Richard Holt

Myanmar

// July 7th, 2011 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Dear friends, I wanted to share a photo slideshow of my recent trip to Burma (Myanmar). I had the blessing of going with my girlfriend, Jennifer, where we conducted a community development training with burmese nationals. Burma is a very tough place with many restrictions so it is wonderful to work alongside nationals who have a passion and drive to help their own people. The training in question was used to train partners in how to begin community development projects amongst the rural poor. Lessons included disease prevention, the use of assessment tools, implementation of a development programme as well as providing live examples of self-sustainable projects.

We were also able to spend a lot of time with the precious orphans in our care, many of whom lost their parents during the 2008 Cyclone. They are doing well and now have a bright future to look forward to:) Thank you so much for your continued support and partnership. Because of you lives are being transforming and people are now living in hope and expectant joy!

Middle East update

// April 22nd, 2011 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

These are historic times. Who can quite believe the shakings that are going on in North Africa, the Gulf and the Middle East? Regimes and dictatorships are being toppled as people who have being oppressed for years are crying out for freedom. Many places in this part of the world are volatile and dangerous. However, is this also an opportunity? Many of these countries have for a long time been inaccessible to humanitarian aid. But maybe this is an open door to stand up and reach out to those who are oppressed, broken-hearted and with little to hope.

Lebanon is one of the places in the Middle East that has been receiving an influx refugees, many of whom have fled the horrors of war and persecution in Iraq. Here is one of their stories:

In one of the poorer quarters of Beirut, I am welcomed into a family’s home that has recently fled Iraq. They have just arrived in Beirut with their children and the only clothes they have are pretty much the ones they are wearing. They are living in temporary housing and their future is very uncertain. One thing that is for sure is that they will never be able to return to their homeland. Their story brings chills to everyone who is listening. As our translator relates their story we learn that they have undergone severe persecution for their faith. The father of the family tells us how his brother had been kidnapped simply for being a Christian. As tears stream down his face, he shares how he found out about his brother’s fate. His brother had been murdered. The way in which he could identify his brother was by having to search through a myriad of corpses only to find the horrendous fate of his dear brother who had been decapitated by his captors.

During, my time in Lebanon, every refugee home I went into presented similar stories of horror and persecution.

One of the purposes of this trip was to bring in partners to see how they can partner and help in supporting many of the needy and often neglected families in this country on a sustainable basis helping to meet their physical and emotional needs. With partners from Italy and the US we visited different projects. We are looking to support work in three areas of the country:

The North. In Tripoli we are looking to partner with a school project which is along a dividing line that separates Sunni Muslim and Alawi communities (the Alawi are a branch of Shi’ite Islam of which Bashar al-Assad of Syria is a part of) This is a very unstable part of the country where there is constant conflict between the two factions. Our partner is working with this school in the reconciliation of these two communities. Our work there also consists of providing much needed assistance to Palestinian refugees.

The South (Sidon). Here, there is a heavy Hezbollah presence. We are looking to provide a community health education in Gypsy and Bedouin camps. These groups are considered outcasts. Our partner has recently opened a school which has now taken in 33 children from these two groups. Some of these children are using a restroom and having medical check-ups for the first time. Putting the children in education is so important (especially for girls) as many young people amongst them turn to prostitution, begging and fortune-telling as a way of providing an income.

Beirut. We will be looking to help and encourage the exciting work that is taking place amongst many of the Iraqi refugees and others pouring into the country.

Lebanon is close to my heart. I have many friends there who are working tirelessly to help many people with desperate needs. Please let me know if you are interested in joining the work there.

Haiti adventures

// February 1st, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Uncategorized

Before leaving for Haiti, all I would hear was the bad press about the aid and recovery efforts there. Haiti recently remembered one year since the devastating earthquake that killed almost a quarter of a million people on 12th January 2010. Ever since, Haiti and its people have left a huge impression on people’s hearts worldwide. The world has taken notice and funds and aid have poured in. However, twelve months on and many people are disgruntled by the current situation. You could see why as we made our way from the Toussaint Louverture airport in Port-au-Prince to the village of Chambrun where our camp was located. The tragic impact that the earthquake left in its wake is obvious with so much of the infrastructure still in tatters. As our 4×4 negotiated the many potholes, we passed by several IDP camps (internally displaced persons). There are thousands of tents providing shelter for thousands of families and you wonder when and if they will ever move out. It is a humbling sight. Many questions have been raised about where and who this aid has actually gone to. The worry is that the poorest of the poor and the most needy are being overlooked. What’s more, the political situation and upcoming elections have been a source of considerable unrest in recent months. There remains a lot of uncertainty and instability.

But this is only half the story …

I can only speak of what I have seen and experienced… my own personal perspective is very limited. However, all I can say is that there ARE good things happening in Haiti that you probably won’t hear about on the BBC or CNN. Slowly, people’s lives are being transformed and restored. Nationals are being equipped and empowered to make a significant impact in their community. There are many stories of how people now have hope when their lives were literally falling apart around them.

Helping translate at an emotional crisis care training

Following a disaster like this, which is beyond all human comprehension, meeting people’s physical needs are critical. People’s survival is dependent upon immediate food, clean water, shelter and medical assistance. A myriad of humanitarian organizations are making a tremendous effort to continue to meet these essential and basic human needs. But what about the children and adults who experience a crisis event of such magnitude? And those children who wake up screaming in the middle of the night because they no longer have their parents to comfort them? What about those young people who turn to drinking and drugs because they just cannot cope with the traumatic consequences of such an event …

I had the privilege to work alongside a close friend of mine, Jennifer Setzer, who works for GAIN (Global Aid Network). Jennifer, is a professional counselor who is helping to head up an emotional care crisis programme. She is helping to empower nationals with the appropriate training to meet critical emotional needs for Haitians who have been left in despair and with little to hope for since the earthquake. It is no small task. Haiti is Creole-speaking however this training was done with health professionals, doctors, nurses and teachers, many of whom speak French so I had the honour to help translate this material during different workshops and seminars. The goal of the training is to provide tools and coping skills by equipping nationals to help build resiliance of children and adults through crisis situations. Mental health and emotional care is a critical component as the people of Haiti continue to recover and try to rebuild their lives. You can read more about the wonderful work that Jennifer does at: www.jennsetzer.com

One of the emotional care activities for the children

There is no doubt that Haiti is still on the road to recovery and that road at times seems to be a long and seemingly endless one. However, with people like Jennifer and many others committed to making a difference, that road is being paved step-by-step pointing forward to a hopeful future for the precious and resilient people of Haiti.

Here is a slideshow of my time in Haiti:

MiTho – a transformed life

// January 13th, 2011 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Many of you will remember a very brave young girl called MiTho from Myanmar. MiTho is nine years old and from the Irrawaddy Delta (the southern part of the country which was ravaged by Cyclone Nargis in 2008). She was born with a severe cranial deformity and cleft palate. A very delicate surgical operation was required however, no such operation could be performed in Myanmar. And yet thanks to the support of so many of you, we were able to fly MiTho to Taiwan so that she could be treated accompanied by GHNI staff member, Peter. Our partners Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) did an incredible job as they repaired her nose, lips and right eye.

The hospital has decided to wait on the surgery on her skull till she is full grown.  However, the major health, eating, and speaking issues have been resolved by the cleft pallet surgery. As you will see Mi Tho can now smile…what a HUGE BLESSING. The transformation really is very exciting and now this precious child has a hope and future to look forward to.

I wanted to forward you this very moving documentary of MiTho’s adventure: MiTho\’s life-changing year

Once again, thank you for the difference you have made in this young girl’s life.

The world can be changed, one person at a time.

MiTho before her operation

Brave MiTho at the hospital

What a difference 16 months make

// December 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

When I first went to Burma (Myanmar) in August of ’09 the orphans GHNi had taken in (many of who had been resued from the Irrawaddy Delta following Cyclone Nargis) were still living in a pig pen. Our staff, David and Nancy, are a couple of incredible passion and vision. When I sat done with them 16 months ago, Nancy explained the situation of these dear children as tears welled up in her eyes. It was humbling to see the sincere love of this couple for the poor and needy of their country. It was a welcome reminder that transformation and development is not about a project or programme but a sincere investment of compassion in lives of people.

Vision is a wonderful thing, however making that vision a reality is a completely different kettle of fish requiring plenty of perseverence and dedication. I don’t know anyone who works as hard as these guys. I have had the priviledge of going back twice this year and I have been astonished by the transformation. The orphans now have two beautiful homes, a place of refuge and of sustainable personal growth.

The orphan's new home

On the same plot of land, they now have a pig and chicken farm which allows to provide income for these children allowing them to attend school.  Along with friends, Anna, Haydi (Australia) and Jon (Singapore), it was really special to spend fun times and invest in the lives of these kids. It is exciting to see the progress that is being made and to see the joy through their beautiful smiles.

Thank you to so many of you that have made this dream a reality.

Another exciting thing is that we had the opportunity to carry out a Community Health Education training during our time there. 29 students were taught the value and how to implement a Comunnunity-based health care projects in some of the poorest rural villages in Burma.

As we move out to the villages we were able to conduct a health survey in our first TCD (Transformational Community Development) village with permission and invitation from the local authority (not easy !). This is a huge step forward as we look to make an impact amongst the poor in helping them become self-sustainable in a difficult to reach country.

If you would like to know further how you can help and become a partner with a poor rural village please visit out website : www.ghni.org

Carrying out a village health survey

Our staff team and volunteers

Paris to Versailles

// October 7th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

In 1789, a furiously outraged crowd of tens of thousands descended upon the French city of Versailles which was the seat of the French Monarchy at the time. France was in a state of chaos. The people of France had become bitter and angry at the Royals’ lavish and exuberant way of life while the rest of the population starved to death. The mob raided the Chateau of Versailles, decapitated the guards while impaling their heads on pikes, captured the King and Queen (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette) and escorted them back to Paris where they would be held captive and ultimately beheaded by the ‘Guillotine,‘ a newly-invented execution tool commonly known as the ‘National Razor’. The French Revolution was well on it’s way.

The beheading of King Louis XVI of France

Last week, I had the privilege of running the road which made this route a landmark of the French Revolution. The purpose of this 16km race is to raise funds for Community Health Education programmes amongst primarily poor rural communities. Community Health Education has been very effective amongst some of the poorest communities in the world with it’s goal being to teach nationals the value of community-based healthcare and ownership.

Last time I ran was a 21km in Lebanon so I was happy to come down to a 16km race on home soil. No volcanic ash clouds this time to get in the way So, I thought it would be pretty much straight forward until I found that for 2km in the middle of the race was a 200 metre ascent. Ugh!  The climb was humbling but thankfully I made it to the end.

Thank you to all those who sponsored me for this race. Your donations will have a profound life-changing effects amongst the poorest of the poor.

If you would still like to sponsor me a certain amount per kilometre or for the overall race, then you can go to our website: http://globalhopenetwork.org/donate/european-donations

Under ‘Other projects’, scroll down to ‘GHNI fun run’ and then enter the amount.

Thank you so much for your support.

Take care and vive la France

Richard

16km - 1h10 mins

Serve the City – Brussels

// July 8th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

So now onto Belgium, the home of waffles, Tintin and the inimitable belgian detective Hercule Poirot. This week I am in Brussels for a project called ‘Serve the City’ which was initiated here 6 years ago. Local volunteers and others from across the world have come to Brussels to meet some of the obvious and oftentimes hidden needs of the city. Different ways in which hundreds of volunteers are helping include visiting centres for victims of abuse, sports camps for poor children, random acts of kindess (free hugs, cleaning car windows etc…), feeding the homeless, painting, arts and crafts and raising awareness of the atrocity of human trafficking. It has been wonderful to see so many people come together with the common goal of serving those in need. There is hope.

This is a movement which has caught in several other cities across Europe and the world. I am helping to co-chair Serve the City Geneva as we look to launch this project in Geneva. We will have our first event on November 13th this year. If you are in the area or would like to join then please contact me! You can also check out the serve the city website: http://www.servethecity.eu/

Serve the City is for everyone.

It’s a revolution, a serving revolution.

And it’s going to change the world.

We know them by their needs.

What if we knew them by name?

Celebrating 10 years

// May 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

I am writing to you from Amman, Jordan, as GHNI celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary. It has been wonderful to reconnect with staff from across the globe including country directors from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Turkey amongst others. I am really humbled to be in the presence of these guys who have given up so much to work in very challenging areas and who face daily obstacles to help the poor and isolated. Together, we have been able to spend great time listening to each other’s stories from the field. There are many highs with many lives being transformed. However, the reality of the situation is that these guys work and live amongst the poor in sometimes very hostile environments so it is also an opportunity to come alongside them and encourage them.

Our wonderful staff team

Presenting in Amman

It has also come at a good time as GHNI has recently been officially registered in Jordan. The other evening we had a ceremony attended by the deputy minister for social affairs which opened and closed to the Jordanian national anthem. We have been involved in Jordan now for many years in helping the significant refugee population. We have now started work in two poor villages doing community development as well as helping girls with scholarship programmes. One young woman who has been given a scholarship said that the opportunity to go to nursing school has ‘completely transformed her life’.

Scholarship student with our staff

This young woman now has hope for the future and her family

Overall, the time in Jordan has been one of great encouragement and celebration as we look forward to the years ahead. My passion has certainly been renewed and refocused to help the poor in the most effective ways. Thank you for following me on this exciting journey. I couldn’t do it without you!

From Byblos to Beirut

// April 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Who would have thought that a volcano eruption in Iceland could cause so much worldwide havoc? When I first read about it I had no idea it would impact our trip working amongst refugees in Lebanon. This past Sunday, I was supposed to be back in Geneva in time for the Annecy half-marathon, but with all the canceled flights I was stuck in Beirut until Tuesday. As I was sponsored to do this race, I really wanted to do it one way or another. Thanks to some dear Lebanese friends we drove from Beirut to the historical city of Byblos where I began the 21km trek back towards the capital.  With the ancient ruins of Byblos as my starting line, I set out to run my half marathon by the Mediterranean instead of beneath the Swiss Alps. For the race I had trained during my trips to SE Asia (Yangon), North Africa (Tunis) and sub-Saharan Africa (Ouagadougou), so it was quite appropriate to finish in the Middle East as these are the four areas of the world in which most of our work is concentrated.

I was even honoured to have my own fan club. Some of the team and our Lebanese friends escort me while I ran providing me with refreshments and encouragement along the way. I finally managed to make it to the end where my finishing line was a military check point guarded by the Lebanese army equipped with AK47s. The whole experience was just so surreal. I also got word from Annecy that our team completed the race there. I am so proud of them! Thanks to their effort many funds have been raised to help the poor and needy.

Running from Byblos back to Beirut

Some of the guys running for GHNI in Annecy

Burkina Faso – day eight

// April 2nd, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Uncategorized

Today was our last day in the village of Yagma. It has been pretty wild with a big push to see as many patients as possible before the end of a day, a supplies distribution to hundreds of very excitable kids, more meetings and a soccer camp. It has also been one full of emotions as we we say goodbye to these precious people. It will be hard to leave.

However, this past week has seen so many wonderful results with long-lasting effect. Over 50o patients have received dental treatment and have been relieved from much pain that they had beforehand. Successful examinations were also carried out at the other two sites where peope were being seen for poor eyesight and hearing. Overall, it has been a hugely encouraging trip without underestimating the need that still exists. My time here has been fruitful with many significant encounters taking place. We will know process and evaluate to see how we can be involved more long-term with the wonderful work that is already taking place in Burkina Faso.

I really appreciate you all following my blog this past week. I hope that the country of Burkina Faso has in some way grabbed your heart in the same way that it has grabbed mine.

Until next time!

Richard

Soccer camp with kids

The village has no soccer balls of their own

Kids lining up to receive shoes, backpacks and t-shirts

A child receives new shoes

So easy to grow attached to these kids

Our medical team and local volunteers. It was a joy to serve with them.

Saying goodbye