Due to the COVID-19 situation we find ourselves in survival mode.  Our gallery income is cut off with no tours and while we have no idea how long this will continue, we estimate at least 6 months.  ODA survival overall is very critical for the village youngsters future when this difficult time has past.  Also in the meantime we have the residential students food, medical and other expenses to continue supporting as they have nowhere else to go for help.
We would be very grateful for any assistance to get through this time and please see below what your donations cover in normal times.
 

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WHY IT MATTERS AND HOW WE PUT YOUR DONATIONS TO WORK 

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Village life is much the same as it has been for centuries.  Rice is their staple diet.  In the wet season the channels on the sides of the roads fill with water, and minute fish spring to life.  Villagers make small nets and catch them for protein, and ducks are often kept for family meals.  Pigs are only for those who can afford to buy them, and then often used for breeding and selling rather than eating. Rats, snakes, birds etc supplement their diet when found.  Vegetables can be grown in the wet season, but without wells it is impossible in the dry season.  There are edible leaves and plants, but the forests are fast being cleared out, and they are harder to find.  Nearing harvest time many families run out of rice, and eating in those last 4-8 weeks becomes a big problem.  They may have to barter some farm tools to exchange for rice to survive, but that creates difficulties later on.

At least one person with a regular salary, can make the difference of a family eating at these times and not! This is why Leng juggles every month to keep these ODA English and computer schools running.  He knows the critical difference employment of even one family member, makes to his people!  Regular salaries are an absolute lifeline to families.

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YOUR DONATIONS AT WORK

Donations keep our programs alive, and recurring donations give valuable stability to our monthly planning. 

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• Solar battery replacements $350USD each - 4 at ea school and 8 at computer class schools. (3 year life) Your financial help is greatly appreciated here. Electricity is coming to villages but more expensive than a solar system.

• Printers replacement when they have ‘fatal heart attacks’, plus regular refills of all coloured inks

• HDML Cables:  these don’t last long unfortunately. Statistics say visuals improve retention of lessons by up to 80%

• Schools Managers wage.  He trains new teachers, monitors everyday operations, and oversees the Mountain Girls education access project.

• Teachers wages.  They are all paid the correct rate and their further education is supported under the ODA University Program.

• Training fees.  ODA believes in improving teaching methods to benefit our school student outcomes.

• Repairs and Maintenance of buildings and equipment.  This is a constant challenge with so many students, regular inspections identify needs, and timely repairs need to be carried out.

• A myriad of other small but necessary needs, plus larger like medical, dental. etc., crop up daily and need to be addressed as quickly as possible. 

• ODA is happy to purchase supplies to your request, and send photos to you.