In October 2010, Global Angel Ambassadors Wendy Smith and Nick Leventis undertook a breathtaking challenge in support of Global Angels, making new solo (Wendy) and tandem skydiving (Nick and Tom Noonan) records in the Himalayas, by jumping from 32,000ft. They raised a staggering £103,000 to give to projects empowering disadvantaged communities in Nepal and refugees living on the Thai-Burmese border.

Once considered one of South East Asia’s richest countries, after four decades of military rule, over 3 million Burmese people are now internally displaced. The projects we’ve chosen to partner with, located just inside the Burmese border, are particularly worthwhile. The hardships faced by these Burmese Karen Refugees are tremendous, with whole communities hiding in the jungle, living without access to basic resources such as hospitals, medical care, school buildings and roads. The threat of the government soldiers bombing their settlements and mining their rice paddies creates a constant battle for survival.

Over the last year, the Global Angels team have been visiting and choosing outstanding projects along the Thai Burmese border, and in the Himalayas, performing all the tasks and checks necessary to ensure the funds raised will be utilised to the highest level of integrity and with maximum impact. These funds will now be used to transform the quality of life for the thousands currently living in extremely challenging situations.

Photo: Board members Mark Eddison & Molly Bedingfield visit projects on the Thai-Burma border last year

A 2004 study focusing on Karen, Karenni and Mon areas showed some of the worst conditions in Eastern Burma and highlighted a health situation that closely resembled that of conflict areas in Africa:

• 1 in 5 children die before their 5th birthday.
• 1 in 12 mothers die in childbirth.
• 1/4 of all deaths are attributed to malaria.

Medic Training
Responding to the overwhelming need, Dr Stephen Nash (founder of Hope 4 The World) has been taking volunteer training teams of doctors, nurses and dentists into the jungle since he visited Burma in 2002, believing that the best way to tackle the extreme lack of medical care was to train local recruits as medics. A growing number of skilled volunteers from the UK have given up their time over the last 8 years to train medics, dentists and midwives in order to relieve suffering and care for these vulnerable people in isolated and high-risk areas.

In 2011, Global Angels supported 26 second level students to undergo their medic training. They will be manning the 32 ‘mobile health clinics’ in the region. Over the next two years we have pledged to fund the students for their third, more advanced level of training.

“I wish you could have been there to see the medics graduate - Very moving for them and for us. We have so much good will and support locally to make this happen. I am now on the case preparing for level three training at the earliest possible moment. Give thanks for a fantastic ending to a great course, it was so enjoyable. I still find it remarkable how we can achieve so much with so little when you have the right people.” Dr. Stephen Nash
 

Photo: 2012 Level 2 Graduates at their Graduation Ceremony (Photo ©Hope 4 The World)

Mobile Health Clinics
Global Angels will be funding the annual budget for two of these ‘mobile health clinics’, managed by Partners Relief & Development, working to maintain a health system throughout the villages. Medics will provide: health campaigns, reproductive health services, regular school-based care and respond to emergencies such as obstructed labour. In some cases they may carry out amputations for landmine victims and most also have a dental service. The clinics will serve a total of around 4,000 people. Previous clinics within Karen State have seen amazing results: Each home in the village has a toilet and most will boil their water. The rate of malaria has decreased to under 3%.

Although built in areas that are deemed ‘safe’, the mobile clinics are designed so that staff can evacuate patients and hide/evacuate supplies should the Burma Army move in on their location. Three previous clinics have been overrun by the Burma Army, although have since been rebuilt so they can continue with their medical care to the local communities.

Photos L-R: Midwife checks patient, a medic treats a child (© Partners Relief & Development)
 

Development Farms
‘Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day, but teach a man to fish, and he can feed himself for a lifetime.’

Global Angels are funding a Development Farms project over three years, to support marginalized communities with training and resources to start long term fish and animal farms and rice paddies along with training in modern sustainable agriculture. Each farm will have a reach of up to 4,000 people. This is a Partners Relief & Development project and will progress as follows:

The first year will focus on training two farmers from each community who will then put their training into practice on land given to them in various strategic locations.
In the second year, villagers from surrounding communities will increase their own knowledge and skills in farming at the main farm before in turn starting their own, for which they can apply for a grant to cover half of the cost.
The third year aims to make the main farms self sustaining and no longer dependent for training or financial support.

We're so excited about these new projects and pleased to be able to share them with you. Project pages coming soon with more details and photographs of the projects in action.

Photos L-R: Medical supplied are distributed, Fish Farming (© Partners Relief & Development)