Acts of Hope News Letter

actsof hope

B R I N G I N G H O P E A N D O P P O R T U N I T YB R I N G I N G H O P E A N D O P P O R T U N I T Y

news updateSpring 2010.

NEWS FROM THE ED,As we approach the end of our 9th yearat the Acts of Hope School inKasvanahalli, we have much to begrateful for over the past 12 months. Ayear that has seen tremendous growthwith some very interesting newdevelopments. The school hascontinued to be a real blessing, withexcellent progress being made by thechildren, who have performed above allexpectations in and out of schoolactivities. They have excelled in interschool competitions, often walkingaway with the first or second prizesagainst much larger fee paying schools.Much of the credit must go to thefaithful teaching staff, who on a dailybasis, teach and encourage the childrenwith care and compassion.

Over the past year, we have been veryfortunate in having a number of visitorsvolunteering their time at the school,helping and teaching the children. Thishas been an enormous benefit to boththe children and the volunteers, alsoplaying an important part in the successof the school. I would add, most of thechildren now speak better English thatone would get form the many callcentres based in Bangalore andthroughout India.

Acts of Hope have been very fortunatein the support of several corporatecompanies. In October 2009, deutscheBank in Bangalore, provided note books,pens, pencils, maths sets and manyother items that will be used in theclassroom by the youngsters, then inFebruary 2010 they equipped our first

small science laboratory at the school.We are beginning to develop a longterm relationship and are looking atfunding for a new primary school on anew site. This will go alongside theplanned new secondary school. Ourrelationship with an internationalinvestment banker continues to bearfruit with the introduction of amentoring program that began inNovember 2009. This involved 12volunteers from that companymentoring 16 of our children on afortnightly basis. They are helping thementee in their personal development,identifying their aims in life,encouragement with their school workand development of the skills and gifts.

Acts of Hope are also grateful for thesupport of British Airways, whogenerously donate several return flightsa year to us. This helps our ExecutiveDirector, Peter Willetts, to oversee thedevelopment of, not only our school inBangalore, but the new school, churchand Pastors in Andhra Pradesh, workingclosely with Kishore and the Indiantrustees of Acts of Hope India.

Most of all, without the support of ourmany UK supporters, we would not beable to offer a free and high standardof education to the 400+ poor andunderprivileged children at our twoschools in India. Acts of Hope thankeveryone for your continued supportand prayers for our work.

Peter Willetts.Executive Director.

Krishnaya PalemProject.

Over the pats year acts of Hope havebeen supporting a rural school inKrishanaya Palem in Andhra Pradesh.When we became involved they hadno funds, no school buildings and alltoo often the children having to returnto the fields to work. Many of thechildren were under 10 years of age.Acts of Hope are funding the school,providing the salaries of the threeteachers, this means that the childrencan now stay in school and not haveto return to the fields. We have alsobecome involved in the communityby providing funds to constructing achurch for the surrounding villagesand supporting the ministry of tenPastors.

In the coming years Acts of Hopetrust they will be able to extend theirwork in this area, providing educationfor more children and support of thelocal communities.

How can you help?

Individual Child sponsorship.Regular monthly covenant.

Would you like a Presentation:- • Are you a teacher? • Can I come and speak to the school?• Your local Church or Home group.• Your Youth Group.• Your local club – Lions,Rotary, Football or tennis clubetc.

Contact details: Peter Willetts, Executive Director.Acts of Hope Charitable Trust.35 Jackson Court,Hazlemere,Buckinghamshire, HP15 7TZ

Telephone: 01494 819912 E-mail: actsofhope@talk21.com Web Site: www.actsofhope.org.uk Registered Charity: 1080001.

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actsof hope

IndividualChild Support

Over the past year, Acts of Hope,have been introducing our IndividualChild Support program. This isbeginning to bear fruit and we planto extend and develop this furtherover the coming 12 months. Acts ofHope have identified over 100children at our school who are indesparate need of the help we canoffer. The cost is only 60 pence a day- £18.00 per month. This will providefor their education, school uniforms,books, pencils, school transport fromtheir rural and slam villages, butmost of all their health care.

Please see our brochure for moredetails of this program.

If you would like to support a child atour school, our executive Directorwould love to hear from you anddiscuss this at greater length. Thecontact details are at the end of thisNews Update.

Here are a few examples of ourchildren:-

Mahendra - a 13 years old boywhose father and mother have sadlypassed away. He is being cared forby a relative on a very low incomeof under £50.00 a month.

Snaha – a lovely, good natured girl of13 years of age, her father has diedand the mother has to provide forthe family with a monthly income ofonly £40.00. Snaha already speaksfour languages and has ambitions tobe a doctor.

Kavya – a young girl in our 1ststandard. Her father works in agarment factory on a daily wage, hermother is unable to work. The familyincome is only £55.00 a month.

This is just a selection, please helpActs of Hope to help these poor andunderprivileged children. Help us togive them a real chance for theirfutures, fulfilling our missionstatement ‘…bringing hope andOpportunity…’

Land for the New SecondarySchoolPurchasing land in the Bangalorearea is fraught so many problemsand after much searching a fouracre plot of land has been locatedin Sarjapur, 18km from theexisting school in Kasvanahalli.Over the past 3 months our Indiansolicitors have been establishingthe ownership of the plot toensure that we do not have anyfuture land dispute claims whichbeset Bangalore. Our Indianchairman, Kishore, has nowreceived the go ahead and iscurrently negotiating a cost withthe land owner for Acts of Hope topurchase this plot. We trust andpray that the negotiations will besuccessful and we will be able totake possession of the land in thenext few months.

Once all the legal work iscompleted Acts of Hope willcommence construction of thenew secondary school, with futuredevelopment plans for a primaryschool, clinic, staff and guestaccommodation.

Mahendra

Snaha

Kavya

Krishnaya Palem Project, exterior

Krishnaya Palem Project, interior

Acts of Hope pupils

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