GRACE THIRD WORLD FUNDGTWF is providing a new electricity generator for the Home which will enable power to be available on site during the regular scheduled cuts! [Aug-08]
Following the death of Rev Else in May, the charity committee has elected Mr Ray Richardson of Peel, Isle of Man to take on the leadership role of GTWF. [Jul-08]
Whilst in the island to speak at Rev Elses's funeral, Grace Childrens Home Manager Timothy Babu has enjoyed Manx hospitality with us and taken away much to tell the children back in India! [Jun-08] .
With sadness we announce the death of our founder and chairman Rev Matthew F Else who passed away on 18 May 2008. Please bear with us while we update the web site. The work continues. [May-08]
Old News...
New arrival at the GCH
Some of the young lads living in the Grace Children Home have been selected to join the pool for the Andhra Pradesh state basketball team!
Buy a buffalo!
Presentations around the UK
Successful operation in Chennai
A big thankyou to AFD Software of Ramsey, Peel Charity Shop, Gaiety Theatre, Manx Radio, the Isle of Man Government, Blythswood Care and the many churches around the UK who continue to contribute to the work in India.
-- Grace Third World Fund
One of the first fundamental things which Western observers need to appreciate when looking at India is that agreed living standards and personal expectations differ greatly in the third world to those in the UK for example.
Cultural differences mean that some practices which are acceptable in India might not be accepted over here and vice versa. Some things we are accustomed to in the Western world would be considered inhospitable where GTWF does most of its work on the ground. GTWF is sensitive to these differences whilst at the same time seeking to raise standards wherever possible.
To this end, many of our key workers in the GCH who meet the needs of the orphans on a daily basis have historically lived in the same building as the children whom are our "clientele". Our Indian partners would rather have a full team on site sharing facilities with the kids, than wait for sufficient funds to be available to house the workers in a manner considered par for the course in the West. i.e. we shouldn't prioritise our conceptions above their urgent needs.
The foundations of the new workers cottages are here laid near to the orphanage building itself.
The expense of using Western-style "plant" machinery compared with the cost of manual labour in India makes it expedient to build things by hand.
At the same time GTWF is benefitting the local community by employing large teams of workers on its construction projects over the years.
However, as can be seen above the charity has now prioritied this as a designated major project for 2006/07. A series of cottages on the Promised Land site are in the advanced stages of being erected in order to provide families of key workers with separate living facilities whilst still being very handy for the main home itself.
This project has a clear short timescale and we anticipate its completion with a view to residents moving in during 2007. It is hoped that visitors on the next official travelling party will see the local team into their new homes.
A few interesting notes for your consideration:
