Christian Relief Services Charities Inc

SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN GRASSROOTS INITIATIVES FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY, HEALTH, AND EDUCATION.

HEALTH - GENERAL AND REHABILITATIVE:SIERRA LEONE IS HOME TO FOUR NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) WITH HEALTHCARE PROJECTS, CLINICS, AND HOSPITALS SUPPORTED BY BWA: THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF SIERRA LEONE ("UMCSL"), THE FAITH HEALING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION ("FHDO"), CHRISTIAN HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF SIERRA LEONE ("CHASL"), AND RURAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION SIERRA LEONE ("RYDO-SL"). COMBINED, THESE FOUR NGOS PROVIDE CARE TO MORE THAN 85,000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, WITH A FOCUS ON GENERAL HEALTHCARE FOR PREGNANT, LACTATING WOMEN AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE. (SIERRA LEONE HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST MATERNAL AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES IN THE WORLD).(SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION)SINCE MID OF 2020, THE PANDEMIC HAS FURTHER EXPOSED WEAKNESSES IN AFRICA'S MANAGEMENT OF EMERGENCY HEALTH HAZARDS AND HAS EXPONENTIALLY DRAWN-OUT VARIOUS HEALTHCARE DEFICIENCIESFROM THE LACK OF LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, MEDICINE, AND CARE FACILITIES TO INEQUALITIES IN THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES. TO COMBAT THE CHALLENGE, IN FY 2022, BWA INCREASED AND FOCUSED ITS HEALTHCARE PROGRAM SUPPORT IN AFRICA.IN TOTAL, BWA PROVIDED $24,557 IN CASH GRANTS AND $21,586,647 GIFT IN-KIND VALUE OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES, PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT, MEDICINE, EQUIPMENT'S, WHEELCHAIRS, PRENATAL VITAMINS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS UNIFORMS TO HEALTHCARE-FOCUSED PROGRAM SUPPORT IN AFRICA. BWA IN-KIND SUPPORT IS ALIGNED WITH OUR LONG-TERM MISSION TO IMPROVE HEALTH CONDITIONS IN UNDERSERVED PARTS OF AFRICA AND TO ENSURE THAT THE CLINICS WE CONSTRUED AND HOSPITALS WE SUPPORT CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY.FHDO OPERATES THREE CLINICS IN KENEMA, FREETOWN AND BUNUMBU. THIS YEAR, THREE CLINICS RECEIVED DONATED MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO BASIC HEALTHCARE SERVICES, FHDO OPERATES A FOOD PROGRAM FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND LACTATING MOTHERS TO INCREASE THEIR VITALITY AND NUTRITION LEVEL.UMCSL HAS THREE MEMBER HOSPITALS AND FOUR HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS SIERRA LEONE WITH THE MISSION OF PROVIDING QUALITY MEDICAL CARE TO ALL PATIENTS AND MINISTERING TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING INPATIENT CARE, SURGERY, OBSTETRIC DELIVERY AND NEWBORN CARE, THE HOSPITAL PROVIDES LABORATORY, ULTRASOUND AND X-RAY SERVICES. FULL-SERVICE OUTPATIENT CLINICS ARE OPERATED SIX DAYS PER WEEK ALONG WITH A FULL MALNUTRITION PROGRAM IN THE AREA. THIS YEAR UMCSL MEMBER HOSPITALS AND CLINICS RECEIVED MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND MEDICINE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 ("FY20") FOR THE FIRST TIME, BWA PARTNERED WITH RURAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION SIERRA LEONE (RYDO-SL). THE GOAL OF RYDO-SL IS TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES BY BUILDING CAPACITIES AND PROMOTING SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BWA PROVIDED MEDICINE, MEDICAL SUPPLIES EQUIPMENT AND CASH GRANTS TO SUPPORT RYDO-SL WORKS. AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS BWA ACCOMPLISHED WAS THE RENOVATION OF MOKOBA CLINIC, A 20-YEAR-OLD BUILDING THAT HAD FALLEN INTO DISREPAIR. THIS IS THE ONLY CLINIC IN THE RURAL VILLAGE OF MOKOBA, AND IT SERVES MORE THAN 5,000 INDIVIDUALS PER YEAR, AS THERE ARE NO OTHER HEALTHCARE SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE VICINITY. IF BWA HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN SPONSORING THE RENOVATION COSTS OF THIS PROJECT, THE CLINIC WOULD HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CLOSE PERMANENTLY BY GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES. IN ADDITION, BWA PROVIDED GRANTS TO RYDO-SL TO MAKE REUSABLE MASKS AVAILABLE TO FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND THE MOST VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. THIS IS THE MOST COST-EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO PROVIDING HEALTHCARE SUPPLIES TO PREVENT COVID-19 TRANSMISSION. RYDO DISTRIBUTED THE REUSABLE MASKS TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS AT FOUR VILLAGE CLINICS. IN CAMEROON, BWA HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH HOPE SERVICES MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL ("HSMI") BASED IN YAOUND AND DOUALA SINCE 2011. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS ORGANIZATION IS TO PROVIDE HOLISTIC CARE PRIMARILY IN AREAS OF MEDICINE, PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL NEEDS, AND EDUCATION. THE HOSPITALS IN YAOUND AND DOUALA MEET THE NEEDS OF MORE THAN 65,000 PEOPLE EACH YEAR AT LITTLE OR NO COST TO THE PATIENTS. ADDITIONALLY, HSMI PROVIDES MEDICAL OUTREACH TO VILLAGES IN THE NORTHWEST REGION TWICE A YEAR. LAST YEAR, BWA PROVIDED GRANT FUNDING FOR THE EXPANSION OF A MATERNITY WARD PROJECT AT THE DOUALA HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES. IN KERICHO, KENYA BWA HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH KEBENETI DISPENSARY. THE CLINIC PROVIDES SERVICES FOR MORE THAN 1,320 INDIVIDUALS PER YEAR. IN ETHIOPIA, BWA PARTNERED WITH WOLDIA UNIVERSITY AND HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY. WOLDIA UNIVERSITY IS LOCATED IN NORTH ETHIOPIA, ABOUT 115 KM FROM THE SMALL TOWN OF LALIBELA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST STANDING SACRED SITES WHERE ELEVEN MEDIEVAL MONOLITHIC CHURCHES WERE CARVED OUT OF ROCK. ONE OF THE MISSIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY IS THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITY TO THE SOCIETY IN AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND OTHERS BY IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH SUPPORT SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO OVER 50 DEPARTMENTS, WOLDIA UNIVERSITY HAS PUBLIC HEALTH, NURSING, AND MEDICAL LABORATORY DEPARTMENTS. THROUGH THESE DEPARTMENTS, THE UNIVERSITY REACHES THE NEEDIEST INDIVIDUALS BY COLLABORATING ITS WORKS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH CENTERS AND HOSPITALS. HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY IS LOCATED IN THE EASTERN REGION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA. THIS LEARNING INSTITUTION IS COMPRISED OF TEN OR MORE COLLEGES OF VARIOUS DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING A COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND COLLEGE OF HEALTH EDUCATION. HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY ALSO HAS A CAMPUS CLINIC, COMMUNITY CLINICS, AND HOSPITALS THAT PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH SERVICES TO A POPULATION OF MORE THAN 50,000 RESIDENTS. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, BWA AFRICA DONATED MEDICINE, WHEELCHAIRS, EYEGLASSES, HEALTHCARE SUPPLIES, AND HYGIENE ITEMS THAT SERVED MORE THAN 12,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021 ("FY21"), FOR THE FIRST TIME, BWA PARTNERED WITH OUR AIM FOUNDATION IN MALAWI. THE GOAL OF OUR AIM FOUNDATION IS INSPIRING HOPE, DIGNITY, AND EMPOWERMENT IN COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING SUSTAINED SUPPORT TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.OUR AIM FOUNDATION OPERATES A HEALTH CENTER TONGOZOLA, MCHINJI DISTRICT, MALAWI. THE HEALTH CENTER PROVIDES SERVICES FOR ABOUT 100 INDIVIDUAL EACH DAY. BWA PROVIDED MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT TO STRENGTHEN THE HEALTH CENTER CAPACITIES.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:SINCE BWA'S FORMATION IN 1997, ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES HAS BEEN PROMOTING FOOD SECURITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH AGRICULTURE.IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SIMPLY GIVE A FAMILY A BAG OF RICE, WHICH MAY PROVIDE SUSTENANCE FOR A WEEK OR TWO; THAT IS A SHORT-TERM, TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO A COMPLEX PROBLEM THROUGHOUT SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. (SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION)THE ANSWER IS TO PROVIDE AFRICANS WITH THE EDUCATION AND MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES USING THEIR OWN SMALL PLOTS OF LAND, CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR FOOD SECURITY FOR TODAY, TOMORROW, AND YEARS TO COME. IN TOTAL, BWA PROVIDED $108,695 IN CASH GRANTS TO SUPPORT FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROJECTS, WORKING WITH THE FHDO AND RYDO IN SIERRA LEONE AND KABWATA ORPHANAGE AND TRANSIT CENTER ("KOTC") IN ZAMBIA.AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS BWA COMPLETED IN FY 2021 AND FY 2022 WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF 240 ACRES OF LAND IN SIERRA LEONE TO GROW ESSENTIAL FOOD STAPLESINCLUDING CASSAVA, RICE, LOCAL VEGETABLES, AND GROUNDNUTSIN A FOOD SELF-SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. THIS SUPPORTS THE CHILDREN LIVING AT KAREN BAIRD CHILDREN'S HOME, AS WELL AS IMPOVERISHED CHILDREN LIVING WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS IN THE RUTILE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, THIS YEAR WE SHIPPED A TRACTOR AND PLOW DISKS TO SUPPORT THE KBCH FOOD SELF-SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMIN ZAMBIA, BWA SPONSORED THE KOTC GREENHOUSE PROJECT AND DEVELOPED SIX ADDITIONAL ACRES OF LAND ON WHICH TO GROW VEGETABLES, CORN, AND FRUIT. THE GREENHOUSE COVERS AN AREA OF 40 METERS BY 80 METERS, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 34,426 SQUARE FEETAN AREA LARGE ENOUGH TO GROW AN ABUNDANCE OF PRODUCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR THE CHILDREN LIVING AT THE KOTC AND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ITS OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES (WHICH FOCUSES ON CHILDREN AND ELDERS). THE PROJECT HELPED THE KOTC TO REDUCE UP TO 65% OF ITS FOOD EXPENSES. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT ACHIEVEMENT, AS HYPERINFLATION IS A SIGNIFICANT CONCERNESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO ESSENTIAL COMMODITIESDUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

ORPHAN CARE:MANY CHILDREN IN AFRICA HAVE BEEN MADE ORPHANS BECAUSE OF HIV/AIDS, PREVENTABLE DISEASES, WARFARE, AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS THAT HAVE PRE-MATURELY CLAIMED THE LIVES OF THEIR PARENTS. WITHOUT HELP, THESE CHILDREN HAVE LITTLE HOPE FOR PROSPECTS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT, AND SOMETIMES EVEN FOR SURVIVAL. WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS' EFFORTS TO GIVE THESE CHILDREN A BRIGHTER FUTURE AND THUS GRANTED $100,695 TO ORPHANAGES IN THREE COUNTRIES THIS YEAR.(SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION)IN KENYA, THE LEWA CHILDREN'S HOME ("LCH") IS A MODEL FOR THE MANY OTHER PROGRAMS WE SUPPORT. THE LCH BEGAN WHEN BWA'S VOLUNTEER SPOKESPERSON PHYLLIS KEINO TOOK IN FOUR CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS - WHO HAD BEEN GOOD FRIENDS OF THE KEINO FAMILY - DIED IN A CAR CRASH IN THE EARLY 1970S. TODAY, THE LCH PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SHELTER AND CARE FOR 40 CHILDREN ON-SITE, PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR 9 INDIVIDUALS FROM THE ELDORET COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDES 18 ADDITIONAL CHILDREN FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WITH MONEY FOR SCHOOL FEES AND NECESSITIES LIKE FOOD AND CLOTHING. OVER THE YEARS, PHYLLIS HAS EXPANDED HER EFFORTS BY FOUNDING THE KIPKEINO PRIMARY SCHOOL AND BARAKA FARM, ALL WITHIN THE SAME 500-ACRE COMPLEX, WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY STRONGER. BWA CONTINUED ITS ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF THE LCH IN 2022 WITH GRANT FUNDING USED FOR THE UPKEEP OF THE HOME AND TO PROVIDE OPERATIONAL DAILY SUPPORT.THE KABWATA ORPHANAGE AND TRANSIT CENTRE ("KOTC"), LOCATED IN LUSAKA, ZAMBIA, WAS FOUNDED BY ANGELA MIYANDA TO PROVIDE A LOVING, CARING, SECURE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ORPHANS IN THIS COUNTRY. KOTC HAS EXPANDED ITS OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE. MOST OF THE CHILDREN TAKEN IN BY KOTC HAVE LOST THEIR PARENTS TO THE TERRIBLE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN THE COUNTRY. THE KOTC PROVIDES QUALITY NUTRITION, SHELTER, EDUCATION, AND SKILLS TRAINING FOR 120 ORPHANS AND MORE THAN 30 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO BENEFIT FROM THESE SERVICES, WHICH BWA IS PROUD TO FUND. AS IT CONTINUES DOWN ITS PATH TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY, THE CENTRE DEVELOPED AN INCOME-GENERATING PROJECT. THE SHINGA DEVELOPMENT TRUST (LERATO CHILDREN'S HOME) IN MUTARE, ZIMBABWE REACHES OUT TO OVER 200 CHILDREN PER YEAR THROUGH THEIR FEEDING AND NUTRITION AND SCHOOL FEE SUPPORT PROGRAMS. GIVEN THE DESPERATE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE (WITH AN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF 95% AND PER CAPITA GDP OF UNDER $100), THE SHINGA DEVELOPMENT TRUST'S MISSION IS TO CARE FOR THE NEEDIEST CHILDREN. SHINGA PROVIDED SCHOOL FEES, A FOOD PROGRAM AND FOSTER CARE SPONSORSHIP TO MANY CHILDREN IN THE AREA. CURRENTLY, THE HOME SHELTERS AND CARES FOR 24 CHILDREN ON-SITE AND MORE TO COME AS THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SENDS MORE CHILDREN.

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