18 Oct 2009

4th world. Progress report.


This progress report is based on the feed back we have from our volunteers and from the places we collaborate with. If I have missed out on something please let me know.
I am pleased to say we had positive feed back from the centres we collaborate with. Can Gaza has explained exactly the kind of help it needs so that our efforts and work are not done in vain. Zaqueo has stated that they are very pleased with the volunteers going to work there, and the supplies given to the centre. It is eye opening to know that as Mallorca  has no rivers, those most in need have no where to wash their clothes, so clothes are worn till they have to be thrown away. The clothes we provide the different centres are therefore more important than we were led to believe. It is therefore clear that we should be providing all types of clothes including underwear.
One of our members noticed that subsaharian Africans do not often go and eat in the free dining halls. Another volunteer asked if we had ever see an African begging.
We are planning to feed a number of unemployed Africans in the near future. We are developing this project with the help of an African Association based in Mallorca and it has become evident  that discretion will have to be utmost importance. Over the next few day we will publish more posts in reference to this project and how, if you want to,  you can be a part of it.
As an NGO trying to help with those in need in our island we have to learn how to observe the needs of those we intend to help and we will have to learn to listen to their call for help. We can not impose our ideas as from our privileged perspective we can quite often be totally wrong and cause hurt and harm when we wanted to do the contrary.
In reference to the things people give us for the poor, we must insist on a minimum quality standard. Donated things must be of a standard that we would accept for our own families. Nothing must have past its expiry date, and the supplies must be logical. For example once we were given a large supply of heavy winter clothing for Cuba. Cuba has a tropical climate.
Due to the recession and the unemployment the population of poor people in Mallorca is going to grow a lot this winter. We feel that our programs here will slowly become more and more important, so if you are interested or want to help please feel free to get in touch.

Mediterranea needs a place we can use as HQ/office and storage space. It should be easily accessible (we have some senior members who are very active) and be ideally in the Calvia area.

We wish to thank all those volunteers that manned the Mediterranea Stall in the Rotary Clubs Marathon in Sta.Ponsa, and those members that ran in the TUI Marathon in Plama. You are Mediterranea's oxygen!

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