Running the FFC Dhaka, Bangladesh, home costs about $13,500 Canadian per month. Expenses are for food, rent, salaries & bonuses for local staff, education and medical, and all other related expenses for the 78 children living in the home. We have one large apartment building. This building has many bedrooms for the children and their house mothers, two offices, therapy room, sewing & computer rooms, a library, kitchen and dining area. FFC used to rent 2 large apartment buildings but this became too expensive and now the children like being together in the one building. Opposite is a view of the FFC building. There are NO elevators! All the children are completely abandoned and have no families. Most were brought in as tiny, high risk babies, and they are mostly girls. All the children attend a government school and 2 students are in university. This is expensive, but necessary. FFC wants the children to learn English and computers, along with academic subjects, so their future will be brighter, and the staff benefit as much as the children. Many staff came to FFC as destitute mothers and had no place to go; most of the rest of the staff are poor or are needy and are supporting large extended families with their FFC wages. All staff are paid a fair local rate for their work. Nine of our older youth are now part of the staff doing a variety of jobs. |
We have 46 children with special needs. We have children with all different needs both mental and physical. We provide the children with physiotherapy 2 or 3 times a week to those who require it. We have a therapy room within the home. We have one nurse in the special care floor taking care of their needs as well as the other children. There are very few places in Dhaka that cater for the needs or well being of special care children. We have two teachers specially trained in special needs children who teach the children at the home and 3 more are being trained. |
At right, two of our visually impaired girls who attend a boarding school for the blind. |
As part of our special care program in Dhaka, Shujon has been teaching the kids music classes on a regular basis. The children have been singing traditional songs as well as popular music.Since the beginning of the classes; the group has become much more comfortable with singing and are actively participating in choir and solo material. Rubi came to FFC as a baby 2 years ago. Happiness for Rubi is being able to stand and sit. |
Eid DressesThe girls at the FFC Dhaka project love to design and sew their own clothing. They are very proud of themseves. |
The girls are shown hard at work making their Eid dresses. |
Rotary Club VisitThe very generous Rotary Club has once again helped out at the Dhaka project. |
The Rotary Club put on a program of activities for all the children. |
New GamesMuriel Hemmes has sent along some photos of the children at the FFC Dhaka project playing with some of the new games given to the children. |
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