Possible Dreams International

Dear Friends,

As we approach the dawn of a new year I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon the wonderful journey of hope which we have embarked upon together this year.

Possible Dreams International aims to build bridges of compassion across whose arms we can bring real and tangible hope to people living in desperate and dire circumstances in the country of Swaziland. A place with the highest death rate, highest proportion of orphaned children and highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world.

Our ambassadors around the world are ordinary citizens who share an extraordinary vision. A vision in which distance does not equate with the dilution of another human beings sorrow or our responsibility as global citizens, and where ideas of ‘first’ and ‘third’ worlds are challenged by an unfailing belief in the salience of our common humanity.

I wanted to share a few stories of the work which people like you have been doing for the people of Swaziland…. and also share stories of the results which your generous and persistent efforts have been able to generate.

AMBASSADORS

Our ambassadors hail from every walk of life and every continent on this blue planet.

Let me share with you a few inspiring stories of  the ways ‘ordinary people’ like you are helping to bring real change to the people of Swaziland (there are far too many to list individually, but each one is reverently and deeply appreciated) :

Our initiative 3100 dinners for Swaziland continues to be a resounding success, with dinners happening all over the world. One such dinner was conducted by Helen in Melbourne Australia who had an African themed 30th Birthday party to raise funds and spread the word about the work of PDI.



Liann in the United Kingdom ran a  sponsored half marathon to raise funds:


In Masachusetts, Linda organised a fairtrade coffeehouse at her local church to raise funds and awareness:

In New York city the Possible Dreams American fundraiser was a wonderful success!



In the United Kingdom, Tessa continued to create and sell her beautiful artwork to raise funds….



In Australia, religious groups such as Burwood Heights Uniting Church and the Islamic Council of Victoria have been extremely generous in their compassionate support of the work of Possible Dreams International.

Thanks to Australian ambassadors Susan Carland and Waleed Aly, half the proceeds of the Australian Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanners annual dinner and charity auction were donated to PDI.



In India, 12 year old Dharini is creating greeting cards, some for the orphaned children of Swaziland and some for children in the slums of New Delhi.

These are just a few of the activities which our ambassadors have been organising around the world… To each and every one of you, as well as those who have made donations or sent messages of support, we humbly extend our deepest gratitude on behalf of the people of Swaziland.

DREAMS COMING TRUE

Thanks to the support of our ambassadors and donors around the world, we are able to continue our work in Swaziland.

Providing

1. Emergency aid relief to very sick and impoverished famlies in the form of food, clothing, education and medical care

2. Sustainable Community empowerment such as the building of houses, drilling of bore holes to provide clean water for communities, the building of orphan care points.

Let me share with you just one of our recent projects through the words and pictures of  our Good Shepherd Hospital/Home Based Care project manager Kathleen Hartmann:

“Lomlawuno’s story.


Lomlawuno is a petite woman with a beautiful smile and a gentle soul. She cares for her seven children in a small mud and stick hut in Mpolanjeni, Swaziland. Her husband died of AIDS and sadly she has recently been diagnosed with this devastating virus. The Home Based Care team, from Good Shepherd hospital ,brought medical assistance and support during the months when babe(Father) was suffering from the opportunistic infections caused by HIV.

After Babe died the team continued stop in when visiting the sick in the community and soon realized  that Make(Mom) was ill. They were able to assist her in getting to Good Shepherd and thankfully she was able to get started on ARV’s, antiretroviral therapy, in hopes of slowing the virus and reducing her chances of developing AIDS.



Possible Dreams International engaged the community and built her a home where she could care for her children and live in relative comfort and dignity. Lomlawuno’s neighbors provided the water necessary to mix cement. Volunteers helped to carry blocks and dig the dirt. Other neighbors helped paint the house and one old Gogo (grandmother) made  curtains by hand for Lomlawuno to hang in her window on the day her new home was completed.”






Friends, to my mind, there is nothing more beautiful than a bridge.

It is the ensign of hope. The harbinger of change.

The bridges of compassion which we are building together, span oceans and continents. We are reminding one another that our dreams of intervening in the insidious cycle of extreme poverty and HIV infection are eminently possible.

That we are the ones that we’ve been waiting for.

And that together,

We can,

A happy and peaceful new year to you and yours,

Maithri

Dr. Maithri Goonetilleke

Executive Director – Possible Dreams International, Inc

Below are links to a recent radio interview on Australia’s ABC radio – The Conversation Hour – discussing the plight of the Swazi people and the work of Possible Dreams International.

PART ONE = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jci5vbIYV6I

PART TWO = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBLZabwF2hY