Tabitha Sale This Week @ Boutiques Fort Canning

Tabitha will be participating in the Boutiques Fort Canning Fair this Tuesday and Wednesday 23rd and 24th November. Please come along to this fun fair and pick up some Tabitha goodies in time for Christmas!

October Schools Update

Dear Friends,

This past week saw the flooding in Cambodia finally receding and highways open so that I could travel.  A few weeks ago was the beginning of the new school year here in Cambodia. Like all things, education for the children is an education for all of us at Tabitha. When we started building schools in our communities several years ago, we were not aware of how few of our children actually attend school. For primary school children, about 20% attend at least two years of primary school – sometimes three in their lifetime – at secondary level this drops to less than 8%.

For me, it’s an awakening to another reality. I keep thinking what if I couldn’t read – something I take for granted – or I couldn’t do any math other than rudimentary forms – what would it be like if I didn’t know my name in letters – or I could never read what officials put out on in my community – simple directives like upcoming elections. What would life be really like?

Last week we traveled to a new school in Sen Jay that was just opened. The community had invited me to come and talk with them a year ago. The parents talked of how life had changed in their community with savings, wells and houses – and they now wanted a school for their children. I talked of how I expected all school age children to attend – regardless of school uniforms – I talked of how I expected the parents to support the teachers and their children in this process. Solemn promises were made and the process started. A donor was found and the 12 room school was built.

Getting to Sen Jay is always a bit of a travel nightmare – with the recent floods parts of the highway were still under water but we made it through – turning of the path towards the community we were met with mud – lots of it – and the end of the Tabitha vehicle. Last time I came the Tabitha vehicle was also stopped and we had traveled part of the way by caribao and the rest by rotor tiller and wagon. None was visible and I shuddered – walking is not my favorite pastime- walking in mud even less so- walking ten kilometers in heavy mud was not my idea of a good time. We were blessed this time as the commune chief had sent a 4 x 4 and driver and we slid and bounced our way to the school. It was worth every jolt.

Parents and children met us and we made a tour of the school. We had mandated that only 35 children should be allowed per classroom so that learning would be a bit easier. In Cambodia schools are used to the fullest capacity – two sets of students each day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I was bit dismayed to see 40 plus students in each room but what am I supposed to say. Last year only 20 kids attended school under one of Tabitha’s houses.  I can read, write, do numbers and ever so much more – who am I to deny another child that opportunity?

     

We opened another school last week – in a village called Leap in Kompong Thom. Children there didn’t even know what a school was. For these children, school is a mystery and the squiggles they see on the blackboard something very alien. But they are excited – they like hearing about new things they have never heard of – simple things like letters and numbers – they are not yet used to holding a pencil or making the pencil do what it should. It’s very humbling to see a sixteen year old struggle to make sense out of it all.

This month – we are very blessed – we had 32,526 children attend school for the first time in their lives. I thank my God that this is so – I thank all of you for making it so. Happy reading to each of you.

Janne

October Update from Tabitha Cambodia

Dear friends and partners,

This week is Pchum Ban Festival in Cambodia. Pchum Ban is equivalent to the Christian holiday of Christmas in significance for the people here. It is the time that Cambodians have to honor and remember their parents and grandparents who have passed away. There are very specific ceremonies that need to be completed in the 15 days prior to the actual Pchum Ban day itself.

The belief is that people must honor their parents/grandparents by going to seven different pagodas and bringing gifts of food to the monks. On Pchum Ban day itself, everyone must bring a variety of cooked foods plus a variety of dry foods to the pagoda before 11 o’clock in the morning. At that time, all offerings must be completed and the monks sit down to eat. The belief is that deceased parents sit down with the monks and eat the food as well. Why seven pagodas – basically, the parents are wandering souls and are looking to see if there children are honoring them – if they cannot find the offerings of their children, the souls of the parents become angry – and the children will suffer from nightmares and problems at home. A secondary problem is of course, the amount and variety of food a person brings. A small offering of just rice would not satisfy the hunger of the parents nor sustain them through out the year so pressure on families is immense.

For families in Tabitha programs, Pchum Ban becomes progressively easier as their incomes increase. When SokLee joined Tabitha 4 years ago, she lived in a small thatched home with her husband and seven children. During those years, we often talked with this family about getting a field well and using their land to better use. SokLee had lost all her family during the Khmer Rouge years – she met her husband who was also considered an orphan, the sole surviving member of his family. Over the 18 years of their marriage, bearing children was one of the few things they did well, sadly several of their babies died before they were a year old. When I would ask them, why they didn’t dare change their lives, SokLee would talk of being bad – she would re-iterate again and again, we are suffering because we are bad – I lost my family, my parents, my land, my right to go to school, my right to earn a living, my right to be a Buddhist because of the Khmer Rouge. My children die or are always sick. I have bad dreams – my parents come to me and ask me why I am so bad. I cannot think anymore. I cannot do anymore.

Their home was small and decrepit – her husband was often away trying to earn money from jobs on the border – their children would go to bed hungry. Malnutrition is a disease that weakens the body and tires the soul. Encouraging this family, like so many others takes hours of talking. Peuw, who is our project manager got increasingly frustrated with this family so last Pchum Ban, he took SokLee and her husband and 9 other family heads on a day trip to Tanong, – he did it by force – threatening dismissal from our programs unless they came and saw. In Tanong we have several hundred hectors of land under continuous use with vegetables and rice. Both groups met and talked and talked some more. They talked about being bad; they talked about being of no worth, of not being able to think anymore. They talked of the nightmares. Then our Tanong families talked about changes – about dreaming and thinking again – about working their land – about working together to make sure everyone did well. They talked about learning the markets and growing off season vegetables which results in more money for their crops. They talked about growing rice three times a year and never going hungry. The men talked of no longer needing to leave home to earn money for their families; they talked about the health of their children and the schools they are attending. They talked of the homes they have rebuilt and how good it all is. Then they talked about Pchum Ban, how the nightmares had gone and how their parents were at peace.

SokLee and her husband listened – and he did the unthinkable – he wanted a field well. It’s been 10 months since that field well was installed. The change is remarkable – this family grows mushrooms, and cucumbers’ and they make rice wine – their income has increased to $20 per day – each day. Unbelievable! But the biggest change is in them – SokLee and her husband laugh a lot – they are eager to have me come – they are eager to feed me good food, to show off their achievements, to brag about their children. They are eager to show me their neighbors and all that is going so well.

    

For so many of our families, Pchum Ban is no longer the feared holiday of the year. The nightmares are leaving, their parents are at peace. How good that is.

I thank my God, that I am so blessed and unafraid of life – I thank my God that all of you are a part of the healing of so many. May all our Pchum Bans be seasons of joy and thankfulness because of the peace we bring to others.

Janne

Margarita House Building Trip & Visit to Sue Huxley School August 2010

This year has been a very difficult year for most of our building team, as we lost our beautiful friend, Sue Huxley, to cancer in March of this year and almost immediately after we learned that Janne was diagnosed with breast cancer, another terrible shock to our team….

In honour of Sue we decided we would make our 2010 trip for her friends and family – it was amazing as we had friends come from Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and America. As most of us have been a part of the Tabitha House build over the past many years we made our “orientation” this year as visit to the “Sue Huxley  Sapor School” which was built in honour of Sue and her dedication to the Tabitha Foundation over the past 10 years.

   

We arrived in Phnom Penh on Wednesday 18^th August and then took 4 mini vans up to the school (four and a half hours drive) early on Thursday 19th.  The drive was worth it as when we arrived we were greeted by the children (who will be attending the school when it’s finished) and their families.  These people had travelled many miles by foot and bicycles so as you could imagine it was a very emotional time for our team.  The families were so over whelming, they were so thankful to us for building the school it was such a special time to be there with these amazing grateful and very humble people.

On the way back to Phnom Penh in the buses there was a long silence for quite some time as we pondered on what we had just experienced.  Oh how happy Sue would have been to see the whole thing we had just witnessed (that’s what I kept thinking to myself).

Friday 20^th and Saturday 21^st August we were all up bright and early to begin our house build, just a short one and a half hours by mini vans.  We built 21 houses on the first day and completed the next 9 houses on the Saturday morning in record time.  Once again for beautiful humbling families who were so very thankful and grateful for their new houses and to be moving from their straw thatched huts to their new Tabitha house on stilts (to be safe from the weather).

     

This year’s build was very special for myself in many ways, seeing the school, building the 30 houses and just being back in Cambodia to see how these people are moving on year after year.  They continue to amaze me with their humble, thankful attitudes.  I feel that I am a very lucky person to be able to experience this year after year with such a great team of gorgeous friends – the “Margaritas”.

Finally I want to mention and thank Janne’s staff at Tabitha – all of these wonderful people are forever committed, supportive and accommodating. I always feel they are a part of our team – go Margaritas!!.

Lisa Newman

August Update from Tabitha Cambodia

Dear friends and partners,

This month marks the end of another program year. It’s been a phenomenal year thanks to each of you.  This year we were privileged to be able to work with 33,466 families with 267,728 dependents in community development as well as 641 families with 5,128 dependents in cottage industry.  Let me share just a few highlights if I may.

This year you helped 28,754 families achieve food security of which, 19,153 families are now able to eat three meals a day.

 

You enabled another 9,387 families to be able purchase basic household goods such as pots and pans, dishes, drinking glasses, tables and chairs.  Another 11,380 families were able to purchase beds, blankets, clothing and mosquito nets.

  

 1,561 wells/ponds/reservoirs were installed which enabled another 3,610 families to have clean potable water and to earn incomes on average of $2000.00 per year – up from $300.00 per year.

  

2,224 families were able to buy bicycles this year, 5 schools were built and the savings program enabled 189,333 of our children to attend school.

  

4,621 families were able to raise pigs, 4049 families were able to raise chickens, 3,533 families raised ducks and fish.

  

1,486 families were able to raise rice year round; another 6,113 families were able to raise vegetables while another 6,676 families were able to buy farm tools and implements such as fertilizers.

We had 2,280 volunteers come from all over the world to build 1,053 houses in all project areas. Phenomenal!

These are just a few of the highlights this program year – so much more happened.

As Tabitha staff, all of us are so very thankful for the privilege of serving so many. I thank my God for each of the staff, for each of you – it is very humbling to be a part of all of this. 

Thank you,

 Janne

July Update from Tabitha Cambodia

Dear friends and partners,

It’s been a remarkable week.  Every so often I get to see the fruit of what I have done. Back in 1995, I and June Cunningham took over Cambodia House, an orphanage that had been abandoned by the person who established it. We had 32 children from under 1 to six years of age. As Tabitha was just beginning and Cambodia was still very unstable, we decided that running an orphanage was not what was best for the children and so we started a process of adoption. Over the next two years we placed all the children in adoptive families around the world.

In the ensuing years, many of the children and their families have returned to Cambodia for reunions and house building. It was good to watch these young people grow and mature. This summer marked another passage for these young people – they are either finishing high school or their first year at university. They came for a reunion – they came to house build. 

In the past, a number of these young people would talk about their desire to return to their birth country and work with the people here. They knew firsthand about the poverty and the suffering of so many. As they would say to us as parents, this could have been us. This summer was no different except that they are now young adults with a vision in mind. Several are training to be teachers, architects, contractors, etc.  Their adoptive siblings are also young adults who have caught the vision. What was clear was that house building was no longer enough. They wanted to continue impacting their birth country even while they were studying and developing skills. Over the past 6 months, these young people had done fund raising themselves and they had raised enough money for twenty houses. For them and their families it was fun and it was concrete. We talked about what they could do.

We talked about Theoun, one of our children, who had died in a tragic fire a year ago. We talked of his legacy, a school for impoverished children in Kompong Thom – a school that will be finished in August. They talked of their desire to also build a school. And so that is what they will do.

Theoun's School

My daughter Miriam is part of this process. She came home so very emotional about the impact of this past week. Mum, these are my brothers and sisters, she said. That’s what we call each other – we are all Cambodian, we are all adopted. We all want to help our fellow Cambodians. And their families mum, these are also my family. We know each other, we understand each other, and we take care of each other.  I wondered at her maturity. I want to be a doctor mum, or at least a nurse – then I too can come back and help.

Some of the 450 Students

As a parent, I often wonder if I am doing the right thing. As Cambodia House Chair I often wonder if I did the right thing. As founder and director of Tabitha I often wonder if we keep doing the right things– this week, I know it is right. 

I thank my God for the privileged life He has granted to me. I thank Him for these young people and their families for being a part of their lives. I thank my God for Miriam and her life. I thank my God for each of you – for being a part of all of this – for these young people and their families are also yours. We are doing the right thing. How good that is!

Janne

Follow Janne’s Journey with Breast Cancer

At the end of May, Janne Ritskes updated the Tabitha Singapore website with news of her early-stage breast cancer diagnosis. Please read a further message below from Janne for access to her personal blog. 

I am taken aback by the phenomenal support and response I have gotten from so many of you.  I am also a bit overwhelmed with your responses.  So many of you would like to know how it is all going, so with An Lee’s help – I have started a blog and you can keep up with the progress.

 The blog spot is: http://janneritskes.blogspot.com/

 Thanks

 Janne

An update from our new President

The new President of Tabitha Foundation Singapore, Eleanor Craig, sends the following update to our volunteers:

Last week, the new committee of Tabitha Foundation Singapore met for the first time.  Our meeting followed the AGM held the prior week, where three of the key members resigned from their board roles: AnLee Cox as President, Amy Ferguson as Vice President and JoAnn Spitzer as Treasurer and Val Kohlmayr as co-president. Three new board members were appointed, Sharon Ford as Treasurer, Scott Cowan as Vice President and myself as President.  Mylene Asselin was re-elected as Company Secretary.

Anlee, Amy and JoAnn will all continue to work as key volunteers for Tabitha in Singapore and Val is winging her way to the USA, where I am sure we will see her continuing to be involved on that side of the globe!  I just want to reiterate the thanks that were expressed at the AGM for the work all four of them did as Board Members.

Of course it isn’t just these four roles, as defined in the constitution, which make Tabitha Singapore tick, and all four of us are looking forward to working with the wide group of volunteers who make Tabitha what it is. We are working on making our web site more flexible and as we do that, we will have the opportunity to share progress on who is doing what in 2010, but in the meantime I would like to share a little bit of detail on who will be the point person for some of the areas.

The Cottage Industry will be lead by Kathleen Prudhomme, supported by Lynda Talbot. There is of course a very big team of volunteers who work in many areas of the cottage industry. Communications will be lead by Sam Samlal, supported by small team which is currently being established. Donations – AnLee Cox, with Lisa Newman continuing to coordinate all house building activities.  IT support – Kathy Cohen and Karen Gould. There are a number of areas where we have not yet confirmed the key contact person, but we will let you know when that happens.

For me, I am just very excited and honoured to be part of a group which has done so much and has so much energy to do even more.   Many people have taken time over the last few months to share with me their views and experiences with Tabitha. Thank you again if you were part of that group, and don’t be surprised if I call you again for your advice or views! Similarly if you have views or ideas for things that could make a difference to Tabitha and the events we run, please share them with me.

I count myself as having had a very blessed life, and I feel humbled when I read Janne’s monthly update. It always makes me think – what else can I, and we, do that will last a life time?   Tabitha volunteers are always busy and inventive people so there always seems to be something going on that will positively impact the Tabitha Cambodian families. Some stories are shared on the blog, but I plan to issue a Singapore update so that we can all see how our efforts have made a direct impact in Cambodia.

Many thanks,

Eleanor Craig

President
Tabitha Foundation Singapore

Letter from Janne Ritskes – May 2010

Janne Ritskes

An important update from Tabitha founder, Janne Ritskes

Dear friends and partners,

It’s a bit of a hard newsletter this morning – I have been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer – prognosis is excellent – but the process is a bit daunting.

Silk Fair in Pictures

The 2010  Spring Silk Fair, held as always in the fabulous surrounds of The Shophouse at Gillman Village, was an enormous success, and we’re delighted to share some pictures of the gorgeous displays, happy customers, and most importantly, the enthusiastic volunteers who made it all come together. A heartfelt thank you from Tabitha Foundation Singapore to everyone who helped in the planning, sale and aftermath of our flagship event. And to those who made a purchase, we hope you’re enjoying your luxurious silk goodies. While the final numbers are still being tallied, we can tell you the funds raised from this fair will make a difference to hundreds of lives in Cambodia. Tabitha Singapore gratefully acknowledges the generosity of The Shophouse, Laura Bartlett and her staff for hosting the Tabitha Silk Fair, and Santa Fe Relocation Services, for their fabulous support in providing transport staff and services. We truly couldn’t have done it without you.

Images primarily from Scott Cowan, with additional contributions from Eleanor Craig. Our thanks to both! If anyone else would like to contribute pictures, please email them to karenlgould ( at ) gmail.com