Reaching the unreached
Reaching the Unreached is an inspiring non government organisation that Natures Organics is proud to be involved with.
RTU is a secular organisation operating in the Tamil Nadu area of Southern India. It was founded in 1975 by Brother James Kimpton to help tackle the extreme poverty he saw in the villages.
Over the years RTU has developed into many areas, originally founded to help find homes for orphaned children the NGO now provides health care, child care, education and housing whilst still keeping a very personal and community based approach.
RTU now has 4 Children's Villages with 76 homes housing 942 children, some of these children are HIV/AIDS+ and receive specialised medical treatment.
Natures Organics has chosen to become directly involved with the RTU Housing Project. This project was set up to provide a better living environment for the rural poor who typically live in shacks made of mud and thatched palms. The shelters provide little respite from the harsh weather conditions in Southern India and have to be replaced every year.
The Housing Project which was established in 1976 by Brother James aims to replace these shelters with a solid concrete and cement structure which he designed himself. The project also provides work for villagers as all the materials are made on site at RTU.
For detailed information about RTU please go to http://www.rtuindia.org/
Natures Organics first visited RTU in February 2010. After witnessing the wonderful work being carried out by this organisation we donated the funds to build one house. We have now committed to an ongoing monthly donation which we hope will make a difference in the lives of many people.
These pictures show the building progress of our first house.
Cambodian Children's Fund
We chose to become directly involved and support this organization because it's a perfect example of one man's strength, courage, self-sacrifice, and vision to make this world a better place.
Scott Neeson left his entire life behind him when he walked away from a highly successful career as CEO of 20th Century Fox International and moved to Cambodia to establish his first orphanage after he discovered that children were living on the Steung Menchey Garbage dump in some of the worst living conditions you will find on the planet.
Scott started with three children, placing them in a loving and caring environment and providing them with nourishing food, hygiene, and schooling. Seven years on he has built six orphanages, housing 520 children. Scott has also recently established a free Medical clinic and Daycare centre for the children still living at the site.
When I read about Scott's plight and the hardship he was facing ahead, I felt compelled to visit him.
What I personally saw there profoundly changed me. I knew immediately that Natures Organics had a higher calling and this was part of it! When I showed my mother and father, Terry & Kaye Dowel the founders of Natures Organics, what I had seen and why we needed to get involved, they did not hesitate.
Scott had informed me on my visit that most of their funding had come from the US and that the economic crisis had seen significant reductions in their funding. So much so that the Cambodian Children's Fund was only three months away from having to close CCF5 which houses 150 children. Natures Organics agreed to cover the cost of CCF5 to keep it open. As well as continue to find more supporters in Australian business to help make up for the lost support from the US.
Our support for the Cambodian Children's Fund has now become more than just financial. Kaye Dowel (Director - Natures Organics) has become the campaign manager for CCF Australia in Victoria and I am making regular trips to support Scott and help with the future direction of CCF.
Scott also has a much bigger vision to use the model he has created and take it to other countries around the world. This is now our shared vision, with sustainability being the key.
Although every cent that is donated is enormously appreciated and put to very good use, there is only limited value in giving once, as these children need support all the way through to adulthood. Their potential to become the future Doctors, Lawyers, Business Leaders is huge because they are so eager to learn!
Scott introduced me to an incredible little girl who was eight years old, but looked no bigger than a four year old due to her malnutrition prior to her life at CCF. This little girl had only been at CCF for 18-months but in front of my own eyes was typing in English at 100 words per minute! This blew me away, and it cemented to me how important it was to support Scott's work, because all these kids want is the opportunity to learn!
The wonderful thing about the CCF is the fact that every cent you give goes directly towards providing for these children.
It is our hope that others will be inspired, as we are, in seeing the amazing things that one man can do. He is an example to all of us. Scott has changed the lives of 520 children and wants desperately to help many more. Providing them with the education needed to help re forge their country's future.
So please, if you want to help make a difference, have a look at their web site, and see for yourself, we need every cent we can get.
You can choose to sponsor a child or make a donation at http://www.cambodianchildrensfund.org/
Justin Dowel
Managing Director
Natures Organics P/L
