St Joseph's Catholic Church, Oakham

How Aid for Chad and Peru started

• In 1984 the world heard of a devastating famine in Ethiopia.
• It reached our living rooms.
• A little while later there was news of a similar famine in S. Chad.
• Information about two Missions in S. Chad came into our hands.
• We learnt about a Sr Dominique who was desperate for aid.
• It moved hearts.

• As a result, a small group of friends decided to support these two Missions as no aid was getting through to Chad at all.
• Later that year we met Sr Dominique -who had suffered severely from hunger and disease and had been airlifted out of Chad.
• She had looked after the poor in Benoye Mission for 14 years.
• We began fund raising and were able to provide food for the poor of Benoye and Mberi Missions.
• So, the tiny Charity Aid for Chad was born.

• 4 years later we were contacted by another Sister in Lima Peru. They too were desperate for food in the shanty towns.
• And so having agreed to try to help them our little charity became “Aid for Chad and Peru”
• We registered our Charity with the Charity Commission and hoped we would be able to continue.

• Our aim is to send direct help for the poor of these Missions.
• We provide food, medicines and clean water in Benoye and Mberi.
• We provide an income for the poor in Lima by selling all their beautiful handmade crafts.
• We supply medicines and fund health care for the very sick and vulnerable.     
• We know every penny reaches them in S.Chad and Lima.
• As Sr Dominque told us all those years ago - "Those lives are in your hands”
• Through the support of so many we have been able to carry on.

Aid for Chad and Peru - charity number 328051

• We support 3 Missions in Chad and Lima, Peru.
• Two Missions are in Southern Chad.
• The third Mission is in the shanty towns of Lima.
• The two missions we support in Southern Chad are Benoye and Mberi. They are 180 kms apart and the roads are very bad.

Mberi is the larger of the 2 Missions in Southern Chad

Here we support a Dispensary. Patients suffer from malaria, anaemia, malnutrition and respiratory infections and many other diseases. We purchase all the vital medicines they need from the Cameroon.

There are 2 schools in Mberi, Primary and Secondary. We have supported the build of the Secondary school and provide daily meals for the Primary children. As there was no clean water, we have funded 2 borewells recently. One next to the Dispensary ,the second in the nearby village of Pourou.

Mberi Mission - Sr Reetha

• In Mberi there is a Primary school called St Etienne.
• A few years ago we built one of the class rooms.
• Here too we provide daily food for the young pupils who pound the millet for their daily meal.
• The pupils then share a plate of food-ground nuts cream, millet, cereals and rice.
• They also receive a daily mug full of goodness resembling porridge!

The Dispensary in Mberi

• In Mberi there is a small Dispensary supplying medicines for the very poor. This is run by a nurse Sr Suritha with her helpers.
• They rely on donations of medicines to survive.
• For many years now we have provided lifesaving medicines for this little clinic that Sr Suritha needs for the very sick
• These medicines are now obtained from the Cameroon which is easier for them to transport.
• The list of medicines they need is very comprehensive for all the various diseases they have to deal with.
• There is no Doctor-just 2 nurses.
• They have a small pharmacy and a guard at night.
• The medicines we provide include-antibiotics, various pain killers, vitamins, antiseptic creams, various drugs for childbirth, parasite infections, urine infections, HIV bronchitis, and drugs for malaria . Sadly malnutrition too.
• The number of patients treated this year is 3,357.
• It averages 45 each day.
• Sadly many of these are below 5 years of age.
• Many walk up to 15 miles to get treatment

Borewells

• The people drink dirty water usually about a couple of miles from where they live.
• During the rainy season all the dirty water comes into the river.
• People bathe in the water and so do the animals.
• They also wash all their clothes too.
• All the animals drink the same dirty water.
• They collect the water in whatever container they have and carry it back so they suffer from many diseases.
• In the past we have built wells. It is easier now to provide borewells.
• This last year we have provided money to provide 2 borewells.
• These were in Pourou village and Mberi near to the dispensary.
• We hope to provide a third one this next year in Puru Ganai -10 kms from the dispensary.
• They can only be built when the rainy season is over in Jan.
• The cost of clean water from a borewell -saving so many lives is just £2000!

Sr Deephi in Benoye Mission Southern Chad

• Sr Deepthi is an Indian Franciscan Sister of Mary.
• She is a Secondary English teacher in Benoye Bush Mission.
• She has taught in the High school there for 16 years.
• She has devoted her life to teaching her pupils. There are 29 at the moment.
• They come from very poor families and live together in a Hostel that is part of their Boarding school.
• The hostel enables them to stay on to receive further education.
• This year there are 30 of them.
• 3 years ago two of Sr Deepthi's pupils went on to College in Moundou which is the Capital of Chad.

For many years now …

• We supply all the food the pupils eat daily which includes millet, groundnuts, rice, beans, local cereals and various edible leaves.
• Most days the pupils receive 2 meals.
• They share their meals from the same dish...which is the custom.
• Oil from grinding the groundnuts that we provide is stored for cooking.
• Once a week the pupils receive a small portion of meat or fish.
• The pupils take it in turns to cook the food in large pots over a fire when the sticks have been collected.

Over the last few years, we have been able to supply the pupils with,

• Soaps, several different text books for various courses, pens and pencils.
• Malaria nets to protect them at night.
• Basic desks for each of them to use to study.
• Bookcases to store all their text books.
• Kerosene lamps and torches so they can study at night.

There is no dispensary in Benoye

• Sadly the death rate for malaria is high.
• Typhoid is very common.
• There is a lack of medicines.
• We provide medicines for the very poor.

“We thank you and all our benefactors who help us. We are so grateful for your affection, care and concern. May God bless each one of you and your family.”

“You are the kind hands of God visible here on earth for these pupils.”

PERU

Lima Peru

• Sister Dina has worked for many years helping the poor in Lima.
• She is a Spanish Sister and has very little English!
• Our contributions support her work amongst the poor- buying essential medicines for the sick and basic food for all those in need.
• As she is a nurse, Sr Dina cares for the sick and poor who cannot afford medicines and visits them on their homes.
• She also funds operations when necessary.
• She visits many families taking medicines to those who are very sick.
• And she often has to accompany poor patients to hospital too.

 Sr Dina giving out medicines

If you would like more information 

please contact Maria at

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