Issue 11 Summer 2012

MY DONATION TO ASIAN AID ORGANISATION LTD ABN 98 002 286 419

YES! Please find enclosed my gift for the following special needs

Women’s Health $ Anti-Human Trafficking $

YES Project $ HELP Project $

Gift Fund $ Administration $

Safe Haven Nepal $ Special Projects $

I would like to sponsor a child at Day school rate $25pm Day school PLUS $30pm Boarding school rate $40pm Boarding PLUS $50pm Tertiary rate $100pm

Mr/Mrs/Miss

Address

P/code Email

Phone No ( )

Payment Method Cheque Credit card (as below)

Internet transfer (we will send you details)

Card No:

Mastercard Visa Expiry Date:

Amount

This payment is to be a regular monthly payment a single payment

Card Name

Signature

Donations over $2 to approved projects are tax deductible in Australia Date

I would like information on how to include Asian Aid in my will

$Au$NZ

Go to asianaid.org.au for more children waiting to be sponsored.

Hope in Full CircleBy Julian Bremner

Asian Aid Communication intern and Avondale CollegeBachelor of Arts graduate of 2012

There is something special about a story thatcomes full circle. Such is the case for ShohagBoidya, a former Asian Aid sponsored childwho is now working with other Asian Aidsponsored Bangladeshi children.

The remarkable story began 29 years ago whenSimson Boidya, an employee of SonapurAdventist School and his wife Rani Boidya, hadtheir second child, Shohag. Sadly the young family would not stay together for long. In 1987Shohag’s father was violently attacked by a robber and he eventually succumbed to hisinjuries, passing away in December 1987.Following Simson’s death, the family moved backto their native home in South Bangladesh.

Upon moving south, Shohag and his olderbrother lived in the Kellogg-MookerjeeMemorial Seminary orphanage where theybegan attending school. This period alsomarked the beginning of sponsorship for thetwo young boys. Throughout these early yearsShohag began to study the Bible, and in 1996he made the decision to be baptised.

After graduating from high school in 2000,Shohag went on to complete his bachelordegree in Education at Bangladesh AdventistSeminary and College.

This equipped him for working for the BangladeshUnion Mission and for post-graduate studies. In2008 Shohag married Mukta with whom he nowhas a two year old daughter. In a reversal of roles,Shohag’s mother is now living with the young family which Shohag says is “a blessing”. In 2010Shohag graduated with a Masters in Educationfrom Prime University in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Having always wanted to work for Asian Aid,Shohag applied and got a managerial position forAsian Aid’s partner Bangladesh Children’sSponsorship Services (BCSS). This role has enabledShohag to help children in local villages and tocontinue to grow the West Bangladesh Mission.

Sponsorship gave Shohag the opportunity togain an education – an opportunity that somany do not have as children in Bangladesh.“Without Asian Aid, my life would have beendestroyed in my childhood,” says Shohag. “I amgrateful to BCSS and our donors’ agency forgiving new life to the children of Bangladesh.”

In coming full circle, Shohag’s story of hope continues.

The Boidya family – Shohag with his mother Rani, daughter Rahel, wife Mukta, and sister-in-law Dhonolika.

Humble Beginnings in BangladeshBy Kerryn Patrick

Asian Aid Customer Relations Coordinator

At the South Queensland Conference camp in September,I had opportunity to chat with Leon and Dorothy Powrie abouttheir experiences living and working in Bangladesh. In the mid1970’s, Leon was director of SAWS (Seventh-day AdventistWorld Service, now known as the Adventist Development andRelief Agency). Here the Powries witnessed the devastationcaused by the 1970 Bhola cyclone – considered one of theworst natural disasters in modern history – and the civil warthat led to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

During the conflict, SAWS set up a refugee camp fororphaned and single parent children. It was at this time thatLeon knew that education was the only hope for these andthe exploited children of the Garo Hills Tract region whoseland was being stolen. Education would mean more opportunity for the many children in the Hills Tract regionwho would otherwise remain – and still are – subsistencedwellers making an income from selling fire wood, wild honeyor other products found in the forest.

Leon’s wife Dorothy worked in the Bangladesh UnionMission, coordinating a child sponsorship program. Findingsupport for so many needy children was not easy, so Leoninvited Maisie Fook, founder of Asian Aid, to visit Bangladesh.

Since then, nearly 40 years ago, Asian Aid has been workingwith the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bangladesh to provide educational support for tens of thousands of needystudents. Teachers, accountants, conference presidents andmany others in professional positions will testify today to thepersonal impact Asian Aid has had in their lives.

In 2011 Leigh Glasspell, an Asian Aidsponsorship team member, visitedBangladesh to run a training program.In a room full of people who represented the Church program inBangladesh, Leigh asked how manyhad been Asian Aid students. Theresponse was humbling. “Over 80% ofthe group raised their hands. I knewthat sponsorship had equipped themwith skills to lift the next generationfrom behind the barriers of povertyand injustice,” Leigh told me upon hisreturn from Bangladesh.

“Does sponsorship make a difference?” I asked the Powries.“Absolutely!” they said. “Withoutan education these children wouldhave no hope.”

Australia PO Box 333, Wauchope NSW 2446New Zealand PO Box 97-357 Manukau City Auckland NZP 02 6586 4250 F 02 9012 0827E contact@asianaid.org.au W asianaid.org.au

ABN 98 002 286 419 ACN 002 286 419

SPONSORS DESPERATELY NEEDED

One of these children would love to be sponsored by you

Dharshan, 9India$25

Rakshitha, 10India$25

Gowtham, 9India$25

Preety, 8Nepal$30

Roshna, 12India$30

Dip, 10Bangladesh$40

Biplob, 7Bangladesh$40

Ruth, 11Bangladesh$40

Jewel, 16Bangladesh$40

Sagor, 14Bangladesh$40

Sweetie, 12Bangladesh$40

Polash, 13Bangladesh$40

Suvo, 13Bangladesh$40

Christina, 11Bangladesh$40

Laya, 13Bangladesh$40

Ridoy, 10Bangladesh$40

Selina, 14Bangladesh$40

Mina, 14Bangladesh$40

Arpita, 10Bangladesh$40

Titinu, 11Bangladesh$40

Antor, 11Bangladesh$40

Monoj, 9Bangladesh$40

Sandeep, 8Nepal$50

Mahadevaswamy,9 India$50

Erras, 11Sri Lanka$50

Anisha, 8India$50

Pala, 20India$100

Jini, 12India$25

Mounika, 7India$30

HOPE-A-THON UPDATE: Since Hope-a-Thon, a sponsorship campaign for Bangladeshi children, began on 1 September,70 Bangladeshi children have been sponsored (number of sponsored children current at date of printing). Help us reach ourgoal of giving hope to 115 children by Christmas by sponsoring a child yourself or by encouraging friends, family, churchfriends or work friends to do so please.

In This Issue

Suffering in Silence:Women’s Health in Nepal

News in Brief

MAD About Service

OTHER ITEMS:

3 – Abundant Giving

4 – Justice –A Worthy Gift

5 – Humble Beginningsin Bangladesh

6 – Sponsorship

Leon and Dorothy, and their two sons David and Wayne,returned to Australia after 31 years overseas. Though nowretired in Nerang, Queensland, they remain actively involvedin their local church, and also teach English language classes toKorean students.

Thank you Leon and Dorothy for your commitment. Youopened doors of opportunity and hope for many in Bangladesh.

MAD About ServiceBy Jeanine Bourgardt

Primary School Teacher at Blue Hills College

Blue Hills College Year 12 students will soon embark onanother MAD (Making a Difference) adventure to Indiaand Nepal. The students – Kyle Finey,Tasman Chapman andKirsten Hughes – with support from their teachers –Bronwyn Tually and Jeanine Bougaardt – are choosing togive up the usual Gold Coast annual Year 12 Schoolies’experience for a service trip.

The group will visit the 3AN School in Pohkara, Nepal, todo much needed painting and to gift the school with amural, will spend time with the girls at the Safe Haven toshow them others care and to talk about positive self-image, and will attend Zenith Academy to learn aboutthe school from the students there.

“We believe this is a great opportunity for young people toexplore, discover and gain a little insight into different culturesand ways of life,” says Bronwyn Tually. “This experience givesstudents a chance to practise serving God and others.”

The school has fundraised to buy equipment needed for theprojects in which the students and teachers will be involved andschool resources the group will take to India and Nepal. The students and teachers will pay for their own way and expenses.

The group will leave on 11 November, 2012 for two weeks.

Jeanine Bougaardt (teacher), Bronwyn Tually (teacher), Kirsten Hughes, Kyle Finey and Tasman Chapman.

2

4

5

The Powrie family in Bangladesh at

Leon’s ordination.

Suffering in SilenceBy Heather Webb

Heather is a lawyer from the US currently working in Nepal with theWomen’s Reproductive Rights Program(or WRRP) as a Peace Fellow throughthe Washington DC-based AdvocacyProject. Heather is a passionate advocatorfor women’s human and health rights.

This piece is adapted from anarticle originally written for TheKathmandu Post and publishedthereby on 15 September, 2012.

During my time in Nepal, I have heard women talk aboutdeveloping UP from their teenage years to their late 30s,from just days after the birth of their first child to followingdelivery of a sixth child. I have listened while women talkedabout actually feeling their uteruses fall down for the firsttime and revealed their struggles of the years that followed –struggles most often social or psychological in nature.

Falling of the womb. Imagine that a muscle to which youhave never paid attention weakening such that one of yourorgans that defines your womanhood is no longer properlysupported and begins to fall out of your body. Imagine that,in addition to the tremendous physical pain this causes, yourhusband blames you and threatens to leave. Your communityostracises you. Your mother-in-law has suffered from thiscondition without raising a fuss; this is normal for womenafter childbirth. Why aren’t you able to handle it with thestrength that she did?

Uterine prolapse, or UP, occurs when the muscles of thepelvis are strained to a point that they can no longer support the positioning of the uterus, and it begins todescend downward eventually coming out of the woman’sbody and rendering her unable to engage in many dailyactivities without tremendous pain. UP is a progressive condition and factors that contribute to its developmentinclude malnourishment, strenuous physical labour during

Heather lifts a typical ‘load’ that many Nepalese women are made to carry, which often causes or accentuates women’s

health issues such as uterine prolapse.

pregnancy and following childbirth, the absence of a skilledbirth attendant during delivery, frequent childbearing, andearly marriage and childbirth. While in developed countriesthe condition is largely limited to women of menopausalage, in Nepal UP is also common among reproductive agewomen, including women as young as 15.

WRRP, a program run by the Centre for Agro-Ecology and Development (or CAED), a partner of Asian Aid, is considered one of Nepal’s leading programs in the fightagainst uterine prolapse. CAED has over ten years experience in the area. The program addresses the highincidence of uterine prolapse in Nepal through a preventative and treatment-based approach.

Since WRRP began bringing attention to this issue, variousstudies have revealed the staggering numbers of women inNepal who suffer from UP. The 2006 Nepal Demographicand Health Survey reported that seven percent of reproductive age women were suffering from UP. Based ona cross-sectional study – participants were from rural tourban areas, Hill and Tarai regions – of women agedbetween 15 and 49, the Institute of Medicine and UNFPAestimated in 2006 that 600,000 women were suffering fromUP in Nepal. The actual number is likely much larger aswomen over 49 were not included in the study.

“The prevalence of uterine prolapse in Nepal is much morethan a medical issue,” Samita Pradhan, the head of WRRP,told me.

UP is preventable and treatable. But a culture in which subordination of women is deeply engrained underlies thepersistence of practices, rigid gender roles, and disempowermentthat put women in Nepal at an increased risk of sufferingfrom the condition and then keeps them suffering in silence.

The connection between child marriage and UP is strong.After having married early, young women and girls areunable to take it easy from physically laborious fieldwork

Did you know that Asian Aid Australia is on Facebook and that our online community is growing? Since the launchof our Facebook page in February this year, some 390 people from 20 countries around the world have ‘liked’ thepage, 90 discussions have been started, 14 photography albums have been posted, and videos and other mediahave been shared. Thank you for continuing to tell your friends to join us on Facebook.

Abundant GivingVernon McLellan was not thinking of Asian Aid supporters when he wrote: “When it comes to giving,some people stop at nothing”, but his statement iscertainly true of you. Over this past year we havebeen humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity wehave experienced. Your gifts of prayer, money, time,ideas and encouragement, have allowed Asian Aid tocontinue giving hope to those who need it. As we contemplate 2012, we would like to thank a fewindividuals and groups who have given in special waysthis year. Ambassadors – We have such committed ambassadors whoare passionate about promoting Asian Aid’s work.Your dedicationhas seen many more children and projects supported this year.Thank you Ambassadors. Board directors – Asian Aid is blessed with nine volunteers,who each bring a unique and valuable skill set, to help guidemany of the strategic decisions that help shape Asian Aid.Thank you for volunteering your time, skills and expertise tofurthering our work.Stamps – Nearly every week we receive packages of usedstamps – often by anonymous senders – that stamp expert andtrader, Robert Howe, cleans, sorts and sells to support the HungryMoney Fund in India. If you have collected stamps this year, wethank you. Due to the generous donations of stamps, our budgetfor Hungry Money for the next five years has been exceeded.Funds raised by stamps will now support the Anti-HumanTrafficking project in India.Art and craft – We have had many beautifully knitted, crocheted, handsewn, drawn and/or created items donated forchildren in India and Nepal by generous and talented artists.Thank you. In October this year we sent across the final containerof donated items. Due to prohibitive shipping costs, future donations will be sold through the Asian Aid Op-Shop inCooranbong. The proceeds will continue to support the childrenoverseas. Thank you for using your time and talents to bless others. Church and Group Posties – What would we do withoutthese committed men and women who volunteer their time tokeep our communication flowing in over 600 churches, clubs,and institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand? Thankyou for collecting mail and distributing newsletters in your group. Op-Shop managers, David and Delmae Heise, and theshop’s 20 volunteers – Thank you for faithfully giving of yourtime to manage and run the shop every Sunday, raising funds forthe Sunshine Home and School in India. COSMOS – Avondale College students helped raise over$3,000 for Tonea School in India at the Change is Coming concert in May this year. Thank you guys!Letters and gifts – Sponsored children treasure the contactwith their sponsor(s). Thank you for the letters and/or gifts youhave sent this year. We encourage you to continue building positive relationships with your child/ren by staying intouch with them. Refer to the letter-writing and gift giving guidelines at www.asianaid.org.au or in our Springnewsletter for more information about this please. Thank you for stopping at nothing when it came togiving to Asian Aid in 2012.

Nepalese women in a rural village waiting to be seen by a doctor as part of the Women’s Health project.

and housework during pregnancy, or to resist the sexualand childbearing demands of husbands. Many are unable tomake visits to the healthcare centre at will for birth control,pre or post-natal care, or treatment for early stage UP.

I met Surji Devi Ram during my visit to Madhupatti VDC ineastern Tarai Saptari District. Her family had married her off at around the age of 8 or 9. When I looked at her wide-eyed and asked her what marrying that early was like,she responded, “I didn’t even know what marriage was”.

Surji developed UP after giving birth to her first child at theage of 16. After years of suffering in silence from her prolapsed uterus, Surji’s condition was treated because of thesupport she received through WRRP’s program. AlthoughSurji laments the inability to gain an education that child marriage cost her, she now serves as the President of theMadhupatti Women’s Reproductive Rights Forum and workstirelessly to raise awareness about UP in her community.

Through my fellowship with WRRP I have learned so muchabout life from a very different perspective. I have found itamazing how the layers of understanding keep peelingaway the longer I stay here and the more I experience inrural Nepal. This has been a life-changing experience thathas reaffirmed my commitment to a career advancinghuman rights.

After spending several months with WRRP I have heardmany sad stories related to UP and child marriage. But whatis more important to me is the seeds of hope that I havealso witnessed. WRRP’s programs are working; they areincreasing awareness about UP and breaking down the stigma surrounding it. Beginning in 2013, WRRP expects tobegin implementation of a campaign targeted toward ending child marriage. I encourage anyone able to do so tosupport Asian Aid and WRRP in these endeavors.

News in BriefDatabase ApologyThe development and launch of a new database in August thisyear has brought both ease and some challenges. We are awareof and apologise for some inconvenience that the roll-out of thedatabase has caused in relation to sponsorship or payment pro-cessing. Thank you for your patience during this transitional stage.

New Board DirectorAsian Aid Australia welcomes Alan Bates as the newest directorof its board. Alan, who currently also serves on the board of The Centre for Volunteering, enjoys empowering people toachieve at their best. He has spent 21 years as manager ofVolunteer Services for Wesley Mission, coordinating thousandsof volunteers. He is currently a Pathfinder District Director forNNSW. His enthusiasm, expertise and vigour will be invaluableto the work of the Asian Aid Australia board.

Indian WeddingCongratulations Josh and Tammy Moses, Asian Aid field interns,for tying-the-knot Indian style with Josh’s family in Bangalorethis year. We wish you all the best in your life together.

People and Planet Diaries and CalendarsBoth items feature extraordinary imagesof people and places – and unique stories about social and environmentalchallenges – from around the globe.Asian Aid has partnered with Peopleand Planet this year. Profits from oursales of diaries and calendars will support the Youth Empowerment Slums Project in India. Diaries cost

$22.95AUD and calendars $24.95AUD. For your copy, call uson (+61) 2 6586 4250 during business hours, or email us at:contact@asianaid.org.au. Get in quick and while stocks last!

Dr Freeman Books for SaleSupport Asian Aid’s Women’s Safe Haven project by orderinga copy of Born to Serve, the untold (until now) story of Dr Margherita Freeman, the first Seventh-day Adventistwoman to study medicine in Australia. Visit asianaid.org.au(and follow prompts to Avondale College’s Online Store) for more information and to order your copy for $15.

Notes from the Field“Mala wants to be a nurse whenshe grows up. This dream will likelybecome a reality due to the support of her sponsor. Withoutsponsorship, Mala’s father, a day-labourer, would not be able topay for her education.” Josh andTammy Moses documented thisand other stories during theirrecent trip to Bangladesh. A collection of some of the stories they heard, the people they met and the experiencesthey had while in Bangladesh is available through an onlinepublication we have called Notes from the Field. Read andsee – yes, there are video stories too – these inspirationsstories of hope at asianaid.org.au or at our Facebook page.

Contact DetailsPrompt communication with you is very important to us. If you have recently changed any of your contact details(email, home address, phone number), or have not provided us with your email address, could you pleaseupdate these details by logging into your Asian Aid accounton the website, or by calling our office? Email is the easiestand most economical way to provide you with informationabout your sponsorship.

Justice – A Worthy GiftAt Christmas time it is easy to become consumed by consumerism, and neglect to appreciate the gifts of good healthcare, available education, personal security and financial oppor-tunity we are privileged to have. At Asian Aid, every Christmastime, we are reminded again and again of the generosity of ourfriends who enjoy giving gifts that make a difference and whocontinue to support precious children and worthy projects.

Here are a few projects you may wish to choose as your giftof hope today:

The Youth Empowerment Slum (YES) Project –Young people brought up in slums rarely receive a good education or life opportunities. Your contribution will helpempower disadvantaged children and youth by offering themfree vocational courses and sporting programs.

Women’s Health –Your generous donation can give correctivesurgery to women in Nepal suffering from uterine prolapse, andhelp prevent future cases through advocacy and education.

Anti-Human Trafficking – No human being should besold or traded. Your donation can help rescue, rehabilitate

and reintegrate women and children who havebeen trafficked into slavery in India.

Health and Education Lifestyle Project (HELP) –The Indonesian island of Lombok has many job opportunities intourism, if you can speak English. Your contribution will help providefree and high quality education to locals on Lombok.

Safe Haven Nepal –An estimated 15,000 Nepali girls aresmuggled into India each year to work in brothels. Your contribution will help The Safe Haven rescue and provide asafe place for girls and women who have been involved inthe trafficking process.

Gift Fund –Your contribution(s) will allow Asian Aid to giftchildren in our program with schoolbooks and new clothesat Christmas time.

Your support this Christmas will help fight some of the crushing injustices by restoring basic human rights to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Asia. Donate now by visiting www.asianaid.org.au, or by calling our office on (+61) 2 6586 4250.

Suffering in SilenceBy Heather Webb

Heather is a lawyer from the US currently working in Nepal with theWomen’s Reproductive Rights Program(or WRRP) as a Peace Fellow throughthe Washington DC-based AdvocacyProject. Heather is a passionate advocatorfor women’s human and health rights.

This piece is adapted from anarticle originally written for TheKathmandu Post and publishedthereby on 15 September, 2012.

During my time in Nepal, I have heard women talk aboutdeveloping UP from their teenage years to their late 30s,from just days after the birth of their first child to followingdelivery of a sixth child. I have listened while women talkedabout actually feeling their uteruses fall down for the firsttime and revealed their struggles of the years that followed –struggles most often social or psychological in nature.

Falling of the womb. Imagine that a muscle to which youhave never paid attention weakening such that one of yourorgans that defines your womanhood is no longer properlysupported and begins to fall out of your body. Imagine that,in addition to the tremendous physical pain this causes, yourhusband blames you and threatens to leave. Your communityostracises you. Your mother-in-law has suffered from thiscondition without raising a fuss; this is normal for womenafter childbirth. Why aren’t you able to handle it with thestrength that she did?

Uterine prolapse, or UP, occurs when the muscles of thepelvis are strained to a point that they can no longer support the positioning of the uterus, and it begins todescend downward eventually coming out of the woman’sbody and rendering her unable to engage in many dailyactivities without tremendous pain. UP is a progressive condition and factors that contribute to its developmentinclude malnourishment, strenuous physical labour during

Heather lifts a typical ‘load’ that many Nepalese women are made to carry, which often causes or accentuates women’s

health issues such as uterine prolapse.

pregnancy and following childbirth, the absence of a skilledbirth attendant during delivery, frequent childbearing, andearly marriage and childbirth. While in developed countriesthe condition is largely limited to women of menopausalage, in Nepal UP is also common among reproductive agewomen, including women as young as 15.

WRRP, a program run by the Centre for Agro-Ecology and Development (or CAED), a partner of Asian Aid, is considered one of Nepal’s leading programs in the fightagainst uterine prolapse. CAED has over ten years experience in the area. The program addresses the highincidence of uterine prolapse in Nepal through a preventative and treatment-based approach.

Since WRRP began bringing attention to this issue, variousstudies have revealed the staggering numbers of women inNepal who suffer from UP. The 2006 Nepal Demographicand Health Survey reported that seven percent of reproductive age women were suffering from UP. Based ona cross-sectional study – participants were from rural tourban areas, Hill and Tarai regions – of women agedbetween 15 and 49, the Institute of Medicine and UNFPAestimated in 2006 that 600,000 women were suffering fromUP in Nepal. The actual number is likely much larger aswomen over 49 were not included in the study.

“The prevalence of uterine prolapse in Nepal is much morethan a medical issue,” Samita Pradhan, the head of WRRP,told me.

UP is preventable and treatable. But a culture in which subordination of women is deeply engrained underlies thepersistence of practices, rigid gender roles, and disempowermentthat put women in Nepal at an increased risk of sufferingfrom the condition and then keeps them suffering in silence.

The connection between child marriage and UP is strong.After having married early, young women and girls areunable to take it easy from physically laborious fieldwork

Did you know that Asian Aid Australia is on Facebook and that our online community is growing? Since the launchof our Facebook page in February this year, some 390 people from 20 countries around the world have ‘liked’ thepage, 90 discussions have been started, 14 photography albums have been posted, and videos and other mediahave been shared. Thank you for continuing to tell your friends to join us on Facebook.

Abundant GivingVernon McLellan was not thinking of Asian Aid supporters when he wrote: “When it comes to giving,some people stop at nothing”, but his statement iscertainly true of you. Over this past year we havebeen humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity wehave experienced. Your gifts of prayer, money, time,ideas and encouragement, have allowed Asian Aid tocontinue giving hope to those who need it. As we contemplate 2012, we would like to thank a fewindividuals and groups who have given in special waysthis year. Ambassadors – We have such committed ambassadors whoare passionate about promoting Asian Aid’s work.Your dedicationhas seen many more children and projects supported this year.Thank you Ambassadors. Board directors – Asian Aid is blessed with nine volunteers,who each bring a unique and valuable skill set, to help guidemany of the strategic decisions that help shape Asian Aid.Thank you for volunteering your time, skills and expertise tofurthering our work.Stamps – Nearly every week we receive packages of usedstamps – often by anonymous senders – that stamp expert andtrader, Robert Howe, cleans, sorts and sells to support the HungryMoney Fund in India. If you have collected stamps this year, wethank you. Due to the generous donations of stamps, our budgetfor Hungry Money for the next five years has been exceeded.Funds raised by stamps will now support the Anti-HumanTrafficking project in India.Art and craft – We have had many beautifully knitted, crocheted, handsewn, drawn and/or created items donated forchildren in India and Nepal by generous and talented artists.Thank you. In October this year we sent across the final containerof donated items. Due to prohibitive shipping costs, future donations will be sold through the Asian Aid Op-Shop inCooranbong. The proceeds will continue to support the childrenoverseas. Thank you for using your time and talents to bless others. Church and Group Posties – What would we do withoutthese committed men and women who volunteer their time tokeep our communication flowing in over 600 churches, clubs,and institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand? Thankyou for collecting mail and distributing newsletters in your group. Op-Shop managers, David and Delmae Heise, and theshop’s 20 volunteers – Thank you for faithfully giving of yourtime to manage and run the shop every Sunday, raising funds forthe Sunshine Home and School in India. COSMOS – Avondale College students helped raise over$3,000 for Tonea School in India at the Change is Coming concert in May this year. Thank you guys!Letters and gifts – Sponsored children treasure the contactwith their sponsor(s). Thank you for the letters and/or gifts youhave sent this year. We encourage you to continue building positive relationships with your child/ren by staying intouch with them. Refer to the letter-writing and gift giving guidelines at www.asianaid.org.au or in our Springnewsletter for more information about this please. Thank you for stopping at nothing when it came togiving to Asian Aid in 2012.

Nepalese women in a rural village waiting to be seen by a doctor as part of the Women’s Health project.

and housework during pregnancy, or to resist the sexualand childbearing demands of husbands. Many are unable tomake visits to the healthcare centre at will for birth control,pre or post-natal care, or treatment for early stage UP.

I met Surji Devi Ram during my visit to Madhupatti VDC ineastern Tarai Saptari District. Her family had married her off at around the age of 8 or 9. When I looked at her wide-eyed and asked her what marrying that early was like,she responded, “I didn’t even know what marriage was”.

Surji developed UP after giving birth to her first child at theage of 16. After years of suffering in silence from her prolapsed uterus, Surji’s condition was treated because of thesupport she received through WRRP’s program. AlthoughSurji laments the inability to gain an education that child marriage cost her, she now serves as the President of theMadhupatti Women’s Reproductive Rights Forum and workstirelessly to raise awareness about UP in her community.

Through my fellowship with WRRP I have learned so muchabout life from a very different perspective. I have found itamazing how the layers of understanding keep peelingaway the longer I stay here and the more I experience inrural Nepal. This has been a life-changing experience thathas reaffirmed my commitment to a career advancinghuman rights.

After spending several months with WRRP I have heardmany sad stories related to UP and child marriage. But whatis more important to me is the seeds of hope that I havealso witnessed. WRRP’s programs are working; they areincreasing awareness about UP and breaking down the stigma surrounding it. Beginning in 2013, WRRP expects tobegin implementation of a campaign targeted toward ending child marriage. I encourage anyone able to do so tosupport Asian Aid and WRRP in these endeavors.

News in BriefDatabase ApologyThe development and launch of a new database in August thisyear has brought both ease and some challenges. We are awareof and apologise for some inconvenience that the roll-out of thedatabase has caused in relation to sponsorship or payment pro-cessing. Thank you for your patience during this transitional stage.

New Board DirectorAsian Aid Australia welcomes Alan Bates as the newest directorof its board. Alan, who currently also serves on the board of The Centre for Volunteering, enjoys empowering people toachieve at their best. He has spent 21 years as manager ofVolunteer Services for Wesley Mission, coordinating thousandsof volunteers. He is currently a Pathfinder District Director forNNSW. His enthusiasm, expertise and vigour will be invaluableto the work of the Asian Aid Australia board.

Indian WeddingCongratulations Josh and Tammy Moses, Asian Aid field interns,for tying-the-knot Indian style with Josh’s family in Bangalorethis year. We wish you all the best in your life together.

People and Planet Diaries and CalendarsBoth items feature extraordinary imagesof people and places – and unique stories about social and environmentalchallenges – from around the globe.Asian Aid has partnered with Peopleand Planet this year. Profits from oursales of diaries and calendars will support the Youth Empowerment Slums Project in India. Diaries cost

$22.95AUD and calendars $24.95AUD. For your copy, call uson (+61) 2 6586 4250 during business hours, or email us at:contact@asianaid.org.au. Get in quick and while stocks last!

Dr Freeman Books for SaleSupport Asian Aid’s Women’s Safe Haven project by orderinga copy of Born to Serve, the untold (until now) story of Dr Margherita Freeman, the first Seventh-day Adventistwoman to study medicine in Australia. Visit asianaid.org.au(and follow prompts to Avondale College’s Online Store) for more information and to order your copy for $15.

Notes from the Field“Mala wants to be a nurse whenshe grows up. This dream will likelybecome a reality due to the support of her sponsor. Withoutsponsorship, Mala’s father, a day-labourer, would not be able topay for her education.” Josh andTammy Moses documented thisand other stories during theirrecent trip to Bangladesh. A collection of some of the stories they heard, the people they met and the experiencesthey had while in Bangladesh is available through an onlinepublication we have called Notes from the Field. Read andsee – yes, there are video stories too – these inspirationsstories of hope at asianaid.org.au or at our Facebook page.

Contact DetailsPrompt communication with you is very important to us. If you have recently changed any of your contact details(email, home address, phone number), or have not provided us with your email address, could you pleaseupdate these details by logging into your Asian Aid accounton the website, or by calling our office? Email is the easiestand most economical way to provide you with informationabout your sponsorship.

Justice – A Worthy GiftAt Christmas time it is easy to become consumed by consumerism, and neglect to appreciate the gifts of good healthcare, available education, personal security and financial oppor-tunity we are privileged to have. At Asian Aid, every Christmastime, we are reminded again and again of the generosity of ourfriends who enjoy giving gifts that make a difference and whocontinue to support precious children and worthy projects.

Here are a few projects you may wish to choose as your giftof hope today:

The Youth Empowerment Slum (YES) Project –Young people brought up in slums rarely receive a good education or life opportunities. Your contribution will helpempower disadvantaged children and youth by offering themfree vocational courses and sporting programs.

Women’s Health –Your generous donation can give correctivesurgery to women in Nepal suffering from uterine prolapse, andhelp prevent future cases through advocacy and education.

Anti-Human Trafficking – No human being should besold or traded. Your donation can help rescue, rehabilitate

and reintegrate women and children who havebeen trafficked into slavery in India.

Health and Education Lifestyle Project (HELP) –The Indonesian island of Lombok has many job opportunities intourism, if you can speak English. Your contribution will help providefree and high quality education to locals on Lombok.

Safe Haven Nepal –An estimated 15,000 Nepali girls aresmuggled into India each year to work in brothels. Your contribution will help The Safe Haven rescue and provide asafe place for girls and women who have been involved inthe trafficking process.

Gift Fund –Your contribution(s) will allow Asian Aid to giftchildren in our program with schoolbooks and new clothesat Christmas time.

Your support this Christmas will help fight some of the crushing injustices by restoring basic human rights to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Asia. Donate now by visiting www.asianaid.org.au, or by calling our office on (+61) 2 6586 4250.

Suffering in SilenceBy Heather Webb

Heather is a lawyer from the US currently working in Nepal with theWomen’s Reproductive Rights Program(or WRRP) as a Peace Fellow throughthe Washington DC-based AdvocacyProject. Heather is a passionate advocatorfor women’s human and health rights.

This piece is adapted from anarticle originally written for TheKathmandu Post and publishedthereby on 15 September, 2012.

During my time in Nepal, I have heard women talk aboutdeveloping UP from their teenage years to their late 30s,from just days after the birth of their first child to followingdelivery of a sixth child. I have listened while women talkedabout actually feeling their uteruses fall down for the firsttime and revealed their struggles of the years that followed –struggles most often social or psychological in nature.

Falling of the womb. Imagine that a muscle to which youhave never paid attention weakening such that one of yourorgans that defines your womanhood is no longer properlysupported and begins to fall out of your body. Imagine that,in addition to the tremendous physical pain this causes, yourhusband blames you and threatens to leave. Your communityostracises you. Your mother-in-law has suffered from thiscondition without raising a fuss; this is normal for womenafter childbirth. Why aren’t you able to handle it with thestrength that she did?

Uterine prolapse, or UP, occurs when the muscles of thepelvis are strained to a point that they can no longer support the positioning of the uterus, and it begins todescend downward eventually coming out of the woman’sbody and rendering her unable to engage in many dailyactivities without tremendous pain. UP is a progressive condition and factors that contribute to its developmentinclude malnourishment, strenuous physical labour during

Heather lifts a typical ‘load’ that many Nepalese women are made to carry, which often causes or accentuates women’s

health issues such as uterine prolapse.

pregnancy and following childbirth, the absence of a skilledbirth attendant during delivery, frequent childbearing, andearly marriage and childbirth. While in developed countriesthe condition is largely limited to women of menopausalage, in Nepal UP is also common among reproductive agewomen, including women as young as 15.

WRRP, a program run by the Centre for Agro-Ecology and Development (or CAED), a partner of Asian Aid, is considered one of Nepal’s leading programs in the fightagainst uterine prolapse. CAED has over ten years experience in the area. The program addresses the highincidence of uterine prolapse in Nepal through a preventative and treatment-based approach.

Since WRRP began bringing attention to this issue, variousstudies have revealed the staggering numbers of women inNepal who suffer from UP. The 2006 Nepal Demographicand Health Survey reported that seven percent of reproductive age women were suffering from UP. Based ona cross-sectional study – participants were from rural tourban areas, Hill and Tarai regions – of women agedbetween 15 and 49, the Institute of Medicine and UNFPAestimated in 2006 that 600,000 women were suffering fromUP in Nepal. The actual number is likely much larger aswomen over 49 were not included in the study.

“The prevalence of uterine prolapse in Nepal is much morethan a medical issue,” Samita Pradhan, the head of WRRP,told me.

UP is preventable and treatable. But a culture in which subordination of women is deeply engrained underlies thepersistence of practices, rigid gender roles, and disempowermentthat put women in Nepal at an increased risk of sufferingfrom the condition and then keeps them suffering in silence.

The connection between child marriage and UP is strong.After having married early, young women and girls areunable to take it easy from physically laborious fieldwork

Did you know that Asian Aid Australia is on Facebook and that our online community is growing? Since the launchof our Facebook page in February this year, some 390 people from 20 countries around the world have ‘liked’ thepage, 90 discussions have been started, 14 photography albums have been posted, and videos and other mediahave been shared. Thank you for continuing to tell your friends to join us on Facebook.

Abundant GivingVernon McLellan was not thinking of Asian Aid supporters when he wrote: “When it comes to giving,some people stop at nothing”, but his statement iscertainly true of you. Over this past year we havebeen humbled and overwhelmed by the generosity wehave experienced. Your gifts of prayer, money, time,ideas and encouragement, have allowed Asian Aid tocontinue giving hope to those who need it. As we contemplate 2012, we would like to thank a fewindividuals and groups who have given in special waysthis year. Ambassadors – We have such committed ambassadors whoare passionate about promoting Asian Aid’s work.Your dedicationhas seen many more children and projects supported this year.Thank you Ambassadors. Board directors – Asian Aid is blessed with nine volunteers,who each bring a unique and valuable skill set, to help guidemany of the strategic decisions that help shape Asian Aid.Thank you for volunteering your time, skills and expertise tofurthering our work.Stamps – Nearly every week we receive packages of usedstamps – often by anonymous senders – that stamp expert andtrader, Robert Howe, cleans, sorts and sells to support the HungryMoney Fund in India. If you have collected stamps this year, wethank you. Due to the generous donations of stamps, our budgetfor Hungry Money for the next five years has been exceeded.Funds raised by stamps will now support the Anti-HumanTrafficking project in India.Art and craft – We have had many beautifully knitted, crocheted, handsewn, drawn and/or created items donated forchildren in India and Nepal by generous and talented artists.Thank you. In October this year we sent across the final containerof donated items. Due to prohibitive shipping costs, future donations will be sold through the Asian Aid Op-Shop inCooranbong. The proceeds will continue to support the childrenoverseas. Thank you for using your time and talents to bless others. Church and Group Posties – What would we do withoutthese committed men and women who volunteer their time tokeep our communication flowing in over 600 churches, clubs,and institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand? Thankyou for collecting mail and distributing newsletters in your group. Op-Shop managers, David and Delmae Heise, and theshop’s 20 volunteers – Thank you for faithfully giving of yourtime to manage and run the shop every Sunday, raising funds forthe Sunshine Home and School in India. COSMOS – Avondale College students helped raise over$3,000 for Tonea School in India at the Change is Coming concert in May this year. Thank you guys!Letters and gifts – Sponsored children treasure the contactwith their sponsor(s). Thank you for the letters and/or gifts youhave sent this year. We encourage you to continue building positive relationships with your child/ren by staying intouch with them. Refer to the letter-writing and gift giving guidelines at www.asianaid.org.au or in our Springnewsletter for more information about this please. Thank you for stopping at nothing when it came togiving to Asian Aid in 2012.

Nepalese women in a rural village waiting to be seen by a doctor as part of the Women’s Health project.

and housework during pregnancy, or to resist the sexualand childbearing demands of husbands. Many are unable tomake visits to the healthcare centre at will for birth control,pre or post-natal care, or treatment for early stage UP.

I met Surji Devi Ram during my visit to Madhupatti VDC ineastern Tarai Saptari District. Her family had married her off at around the age of 8 or 9. When I looked at her wide-eyed and asked her what marrying that early was like,she responded, “I didn’t even know what marriage was”.

Surji developed UP after giving birth to her first child at theage of 16. After years of suffering in silence from her prolapsed uterus, Surji’s condition was treated because of thesupport she received through WRRP’s program. AlthoughSurji laments the inability to gain an education that child marriage cost her, she now serves as the President of theMadhupatti Women’s Reproductive Rights Forum and workstirelessly to raise awareness about UP in her community.

Through my fellowship with WRRP I have learned so muchabout life from a very different perspective. I have found itamazing how the layers of understanding keep peelingaway the longer I stay here and the more I experience inrural Nepal. This has been a life-changing experience thathas reaffirmed my commitment to a career advancinghuman rights.

After spending several months with WRRP I have heardmany sad stories related to UP and child marriage. But whatis more important to me is the seeds of hope that I havealso witnessed. WRRP’s programs are working; they areincreasing awareness about UP and breaking down the stigma surrounding it. Beginning in 2013, WRRP expects tobegin implementation of a campaign targeted toward ending child marriage. I encourage anyone able to do so tosupport Asian Aid and WRRP in these endeavors.

News in BriefDatabase ApologyThe development and launch of a new database in August thisyear has brought both ease and some challenges. We are awareof and apologise for some inconvenience that the roll-out of thedatabase has caused in relation to sponsorship or payment pro-cessing. Thank you for your patience during this transitional stage.

New Board DirectorAsian Aid Australia welcomes Alan Bates as the newest directorof its board. Alan, who currently also serves on the board of The Centre for Volunteering, enjoys empowering people toachieve at their best. He has spent 21 years as manager ofVolunteer Services for Wesley Mission, coordinating thousandsof volunteers. He is currently a Pathfinder District Director forNNSW. His enthusiasm, expertise and vigour will be invaluableto the work of the Asian Aid Australia board.

Indian WeddingCongratulations Josh and Tammy Moses, Asian Aid field interns,for tying-the-knot Indian style with Josh’s family in Bangalorethis year. We wish you all the best in your life together.

People and Planet Diaries and CalendarsBoth items feature extraordinary imagesof people and places – and unique stories about social and environmentalchallenges – from around the globe.Asian Aid has partnered with Peopleand Planet this year. Profits from oursales of diaries and calendars will support the Youth Empowerment Slums Project in India. Diaries cost

$22.95AUD and calendars $24.95AUD. For your copy, call uson (+61) 2 6586 4250 during business hours, or email us at:contact@asianaid.org.au. Get in quick and while stocks last!

Dr Freeman Books for SaleSupport Asian Aid’s Women’s Safe Haven project by orderinga copy of Born to Serve, the untold (until now) story of Dr Margherita Freeman, the first Seventh-day Adventistwoman to study medicine in Australia. Visit asianaid.org.au(and follow prompts to Avondale College’s Online Store) for more information and to order your copy for $15.

Notes from the Field“Mala wants to be a nurse whenshe grows up. This dream will likelybecome a reality due to the support of her sponsor. Withoutsponsorship, Mala’s father, a day-labourer, would not be able topay for her education.” Josh andTammy Moses documented thisand other stories during theirrecent trip to Bangladesh. A collection of some of the stories they heard, the people they met and the experiencesthey had while in Bangladesh is available through an onlinepublication we have called Notes from the Field. Read andsee – yes, there are video stories too – these inspirationsstories of hope at asianaid.org.au or at our Facebook page.

Contact DetailsPrompt communication with you is very important to us. If you have recently changed any of your contact details(email, home address, phone number), or have not provided us with your email address, could you pleaseupdate these details by logging into your Asian Aid accounton the website, or by calling our office? Email is the easiestand most economical way to provide you with informationabout your sponsorship.

Justice – A Worthy GiftAt Christmas time it is easy to become consumed by consumerism, and neglect to appreciate the gifts of good healthcare, available education, personal security and financial oppor-tunity we are privileged to have. At Asian Aid, every Christmastime, we are reminded again and again of the generosity of ourfriends who enjoy giving gifts that make a difference and whocontinue to support precious children and worthy projects.

Here are a few projects you may wish to choose as your giftof hope today:

The Youth Empowerment Slum (YES) Project –Young people brought up in slums rarely receive a good education or life opportunities. Your contribution will helpempower disadvantaged children and youth by offering themfree vocational courses and sporting programs.

Women’s Health –Your generous donation can give correctivesurgery to women in Nepal suffering from uterine prolapse, andhelp prevent future cases through advocacy and education.

Anti-Human Trafficking – No human being should besold or traded. Your donation can help rescue, rehabilitate

and reintegrate women and children who havebeen trafficked into slavery in India.

Health and Education Lifestyle Project (HELP) –The Indonesian island of Lombok has many job opportunities intourism, if you can speak English. Your contribution will help providefree and high quality education to locals on Lombok.

Safe Haven Nepal –An estimated 15,000 Nepali girls aresmuggled into India each year to work in brothels. Your contribution will help The Safe Haven rescue and provide asafe place for girls and women who have been involved inthe trafficking process.

Gift Fund –Your contribution(s) will allow Asian Aid to giftchildren in our program with schoolbooks and new clothesat Christmas time.

Your support this Christmas will help fight some of the crushing injustices by restoring basic human rights to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Asia. Donate now by visiting www.asianaid.org.au, or by calling our office on (+61) 2 6586 4250.

Issue 11 Summer 2012

MY DONATION TO ASIAN AID ORGANISATION LTD ABN 98 002 286 419

YES! Please find enclosed my gift for the following special needs

Women’s Health $ Anti-Human Trafficking $

YES Project $ HELP Project $

Gift Fund $ Administration $

Safe Haven Nepal $ Special Projects $

I would like to sponsor a child at Day school rate $25pm Day school PLUS $30pm Boarding school rate $40pm Boarding PLUS $50pm Tertiary rate $100pm

Mr/Mrs/Miss

Address

P/code Email

Phone No ( )

Payment Method Cheque Credit card (as below)

Internet transfer (we will send you details)

Card No:

Mastercard Visa Expiry Date:

Amount

This payment is to be a regular monthly payment a single payment

Card Name

Signature

Donations over $2 to approved projects are tax deductible in Australia Date

I would like information on how to include Asian Aid in my will

$Au$NZ

Go to asianaid.org.au for more children waiting to be sponsored.

Hope in Full CircleBy Julian Bremner

Asian Aid Communication intern and Avondale CollegeBachelor of Arts graduate of 2012

There is something special about a story thatcomes full circle. Such is the case for ShohagBoidya, a former Asian Aid sponsored childwho is now working with other Asian Aidsponsored Bangladeshi children.

The remarkable story began 29 years ago whenSimson Boidya, an employee of SonapurAdventist School and his wife Rani Boidya, hadtheir second child, Shohag. Sadly the young family would not stay together for long. In 1987Shohag’s father was violently attacked by a robber and he eventually succumbed to hisinjuries, passing away in December 1987.Following Simson’s death, the family moved backto their native home in South Bangladesh.

Upon moving south, Shohag and his olderbrother lived in the Kellogg-MookerjeeMemorial Seminary orphanage where theybegan attending school. This period alsomarked the beginning of sponsorship for thetwo young boys. Throughout these early yearsShohag began to study the Bible, and in 1996he made the decision to be baptised.

After graduating from high school in 2000,Shohag went on to complete his bachelordegree in Education at Bangladesh AdventistSeminary and College.

This equipped him for working for the BangladeshUnion Mission and for post-graduate studies. In2008 Shohag married Mukta with whom he nowhas a two year old daughter. In a reversal of roles,Shohag’s mother is now living with the young family which Shohag says is “a blessing”. In 2010Shohag graduated with a Masters in Educationfrom Prime University in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Having always wanted to work for Asian Aid,Shohag applied and got a managerial position forAsian Aid’s partner Bangladesh Children’sSponsorship Services (BCSS). This role has enabledShohag to help children in local villages and tocontinue to grow the West Bangladesh Mission.

Sponsorship gave Shohag the opportunity togain an education – an opportunity that somany do not have as children in Bangladesh.“Without Asian Aid, my life would have beendestroyed in my childhood,” says Shohag. “I amgrateful to BCSS and our donors’ agency forgiving new life to the children of Bangladesh.”

In coming full circle, Shohag’s story of hope continues.

The Boidya family – Shohag with his mother Rani, daughter Rahel, wife Mukta, and sister-in-law Dhonolika.

Humble Beginnings in BangladeshBy Kerryn Patrick

Asian Aid Customer Relations Coordinator

At the South Queensland Conference camp in September,I had opportunity to chat with Leon and Dorothy Powrie abouttheir experiences living and working in Bangladesh. In the mid1970’s, Leon was director of SAWS (Seventh-day AdventistWorld Service, now known as the Adventist Development andRelief Agency). Here the Powries witnessed the devastationcaused by the 1970 Bhola cyclone – considered one of theworst natural disasters in modern history – and the civil warthat led to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

During the conflict, SAWS set up a refugee camp fororphaned and single parent children. It was at this time thatLeon knew that education was the only hope for these andthe exploited children of the Garo Hills Tract region whoseland was being stolen. Education would mean more opportunity for the many children in the Hills Tract regionwho would otherwise remain – and still are – subsistencedwellers making an income from selling fire wood, wild honeyor other products found in the forest.

Leon’s wife Dorothy worked in the Bangladesh UnionMission, coordinating a child sponsorship program. Findingsupport for so many needy children was not easy, so Leoninvited Maisie Fook, founder of Asian Aid, to visit Bangladesh.

Since then, nearly 40 years ago, Asian Aid has been workingwith the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bangladesh to provide educational support for tens of thousands of needystudents. Teachers, accountants, conference presidents andmany others in professional positions will testify today to thepersonal impact Asian Aid has had in their lives.

In 2011 Leigh Glasspell, an Asian Aidsponsorship team member, visitedBangladesh to run a training program.In a room full of people who represented the Church program inBangladesh, Leigh asked how manyhad been Asian Aid students. Theresponse was humbling. “Over 80% ofthe group raised their hands. I knewthat sponsorship had equipped themwith skills to lift the next generationfrom behind the barriers of povertyand injustice,” Leigh told me upon hisreturn from Bangladesh.

“Does sponsorship make a difference?” I asked the Powries.“Absolutely!” they said. “Withoutan education these children wouldhave no hope.”

Australia PO Box 333, Wauchope NSW 2446New Zealand PO Box 97-357 Manukau City Auckland NZP 02 6586 4250 F 02 9012 0827E contact@asianaid.org.au W asianaid.org.au

ABN 98 002 286 419 ACN 002 286 419

SPONSORS DESPERATELY NEEDED

One of these children would love to be sponsored by you

Dharshan, 9India$25

Rakshitha, 10India$25

Gowtham, 9India$25

Preety, 8Nepal$30

Roshna, 12India$30

Dip, 10Bangladesh$40

Biplob, 7Bangladesh$40

Ruth, 11Bangladesh$40

Jewel, 16Bangladesh$40

Sagor, 14Bangladesh$40

Sweetie, 12Bangladesh$40

Polash, 13Bangladesh$40

Suvo, 13Bangladesh$40

Christina, 11Bangladesh$40

Laya, 13Bangladesh$40

Ridoy, 10Bangladesh$40

Selina, 14Bangladesh$40

Mina, 14Bangladesh$40

Arpita, 10Bangladesh$40

Titinu, 11Bangladesh$40

Antor, 11Bangladesh$40

Monoj, 9Bangladesh$40

Sandeep, 8Nepal$50

Mahadevaswamy,9 India$50

Erras, 11Sri Lanka$50

Anisha, 8India$50

Pala, 20India$100

Jini, 12India$25

Mounika, 7India$30

HOPE-A-THON UPDATE: Since Hope-a-Thon, a sponsorship campaign for Bangladeshi children, began on 1 September,70 Bangladeshi children have been sponsored (number of sponsored children current at date of printing). Help us reach ourgoal of giving hope to 115 children by Christmas by sponsoring a child yourself or by encouraging friends, family, churchfriends or work friends to do so please.

In This Issue

Suffering in Silence:Women’s Health in Nepal

News in Brief

MAD About Service

OTHER ITEMS:

3 – Abundant Giving

4 – Justice –A Worthy Gift

5 – Humble Beginningsin Bangladesh

6 – Sponsorship

Leon and Dorothy, and their two sons David and Wayne,returned to Australia after 31 years overseas. Though nowretired in Nerang, Queensland, they remain actively involvedin their local church, and also teach English language classes toKorean students.

Thank you Leon and Dorothy for your commitment. Youopened doors of opportunity and hope for many in Bangladesh.

MAD About ServiceBy Jeanine Bourgardt

Primary School Teacher at Blue Hills College

Blue Hills College Year 12 students will soon embark onanother MAD (Making a Difference) adventure to Indiaand Nepal. The students – Kyle Finey,Tasman Chapman andKirsten Hughes – with support from their teachers –Bronwyn Tually and Jeanine Bougaardt – are choosing togive up the usual Gold Coast annual Year 12 Schoolies’experience for a service trip.

The group will visit the 3AN School in Pohkara, Nepal, todo much needed painting and to gift the school with amural, will spend time with the girls at the Safe Haven toshow them others care and to talk about positive self-image, and will attend Zenith Academy to learn aboutthe school from the students there.

“We believe this is a great opportunity for young people toexplore, discover and gain a little insight into different culturesand ways of life,” says Bronwyn Tually. “This experience givesstudents a chance to practise serving God and others.”

The school has fundraised to buy equipment needed for theprojects in which the students and teachers will be involved andschool resources the group will take to India and Nepal. The students and teachers will pay for their own way and expenses.

The group will leave on 11 November, 2012 for two weeks.

Jeanine Bougaardt (teacher), Bronwyn Tually (teacher), Kirsten Hughes, Kyle Finey and Tasman Chapman.

2

4

5

The Powrie family in Bangladesh at

Leon’s ordination.

Issue 11 Summer 2012

MY DONATION TO ASIAN AID ORGANISATION LTD ABN 98 002 286 419

YES! Please find enclosed my gift for the following special needs

Women’s Health $ Anti-Human Trafficking $

YES Project $ HELP Project $

Gift Fund $ Administration $

Safe Haven Nepal $ Special Projects $

I would like to sponsor a child at Day school rate $25pm Day school PLUS $30pm Boarding school rate $40pm Boarding PLUS $50pm Tertiary rate $100pm

Mr/Mrs/Miss

Address

P/code Email

Phone No ( )

Payment Method Cheque Credit card (as below)

Internet transfer (we will send you details)

Card No:

Mastercard Visa Expiry Date:

Amount

This payment is to be a regular monthly payment a single payment

Card Name

Signature

Donations over $2 to approved projects are tax deductible in Australia Date

I would like information on how to include Asian Aid in my will

$Au$NZ

Go to asianaid.org.au for more children waiting to be sponsored.

Hope in Full CircleBy Julian Bremner

Asian Aid Communication intern and Avondale CollegeBachelor of Arts graduate of 2012

There is something special about a story thatcomes full circle. Such is the case for ShohagBoidya, a former Asian Aid sponsored childwho is now working with other Asian Aidsponsored Bangladeshi children.

The remarkable story began 29 years ago whenSimson Boidya, an employee of SonapurAdventist School and his wife Rani Boidya, hadtheir second child, Shohag. Sadly the young family would not stay together for long. In 1987Shohag’s father was violently attacked by a robber and he eventually succumbed to hisinjuries, passing away in December 1987.Following Simson’s death, the family moved backto their native home in South Bangladesh.

Upon moving south, Shohag and his olderbrother lived in the Kellogg-MookerjeeMemorial Seminary orphanage where theybegan attending school. This period alsomarked the beginning of sponsorship for thetwo young boys. Throughout these early yearsShohag began to study the Bible, and in 1996he made the decision to be baptised.

After graduating from high school in 2000,Shohag went on to complete his bachelordegree in Education at Bangladesh AdventistSeminary and College.

This equipped him for working for the BangladeshUnion Mission and for post-graduate studies. In2008 Shohag married Mukta with whom he nowhas a two year old daughter. In a reversal of roles,Shohag’s mother is now living with the young family which Shohag says is “a blessing”. In 2010Shohag graduated with a Masters in Educationfrom Prime University in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Having always wanted to work for Asian Aid,Shohag applied and got a managerial position forAsian Aid’s partner Bangladesh Children’sSponsorship Services (BCSS). This role has enabledShohag to help children in local villages and tocontinue to grow the West Bangladesh Mission.

Sponsorship gave Shohag the opportunity togain an education – an opportunity that somany do not have as children in Bangladesh.“Without Asian Aid, my life would have beendestroyed in my childhood,” says Shohag. “I amgrateful to BCSS and our donors’ agency forgiving new life to the children of Bangladesh.”

In coming full circle, Shohag’s story of hope continues.

The Boidya family – Shohag with his mother Rani, daughter Rahel, wife Mukta, and sister-in-law Dhonolika.

Humble Beginnings in BangladeshBy Kerryn Patrick

Asian Aid Customer Relations Coordinator

At the South Queensland Conference camp in September,I had opportunity to chat with Leon and Dorothy Powrie abouttheir experiences living and working in Bangladesh. In the mid1970’s, Leon was director of SAWS (Seventh-day AdventistWorld Service, now known as the Adventist Development andRelief Agency). Here the Powries witnessed the devastationcaused by the 1970 Bhola cyclone – considered one of theworst natural disasters in modern history – and the civil warthat led to the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

During the conflict, SAWS set up a refugee camp fororphaned and single parent children. It was at this time thatLeon knew that education was the only hope for these andthe exploited children of the Garo Hills Tract region whoseland was being stolen. Education would mean more opportunity for the many children in the Hills Tract regionwho would otherwise remain – and still are – subsistencedwellers making an income from selling fire wood, wild honeyor other products found in the forest.

Leon’s wife Dorothy worked in the Bangladesh UnionMission, coordinating a child sponsorship program. Findingsupport for so many needy children was not easy, so Leoninvited Maisie Fook, founder of Asian Aid, to visit Bangladesh.

Since then, nearly 40 years ago, Asian Aid has been workingwith the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bangladesh to provide educational support for tens of thousands of needystudents. Teachers, accountants, conference presidents andmany others in professional positions will testify today to thepersonal impact Asian Aid has had in their lives.

In 2011 Leigh Glasspell, an Asian Aidsponsorship team member, visitedBangladesh to run a training program.In a room full of people who represented the Church program inBangladesh, Leigh asked how manyhad been Asian Aid students. Theresponse was humbling. “Over 80% ofthe group raised their hands. I knewthat sponsorship had equipped themwith skills to lift the next generationfrom behind the barriers of povertyand injustice,” Leigh told me upon hisreturn from Bangladesh.

“Does sponsorship make a difference?” I asked the Powries.“Absolutely!” they said. “Withoutan education these children wouldhave no hope.”

Australia PO Box 333, Wauchope NSW 2446New Zealand PO Box 97-357 Manukau City Auckland NZP 02 6586 4250 F 02 9012 0827E contact@asianaid.org.au W asianaid.org.au

ABN 98 002 286 419 ACN 002 286 419

SPONSORS DESPERATELY NEEDED

One of these children would love to be sponsored by you

Dharshan, 9India$25

Rakshitha, 10India$25

Gowtham, 9India$25

Preety, 8Nepal$30

Roshna, 12India$30

Dip, 10Bangladesh$40

Biplob, 7Bangladesh$40

Ruth, 11Bangladesh$40

Jewel, 16Bangladesh$40

Sagor, 14Bangladesh$40

Sweetie, 12Bangladesh$40

Polash, 13Bangladesh$40

Suvo, 13Bangladesh$40

Christina, 11Bangladesh$40

Laya, 13Bangladesh$40

Ridoy, 10Bangladesh$40

Selina, 14Bangladesh$40

Mina, 14Bangladesh$40

Arpita, 10Bangladesh$40

Titinu, 11Bangladesh$40

Antor, 11Bangladesh$40

Monoj, 9Bangladesh$40

Sandeep, 8Nepal$50

Mahadevaswamy,9 India$50

Erras, 11Sri Lanka$50

Anisha, 8India$50

Pala, 20India$100

Jini, 12India$25

Mounika, 7India$30

HOPE-A-THON UPDATE: Since Hope-a-Thon, a sponsorship campaign for Bangladeshi children, began on 1 September,70 Bangladeshi children have been sponsored (number of sponsored children current at date of printing). Help us reach ourgoal of giving hope to 115 children by Christmas by sponsoring a child yourself or by encouraging friends, family, churchfriends or work friends to do so please.

In This Issue

Suffering in Silence:Women’s Health in Nepal

News in Brief

MAD About Service

OTHER ITEMS:

3 – Abundant Giving

4 – Justice –A Worthy Gift

5 – Humble Beginningsin Bangladesh

6 – Sponsorship

Leon and Dorothy, and their two sons David and Wayne,returned to Australia after 31 years overseas. Though nowretired in Nerang, Queensland, they remain actively involvedin their local church, and also teach English language classes toKorean students.

Thank you Leon and Dorothy for your commitment. Youopened doors of opportunity and hope for many in Bangladesh.

MAD About ServiceBy Jeanine Bourgardt

Primary School Teacher at Blue Hills College

Blue Hills College Year 12 students will soon embark onanother MAD (Making a Difference) adventure to Indiaand Nepal. The students – Kyle Finey,Tasman Chapman andKirsten Hughes – with support from their teachers –Bronwyn Tually and Jeanine Bougaardt – are choosing togive up the usual Gold Coast annual Year 12 Schoolies’experience for a service trip.

The group will visit the 3AN School in Pohkara, Nepal, todo much needed painting and to gift the school with amural, will spend time with the girls at the Safe Haven toshow them others care and to talk about positive self-image, and will attend Zenith Academy to learn aboutthe school from the students there.

“We believe this is a great opportunity for young people toexplore, discover and gain a little insight into different culturesand ways of life,” says Bronwyn Tually. “This experience givesstudents a chance to practise serving God and others.”

The school has fundraised to buy equipment needed for theprojects in which the students and teachers will be involved andschool resources the group will take to India and Nepal. The students and teachers will pay for their own way and expenses.

The group will leave on 11 November, 2012 for two weeks.

Jeanine Bougaardt (teacher), Bronwyn Tually (teacher), Kirsten Hughes, Kyle Finey and Tasman Chapman.

2

4

5

The Powrie family in Bangladesh at

Leon’s ordination.