Educational Toys for Blind Needed

On the 26/6/11 we will be off to Ethiopia to return young Mikias with a restored arm and with a future. All of this is thanks to the team at the Son Espasas Hospital, the Baleares International College and the hard work of many Med members. Between them they have changed his life right round. Mikias goes back with an arm, speaking good English, a fair bit of Spanish and having bettered his education greatly.

We will be returning him to his family and then we will be going off to our school in Abugida and to visit three other schools we collaborate with. One of these schools has over 140 blind children. Today we have been shopping for toys to help educate and stimulate these children. Should you have anything at home that you think could be of use to them please let us know as soon as possible and we will take it with us.
We will keep you all informed about the trip and how things are evolving at the Ethiopia corner of the Mediterranea NGO world.

Warm regards, Michael Stoma

Europe Day & Citizen of the Year Award!

There can be few things more satisfying, more gratifying, more rewarding than when you have raised a considerable sum of money for such a wonderful charity and all enjoyed doing it!  We all experienced this feeling on Europe Day on 8th May.  The Med team had worked really hard planning the event beforehand with committee meetings and emails going to and fro from each one of us.   Everyone did their bit!  We all knew the jobs we had said we would do and we were all there to carry them out on the days previous to the event and on the big day itself.

The weather was perfect, just right for the people to amble around.  We were placed not far from the band and the great music they belted out from morning until late evening kept us all in high spirits.  We sang and danced as well as served and enticed the public to become aware of this great charity and the work it does on a day to day basis, both here in Mallorca and other countries.  Some children of the Med team helped us to encourage people to buy our goods and take part in the tombola and I am sure this pleased the crowds to see it really was a 'family affair'.

We were all exhausted at the end of the day - but exhausted in a nice way!  We all knew it had been a good day, a job well done.  We all knew the difference this money, we had raised as a team, would make to the lives of so many people.  We all knew we would sleep well that night knowing that we had done our bit that day to help make this world a better place - and that is exactly what Mediterranea is all about.

Written by Med Member Diane Oates

Diane and the team raised €2016 from our stand on Europe Day.

In the picture Dr Stoma is accompanied by one of our hard working volunteers and is bearing the highly coveted ‘Citizen of the Year’ award presented by Calvia Town hall to Dr Stoma on the day.  In his acceptance speech, which he gave in Spanish and English, Dr Stoma accepted the award on behalf of Mediterranea and gave the large audience a lovely and heart felt overview of the work that we are currently undertaking.  The award-giving and his speech were greeted with rapturous and well deserved applause. 

The Wizard of Oz and Another Happy Ending

On Thursday 9th June the staff and students at the Baleares International School (BIC) had two reasons to feel proud. Firstly their performance of the Wizard of Oz was a triumph. Over 100 children from the primary classes showcased their singing, acting, dancing and musical talents to a full house at the Bendinat Auditorium. Secondly they bid farewell to Mikias

Mikias is from Ethiopia. Four years ago, aged 10, he broke his forearm. His family’s poverty, the scarcity of medical attention and resources in Ethiopia and a failure to control infection found Mikias in a position where a simple childhood accident left him facing the amputation of a limb. Life is hard for Ethiopians, for a child amputee it would be unthinkable.

Dr Victoria Baldó, co-founder of Mediterranea an NGO, was alerted to Mikias´ fate whilst visiting other projects in the country. She knew his arm could be saved and brought him to Mallorca. 

Dorothy’s adventures in the Land of Oz cannot have been more frightening and amazing than Mikias´ stay in Mallorca. Thrown into a culture and lifestyle in stark contrast to his own, with only a few words of English and little contact with his family, Mikias set about making friends and getting better. He has stoically endured medical procedures first to control the ostemyelitis and then to replace the bone and has now, after a year in Mallorca, been declared fit to return to his family.

Countless people have helped to treat, house, feed, entertain and teach Mikias but an outstanding contribution was made by BIC. Already involved in some of the projects to help the needy in Mallorca, BIC were quick to offer Mikias a place at the school. These educational and social opportunities enriched his stay immeasurably. He now chatters away in English and Spanish, skills that will bring employment opportunities back home. But that’s not all. BIC have made a long term commitment to Mikias so that he can continue his education and have made a generous contribution from the proceeds of the Spring Fair and ticket sales for the Wizard of Oz for this purpose. 

Written by Mediterranea Member LD