Special campaigns were conducted during March and April to identify and mobilize children who suffer with cleft lips and palates. 10 children registered for surgical procedures and 7 have completed the surgery. In each of the cases, lack of monetary resources was a driving factor in the failure to treat these children prior to IGL's involvement. With IGL's medical assistance programs the surgeries were performed despite the families' inability to pay for treatment. These children are now happy, healthy, and have the prospects of a life freed from ridicule and hardship.
Health awareness programs have also been conducted and included the following topics:
· Management of sun stoke
· Leprosy as a curable disease
· Urinary tract infection - more than 1,825 people from 32 villages benefited from this program alone
Annual staff training for children's day care program teachers and evening tuition center teachers. This training was conducted by a child psychologist. 98 staff members attended the 4 day training sessions.
Dairy development training was conducted over a period of 12 days for rural youth workers and farmers in IGL's model dairy farm. More than 30 farm workers received this training, which includes proper care and treatment of animals, maintaining sanitary conditions and effective methods of animal management.
Entrepreneurship and skills training was conducted for rural youth with 22 participants benefiting from this training.
The following is the personal testimony of one young woman who has been touched by IGL's medical education programs:
I married my own uncle when I was 17 years old. I gave birth to two children one after the other within a short period of time. Because of this, I was unable to give proper care to my children. As a result, my children used to fall sick. Moreover, they had very poor physical growth leading to stunted growth. They were also highly malnourished. Last year the trained health workers from IGL educated me about childcare methods. After one year, my two children have improved a lot in their physical and mental health. Because of the mother-and-childcare education given by IGL Staff, I am able to have healthy children in our generation.
Prayer Requests and Praises
- Praise God that 450 children have completed their basic education in our Day Care Centers and have been promoted for first standard.
- Praise God that we have been able to conduct various income generating programs partnering with Government agencies.
- Praise God that our Women's Transformation Group is actively participating in our existing development programs. This is a good sign of self-sustainability and rural empowerment.
- Praise God that we were able to conduct 6th Annual Staff Training (Children's Day Care Staff) successfully.
- Pray for the upcoming Annual Staff Training for Skills Training and Rural Development Staff during the second week of June 2007.
