THANK YOU HILLINGDON MANOR SCHOOL !

The Dhaka Project has been chosen to benefit from the results got with the celebration of Harvest Week at Hillingdon Manor School in Greater London by the wish of Louise Smoult, who is a School Headteacher there .
The Hillingdon Manor School is located near London Heathrow Airport and is a special school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The Harvest Week occurs all over United Kingdom in Autumn term and is about understanding the harvesting of crops and helping those less fortunate than ourselves, and the kids there felt very rewarded by contributing to help the kids at The Dhaka Project.
Our kids are very happy for this act of solidarity towards them and show it themselves in this picture...
Our grateful thanks to Louise Smoult and the Hillingdon Manor School for having rememberd about us, on behalf of our poorest kids from the slums of Dhaka.

SPECIAL ID CARD HELPING TDP

Guy Brownlee, a Captain with Emirates had a very creative idea!
After losing his ID Card he used his inventive ability to produce a new one, not likely to be lost. This is double sided holding two different cards used to access the premises and yet a JV SIM Disc if needed, all arranged in such a way that it's possible to take one of the cards without causing the other to fall out.
He decided to make more ID Cards like this and sell to his colleagues, promising that a portion of the proceeds would go for a charity, and after a 'family council' The Dhaka Project was the lucky one chosen by his children to benefit of this great idea !
And he made some awareness to his colleagues at the training college, having had such a good response from them that he is planning to extend the offer to pilots and even crew at Emirates.

The dhaka Project Kids say THANK YOU to Brownlee and his kids...

Our grateful thank you to Cpt Guy Brownlee and his children on behalf of our kids at The Dhaka Project who will be provided a step towards a better future life through this wonderful initiative.

PRAISE FOR TONY FRENCH

The Dhaka Project has achieved a great deal of its visibility through various ways. One of these means is the mass media. And of course, as 'a picture is worth a thousand words' , the videos that permit us to show our work to the world are essential tools to help keeping us moving ahead.
And thinking of this, we feel to be our duty to write about the way how Tony French is passionately dedicated to the project and our children.
He has visited the action field in Dhaka a few times to produce updated videos on the project but he is not just the movie producer ! He is the gentleman who we address whenever we need tens of video DVDs to ensure we have means to show the project's work in meetings or fundraising events.
And there is always Tony willingly responding to our needs so permitting us to keep all running.
We wish to address our gratitude for the huge and much appreciated help of Tony French who, sharing our dream, dedicates lots of his precious time getting all the DVDs ready to us and for free.

Thank you Tony on behalf of The Dhaka Project kids !

WORDS FROM OUR CHILDREN !

Our children wish to present their deep gratitude to our Founder, Maria Conceicao, who started it all more than 3 years ago.
Thanks to her vision and inittiative they were rescued from the slums of Dhaka where they lived in appaling conditions of misery, hunger and unsafety.
And most of them still remember those harder times when they had to walk barefoot and almost naked having to hang around begging to take some income to the house, (hut) before being brought from the streets and given full time education, medical and dental assistance, food...

And as they say, they miss her !




And about Richard Ng... well, his history with the project and these kids began a long time ago; he has given his time and his high qualifications to help, not only while being in the field, what happened countless times, but also from his home... now being our Volunteer Coordinator.

Captain Marcelo Taborda embraced the project full of stamina what can be checked by searching this blog to see how many suitcases he handled in only one day trip to Dhaka... also highly active in our garage sales as well as all kind of continuous support .

And the co-webmaster who helps us to update our website and blog by which the world gets to know what we do.
All what these volunteers can do is feeling grateful and proudly amazed for having been targeted with these smiles... the smiles come from the poorest children living in one of the poorest countries all over the world !

THANK YOU ISD SCHOOLS !

The ISD Schools, a Primary-Secondary Schools complex, who are our neighbours located in Gulshan and whose Website is linked above and in their logo below, have made a donation of 50,000 Taka to The Dhaka Project.
Besides this amount they have another equal sum donation scheduled to become available in a few months.The Dhaka Project Director made them a request to use their facilities in the Cricket & Football Fields, Basketball Ground, Swimming Poll, Computer Lab, Art and Craft Materials, what they will allow, but not only they allow as they also will fundraise to pay the kids' transport fare between our schools.

...an expressive thank you from our students to ISD...

Thank you to ISD Schools on behalf of the children under the care of The Dhaka Project; this is a beautiful and kind gesture come from a similar institution inside Bangladesh !

TABLE TOP SALE FOR THE DHAKA PROJECT

The people at JESS Schools have organized an event to help The Dhaka Project through their annual table top sale.
Dawn Murphy, who works for JESS, reported these good news about the sale that took place in the 3rd weekend of October, and resulted in a fundraise of 650 AED by selling several items and where Dawn's work colleagues donated innumerous items to be sold and even her little 8 year old sister wished to donate a portion of her sale (toys, shoes, clothes, etc.) to help our children.
They felt it to be a nice opportunity for them to realize just how lucky they are to live in Dubai and give a little back to those less fortunate.

... our kids adding a special thank you to their friends at JESS...

And we feel in deep gratitude for this gesture come from Dawn Murphy and JESS staff to help a noble cause, and wish to express it on behalf of our children at The Dhaka Project.

Thank you !

SLUMS KIDS VISIT GERMANY !

Four of the children who are under the care of The Dhaka Project, Sujon, Anannya, Sabina, and Mosharof have recently been selected to represent The Dhaka Project at The International Schools' Festival in Germany.
These children were rescued from the slums of Dhaka and given food, shelter and education. They can now converse in fluent English and have the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with any other child. Without the Project these children wouldn't be able to have three meals a day, probably would be begging in the streets or working underpaid in garments industry !And soon they will conquer the skies and work as ambassadors of Bangladesh in foreign lands...
The tour will take place from 24th Oct to 3rd November in Germany and 3 more days in Dubai. They will attend five functions and a radio interview at German Radio Deutsche Welle and do some sight seeing, having the opportunity to talk about their daily life in Bangladesh.
The kids are trained for a poem recitation and two Bangla songs.
Shafiqur Rahman Jewel has been chosen and will be accompanying the kids.
We feel enthusiastic and in deep gratitude for this kind gesture to our kids, sponsored by HELP-DE, with the commitment of Bianca Kaltschmitt who has been taking care of all so that this dream finally come true.
Thank you Bianca and HELP-DE on behalf of our kids. This will be a great boost to our work !

And thank you to Hanif and EK as well as the UAE Ambassador for helping in processing visas for the kids and Jewel for Dubai, also having paid the visas in advance due to project cash flow problems ...
The children have been trained by a volunteer about etiquette . Also a volunteer donated some dresses for the kids that they will use in Germany. We also bought shoes and gloves that the kids will need, as the temperature there is very low. Principals, 3 volunteers and including the Project Director himself have trained the kids about manners and behaviours.
This success has been achieved also thanks to our Founder Maria, all Volunteers, Supporters and Sponsors as well as the Staff at The Dhaka Project !

OUR KIDS SAY THANK YOU TO...

Tanvir Shah - Run the Berlin Marathon for the kids at The Dhaka Project and very recently has run the Amsterdam Marathon for the same cause. It's been several hours running on behalf of TDP.







Jebel Ali Schools - Done a huge fundraising event in an action where all people from students to teachers got passionately involved. Also offered books and teaching aids along the time.






Captain Werner Linshalm - A expressive thank you to who has been a friend of all times, a multi-task volunteer from fundraising to a huge help on carrying donations to the project.


It's their live happiness; a few of them having the opportunity to directly say a thank you to their friends; a few of The Dhaka Project friends !

OUR KIDS SAY THANK YOU TO...

Thank you to Solange, Viviane, Luana,... symbolizing gratitude for all volunteers in Dubai (The Brazilian Team and others) who have been working hard along last Summer under unbearable heat, having fundraised a sweat and huge amount and organized countless suitcases to be carried to Dhaka ! ...







... and to a few members of the Cursillo Movement in Corroios - Portugal, for their one time donation collected along a few months thinking about these beautiful smiles...






...and to Claude Camerelli, our kids show their gratitude for his donation, that has been split in several months ocurring almost every months of an entire year!

This is the way our children say a big thank you themselves... to those who have been helping us and making our dream come true... and also enabling them to dream!

TOUCHING WORDS FROM A DONATOR !

"Mr. Rossie
Thanks for your letter, I'm here in Dubai, right now it is not possible for me to visit Dhaka, next month end, schools are going to start, the home, kids, schools etc. I'm a mother of 3 school going kids (thanks to God).
I do work as a part-timer. More over, I get work on week-ends, and right nowwork is very very dull in my side. I hope it gets good by the grace of God.
For me to leave the country and visit anywhere is a big preparation, take permission from my kid's father, and his mother-father also. My passport andmy kids' passports all are with my kids' grandpa.
Talking about my work, I do face painting, balloon twisting, henna designing, games for kids and adults in birthdays.
I don't have internet facilities at home, I check my emails from the cafe every 3 days.
Talking about generosity, pls if i can give some money for the people. I don't have a bank account, if somebody is in Bur Dubai, your volunteer, I can give cash to the person or if you want me buy educational books, clothes, etc. (as you say). I wish the money goes to the needy people and whatever they are in most need of.
You can call me on my mobile, anytime.
Thanking you,
P. "

NURUL IN DUBAI !

Nurul Islam, a man who never even dreamt of 3 proper meals let alone to his own luck, is now working as Junior Office Clerk at Emirates.
Thanks to Scoot Williams, Nasreen, Kavya , Emirates and Maria.
Three years ago Maria started the The Dhaka Project with families and kids suffering in the Korail Slum, fighting for their miserable life and food in a poor Country like Bangladesh. Nurul was one of them.
Previously Nurul used to do random work like selling fish on the streets and helping local underpaid carpenters.
Maria promised a better life with education, medication, employment and shelter. He was brought to Gawair, where The Dhaka Project started its journey with 39 kids in a small room. Nurul and his wife, Hamida rented a room paid by the project and gave their first step towards a good future. Nurul wanted to learn driving as he had a thought that driving would help him to earn a good amount of money so he was admitted to the driving school.
By the time The Dhaka Project launched their first Grocery Shop to help the Gawair community. As Nurul didn't want to leave The Dhaka Project though he had learned driving he was taken charge of the grocery shop. His performance impressed Maria and yet gave him a better position in The Dhaka Project Cloth Shop where he worked for two months.
Hamida was not left behind; she started to take training as a beautician from volunteers coming to the project. She is grateful to Grace and Aruna, two volunteers, who taught beauty tips to Hamida and a few women. She works now as Dhaka Project's beautician and supervises the grooming of the children supported by the project.
Both of them were enrolled in the English classes of Adult Development Program to get basic education and Nurul developed skills to work as an Office Assistant. Finally, in December 2007, Nurul started to work at The Dhaka Project office as an Office Assistant. Maria noticed that Nurul improved his skills significantly and gave a thought that he might be able to work for Emirates.
Nurul started to work harder, gave extra time in learning Communicational English and maintenance.
Suddenly on 04-06-08, Scott Williams from Emirates HR took his interview at The Dhaka Project and confirmed his job in Dubai Emirates.
Nasreen and Kavya from Dubai Emirates processed Nurul's documents regarding employment and on 14th OCT he flew to Dubai over EK583. An unexpected dream came true!
Things would have been different if Maria was not in Bangladesh to help these unprivileged kids and families, and this woudn't have been possible without the hundreds of volunteers, donators and sponsors who have kept the project alive and growing. And thanks to Shimul, our Adult Development Manager, for the good job done in helping Nurul to reach his goals.
We symbolize his employment as an encouragement to other staff members and students enrolled in the Adult Development Program.

JUTEKOMPANIET SPONSORS THE DHAKA PROJECT !

Jutekompaniet is a new business aiming to provide environmentally friendly jute shopping bags produced in Bangladesh for the Norwegian market that is looking to launch the first product and intending to send a portion of the profit back to Bangladesh via a charity organisation, having chosen The Dhaka Project.
Their Website is here! (Updated)
The product to be launched will have the beautiful look as in the picture beside; Drammen is a city located some 25 miles Southwest of Oslo, the Norwegian capital city.
And we feel enthusiastic about their kindness, applauding and wishing to express the happiness and hope felt for this precious sponsorship coming forward to help us in our mission, and are at the same time hoping it to be a long partnership where all feel rewarded.

Thank you to Jutekompaniet on behalf of our children at The Dhaka Project !

HUGE DONATION FROM JEBEL ALI SCHOOL !

A big fundraising event to the children at The Dhaka Project has taken place at Jebel Ali Primary School . The entire school got involved in this action having managed to raise the huge amount of 22,779.25 Dirhams.
And that's not all ! In addition they have made donations of shoes, much appreciated by our children, books and clothes as well as teaching aids which is highly valuable to The Dhaka Project.
We are really grateful to Jebel Ali School and the students, teachers and staff there, for their involvement to provide this generous funds donation, and all other donations, not forgetting their constant supply of books and teaching aids, so showing the way how they concern about our kids in Dhaka.
And we really appreciate Librarian Angela's tireless efforts to keep an eye out for books for us.
And also our gratitude to Sharon who drove from the other side of the city to collect all the donations above at her own expenses.
Thank you all on behalf of the kids at The Dhaka Project for the big difference made!

FUNDRAISERS OF THE WEEK - 4

Our volunteers in Dubai have been keeping dedicating their spare time to help the children at The Dhaka Project.
On last Friday, 3rd October, Solange Piñeiro, Viviane Cappellari and Luana Perolbo have run the Friday Garage Sale, having raised 1.454,00 Dirhams worth of sold articles.
During last days, Sunday and Monday, Solange has been organizing and tidying the store, having raised more 270,00 Dirhams in random sales.
Added to these tasks Solange went to the bank and deposited the sales accumulated funds under her responsibility.
A grateful Thanks to Solange, Viviane and Luana, on behalf of the Kids at The Dhaka Project, for steadily keep with us to fight against the extreme poverty!

THANK YOU CAPTAIN WERNER !

The Dhaka Project is really lucky for having friends like Werner Linsham, Captain with Emirates Airline who is permanently involved in so many ways, aiming to bring a better life to the kids rescued from the slums of Dhaka, now under our care.
He has carried lots of suitcases to Dhaka, he has got dozens of sponsors to our kids specially from Austria, he has made so many visits to the project each time he flew to Dhaka...And a few days ago he has transferred the amount donated by countless sponsors to The Dhaka Project, showing his persistent volunteer work, collecting and organizing everything to get these 30,000.00 Dirhams, that hopefully will be possible to get released...
A BIG THANK YOU to Captain Werner, not forgetting all the sponsors with him, on behalf of the kids and all who benefit of this enourmous spirit of work and gift!

VOLUNTEERS TO BANGLADESH

In http://www.7days.ae, Sunday 28 Sep, 2008
Dhaka Project appeals for healthcare volunteers
An appeal for Professional Medical Help From Volunteer Doctors/Nurses/Paramedics.
Children under the care of The Dhaka Project are given medical care and attention besides being fed, housed, clothed and educated. We depend on the help of volunteer medical professionals to give our kids regular medical checks so they remain healthy, through early detection of illnesses and diseases.
Medical follow up care is also provided ensuring that our children’s good health is closely monitored.
Volunteer Nurses are required to teach our adult staff members First Aid, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and good hygiene so that our kids receive proper medical care through professionally trained staff. Paramedics are needed to serve the daily medical needs of those who require immediate medical care. Paramedics help us meet the daily functional need.
Without volunteer medical personnel, our children will not be able to have their health properly looked after as local medical costs are high and donated funds are insufficient to pay for the healthcare of our 600 children.
The Dhaka Project appeals to the public for generous support and help from the medical fraternity to come visit Dhaka and contribute to a noble and worthy cause.
Maria Conceicao
The Dhaka Project

DONATIONS FROM LAST MONTHS !

Lets show our gratefullness to relatively recent donators who have shown their kindness towards our mission with the kids at TDP.

One donation came from Claude Camerelli who works for Emirates Airline in Dubai. He made his donation spread by several months since January 2008 by 10 bank checks of 500 Dirhams each to be deposited every month... a total of 5000 Dirhams. Besides this donation Claude is highly motivated and determined to do awareness on the project.

Another donation has been done by a few people in Corroios, Portugal all who were involved are members of the local Cursillo Movement, formed by two personal donations, some funds got in T-shirts sales and the rest raised by members who take part in a singing group and decided to dedicate it to The Dhaka Project, being the total amount donated 735 Euros.

On behalf of our kids we say our grateful thank you to Claude Camerelli and to these Cursillo members in Corroios, for having come forward to give their contribution to help our kids at The Dhaka Project.

THANKS JOYBANGLA !

Mikey Leung and Belinda Meggitt who are the the owners of the website JOYBANGLA.INFO, both photographers, have been roaming all over Bangladesh to capture the Bangladeshi beauty.
They organized a photo exhibition at Bagga Club, in Dhaka, having sold a couple of pictures, postcards and greeting cards.
And they had decided, as reported in a previous post about Joy Bangla, they would donate a portion of the profit achieved in the photo presentation to The Dhaka Project, having fundraised 13.000 BDT and got some awesome volunteers to the project.
Korvi Rakshand, The Dhaka Project's Director was with them in the weekend explaining the visitors about the project and selling materials from TDP's sewing center.
Thanks to Mikey and Belinda for supporting the kids at The Dhaka Project !