Dear Donors,
Greetings from the Banglahelp’s team and the people of Bangladesh!
I’m delighted to share with all of you about our recent mission trip to Bangladesh. Twenty-eight volunteers took a week off to visit and help our children at the slums’ schools. Doctors, dentists, nurses, and other volunteers work together to evaluate and treat the students and some of their parents. Here are some pictures of what was done:
Women’s Health Training
Women’s Health Training: This was one of the highlights of our trip. The issue of menstruation is a taboo Bangladesh. Girls do not receive the proper information on this topic, neither they have access to proper supplies to help them during their period. A group of over 20 volunteers in the Loma Linda area, got together three Sundays and prepare washable pads to be distributed to our female students. Each kit contained: two pad shields, 4 pad inserts (washable), one wash cloth, 2 pieces of underwear, and one piece of soap. Our female volunteers presented this topic in a cultural appropriate manner. It was very well received by our students who were very grateful for learning more about it and having the means to be more comfortable during their periods. The ladies at our Sewing Machine Project agreed to continue to make these items so that more girls and women may be benefited.
Medical Team
Doctors, nurses, and general volunteers performed an overall evaluation of our students. A general medical exam consisted of being physically examined by a doctor, having a blood test done to evaluate their health status, as well as sight test to see if any of the students need glasses for studying. For many of our students, the main meal they receive each day is the one they have at our schools. We found some of our students to be anemic. Thus, starting in 2020 we would like to start providing multi-vitamin pills to each student and an iron complement to those who are anemic.
Dental Team
For three days, six dentists and 1 dental assistant undertook the task of screening and treating our students. After an oral evaluation was done, patients were referred to have either dental fillings or extractions. Despite the not-too-comfortable settings, our team kept on working until every student at the school was seen and treated. We are grateful to Loma Linda University School of Dentistry for lending us portable dental units and instruments that made it possible to perform fillings for the patients.
This medical/dental mission trip resulted not only in a blessing for those participating and for the students/patients, but also motivated us to return next year. We have already planned to return with more help for the students on November 22-29, 2019. We hope to increase the scope of the medical/dental services for our students and our families. We will keep you updated with more information about this upcoming trip. Please let us know if you would like to join us.
Plans for the 2020 School Calendar
Slums Schools: We will be opening the 6th grade for four of our schools and the 5th grade for the reminder school. We expect to have 780 students.
Adult Schools: Our adult students will be completing their second and last year of education. They have shown great appreciation for the opportunity to learn to read and write.
The work and plans for our schools continue to increase. We thank God and our donors for making it possible to help improve the lives of so many people in Bangladesh.
Our estimated monthly budget for 2020 will be US$12,000. Yes, it is somehow scary to think that that amount of money needs to be raised every month; but we have seen your generosity and God’s blessing through out all these years, and are confident that together we can bring education, food, and help to our students and their families.
THANK YOU for your support in 2019. We hope that you will continue to be part of our BanglaHelp family.
I take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family. May God continue to bless you as you share your love in supporting the people of Bangladesh.
With deep gratitude,
Gerardo Toledo
President