Report: Summer 2004

Hello and greetings from the 100 Friends Project!
This is the 100 Friends Humanitarian Mission field report for the Summer, 2004. I am Marc Gold and I started this small project in 1989. The idea is very simple. Every year about 100 people contribute to the project and I take the money to Third World Countries and look for the neediest people I can find. I then put the money to work in the most compassionate, appropriate, culturally compatible, constructive and practical manner possible. I pay for my own travel expenses. I have been able to provide assistance to hundreds of needy people in many countries. I have now completed nine humanitarian missions and dispensed over $65,000 directly into the hands of hundreds of people in great need.

We try to find people who are not being assisted by anyone else. We make sure that the person needing the help really receives it. A little bit of money goes a long way. The 100 Friends Project operates under the auspices of the Foundation for Sustainable Development, is a 501(c) 3 tax-deductible charity organization.

About 90% of the funds go directly into the hands of needy individuals (especially women and children) and small grassroots organizations for medical, educational, vocational, emergency assistance and other expenses. There are no strings attached. The project website (www.100friendsproject.org) has hundreds of photos and past reports documenting how the money is put to use.

Your donations (tax deductible) are always appreciated. For information about how to donate go here: www.100friends.com/donate.html

The 100 Friends Project is a project of the Foundation for Sustainable Development. I thank all of you for your support and encouragement in this work. There is so much that needs to be done!

In June, 2004 I started off in Istanbul, Turkey. This was my third trip to Turkey and I have many friends there known as the Mevlevi. They were extremely happy to help me find three people who really needed help from 100 Friends:

1. June 24, 2004. Istanbul. I met a 10 year old little girl named Sutron at a school that serves the poor. The school is called Huseyin Temizel, located far from the center of Istanbul. She is severely cross-eyed and the other children make fun of her disability, she cannot read and she suffers from dizziness. She needed an eye operation some time ago but the family could not afford it.


She told me she wanted the operation more than anything. I sometimes tell aid recipients that the best way to repay the grant is to pass it on to others (I never make this a condition for receiving the aid, its voluntary). So I gave them an extra $20 and told them to save $10 over the next year (they can afford this) and then take the $30 total and give it to someone really needy where they live. People ALWAYS love this idea. I call it “Paying it Forward” after the film. They will report back to me through the principal of the school. The operation, which costs $150, will take place by the end of July, 2004. Total donation $170.

2. June 24, 2004. Istanbul. Paid for medical expenses for a cleaning woman named Mrs. Zeynep. She has two children. Mrs. Zeynup's spine is broken at the tailbone and both of her ears are infected. She is in constant pain and cannot sit down for more than 5 minutes at time. She needs the funds for medical attention and medicine. I gave her $150 for her treatment. “Paying it Forward” principle also was utilized.

3. June 26, 2004. Istanbul. I met a 22 yr. old young man named Mr. Ramazan. He has brain cancer. I met him at a flat where he is given support by a circle of friends. He has to go to the clinic for radiation treatments often and it is VERY difficult for him to get there. He requested $100 for taxi money, so it will be much easier to get to the clinic for his treatments. I happily gave to him. He has a wonderful spirit and showed great courage.


Next stop: Afghanistan: This is my second visit to Afghanistan. The fact that I was here last year and have good contacts is REALLY paying off. I feel really sad to leave here in a few days. I wish I could spend years here, the needs are so many, this place cries out for help wherever you look. Twenty-three years of war only ended a few years ago. I wish more Americans and other foreigners would come here to help. It’s not nearly as dangerous as the media has led us to believe. After dinner the other night two tanks filled with US soldiers, heavily armed, and greeted me as I left a local restaurant with friends. Al Qaeda? Watch out for the Americans!

The reason why I love this country is the incredible spirit and warmth of the people, the courage and work spent rebuilding a country shattered by 23 years of war. Also: the deep appreciation they have expressed to me for my small efforts, the amazing way the people look, their music, their food, their customs, the mountains and most of all the children are delightful. Go here to see many pictures:
http://images.google.com/images?q=afghanistan&ie=UTF8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search

4. June 27, 2004. Kabul. Made a donation to PARSA, the women's center I visited last year: www.parsa-afghanistan.org

I had a wonderful reunion with my friends there. Donated $500 for help in running various programs for women and children. I urge you to support them; they operate their programs on a shoestring.


5. June 28, 2004. Kabul. Donated $100 for living expenses to the Gul Jan Family. I met this family last year and 100 Friends paid for windows, doors and a heater so they could be warm in the bitter winters here. Another wonderful reunion.

6. June 30, 2004. Kabul. Donated $1,000 to AWEC: Afghan Women's Educational Center: www.awec.info/

The money is to help women who are in prison here under terrible conditions. Their children are in prison along with the Moms, so the money will benefit them as well. This story shows the kinds of reasons women are imprisoned:
www.csmonitor.com/2004/0428/p15s01-wosc.html

AWEC will make reports to me every three months documenting how the money will be used. In general, they will use the grant for supplies (food, medicine, blankets, toiletries etc.), training for income-generation, costs to help with the children and funds to help the women and children upon release. No funds will be used for salaries and other administrative costs.

July 1, 2004. Kabul. I went with social workers from the staff from the PARSA Women's Project to meet three desperately poor and needy families. I have worked with PARSA in the past and they are honest, intelligent, compassionate and easy to work with. They are in touch with many, many families who have many problems rooted in poverty, war, discrimination and other causes. If I had the funds to help 50,000 families we would have no problem finding them. (Note to self: New project idea: 100,000 Friends?)

Here is the story of these three families:

7. July 1, 2004. Kabul. The first family lives in a part of Kabul called Shar-e-Kuna. This is a very poor, hot, and crowded area. The poverty I witnessed today was as stark and intense and grinding as anything I have seen in the 14 years I have been doing this work in Third World Countries. What I witnessed really took my breath away.

The family name is Mohammed Akbar. They have been given a very small rent-free room to live in a tiny mosque by the local Mullah. Six people shared one room, father and mother and four children ages 12 to 22 years old. There are no windows or doors and this makes it extremely cold in the winter (Kabul is at 5,000 feet) and they only have thin plastic flaps to keep out the wind. It also means there are lots of flies and dust in the summer. The room could only be described as extremely grimy and unclean. But nonetheless I felt welcomed and was warmly greeted. The parents were not at home. The father, in his 60's, can only earn income by begging. He brings in perhaps $10 per month. The mother has a job as a cleaning lady in a local hospital earning perhaps $30 per month.

The four children (2 males and 2 females) are all severely physically handicapped. They have a disease which seems almost definitely to be muscular dystrophy, which is characterized by progressive weakness and wasting of the voluntary muscles that control body movement. As muscle tissue weakens and wastes away, it is replaced by fatty and connective tissue. The onset of the disease in this family is typically around 10 to 12 years old.

They all exhibit extreme difficulty walking or using their hands and arms. In fact, they have to drag themselves on the floor tin order to move. They are continuously in a great deal of pain. They have no medical care and the medical care in Kabul is almost completely useless in any event. If one has no money for paying the doctor baksheesh (bribe or tip) then you are really going to get no care or inadequate care. The children are completely unable to work or go to school and the four of them share one rickety, hand-operated wheelchair. They were very kind to me and they answered all of my questions and allowed me to take photos. They said to send their deep thanks to the 100 Friends.

I donated 14,000 Afghanis ($325) to this family. The money will of necessity be controlled by the social workers from PARSA. So 5,400 Afghanis ($125) will be used to construct windows and doors. This will be completed by July 8th. The other $200 (8,600 Afghanis) is to help them month to month just to survive (food, medicine, clothing and other supplies). The 1440 Afghanis per month ($30) will last for seven months and will make a huge difference in their lives.

In the meantime, PARSA has made contacts with some other NGOs (non-profit organizations) in Kabul that may be able to provide more long-term assistance. Plan B is for 100 Friends to provide more support in the future. Because of the circumstances of this family, no income-generating projects seem possible in the future and there are very few social services in Afghanistan at this time. A desperate situation, indeed.

8. July 1, 2004. Kabul. The second family is known as Khori Gul. They live in a neighborhood of Kabul called Koi-da-Mazang. In the USA, the higher up the hill you go the higher the price of a house because of the commanding view. It is the opposite case here in Kabul because in the hills there is often no electricity, water, sewage system, paved roads or other services. On the way to visiting the family the smell of shit and piss was very, very strong.

When we walked into the room we discovered a 60 year old woman (she looked to be 90) lying by herself in the middle of a dirty and very hot room. She was groaning with pain and nausea and she looked very sick indeed. Upon seeing us she started to weep. Her legs were quite swollen and she is completely unable to take of herself. Her rent is 480 Afghanis per month ($10).


She only has one relative, a son. He earns a meager amount shining shoes in the market. While the son is at work, a neighbor checks in occasionally to help the old woman. If you were with me in this filthy hot room and saw this helpless old woman lying alone in squalor you would feel as sad as I did and would want to help in some way.

It made me think of that forgotten but huge tragedy, the plight of the elderly all over the world, in countries rich and poor. But it was particularly poignant in this setting. All I could do was hold her hand while she spoke to me in Dari (local language) about her plight. I gave the social workers 6,500 Afghanis ($150) for the Khori Gul family, which will be about $20 per month, lasting seven months. The monthly visits by the social workers are as important as the money itself. The social workers will also try to find some long-term assistance for the family.

9. July 1, 2004. Kabul. The third family we visited is called the Soraya Family. They also live in the area known as Koi-da-Mazang. They are a father and mother living with two daughters. One daughter is a war widow, her husband having been killed during the wars. The second daughter, now 18 years old, was severely injured in a rocket attack that landed in her neighborhood while she was coming home from school. Now she cannot walk, has a deformed arm and is always in a lot of pain. They cannot afford any medical treatment. The family will receive 5,400 Afghanis ($125) to help them with medical treatment and other living expenses over the next seven months.

Seeing these three families took most of the day and the total donation was $600. I will be visiting and helping some other families during my stay in Kabul.

10. July 3, 2004. Kabul. Went to a State orphanage called Parwarishgah-e-Watan. There are 700 children who live there. The staff is really overwhelmed and they are greatly under funded, to sat\y the least. Each orphan has horrible stories of things that have happened to them in their short lives, be it war, poverty or both. http://pz.rawa.org/rawa/kab-orphan.htm

Amazing things happened at this orphanage. The kids are so hungry for attention.

I met a very special 9 year old boy with hydrocephalic head, 100 Friends providing some special treatment for him. He has requested to go for a ride in car, which he has never done. So I took him for a drive on July 4th to the (pitiful but to him magical) Kabul Zoo in a taxi that I rented.
http://members.tripod.com/~animom/kabulzoo.html

He has nothing...no family, very limited treatment. He craves someone to talk to. I held him and we took pictures. He does have a shunt but the danger of infection is considerable. He has a wonderful personality. His head is HUGE, twice the size of his body. He looks a little like the guy in Elephant Man, the play and movie. Also contributed $300 to the orphanage for medicine and taxi money to take kids to the hospital for emergencies, no ambulance service here!

11. July 4, 2004. Kabul. Went back to the Parwarishgah-e-Watan Orphanage and met a 13 year old boy named Safi who needed an operation for tonsillitis. He has needed the operation for a long time and if it gets any worse it could be fatal. The orphanage simply doesn’t have the money to pay for it. $60 solved that problem! Surgery takes place in a few days.

12. July 4, 2004. Kabul. The other day I went with Meena (little girl with the heart defect) to the hospital for an echocardiogram and x-rays. It turns out she doesn't need surgery, at least for some time. We are sending her to a specialist in Pakistan in a few months...it looks good for her; it may heal by itself with the help of medication. The specialist will make the final decision. 100 Friends will pay for the expenses to see a specialist in Peshawar, Pakistan. Donated $160 to Meena family (Modami family for living expenses).

13. July 5, 2004. Kabul, Afghanistan. Donated 6,135 Afghanis ($140) to the Aqla Family.
The social workers from the PARSA Women’s Project took me here. They live in a VERY poor area of Kabul called Sano-to-Riam. Aqla Family. There are 17 people in the family including 12 children. The only one who was able to find work is the grandmother. She makes $150 per month and one son makes a pittance as a laborer. Grandma is a cleaning lady in an office. One son is mentally ill. Their rent is 4,000 Afghanis per month ($91). The donation from 100 Friends is towards rent, food, medicine, etc. The family will save and donate 440 ($10) Afghanis to give to another poor family.

14. July 5, 2004. Kabul, Afghanistan. Donated 2,630 Afghanis ($60) to the Amir Khan.
This is an amazing story. Amir Khan is a man about 32 years old who lost both legs and most of the fingers of his left hand to a landmine during the war. I met him on the streets of Kabul in July 2003. He had no place to stay and we gave him $100 for to rent a room. He had been living on the street and was in a very poor condition. Then, one year later, I ran into him again last summer on the streets of Kabul! He was so happy to see me and he went on and on about how much better he is faring since last year because he has a room of his own. He looked much better than last year and I gave him $60 to help him in the coming year.

15. Kabul, Afghanistan. Donated 6,135 Afghanis ($140) to the Mir Ahmed Family. This Afghani family consists of a husband, wife and six children (one son/five daughters) ranging in age from 8 to 17. One daughter has polio and cannot walk. The parents are elderly. The Mother is a teacher whose salary is 2,000 Afghanis per month ($41). The Father has no job, is ill and begs to bring in extra money. They often can’t pay their expenses (rent, school expenses, food, etc. One daughter has polio and cannot walk. Their rent is 3,000 Afghanis ($70) per month. I gave them $140 and 500 Afghanis to give to another poor family. (In this case and many others, the money is given to my trusted contact, the social workers, who then visit the families on a regular basis and then give them some of the money each visit.)

16. July 5, 2004 Kabul, Afghanistan. Donated 10,520 Afghanis ($240) to the Lili Sabri Family. This family has been beset by illness, unemployment and debt. Their little flat they rent is all they have. They suffered terribly during the war. The father is very ill, looks like he has tuberculosis. One daughter has polio, one little girl is severely malnourished and the mother supports everyone else.

17. July 5, 2004 Kabul, Afghanistan. Donated 10,960 Afghanis ($250) to the Abdullah Khan Family. There are 16 people in this extended family. They live in the Dusaraka area of Kabul. They have spent the last 16 years living in refugee camps in Peshawar, Pakistan under terrible, inhuman conditions. They saved for years, one rupee at a time, waiting for the right time to return to Afghanistan. They arrived in Kabul by truck. Their rent is $80 per month. They were almost evicted but the money donated from 100 Friends has given them another 3 months for rent, food and other expenses so they can find work and support themselves.

18. July 6, 2004 Kabul, Afghanistan. Donated 6,135 Afghanis ($140) to the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus for Children (MMCC). MMCC is a cultural, educational, entertaining, and participative project for Afghan children. MMCC started in the summer of 2002 in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Making children laugh is part of what MMCC considers as success. For 23 years of war there was no laughter or fun for Afghan children, until MMCC came along. The main idea is to entertain and educate traumatized children through performances, workshops and training all around Afghanistan throughout the year. The donation from 100 Friends is for children’s scholarships and other expenses. The Circus uses a combination of juggling, story telling, puppet shows, gymnastics, theatre, clown comedies, music, dancing, painting, kite flying, sports and acrobatics.. Afghans with different ethnic backgrounds are chosen and trained to work with the Circus. They have a great website that also has videos:
http://www.afghanmmcc.org/

Educational performances and workshops have been presented to almost 350,000 children all over Afghanistan. David Mason, project coordinator is a wonderful man, a good friend and he is doing great work. If you have any interest in working with children in Afghanistan and if you have any skills (especially theatre) that might be useful to MMCC, I urge you to contact him: circus@afghanmmcc.org (photos: see below)

$1,000: operating expenses
$1,000: toilet and shower complex
$1,800: neediest families
$2,200: starting a home for girls at risk (sexworkers)
$6,000 total donation to New Light

Some of the funds 44,975 Rupees ($1,000) were used for operating expenses for the project. That was of great help to them because they really needed extra funds for covering all the additional school expenses for the kids. Most of the children have never held a new or unbroken toy in their hands. The center is the only place where they can play and enjoy activities that other children of their age take part in. Music, art and yoga lessons are also offered. All children attending the center get a wholesome meal at night.

Five women have been given small loans to start their own enterprises. A second centre has been started for the children of the Doms. This is a caste that has traditionally been marked as untouchable because they take care of burning the dead bodies. There are 35 students at the new center. A pediatrician and a gynecologist come weekly to the centers for the children and their mothers. There is an HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness program. There is also a shelter for 25 young girls at risk of entering the sex trade. A computer training center is available for training the students and a small loan program is offered for sex workers to help them try and find opportunities for finding an alternative livelihood.

Another gift of 44,975 Rupees ($1,000) from 100 Friends paid for a toilet and shower complex in Kalighat for the use of the kids and others from the community. This means a great deal to the women of the community as they do not have any place to shower or bathe properly.

I am now trying to raise more money to help New Light start a home for pre-teen girls that will change their lives so they won't end up as sex workers. They will finish high school, learn a vocation and marry instead of becoming a sex worker. I've met most of the girls and they are as beautiful, intelligent and sweet as you can imagine and very fearful of their future (their Mom's are all sex workers). We are very happy to hear about you committed support of $2200 for the girls home which we plan to start by the end of this year.

The staff at New Light selected individuals and families in dire need of assistance. Here is a brief background of the beneficiaries:

Pushpa is a 55year old destitute former sex worker who has been living in the alley in Kalighat for the past two years. For many years she worked as a sex worker. She has been with a few men who were her temporary partners but she never had any children. With age she lost the ability to attract clients and therefore her livelihood.

For a few years she worked as a maid and attendant for other young sexworkers. Gradually she lost her mental balance and became violent and abusive. This estranged her from the rest of the women and she became more and more isolated. Two years ago she had a femur fracture while trying to stop some kids from fighting in the alley. She was admitted to Shambhunath Hospital by the local club boys and on when she was released she was taken to Nirmal Hriday (clinic run by the Mother Teresa Sisters).

As she started to feel better she was asked to leave and came back to the alley to set up her household of one broken tin box, a few tattered clothes and a few plastic sheets. All through last winter and this monsoon she was in the alley suffering the ravages of nature. Finally they were able to shift her to a permanent shelter with electricity at a cost of 5,000 rupees ($110) given by 100 Friends. She now also has the assurance of receiving 1000 Rs. ($22) each month to cover her living expenses and caretaker’s charges. I would never forget the look on Pushpa`s face when we helped her to get into that room. Thank you 100 Friends for touching and changing one more life.

Suchandra, Anirban, Urmila
Urmila is a 45 year old sex worker who has been living in Kalighat for the last 17 years with her children Suchandra and Anirban. She has been living like a sex slave for the last six years with a man who had loaned her 4000Rs ($90) at a time when she needed it for medical treatment. The man continued to physically and sexually abuse her and the children. He also threatened the children with dire consequences if she failed to pay. This was a classic case where Urmila could have been forced to sell her 15 year old daughter Suchandra for as little as 5000 Rs. ($110). With the help from 100 Friends she is now free of that debt because it has been paid. Her children are very bright and she hopes to have a different future for them .This will help the kids to live a life with out fear and oppression.


Chhutki, Burimashi and the children:
Chhutki is a 30 year old woman with three kids who has been deserted by her soldier husband. She has been surviving on a meager salary of Rs. 700 ($15.50) a month. She also looks after an old widow who has nowhere to go. Their shanty is inadequately covered and most days they have to go without food. Funds from 100 Friends are being used for a sponsorship for the kids, repair of their shack and some bedding for the children. This sponsorship goes a long way in assisting the kids to join and stay on in school.

Ranjita (8) and Ranjan (10)
These are two kids who live on the street with their mother. There is no trace of their father and the mother supports the kids by begging on the street and sometimes working as a day laborer. New Light has been able to get them admitted to the local school and provide them with some assistance in the form of clothing and books. Now with the help of 100 Friends they are able to give them an annual sponsorship, which covers their food expenses, and other emergency needs. They will shift Ranjan to the girl’s home once it is opened. She is in a very vulnerable situation and the possibility of her being abused or sold is very high.

Pooja Sardar (12)
Pooja`s mother left her at the age of 3 because she was no longer able to suffer the abuse in the hands of her father. Soon her father married again and left her in the care of her grandmother and an uncle. The grandmother begs at Kali Temple and her uncle dives into the canal to collect coins thrown by people to come to burn the dead. She has been working as a maid getting 50 rupees a month at a house nearby. Last year she was admitted to school as she is very keen to study. However, it will not be possible for her to continue if she doesn’t receive any money to at least cover her food expenses.100 Friends has paid for a one year sponsorship for her.

In June, 2005 I am moving to Thailand so that I can do more humanitarian work in Asia. Giving money is extremely helpful and important, but I want to do more hands-on activities. The project work will certainly continue and I will return the U.S. to visit friends and family and continue the project work into the future. I can always be reached by email: marcgold@hotmail.com Please come and visit me in Asia! I love to take visitors to see various aid programs. Thanks once again for all of your donations; they go a long way in helping so many needy people. Those receiving the aid always smile at the thought of a stranger offering assistance from so far away.