AHAN President Emily Busch visits Dhaka.
July 21-28, 2006
After Homma Kancho’s first visit to Bangladesh in February of 2006, Emily Busch, AHAN Nippon Kan President traveled to Bangladesh to meet with AHAN Bangladesh Coordinator Maji Sarkar. The purpose of this visit was to put into place the mechanics for current and future AHAN projects there. AHAN Bangladesh Coordinator Maji Sarkar and his family were wonderful hosts for this special visit and Homma Kancho took time out from his visit to Turkey to assist in the project implementation.
Our first goal was to set up a three-year rice distribution system for the Dharmarajika Orphanage. On Homma Kancho’s first visit to the orphanage in February, he was most impressed that 500 boys were fed at the orphanage three times a day. After seeing the joy on the boy’s faces as they ate their lunch, Homma Kancho decided that a gift of rice would be a good gift indeed. Homma Kancho and Nippon Kan white-yellow and green belt members kicked off this rice distribution project with a special Bangladesh fundraising seminar held last March. Link here AHAN Bangladesh Fundraising Seminar Report March 18th, 2006.
Negotiating for the rice, AHAN President Emily Busch and Homma Kancho.
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- Whats going on? Attracting attention.
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- Rice loaded on flatbed rick shaws.
The caravan of rice laden rick shaws weaves through the crowded streets.
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- Arriving at the orphanage.
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- The rice stacked high into storage.
On any given day, the Dharmarajika Orphanage feeds, clothes, houses about 500 boys while also providing an education and medical care the best they can. After arriving at the orphanage with our rice donation, we visited the orphanage infirmary and met the staff. The staff were all from Bangladesh, and they were very proud of the fact that the doctor was Islamic, the nurse Christian, the assistant nurse Hindu and the attendant Buddhist! This special multi-cultural staff worked diligently with very few resources to keep the boys and others in the surrounding community as healthy as possible.
Plans were discussed for future AHAN projects for the orphanage that would include assistance for the medical staff with a visit by an AHAN Nippon Kan medical team to help with hygiene education, a facility remodel for the kitchen and an upgrade the water purification systems.
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- Emily checking out the kitchen.
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- With kitchen volunteers.
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- Boys eating their lunch.
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- Some of the older boys serving lunch to the younger boys.
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- With the orphanage medical staff.
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- Medical supplies for 500 kids.
On this visit, we also paid a visit to the Paris International Elementary School to deliver school supplies, and spend some time with the children there. After a morning of playing games, doing origami and watching martial arts demonstrations, the children surprised us with song, singing “We Shall Overcome” in perfect English.
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- Children singing “We shall overcome”.
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- The children seemed delighted with the visit.
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- Folding origami together.
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- With some of the mothers waiting for their children.
In front of the central train station in Dhaka, the capitol city of Bangladesh, is the Hotel Sea Land, owned and operated by Maji’s family. The Sarkar family provided hotel accommodation for my stay and also took very good care of me at their home with meals, and lots of time spent “dressing up” in beautiful Bangladesh clothes. I want to thank the Sarkar family sincerely for all of their wonderful hospitality and for helping me so much is organizing all of the activities in Dhaka. A lot was accomplished in a very short time. Too short indeed, I would love to go back!
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- With the ladies in Maji’s family.
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- With Maji’s parents.
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- Everywhere by rickshaw.
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- Snack at local market shop.
Link here for report by Maji Sarkar, AHAN Bangladesh Coordinator.To follow up, on August 15th and Sept 16th, 500 kilos of rice were delivered to the Dharmarajika Orphanage. It is our plan to be able to make these monthly deliveries for at least the next three years.
Link here for report by Emily Busch, AHAN President
Receipts for rice deliveries in August and September to the Dharmarajika Orphanage.
