On Saturday 6th October we held the Annual General Meeting of Mediterranea at our headquarters. Very few members attended although those who did were very willing. We analysed the work we carried out in 2011 on our various fronts, Africa and Spain, and came to the conclusion that the coffers are being depleted through all the needs we have to attend to, but that we are going to continue working with our usual enthusiasm. We are going to try and obtain free or very cheap premises in the Calviá region so that our medical centre can return to its former function and appearance, without food and other donated objects piled up on the chairs and the floor at the entrance and the storeroom which is supposed to be for medicines, taken up by boxes to be shipped out in the next container, etc. At the suggestion of one of the members, we will consider the possibility of organising a “charity shop” at the new premises from where we would distribute clothing and food to the most needy and where we could
possibly sell Ethiopian handicrafts. We will also take appropriate measures in Sa Pobla, where we have been looking for months for a place where the pediatrics nurse at the health centre can carry out her work in better conditions, to prevent malnutrition and supply food to families with children at risk of malnutrition, the total now being 320. The premises would also have a room where the immigrant population could receive education in diverse practical areas, to help them to improve their integration into society.
With regards to Ethiopia, we have informed those present of the difficult circumstances we have been working in over the last few months, having to fight against serious and continuous problems resulting from the greed of the same people, who couldn’t care less about the paramount importance of Abugida in the lives of nearly 200 desperately needy children who have little or nothing to cover their most basic needs, in the lives of the 51 extremely vulnerable sponsored families and in the lives of the 47 employees who currently work at the school.
On the 18th there will be a court case to decide if Abugida passes into the hands of the undesirable individuals who have been making claims for some time now in order to privatise it and put an end to the Abugida we all know, or if it is officially given to the woreda (district authority). The woreda is on our side and if the woreda wins it means that Abugida will continue as it always has been until now. They intend to transfer the school to us once we are fully legalised.
This court case happens to coincide with our stay in Ethiopia so we will be living it first hand.
As always we will fight to the very end for the children and families of Abugida. We will keep you updated.
Together with the letter please find attached the 2011 report which we will post onto the web as soon as we can.
We would like to thank you all very much for your support.
O.N.G./N.G.O. Mediterranea
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