Saturday, April 07, 2018

Early April updates

So much happening!

BIG announcement:

BIG NEWS!!!

Next trip: May 15-22 (assuming we get people signed up) back to Dickinson Texas. We'd love to have you along with us!

Other updates:

* Spring into Bonas went very well! Thank you to those who came out and helped!
* The aquaponics program at Portville school is almost ready. Great great work by Natalie and Evan of UrbanBiosphere!
* On April 19 we have 25 high school students coming from Olean High School to Campus to see what a day in college is like. If you are on campus and can help, we would LOVE the help!
* BonaResponds/Positive agreed to buy approximately 500 coffee trees in Les Cayes. $150 a year will be given back to an agriculture fund once the trees start producing.
* 20 fishermen ended their three days of training on loans for nets. Tomorrow they will clean up the beaches by where they fish. Next week they will be able to go back to their jobs for the first time in 18 months (since Matthew). EXCELLENT work by Jean Emmanuel Verdier and his crew!
* Harvests in Sierra Leone went great. Bangura Alimamy Tejan is doing a great job over there and we hope to be long-term partners.
* I think we are now over 115 microloans (mainly through Tout Moun Se Moun and PositiveRipples ) in Les Cayes and Leogane Haiti have all been paid off :)
* FINALLY getting updates from Bishop Nelson Sampson Boegbah and his crew in Liberia. This has been our most difficult program this year. The need is so great there, but we need a better system. A work in progress :) :) The Ebola orphans cannot be forgotten. PERIOD!
* Refunds for Praebibo should finally have gone out this week. Sorry for the delay.
* We are looking for a used van/truck. Possibly Explorer? Any suggestions/donations would be great!
* The Trails have taken a beating due to the winter storms. We have been out numerous times already but there is much work to be done.
* Two great videos focusing on BonaResponds/@Chris Branche came out this week for Spring Into Bonas:

* Next big things internationally: WE HOPE: water well near Les Cayes Haiti, aquaponics near Leogane Haiti, a Cassava farm in Sierra Leone, another payment for the Ebola Orphans in Liberia, and a shipment of medical and school supplies (maybe some sporting goods too?) to Haiti.

* Coming up locally: many many wheelchair ramps are lined up as soon as the snow leaves.

Thanks everyone!!!

(to donate for the international projects, please donate at https://PostiveRipples.org)

jim