Archive March 2024
March 2024
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Warm Heart Children
School Year Winding Up, Big Plans Ahead
The heat of the dry season has arrived and the children are looking forward to the end of the school term in mid-March.
Middle and high school students have been up late in the evenings finishing year-end projects. Final exams start next week and then we wait for results. If they have extended families vetted as safe, they can head up to their mountain villages.
We have about ten children who live with us full-time – no parents or family members who are not able to care for them. We try to have them come to us to visit the children.
All the children moving on to the next level of schooling are anxious to finish placement exams and anticipate the challenges ahead.
Thiew and A are headed to Phrao High School. They will take placement exams to see if they study Math & Science, Languages, or a vocational track
We have three seniors headed to university. Sai has been accepted at Nursing School and Tangmo and Ying are still waiting to hear. We have four graduating from vocational high school and will continue for two years to complete their associate certificates in marketing and accounting.
The children have continued English classes with our volunteer Geoff, from Canada, and self-esteem building/ personal goal-setting workshops with Finn. Lots of happy noise and singing help engage everyone.
We’ve also had some other fun activities – the annual Children’s Day at our local sub-district office where our children performed, played games, and ate lots of yummy food. The Glom Immersive Theater, based in Chiang Mai brought its mobile theater to Warm Heart and engaged the children and staff in an afternoon of education and fun. Our staff member, Da had some extra flowers from a wedding and gave our students a lesson in formal flower arranging.
We had our annual visit from the provincial Social Services department to review our facilities and paperwork tracking system for the children. We passed with good marks, thanks to Mali our Children’s Home manager, and the database that our volunteer, Judith, set up.
Lots of activity, all thanks to your steady encouragement and support.
Access to Care
Empowering Seniors: A Journey of Entrepreneurship and Safety
In a heartening turn of events, the inaugural sale of products from our worm casting business experiment has not only marked a promising beginning but has also ignited optimism for a venture that extends far beyond commerce. At its core, this initiative holds the potential to provide seniors with a safe and accessible means to supplement their income. As we celebrate this initial success, we eagerly anticipate the continued growth and impact of this project.
The essence of our worm casting business lies not only in its economic potential but also in its capacity to empower seniors. For many older individuals facing financial constraints, finding opportunities to earn additional income can be challenging. However, through this venture, we offer a solution that is not only lucrative but also manageable and safe. By harnessing the power of worm castings, we provide a sustainable product that aligns with the needs and abilities of seniors, thereby fostering a sense of independence and self-sufficiency.
As we embark on this journey, we pledge to keep our stakeholders informed of the progress and evolution of our project. With each milestone reached and every obstacle overcome, we are committed to transparency and accountability, ensuring that our community remains engaged and informed every step of the way.
But our efforts do not stop here. Alongside our worm casting venture, we are dedicated to addressing another pressing concern facing seniors: fall prevention. Recognizing the significance of this issue, we have taken proactive steps to advance our second project in this area. By applying for a grant to support our fall prevention initiative, we are striving to create a safer environment for seniors and reduce the risk of debilitating accidents.
The anticipation surrounding our grant application is palpable, with the potential to secure funding representing a pivotal moment in our mission to promote senior safety. With the middle of this month serving as our anticipated deadline for receiving news on the grant approval, we eagerly await the outcome, hopeful for the opportunity to further expand our reach and impact in the realm of fall prevention.
Looking ahead, our focus shifts to the upcoming “Little by Little” campaign in April, sponsored by Global Giving, which will serve as a platform for raising funds and awareness for our fall prevention efforts. Set to take place next month, this annual campaign holds the promise of mobilizing support from a global community united in the shared goal of enhancing the safety and well-being of seniors.
In conclusion, our journey of entrepreneurship and safety for seniors is just beginning, fueled by the success of our worm casting business and propelled forward by our unwavering commitment to addressing the multifaceted needs of older individuals. With determination, innovation, and community support, we are confident our replicable programs can bring meaningful change and create a brighter future for seniors everywhere.
Environment
Recognition of Biochar Grows as We Expand Training
We’re gearing up for 2024 biochar training and production. We started the year with our trainers in the Democratic Republic of Congo making it safely to neighboring Burundi to train a community interested learning about biochar for soil health as well as making briquettes for cooking.
The rapid deforestation to make charcoal for cooking is depleting watersheds and causing soil erosion. Farmers can turn this into a small business as they reap the benefits of biochar in their soils.
Thanks to our DRC team for venturing around dangerous areas of political conflict to deliver the training. They arrived back home safely. Olivier, a university student from Burundi, organized the training and the community group to follow through on the plans for the social enterprise.
“We are glad to arrive safely at home after training farmers in Burundi and in DRC ( Goma, Bukavu and Uvura) as we spoke on : how to make and use biochar, how to make compost, how to purify water , how to make biochar briquettes, how to build biomass storage and how to fight the global warming and the climate change as we use biochar”.
The team in Liberia that Michael trained last year is planning to go to The Gambia to train in April.
In Thailand, the government is gaining interest in biochar and we have had queries for projects from a range of organization.
We’re looking at ways to increase the scale of biochar production for orchard crop waste to avoid burning.
There is a pilot project underway with Maejo university to test biochar in asphalt as a low cost, renewable raw material.
The International Biochar initiative is co-sponsoring a Biochar Training Workshop May 15-11 with ECHO Asia and Warm Heart at the Echo training farm in Chiang Mai.
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All Gifts are US Tax-Deductible
Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc. is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions to Warm Heart Worldwide are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Warm Heart’s tax identification number is 26-2059241.
