 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flashback to 2013 — News and Reports from the Society |
||||
WATER IS LIFE!
By Dietrich Elsner. Original German-language version published in the society's 2013 Christmas Newsletter. Translated from the German Internet version of 12/07/2013. Dear friends of our society:The photograph depicted below shows in a clear manner the problems our friends in Kenya face on a daily basis. Insuffient or completely lacking rain over a period of several months is rapidly transforming the corn fields in Baharini into a dried out land resembling a desert.
This contrasts with an article I recently read in a big newspaper: "The Desert Swims". In the north of Kenya, scientists discovered two large reservoirs containing enough subterranean water to serve the needs of the whole nation. "Unbelievable", I thought, rubbing my eyes. Was the article I read nothing but a hoax? Or a completely bloated up sensational story? Continuing reading the article, I learned the subterranean waters had indeed been found from space using satellites and radar measurements. Kenya's environmental secretary of state Judi Wakhungu officially acknowledged these findings. For the time being, however, our society knows that a total of approximately 17 million Kenyans, that is one third of the population, have no continuous supply of potable water. It will take a long time until the water reservoirs are accessible in an economic manner. This means our aid is needed for the time being. Without water no man can survive. With Christmas drawing nigh we are reminded that we need more than the necessary water from a water pipe to live a really meaningful and fulfilled life. The first congregations from the Gospel of John and our motto of December both tell us the following on Jesus Christ: "All that came to be was alive with his life, and that life was the light of men" (John 1:4). To continue our enlightenment by the light of Christ I do not only wish you all an open heart but that you have open hands and an open mind to financially support our friends in Africa. We would be glad if some day we would not have to collect money for wells but instead could focus our attention to supporting other important aid projects of our society. The society's board wishes you all a peaceful Christmas. |
||||
Agenda 2013Saturday, June 29, 2013; in Freudenstadt:FREUDENSTADT AFRICA FESTIVAL 11:00 a.m. thru 6:00 p.m.: Information stand and society tent near Protestant Town Church, Freudenstadt. 6:00 p.m.: Church service. Venue: Protestant Town Church, Freudenstadt.
VOLUNTEERS' ANNUAL FAMILY & BARBECUE FEST 2013 Members, friends of the society and their families are invited again to participate in the volunteers' family & barbecue fest. For information on how to participate you may contact the society's office. Saturday, November 23, 2013, at 2 p.m.: ANNUAL MEETING of the society's members (members will receive all necessary details beforehand, including meeting place directions and the agenda). NOTE: In the meantime, the annual meeting took place. A concise report from on of our board members on projects supported by the society, and the honorable mention of several long-term society members is available at the following link: Report: Aid Projects Financially Supported Sunday, Dezember 01, 2013, starting 6:30 p.m., venue: Mater Dolorosa Church, Bad Rippoldsau: CHARITY CONCERT BAD RIPPOLDSAU: Sunday, December 01, 2013, will see a church-based charity concert in Bad Rippoldsau village featuring the well-known Bad Rippoldsau brass band. There are no entrance fees but a call for donations which the musicians decided to use for supporting our society's work in Kenya. All interested parties are invited to join in! |
||||
|
» Back to Archives » Back to News Foerderkreis Kenia Honors Long-term MembersAid Projects Financially SupportedBy Thomas Nägele, Besenfeld. Original German version published 12/03/2013. Translated from Internet version of 12/07/2013.
FREUDENSTADT, Nov. 23, 2013. At its 21st annual membership meeting, Förderkreis Kenia e.V. Freudenstadt looked back to a successful year. The society is well prepared to continue its work for Africa in 2014. During the meeting's elections, all board members decided to continue their involvement by renewing their candidature. The governing board consists of Reiner Herrmann (Neuffen); Bernd Eberhardt (Schopfloch); and Thomas Nägele (Besenfeld). Sieglinde Schmid (Oberiflingen) continues as the society's treasurer while Ursula Dietsche (Freudenstadt) will fulfill again her secretarial position. Fritz Dieter (Wittlensweiler), main initiator of founding the society in 1992, was elected to continue work as the society's project coordinator, organizing for an additional year all aid and support projects of the society. Associate board members elected are Dr. med. Peter Fischer (Tiengen near Freiburg) and Wolfgang Decker (Freudenstadt); both will continue their successful work for the board. The society's financial controlling team consisting of Ingrid Grevener (Gechingen), Detlef Ölschläger (Heilbronn) and Andreas Kalmbach (Egenhausen) will continue their work in 2014. The society welcomed five new members which puts the current number of members to 81. Seven society members with a combined membership duration totaling 118 years were recognized for their outstanding long-term support and help. The society's honorary chairman, school dean (retired) Dietrich Elsner, thanked the following members and handed out to them their honorary membership certificate: Herta Heischkamp (20 years), Bernd Eberhardt and another member* (18 years), one member* and Friedrich Reuff (16 years), and Sieglinde Schmid and Thomas Nägele for their 15-year-long membership. The meeting's main topic consisted in deciding on the distribution of financial support to the projects proposed by the society's governing board. The society's project coordinator, Fritz Dieter, presented a comprehensive overview on 17 suggested projects. Next year will focus mainly on supporting education projects; feeding kindergarten kids; paying for HIV medication; supporting street children and AIDS orphans; and a beekeeping project for collecting honey. All projects discussed were unanimously cleared for support by the members, a step necessary before the actual handing out of aid to these projects can start. The successful and harmonic annual member meeting was concluded with a short movie on the project trip to Kenya in February 2013. Further information on the society is available at www.foerderkreis-kenya-freudenstadt.de. * Only members who explicitly permitted their name to be published were listed with their full name. |
||||
|
» Back to Archives » Back to News |
||||
All rights reserved / Tous droits réservés / Alle Rechte vorbehalten
» Top
» First Page
Foerderkreis Kenia Freudenstadt e.V., Germany; E-mail of our office: foerderkreis.kenya.freudenstadt@web.de