Maize crop grown with the support of SOS Social Center…
In Janurary 2009, SOS Children's Villages helped to set up a temporary medical center which sucessfully treated a cholera outbreak in Bindura, Zimbabwe. This meant that workers on the SOS farming project could return to work fit and healthy and immunised.
- Lisa
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Maize crop grown with the support of SOS Social Center Bindura, in Zimbabwe.
In Janurary 2009, SOS Children's Villages helped to set up a temporary medical center which sucessfully treated a cholera outbreak in Bindura, Zimbabwe. This meant that workers on the SOS farming project could return to work fit and healthy and immunised.
On the 14th of Janurary 2009 the first cases of cholera were reported to have occurred amongst staff members of the SOS Maizelands Farm and their relatives. A total of 22 affected people, amongst whom five children, were taken to the cholera therapy centre in Bindura at some 25 kilometres from Shamva. Most of them have already been discharged, a few are still being observed in the centre.
In addition, at the SOS training centre, to which the Maizelands Farm belongs, two treatment rooms have been set up where two nurses look after some patients. At present they are looking after an elderly woman from a neighbouring farm who probably would not have survived if she had been taken to another centre further away, as well as another woman and the child of a farm worker. All three are on the road to recovery.
The director of SOS Children's Villages Zimbabwe, Gary Birditt, spoke to Dr. Mwazha from the provincial health authorities who is in charge of the little treatment centre. Dr. Mwazha emphasises that it was thanks to the quick action of the SOS co-workers that all the people affected could be saved. Should the number of cholera cases increase, it would be possible to set up tents on the premises of the SOS training centre to treat the patients right there.
The therapy centre in Bindura is well equipped, says Dr. Mwazha. However, should any problems in terms of further supplies from the ministry of health arise, SOS Children's Villages would be able to provide medicine and other goods.
Further precautionary measures were taken with regard to soap bars, water cleaning tablets, water jerry cans etc. which were taken from Harare to Shamva and distributed amongst the 146 families of the farm workers.
The Maizeland Farm is both an agricultural training centre for young people and a commercial production enterprise which provides the SOS Children's Village facilities in Zimbabwe with vegetables and cereals - in the face of the critical supply situation in the country a very important pillar of SOS Children's Villages. A second training branch is that of metal processing. In addition, in Shamva there is a big SOS Primary School which is being attended by more than a thousand children.
- Mary
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The village is only accessible by boat. Fishernets, Ban Had Saidum in Thailand.
Living with the sea, 343 fishing boats for more than 1,100 families
Many people in the coastal areas of Thailand make a living from fishing. They sell their catch at the market and cover their own needs.
Since the devastating Tsunami of 26th December 2004, it was usual to to see fishermen praying before they go to sea each day. Their very existence depends on the sea and many cannot imagine leading a different life style. The loss of boats and fishing equipment in the tidal waves hit many fishermen very hard. Isahak, a fisherman from a small village in Thailand called Bang Kluay Nok, was one of them.
SOS Children's Villages concentrated on assisting small villages, like Bang Kluay Nok, away from tourist areas, which had been badly affected but were not being helped by other emergency aid organisations. The people of Bang Kluay Nok were assisted by SOS Children's Villages in building solid houses and were provided with boats. This meant the end of the crippling inactivity for Isahak. He can now look after his family without charity from others. Children of fishing families usually work as well, but Isahak has broken with this tradition. His children go to school.
It was a scene of celebration when the men set sail in their new boats and with their new nets for the first time. In India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, SOS Children's Villages provided 343 boats, as well as nets, other fishing equipment, cool boxes and boat engines. Many now have sturdier boats and can spend the night out at sea. It often happens that several families share a boat.
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