During early April 2012, several young girls who are currently living in the shelter home run by Fr. Ray Foundation in Pattaya, Thailand received scholarships as part of the Asmara Scholarship Fund. To remain in the program, a girl must complete the school year with satisfactory grades and attendance.]]> Asmara Scholarship Fund was established by Hope is Life Foundation in memory of baby Asmara who has touched the lives of many friends all over the world during the nine days she lived on this earth.  

She was named after the capital of the State of Eritrea, a country whose people and culture her family loves dearly. An educational scholarship fund seemed to be an appropriate and lasting tribute to what Asmara’s parents represent in their Faith and their strong commitment to providing education and welfare for needy children.

Asmara Scholarship Fund is a pool of donations dedicated to scholarships for girls, especially orphans, in developing countries, especially in Asia and Africa, who would otherwise not be able to go to school. The scholarship fund will afford these girls the opportunity to go to  school and cover the cost of their education for the entire year, and if necessary, also pay for transportation to school and lunch. To remain in the program, a girl must complete the school year with satisfactory grades and attendance.

The first group of girls who received the scholarships is seen with Fr. Peter Pattarapong, Director of Fr.Ray Foundation (second from left) and Mrs. Deborah Yogachandra, Director, Hope is Life Foundation  (extreme right) during a ceremony held in Pattaya, Thailand.

During early April 2012, several young girls who are currently living in the shelter home run by Fr. Ray Foundation in Pattaya, Thailand received scholarships as part of the Asmara Scholarship Fund. Here are a few of the girls. More have been identified to receive scholarships in countries in Asia and Africa.

Jugka Jan was born on June 16, 2000. Her father’s whereabouts is unknown. Her mother gave Jugka to a 69-year old woman who was living without any kind of income and disappeared. She will be attending Year 4 in primary education.

Manao was born on April 21, 2005. Manao (literally meaning “lime”) was abandoned by her parents to an old woman being referred to as “grandmother” when she was only 3 months old. They never showed up after that. In the meanwhile, the “grandmother” passed away when Manao was about 3 years old. She will be attending Year 1 in primary education.

Fah was born on February 11, 2005 into a poor family. Her mother collects garbage and was found to be HIV positive and unable to take care of Fay. She will be attending Year 2 in primary education.

Sao was born on January 18, 2004. Her mother passed away when she was four years old due to alcoholism. Her father scavenges at the garbage dump. When he became ill, the Social Services Department brought her to the shelter home. She will be attending Year 1 in primary education.

Ploy was born on May 16, 2004. Her parents abandoned her into the care of her grandmother who later passed away. Then she was in the care of her aunt for a few years. When her aunt became sick, Ploy was brought to the shelter home. She will be attending Year 2 in primary education.

If you would like to donate or sponsor a child, please send your check or money order                          Hope is Life Foundation P.O. Box 261, Fairport, New York 14450, U.S.A or Donate via PayPal.

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Mrs. Deborah Yogachandra of Hope is Life Foundations is seen with some of the children at the shelter home of Fr. Ray Foundation, Pattaya, Thailand.

For girls and women living in poverty, education is not only the key to a brighter future, it is also a key to survival. We believe education is the key to ridding the world of poverty. Providing education as a primary strategy, we aim to harness the potential of girls and women in developing countries to learn, lead and act on their vision of change for themselves, their families, and their communities

Hope is Life Foundation’s School Sponsorship Program, will work with the villagers and the management of the Borni Memorial School in Pangantabi village, Thoubal district, Imphal, Manipur to repair and add new classrooms for the school.

Most of the villagers are farmers. Their family income depends on the annual harvest. The farmers live on an average of less than US$1 a day. Hope is Life Foundation continues to raise necessary funding for this project.]]>

Natascha Yogachandra and Mr. Joseph, Director and Volunteer at the school and a few piglets at the farm.

Repairs to the current building and additional classrooms will begin December 2011

Hope is Life Foundation’s basic philosophy is to identify projects to eradicate illiteracy that have to be sustainable with the human and financial resources available in the local community and empowering them. Started a pig farm in a school in Pangantabi village, in Imphal, Manipur State in India. Criteria for success are not only linked to trust-worthy individuals who manage the projects but also to the availability of expert know-how and the skills to look after the projects.

Hope is Life Foundation in collaboration with a locally registered SHIG Foundation is assisting in the welfare of several orphan children, some infected HIV.AIDS virus, to attend school at Borni School Manipur, India. The Foundation is working directly with the SHIGF trustee and the staff of Borni Memorial English School (BMES) to sponsor several orphans help them lead a healthy life and continue with their education. There are many orphans and children infected with HIV/AIDS virus. Children want to study in other schools but unable to do because of financial difficulties.

Hope is Life Foundation worked with the villagers and the staff of the school to explore the ways to finance projects that can be sustained to help the school, empowering the local community. Pig-rearing industry was identified that has great potential to generate income for the school. Also, the need of an establishment of a computer center for the village teenagers who wants to go for higher studies, was identified.

Crucial to the success of a pig farm is the ability for it to expand in the community and become a supportive business that the entire school and the parents can count on. So, recently, we started the pig farm and a new structure was built for the pigs.

Our plan is to make this pig farm into a major full community development program where the parents and the village community can help them with things like bring left over food to feed the pig or farmers. Not only is there great potential for bringing the community together but this whole community model of engagement will increase the chance of this pig farm continuing to grow.

Building a self-sustaining community

Our goal is to build a small community around this school whose members are united by their shared beliefs, characterized by their high ideals, proficient in managing their affairs and tending to their needs, and perhaps engaged in several humanitarian projects.

Currently, there are about 140 children from ages 3 to 12 attending school at Borni. The school is unable to provide meals as there are no financial support from the government. Some bring food from home or eat before coming to school and others go hungry. For several children who have difficulties or orphans, the school plans to provide food on a daily basis but they do not have any financial support.

One of the guardians Hope is Life Foundation supports to look after the welfare of many children in Pangantabi village in Imphal, including their education.

In addition to this, Borni School is suffering from lack of teachers and educational materials. As a result, children are beginning to drop out of school as early as grade two due mostly to the high cost of education, poverty and the travel from village to schools for those who lives in remote villages.

To stay in school is expensive for these children. They are required to buy school uniforms, school shoes and text books which most parents are unable to afford.

The school is located in Pangantabi village, in Thoubol district which is about 80 kms from Imphal city The population of Pangantabi village is approximately 6,000. Most of the villagers are farmers. Their family income depends on the annual harvest. Few of them run small business (shop, home industries e.g. handloom and hand crafts). Most women do craft work and men work in the farm. The farmers live on an average less than US$1 a day.

Mr. Joseph showing the new structure for the pig farm to  Natascha

Students at the school

New Building: One of the members in the community has donated the land to build a new structure for the school. Hope is Life Foundation will be raising fund to build a new brick building of 8-class rooms.

Imphal is located in the extreme east of India, bordering Myanmar (Burma). It is a quiet, crowded but uneventful city. But, we had to register ourselves at the airport – all foreigners need to get special registration at the airport. There was a good reason for this. In October 2008, Imphal was struck by a large terror attack carried out by Manipuri insurgents fighting for to regain sovereignty from India. This city has a history of ethnic rivalries.

It is also the home of the Meitei tribe and is a largely Hindu region, but with a very specific culture of its own. It is nestled deep within a lush green corner of North East India. It is indeed an Indian state of exquisite natural beauty and splendors. It is no wonder why the former Prime Minister of India, late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru paid a fitting tribute by describing it as “Jewel of India”.