On behalf of the Society, we would like to thank Sherry & Perry LeBlanc for their very generous donation of $750 that helped to purchase cooking oil and rice to feed the children at the Mercy and Grace Orphanage in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Funding in the amount of $100,000.00 which was donated by Jaymal and Ruparell family through the Aqueduct Foundation (RJR Foundation) will help fund the building of the new School in Gujarat India at a total cost of $150.000.00. FTLOCS will be overseeing the construction of the school and working directly with the contractors to rebuild this school. It was imperative to rebuild this school as the existing one was destroyed by an earthquake. The Society will also contribute sports equipment when the school opens and provide further support.
A children’s home providing care to 35 orphaned and destitute children between the ages of 6 to 14 years. A very generous donation of $30,000.00 from Boardwalk Charitable Trust Fund has enabled the Society to buy this Orphanage home along with a water well. Street children doing hard physical labour, coming from poor families now have a home that looks after their basic needs in addition to providing quality education and medical care. FTLOCS provided $4,717.00 to meet the requirements of the home for food, clothing, educational needs, a portable generator (to help elevate problems with electricity) and to help purchase a TV and DVD for the children in viewing educational programs.
From our agent Abhaya Karada.
– Odisha orphanage, these are some of the children that Mr. Bahl found huddled around a smoldering log, trying to get heat from it and discovered that they were all homeless orphans. Now they have a home and were among one of the top students in the provincial exams in the state of Odisha.
After the earthquake and tsunami in March, FTLOCS reached out to longtime friend and supporter Machiko Hashimoto to see if we could help the Japanese children in any way. Through her connections, we were able to get in touch with the Yamada South Elementary School in the town of Yamada, Iwate Prefecture. Most of Yamada was destroyed by the tsunami, and the school, situated upon a hill, is one of the few remaining buildings in the town.
The principal, Ms. Saga, requested that we provide funds for an annual overnight study trip taken by fifty grade six students. Although many of the basic necessities have been provided by the government and various NGOs, the trip was something that would have to be abandoned if funds were not found. FTLOCS, with the support of generous donors, was able to raise over $12,000.00 to cover the cost of the trip. President Ashid Bahl travelled to Japan in October to meet and send the children off on their long-anticipated trip.
Although the children had endured unthinkable tragedy and hardship in the seven months since the disaster, they were eager to demonstrate to Ashid and their community that they were healthy and well. On the trip, the students visited the UNESCO heritage town of Hiraizumi to visit and learn about the history of the area; danced the “Tora-nomai” (Tiger Dance) at a local shopping centre in front of Ashid, Machiko and the community; and enjoyed a carefree afternoon at a local amusement park.
The majority of our work is in underdeveloped areas of the world helping children with the most basic of needs. On this occasion, we were delighted that we could help children with the gift of an experience that would hopefully help to rehabilitate them emotionally and stay with them for a lifetime.
P.O. Box 62001, RPO , Calgary, Alberta
Phone: (403) 232-6010
Fax: (403) 232-1030
Email: ftlocs@telus.net