sustainable and Local. No frills no admin costs…