Yearly Report 2001
(September 2000 up to August 2001)

Jürgen Dahm

September 2001

e-mail: english@j-dahm-stiftung.de

Hello !!!

I "messed it up"... This summer in Indonesia should have been nice and relaxed, reading books and sitting on the beach. And what did I do instead? I started to learn html to create a web site about our children.
And all the "work" that I had wanted to do in Indonesia (like preparing the printed version of this report) I took back to Germany - where I had only 6 weeks to do all this and a lot of other work. Time was just running and I could hardly finish the most important things like writing and sending this report, planning for groups, preparing for yet another guidebook. (And the remaining work again I took to Nepal inside my notebook.)

So even this report is a bit shorter than usual and contains less photos.
But at least it contains the most important news and some important "organisational" information such as the changed account number and travel and tours.

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One out of more than 250 sheets in my children-files.

Autumn 2000 (Nepal):

From September to December 2000 I spent nearly three months in Nepal. At first I spent most of the time with and for the children. Among other things I continued to work on the datebase into which I combined all the information on the children which had been written in many different files so far. This now contains for every child and youth besides a small photograph information on his or her family and background, work of the parents, school or work, where or with whom he/she stays, each and every visit to a doctor, any medicine that I ever bought for her or gave to him.

During November I was busy enough: 2 trekking groups, one of which I accompanied myself for nearly four weeks - the other one led by my friend Mahesh, and some individual guests (for whom I just booked hotels, local flights, etc.).
At the same time my brother came to Nepal for the first time, and I was very happy to spend some time with him and his friends before and after my groups.

Quote:
Nearly ten year old Krishna talking about a tourist smoking a pipe - something rarely seen in Nepal:
"That one who has what you usually use to smoke Hashish ..."

At this point once again a want to thank everyone in these trekking groups for bringing sooo many things for us!: Thus I was able to give more than 300 pieces of cloth to the children. And the bandages and other medical materials last up to now.

I spent Christmas at home in Germany; we had a quiet celebration with the complete family.
Another kind of X-Mas present for me was going through my bank account of the last three months with all the money that I received for the children. Once again I was very grateful that again it was even more than last year. So I could be assured that the money would last through the year and would even allow me to increase the project again and take responsibility for even more pupils.
Special contributions came amongst others from sales at an X-Mas fair, from schools and boy-scout groups putting up information desks, "donations instead of presents" on the occasion of one marriage and one 50th birthday.
Now I am in the happy position to be able to cope with even "special requirements" without a lot of financial preparations. For big surgeries, for example, I don't have to send special "begging letters" in advance to find the extra-money. - I can just organize them as required.
T H A N K   Y O U !!!

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Spring 2001 (Nepal):

Another quote:
A 12-year-old boy whom I asked for the children-file the professions of his parents:
"Father works as a porter and drinks; Mother sells vegetables and brings us up."

After 5 weeks I went back to Nepal where I stayed for two months. This time I didn't have any groups; but I was busy enough with the kids and doing the preparations and research for the next update of the guidebook which I wrote in 1997 (Polyglott-Reiseführer), and which is available since June with new layout and some additional chapters.

Medically there was a lot to be done: Two kids broke their shinbone, one his arm. I can never tell how many children I took to see our "family doctor" because of stomach pain, diarrhoea, cough or any infections. (Though definitely each one is accounted for, and every medication goes into the children-file.
In autumn by three small surgeries I had the small wart removed from Ganesh's* lower lip; the big corn from Sunar's* foot; and a bit of rampant growing skin (on an old scar) from Amar's* temple. I bought glasses for two of the children after consulting the doctor.
(* All marked names are not the real ones.)

One was not at all delighted to get the vaccination against
Tetanus. (But nevertheless went with us to the doctor's.)

I continued on the Tetanus-Immunisation: In October about 50 children will receive their third shot and will be protected for up to ten years. - Besides this more than 70 children get prophylactic worm treatment twice a year.
An 11-year-old boy who had been a very casual visitor so far was run over by a taxi. The head injuries luckily were only superficial (though he will retain a lot of deep scars); and the broken leg was a plain and easy fracture. But the penniless family lives behind a rag-curtain beneath some temple-roof. When the boy was discharged from the hospital (with plaster, bandages and open wounds) I could not allow him to go "home" to this place. - So yet I have another new "regular" who stayed with us night and day during the weeks until I had to go back to Germany. (The responsible taxi driver was very co-operativ and paid or refunded nearly everything.)
The youth with muscular dystrophy is much better after months of tablets and physiotherapy; he can walk much better and does not fall that often. - "In exchange" another boy (10 years) with the same ailment was introduced to me. But before I could even start his treatment he was admitted to the hostel of some organisation and I hope that they take care of him very well.
In September I got to know a 10-year-old street child with contractions on his formerly burned hands and around the mouth. I was ready to have some surgery done on him, but he disappeared - probably back to his native village. Whenever he should re-appear in the city, I shall take care of his needs.

He spent 3 months in hospital last spring
- and this coming autumn I shall have
the surgery on the other hand done.

After his disappearance it did not take long and another boy of the same age was introduced to me by some small organisation of handicapped people: Both of his hands had been heavily burned years ago. The left hand is missing half of two fingers; the others are complete - but permanently bent with heavy contraction of the skin. Of his right hand only a shrunk bit of he palm is left, that is torn towards the forearm 90 degrees and unmoveable. The best plastic surgeon was booked for weeks and only very late did we get an appointment for the first surgery. - I even changed the date of my flight back to Germany. For a start a piece of skin from the thigh was sewn to his forearm, the whole arm taped to his body. After some time the skin grew to the arm and was detached from the thigh. This skin now replaced the contracted burn scars, so the hand can be moved to a strait position. More surgeries made the small triangle palm bigger and flatter; and a little "peace of flesh resembling a thumb" was constructed. I was hoping that the palm could be split in half to make two "fingers" out of the inner bones, so he could grab something. We haven't achieved this yet. I shall have to find more information and another doctor to try to do this.
Starting this October I shall have him admitted to hospital again to release the contractions on the three fingers of his left hand. Please click "Latest News" for updates and more photographs.
One of the deaf friends of the deaf Junior of our hotel took me to his neighbourhood to introduce me to yet another family that needs a lot of help: Their son (12 years by now) at the age of 6 was burned from navel to knees by a bottle of kerosene spilling over his cloths. The family had been not too poor farmers and they sold their house, their land and all their possessions to pay for 11 months at the hospital, lots of skin grafts and other surgeries. But then their money was finished; still having open bills at the hospital and unable to pay them, they ran away with the boy at night. Now both parents are casual workers hardly able to feed their children. And the contractions of the boy are getting ever worse; it is difficult for him to sit and he cannot spread his legs. So I immediately started to pay for his schooling; in summer we admitted his little sister to grade one; and in autumn I shall start his surgeries.

Another quote - by an adult, for a change; some expat living in Kathmandu:
"I just have to look at you to understand the way you work: Look at your parka; so many Nepalis have newer ones and more expensive ones..."

Some people I could help without using any of the money collected for our children: A young man from the south of Nepal had been waiting for open heart surgery for months, because his family could not find sufficient money. I asked the local representative of the German-Nepal Help Association to help and they took care of one third of the cost. And for the office of a small self-support organisation of handicapped people I arranged for someone paying for the telephone connection.

As "co-ordinator" and controller between a nepalese NGO and their german donor agency, my commitment towards the poor children finally was mentioned in one of the big english-language newspapers of Nepal. (If you want to read it, you can find it here.)

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March to April again I spent 5 weeks at home in Germany.
On April 2^nd 2001 my father died. He had been in hospital for a few days, and we thought he was recovering well. In the evening we had been at his bed - and the next morning he did not wake up any more..

Summer 2001 (Indonesia):

This motorbike usually on arrival in Indonesia
I rent straight through the summer.

Flying to Indonesia on 22. April, I was totally overworked and tired. I slept through the flight - and another 13 hours through my first night on Bali.
For four months I shuttled between Bali and Lombok. Most of the time I spent on Lombok, as this is the place I "feel at home" and where most of the children live whom I take care of. But on Bali I had to take care of yet another surgery on little Kadek - who is 12 years old by now: The two formerly joined fingers that we had separated last year are fine and he is happy to use them. So this year we wanted to work on the right foot.
(I did not translate it yet. But you can see lots of photographs of him - including details and X-rays - in the German language pages.)
This right foot (on the one leg of normal length) was turned to the back; he was walking on the upper side of the foot. Now the Achilles' tendon was lengthened, the thick callus from the upper side of the foot removed, the bones inside brought into a better position. The foot which was turned 180 degrees to the back points to the front now. After this surgery, with the leg in plaster, he was taken care of for 8 weeks by his uncle who lives in the city, close enough to take him to the doctor every week - which would not have been possible from his far away home village. I had left sufficient funds with this uncle and spent this time of waiting on Lombok.
After the plaster was removed I returned to Bali and had a special shoe for this foot made - and for the other leg (short and bend) a kind of half-prosthesis. Thus, with the help of a walking stick he can stand upright for the first time in his life, be as tall as his friends - and can walk slowly and carefully.

This foot is still inclined some 40 degrees. He is standing on his toes - supported by the special shoe. The doctor explained to me that if he had done more, the foot would not grow any more and would for ever stay this small. After some years (and after puberty) we can have another surgery to bring the foot in a normal, flat position.
- And this boy is "just great"! For I always have to expect that any child at any time is "fed up" with surgeries, with all the pain of cleaning wounds and changing bandages. - But not this one: Just before finally taking him home to his parents I asked him as harmless as possible "And what about next year?" And he smiled at me (just like he was talking about the excursion for the coming weekend) and said "The other leg I am still afraid a bit; but the left hand we can do any time..."
O.K. - - - I'm ready ...

Amir and his son with the goat that was to improve
the celebration dinner - that had to be just
as old as the boy to be circumcised.

Besides this I did not have any big medical activities this year. Amir's son was two years old and circumcised. (Moslems.) My mother paid for the surgery and the celebration.
Ahmad's* father broke down working on the beach and I had him brought to hospital. And Sumadi's* mother had stomach problems; and I could help as the family did not even have the money to see the doctor.
(* All marked names are not the real ones.)

On June 4^th the royal family of Nepal had been killed and I spent a lot of time on the internet gathering information and informing my friends.

Two who wear the blue uniform of
lower highschool (grade 7 - 9) for
the first time - and very proudly.

I was quite busy with our pupils as some of the "small ones", for whose cheap elementary school I had only sometimes provided some stationary so far, changed to highschool (from grade 7). This is more expensive, and hence I started to take full financial responsibility for their schooling. Two of our students started secondary highschool (from grade 10) which is even more expensive and usually far away from their village.

Amir's youngest brother
started schooling this year.

All of or children passed their exams. One was even first in his class; and many others brought good reports. Especially Senah* made me very happy because she achieved better marks term after term. - Whilst some of her siblings caused me some headache: Abu* had quit school (because his parents had moved once again and did not regularly give him the fare to go to the now far away school). And Yanni*, 14 years by now, had separated from her family, lived with various friends (all female), got ever worse marks and nearly failed her exams. And then she had herself hired as a housemaid ad followed her employer lady to Sulawesi. She refuses to return and we are really worried. Her elder brothers and sister are in telephone contact with her and her employer and try to make her come back.

Towards the end all my planning got mixed up a bit. We had expected Kadek's foot to be plastered for 4-6 weeks. I had wanted to return to Bali to have his special shoes made and go back to Lombok once again. I phoned Bali every week - only to hear that the surgeon had again extended the time. After 8 weeks the plaster was eventually removed; only 3 weeks before my fligth back to Germany. So I had to complete everything on Lombok before going to Bali. Shoe and prosthesis were finished just in time. On August 18^th I brought Kadek back home to his parents. (250 km on the motorbike into the far east of Bali and back.)
August 19^th I flew back to Germany.

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From Nepal during the summer I had received a mail every few weeks from Mukesh, who takes care of our children and offers them a weekly meeting as long as I am not in Kathmandu. - It's a nice feeling to get information regularly. Years ago I would not have had any news since March and would have expected a lot of surprises on arriving in Nepal. But now - thanks to Mukesh, and to the convenient and cheap e-mail - I am informed at least about the most important things:
Nearly all the children had passed their exams and continued schooling. Little Kalia* didn't make it. (Intelligent enough; but since nearly one year a bit lazy and playing too much.) Suman* because of problems at home had quit school, did not even take part in the examinations; but Mukesh convinced him and he joined again at a different school and is very eager now.
In spring I had taken the responsibility for some new students; and a couple of children we had put on a "waiting list" to see their results in summer. I left it up to Mukesh to decide whether we pay for them or not. Now he reports that most of them are doing very well and learn quite eagerly. Another one for whom I started payments last autumn regularly is the best in his class and as such even exempt from school fees.

In the printed version of this report followed some information which luckily is outdated already:
(I wrote:) We have been very disappointed by Phurba Sherpa*, 19 years old, for whom a small group of people for years had been collecting special funds to pay an expensive boarding school and hostel for him: Last summer he had some trouble and was thrown out of this school. (Afterwards I could not find out whether he or another pupil had been the responsible culprit.) Rather than reporting to us immediately and trying to be shifted to another school he played around through autumn - even visiting us and telling us about his studies! Only when I finally visited the school I was informed about the truth. But at that time the first term was finished and no other school would admit him. We helped him to rent a room and buy some furniture. He was to find himself a job for the rest of the year, so from this summer he could join a school again and we would resume payments. But in January he disappeared, presumably back to his parents in a village south of Mt. Everest - and did not report to us up to today. - A pity.
But all this is not true anymore! Meanwhile I learned that I never received one of Mukesh's e-mails with various important information. And in this mail among other things he had informed me that Phurba had come back in time for the new sessions and had been admitted at another (government) school back into 8th grade.

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So by now we pay the schooling for 59 in Nepal. And for another 21 in Indonesia.
That's a total of 80 - and thanks to the generosity of many friends (like you!) I will be able to accept even more and further increase this number. - Thank you!

I will go back to Nepal soon. The above mentioned two big burn surgeries I will certainly try to have performed. Apart from this I wait for any surprises and am ready to grasp every opportunity to help other poor children.

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New bank account number

Homepage  /  our children online

Tours and travels

To close this report I have to give you a lot of organisational information once again:

New bank account number

I didn't change my bank account - but two branches of one bank fused and had to change all the numbers. So from October 1^st please use this new information. - Thank you!:

(If you already have the old number: Just put a "3" in front and change the last digit.)

From October 1^st 2001:

account number 34095671 (Jürgen Dahm)
Sparkasse Rhein Neckar Nord (branch name)
BLZ 67050505 (branch code number)

Homepage / our children online

(This was meant mainly for those who received the printed version of this report. As you are reading online right now, I keep this very short.)

I am sorry to tell you that at this time 90 to 95 percent of the readers (and donors!) are German (or understand German). My priority has to be the information in this language; and I may never find the time to translate ALL pages into English.
Most important for YOU (the English speaking readers) will be "Latest News" which I will try to keep always up to date. And the "site map": Here I will give an overview of all existing pages and inform you about the pages not yet translated (in case you understand some German) and those pages with many photos (that you might want to see - even without understanding the text).

Please inform about these pages any of your friends who might be interested!

If you forward it by e-mail, please use the full address that takes you right to the English pages:
http://www.geocities.com/juergendahm/index_e.html
If you write it in a letter or type it into a computer, you might want to use the short form
www.geocities.com/juergendahm
which takes you to the German start page where you can click the English flag.

Tours and Travels

I took this out of the online-version of this "letter", because I hope to have a separate page informing you about this very soon.

If you need any urgent information or want me to book a hotel, local flights etc. for you in Indonesia or Nepal, just send me an e-mail.

Now this report is coming to an end ...

 
Once again I thank all of you for your support.
- And once again I would like to emphasise: I am not only looking forward to any financial contribution, but just as well to comments or recommendations, questions or criticism, or anybody encouraging me to continue.

 
I wish all of you a good time. May peace come to this earth - and prevail!

 
"Tschüß !!!" (is one of the Germans' ways to say bye-bye - and has become kind of a "brand name" in my dealing with the children)

 
Jürgen Dahm

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