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Thanks for visiting our website and learning about our charity that helps impoverished children stay in school.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Du'an Vaccination Project




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  Our First Project in  2010  
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Du'an Vaccination Project
Climbing Mountains
Medical Care is Valued
Grant Proposal in Process

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$177 a year. 

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5K Run for Families
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Du'an Vaccination Project

We have just gotten pictures of our village project among the Yao minority in the Du'an Township of the Hechi Prefecture in the Guangxi Province of China.

We are working with Mandy Ma, a resident of that area who has devised a way to help the children of Du'an avoid another disease outbreak like the measles epidemic that broke out there and spread to all of China three years ago. These kids have received their shots and are smiling for the camera. 


There are 320 children (0 -14 years old) in the Gejia community area and 360 children (0 -14 years old) in the Datong community area. 680 kids are getting vaccinated for several childhood diseases. 13 babies are born every year per 1000 people in Longfu Township. Six people out of every thousand die each year. Most families have three children because the one child policy in China does not apply to minority groups.

T

here are 1,300 people in Gejia Village and 
1,400 people in Datong Village.

Climbing Mountains



Health care workers have to travel on foot for more than two hours to meet the villagers. The area is suffering a drought. Water is precious.
 

They carry their supplies on their backs and work with native healers to protect the health of the villagers. It takes really dedicated health professionals to work in such areas. 

Medical Care is Valued 


It is so far to the nearest hospital that we are interested in preventive care to keep the Yao children healthy. They are gettingencephalitis shots in this picture.  


They live in a Yaoautonomousminority area much like the American Indians.  They have their own customs, values, and language  that only a native healer would know and understand. Presently we are doing a pilot project with two village healers

Du'an is one of the poorest townships of Guangxi and is listed by UNESCO as not fit for human habitation. The population is 630,000. The number of children 0 -14 in age is 119,143.

There are many disabled children and those living with relatives and neighbors when their parents become migrant laborers. A child's right to an education is in their registered home area, so school age children are left behind while parents work in distant factories.

The average income is 60 yuan a month, which is under $9 US. The $15 monthly salary we pay the village healers is above average. 

Grant Proposal in Process


We are now in the process of writing a grant that would give these native healers training in basic health care and water purification methods. We need several professional health teachers to help these native healers. We plan to use the book, Where There are no Doctors, which can be purchased in China. It is used all over the world and has been translated into many languages.
We will ask for funds for a training class in water purification with simple equipment like car batteries. Amy Chen, who is the Vice Dean of Health for the Longfu Township Health Center, is now helping us with information to apply for the grant.

She says that the medical workers are very excited about such a course for village healers. They want to send representatives from other townships to learn the methods and take them back to their areas. They have never had such a much needed course before.

Mandy Ma, who was a translator for World Visionwhen I met her, is doing the neededtranslation between the Chinese health experts and our grant writers and planners.

We will apply for the initial grant on July 1st, and if we are selected to follow through, we will submit the full proposal in September with money being given in December 2010 for a year's project.


This vaccinationcertificate is given to the children.  






We have a foundation in mind, but they will want to see matching funds. That is where you can help.If you have a foundation or personally want to give to help this health education project, please let usknow. You can give a small donation of $35 at thislink. 

We have been invited to teach all the village healers in Du'an, but we are not sure if we can get enough funds to do that. We want to pay at least 16 more village healers $15 a month to assist  their schools and communities with vaccinations. That would cost $2,880 a year.

Wouldn't it be great if  each child in the Longfu area had an egg a day to improve their nutrition. In this poverty area this would make a great difference in their ability to learn. Eggs are very expensive, however. It cost 88 cents for 6 to 7 eggs. If local eggs were used, it would give the people an income.

The hospital also needs a medical van to carry 11 medical workers to the trail heads and transport patients who come down the trails to the hospital. Women often die in labor, because they don't have a way to get to the hospital quickly.

The government is offering matching funds for a van that could double as an emergency ambulance. It would come to just $4,000 US for a part in the van. 
What a great opportunity for someone to buy an simple ambulance. 
About Us

Blessing Hands serves the poor in Guangxi Province by giving educational and medical aid to children. You have an opportunity to help them too. Please support them with this project. 
Sincerely,
Betty Cutts
Blessing Hands



If you are a medical professional? 

You can help. Perhaps you would like to go along to teach in our course for native healers. Maybe you have medical items to donate that could travel in a suitcase to China.  They need things like blood pressure cuffs, first aid supplies, surgical scissors, thermometers or other supplies that the hospital or native healers would appreciate as gifts.

This e-mail link will let you contact us. 

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

5 K Run for Families


Blessing Hands

5 K Run for Families
Benefits Habitat for Humanity and Blessing Hands
Saturday, April 24, 2010 
Registration begins at  8:30 am; Run Starts: 9:30 am
Kroger Center at exit 137 from Interstate 64 in Morehead, Ky 40351
Register Online now and save the rush on the day of the race.
5 K Run for Families 

Entry Fees
$15 for adults (T-shirt $12.60 extra)
$10 for students
Children under 12 free 

Awards:
Awards and categories will be divided by age and gender into classes for Runners + Grand Prize for the fastest overall time.
Walkers and volunteers are eligible for lots of door prizes
Runner Ages: 18 and under, 19 to 25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65, 66 +
Teams: Teams of any number are encouraged to collect pre-race donations. 
The team that raises the most will receive special recognition.Greeks, school and youth groups, family, and business teams are welcomed.
 Print out the individual  Fund Raising Form to fill out and mail. Print out the Team Fund Raising Form to bring the day of the race or mail. 
Directions:  Map link   
Kroger Center at exit 137 from interstate 64 in Morehead
Plenty of Parking
 at Kroger Center
Benefits: 
Your generosity will help families have new homes in the Morehead
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Area and educate students in our Sister City of Yangshuo, China.


Volunteers: 
Contact Ezra Dike atdirector@Moreheadhabitat.org
606 784 8408
Contact Information:
Ezra Dikes or Betty Cutts
 
Phone: 606 784 8408 or 606 784 4785

Sponsored by:
Platinum Level Sponsors
The Salon and Day Spa, Drugs, Whitaker Bank, St. Claire Medical Center, Good Shepherd Printing, Sustainable Morehead, Hamilton, Inc, Commercial Signs, Freedom Radio FM 91.7, Main Street Textbooks, Northcutt and Son Home for Funerals, All Seasons Flowers and Gifts, Emerson Power Transmission, Colorama, La Finca Restaurant, Cici's Pizza Buffet, Curves of Morehead, Health Mangement Resources (HMR Diet Program), Harold White Lumber Company, Morehead Cimemas, Gatti's Pizza, Spurlock Spine Center, Daddy's Daughter, Dr. Anthony Mayo, O.D., Huddle House, Dr. Ann Colbert. 
Gold Level Sponsors
WMKY, Reno's Roadhouse, Ann's Hair and Body Shop, U.S. Bank, China Cafe, Wholesale Auto Parts, Designs by Jacquelyn, Wendy's, Rowan County Veterinary Clinic, Richie's Auto Detailing, Chris's Guitar Shop, Appalachian Goldsmith Company, Every Ladies Health and Fitness, C. Roger Lewis Agency, Mr. and Mrs. Craig Burrows, Wal-Mart Vision Center, Every Bodies Fitness 24-7, Great Clips, Lowe's,  Everybody Ladies' Fitness, Morehead Dental Group. Ann's Hair and Body Shop, Gold Emporium, Domino's Pizza, Lowe's Home Improvement, Beverly J. Powell, Cave Run Bike and Outdoor Center, MSU Bookstore, Gold Emporium, 
Silver Level Sponsors

Hair Expressions, Sloan Market, Morehead Tire and Auto, Shoney's, Major Brands, Jeannette's Catering, Media One, Mustard Seed Christian Book Store, MSU Bookstore, McDonald's, Mary's Hair Fashions, Blessing Hands,  Stuckey's Beauty Shop, McDonald's, Cindy's New Image, Major Brands, Expressions Salon, Jeanette's Catering, Sunshine World Car Wash, Aaron's Best One, Auto Zone, Great Clips, Woody's Hair Shop, Kroger's 
                                   Door Prizes given by:
e-campus.com, Kroger, Penn Station, Cici's Pizza, The Villa, Scrub Shack,  Frozili's, People's Outlet, Bo's Barber Shop, Creative Touch Florist, Fitpursuit.com, Big 4 Lumber Company, Melini Cucina, Wal-mart Subway, Smart Style Family Hair Salon, PostNet 
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Blessing Hands
106 Timber Lane
Morehead, Kentucky 40351