FAITH HOPE CHARITY FUND

NEWSLETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FHCF, PERTH

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2008

FHCF P.O. Box 896
Mirrabooka WA 6941

ABN: 51 829 426 830 Ph 6189247 1804
Fax: 618 9247 2345
Phone: 94404526

Mobile: 0418943875
Email: enquiries@fhcf.org.au
Web: www.fhcf.org.au

Working in Kolkata, where your dollar makes a difference!

T

he festive season of 2007 is well and truly over, and with the New Year on us, well, not quite 'new' any more, we are committed to helping more Anglo-Indian families, and to do our best to help them and their children to fulfill their dreams and aspirations for the future.

This is the commitment we made since the charity began and we are more than pleased to carry it forward into 2008.

Sharon's last major visit to Kolkata was in November/December of 2007. She briefly visited the Kolkata team again in February this year and caught up with committee members, representatives, Mr. Ghosh the auditor, and a few of the pensioners. The weather was good and she lost no time in visiting as many folk as she could.

The following are thumbnail sketches of her visits with some of the pensioner's:

Hazel Dyer: She lives with son Gregory in Howrah. He is looking for employment but in the meantime he makes and sells pickles on the side as an extra income.

 

Noreen Francis: Lives in Howrah. She was not well and in bed with a bad cold. Besides this she suffers from insomnia and is taking sleeping pills to help her sleep. Her grandson lives with her and has grown very tall since Sharon last saw him. Noreen’s house is very damp, and always very dark!

 

Mary D'Cruze: She was sitting on the concrete slab outside her home. She complained about having no electricity for a long while. Her house is in complete darkness and is very unsafe to live in. The structure of the building appears to have been built illegally, as is the cases with quite a lot of buildings in these poorer areas which are constructed in the same way.

 

The family live in a basement with no windows and no ventilation at night, and they have to close the door to safeguard themselves against antisocial elements in the area. This must be the worst living conditions that Sharon has ever seen! The next door tenant has vacated her home, as she also feared for her safety.

 

When Mary visited Sharon later in the week she expressed her desire to move because she is constantly thinking that one day the building will collapse and they will be crushed to death. She is hoping she will find a small room in a home that is safe for herself and her two daughters and grandchildren.

 

The Dixon's: Sheila Dixon greeted Sharon with a beaming smile and commented good humouredly that, "I now smile so beautifully because my dentures fit properly!" Her sister Pettle Dixon still needs to get her dentures repaired. Sharon was able to inform them that FHCF would pay for the dental work.

 

Mr Ronald Dixon is happy with the walking stick that committee member Barbara purchased for him on her visit to Kolkata last May. He is now mobile and moves around quite well with the support of the walking stick.

 

Lorna Franks: She is a well-spoken lady and always manages to look her best. Sharon saw her on Park Street and took her out for lunch. She was all smiles, being waited on by the waiters!

 

Bernadette Cranston: She can always be found walking around Park Street. Sharon met her on many occasions and shared a few meals with her at the Park Street restaurants. Bernadette humorously commented that she should carry some nice clothes as an 'extra' as she doesn't know who she will meet and get asked out for lunch!

 

She lives a couple of hours away from Park Street in a remote area of Kolkata. She complained to Sharon about her neighbours creating problems for her and her 'bamboo' home is always being broken into by drug addicts.

 

Mr & Mrs Vincent: Sadly, Marie's health is getting worse. She is bedridden from a stroke and now lives with her daughter who, with the help of Mr Vincent, is caring for her day and night.

 

Dulcie Davia: She is doing well, but she doesn't leave her home too often. She suffers from a heart condition and easily runs out of breath climbing the stairs to her home. Sharon found that she too was out of breath by the time she climbed the stairs to the top floor! Fortunately her home is in very good condition, and large in comparison to where some of our pensioners live.

 

Sharon was also pleasantly surprised to see Dulcie giving two children tuition. It is encouraging seeing our people doing something to help other people, and in doing so it is rewarding for them. Dulcie's grandchildren were with her and she was all smiles when she saw our team visit.

 

Patrick Mannigan: He was watching TV when Sharon visited him. He needs a cataract operation and we were making arrangements to have it done. However, it appears he has changed his mind and has now refused the operation, for reasons best known to himself.

 

Salvation Army Old Aged Homes

Five out of the six pensioners were in. Mr David Waddle was missing from the group. The men were so impressed with their Christmas gifts - musical ties. They had them hidden under other clothing but took them out and showed them to Sharon - still in their original packaging.

Richard, our Kolkata representative, told Sharon that when the ties were distributed their eyes lit up when they pressed the 'musical' button. The novelty tie was funny and appreciated by all who got them.

Christmas Gifts

The ties were part of the gifts donated by a Perth member, along with earrings for the ladies, and other ornaments for the children.

Donated Clothing

We managed to sell some of the 'foreign' clothes the members brought with them from Perth last May. It was decided that the rest of the items would be given away to our pensioners. Sharon duly distributed the remaining clothes to the pensioners, along with Rs.-/100 each. They were overjoyed to receive this windfall.

We are always happy to get a response from grateful pensioners. Mary Macleod wrote to a member of our team expressing her gratitude, and we quote a line from her letter:

I am very grateful for the clothes as I cannot afford to buy such lovely clothes for myself.

Other Donations

We are very grateful to Mr Allen James, from London, who donated a generous sum of $500 to the charity.

Extending our Services

Mr Jackson contacted us after visiting our website, and for a short time we were able to assist him until he was able to make alternative arrangements to help his needy relative in Kolkata.

Sharon's Last Visit

Sharon’s last visit in February this year was a short one, but she managed to hold two committee meetings and discuss some important issues with the auditor Mr Ghosh.

When Sharon visited the pensioners the children were always at school, but she was able to leave a message with the parents reminding them of their responsibility to obtain school reports, which in turn will be sent to FHCF in Perth.

Richard Aviet, our senior Kolkata representative is relied upon by us to carry out most of the leg-work, and paperwork. We don’t know how he manages it, but he is very hard working and proudly holds down three jobs!

Victor Michael, our junior Kolkata representative is also a valuable member of our team. Richard depends on Victor to make some of the payments to our pensioners, and to take care of other charity work. The leg-work, for both, is tremendous at times.

Victor and Richard accompanied Sharon when visiting some of our pensioners, and it was Victor who reminded her she had forgotten one or two appointments. She joked with him, suggesting she should keep him as her secretary in Kolkata. He just smiled and told her he would be happy to do the job if given the task!

Victor is scheduled for a cataract operation this month, and we are also trying to get him a place in the Salvation Army Homes.

Next Visit

Sharon is scheduled to visit Kolkata in July 2008. Until then, and on behalf of all our recipients, we join her in thanking all our sponsors and well wishers for their invaluable support and overwhelming generosity to our cause.

God bless each and every one of you and may you have a Blessed and Holy Easter.