“Voice of HOPE”

August, 2009 Bi monthly for private circulation Issue number: 15

Picture above is a screenshot of a software application built by a gentleman in

Seattle, WA, in the United States of America for the HOPE House to connect the
Community Outreach Program (COP) families with the corresponding donors.
(Read more about it inside)

‘Ambassador of HOPE’
We wanted to connect the
COP families (read about
‘COP’ to the right) with the
supporters so we turned to
technology but didn’t know
how. Posted our
requirements at free
database application building
site and offered Rs. 1000/- to
do so.
We heard from a developer -
Stepehn Rhyne who agreed
to do it absolutely for free.
Next few days we exchanged
emails and there we had a
simple yet robust database
application (screenshot of it
in the first page) which is
helping us to create, store
and send monthly electronic
Reports to the
corresponding supporters.
This literally made our
operation paperless and
reduced our workload to
minutes. This is allowing
us now to spend the
precious time counseling
the families. Stephen,
thank you, you’re a true
‘ambassador of HOPE’.
You can’t live a perfect day
without doing something for
someone who will never be
able to repay you.
John Wooden
“Voice of HOPE”
Dear Friend,
On September 1st, 2008, HOPE House embarked on a
new program – helping families affected by HIV with
resources to stay united. Here’s our year’s report.
We called this program ‘Community Outreach Program’ or COP in
short. Families that meet the criteria – affected by HIV, has young
children and are in need of help, are referred by those that know them
– social workers, counselors, and medical doctors etc. Home visit is
made before enrolling the family with adequate compliance
instructions. Focus of our instruction being to use this help as a
supplement and not as substitute to their earnings.
Families are allowed to purchase all the grocery provisions that the
state government allows through the public distribution system. Each
month on a predetermined date, families come to the HOPE House to
get reimbursed after having the receipts cross checked for authenticity.
Apart from reimbursement, they also receive month’s cosmetic
supplies (soaps) stationary supplies twice a year for the kids, gently
used clothes & toys when available etc. They have three important
requirements to meet. They must be regular to HIV clinic each
month, children should be in school if they are of school going age,
and importantly they must go to work. Families are reviewed every
six months for compliance.
We have studied approximately 15 families and learnt valuable
lessons. It is the most efficient way to help the entire family that
keeps them together.
With the year’s worth of tricks of the trade up our sleeves, we have set
ourselves an ambitious target of helping 100 families in the next one
year. We have expanded the criteria from HIV specific to also include
families that have disabilities, terminal illnesses and total orphans
cared by the extended families.
Last but not the least, it would be incomplete for us not to
acknowledge what makes this program click – YOU. Generous
people like you gave 600 rupees (or $ 15/-) every month to support an
entire family. Know this: Your faithfulness encourages a family to
see hope when they have nothing but hopelessness. God Bless.
Ruby Nakka.
 “Voice of HOPE”

News:

HOPE House is happy to announce the joining of Mr. Thomas Mathew as their new employee.
Thomas is an alumnus of Christian Medical College, Vellore, India who defied the conventional
wisdom by following his heart’s desire by relocating to India. He lived and built a
very successful Physiotherapy practice in the US for 17 years. It is a humbling
experience to see Thomas join the HOPE House when he had varied choices in front of
him to choose from. He will oversee the HOPE House operations of Co-Management
at Government Children’s Home for Boys in Ranipet apart from all the governmental affairs.
Thomas can be reached at 9566927644. Welcome aboard Thomas.

Dr. Samson, his wife Anita Sharon and their two sons of Luling, TX, USA visited the HOPE House on
July 13th. They brought a ton of snacks and spent close to an hour enquiring about our operations here.

HOPE House has entered into an understanding to start an exchange program with the Government
home for older girls called ‘After Care Home’ (ACH). On the third Saturday of every alternative
month, we decided to exchange two students for about 6 hours during the day. First set of HOPE House
girls visited ACH on July 18th. This is to allow the girls to experience something different from their
regular Saturday routine. It is also helping the institutions on both sides to understand the children’s
perspective about their likes/ dislikes. Our girls after their first visit to the ACH, convinced us to buy a
television along with DVD player for the HOPE House.

HOPE House works very closely with the homes that are
run by the State Government and one such a home is
‘After Care Home’ (ACH) in Vellore. Recently ACH had
requested the HOPE House for a power sewing machine
for vocational rehabilitation of their students.

Donating this sewing machine on the July 21st had brought

both the organizations closer than before and on the 15th of
August; all the HOPE House girls visited ACH to
celebrate India’s Independence day. We all had lunch
together.
 “Voice of HOPE”

Meeting of the ‘Board of Advisors’ of the HOPE House took place on the August 11th in Vellore. We
exchanged lot of ideas about the current and future programs. HOPE House is always grateful to the
wisdom and guidance that our advisors offer.

Recently three of our girls volunteered to join JRC (Junior

Red Cross) – part of Indian Red Cross Society, in their
school all on their own. It required buying them a
uniform but it was joy to get it to encourage them as they
learn about civic responsibilities.

On August 15th, JRC girls embarked on a task to give

back to the society. Each one will collect money from
our guests in a clay kiddy bank until Christmas.

During the Christmas program, all the money raised will

be given to one of the most disadvantaged child in our
community outside of the HOPE House. Their goal is
5000 rupees. If you’re planning to visit the HOPE House
anytime, keep some change as you’ll be asked to help out.
Sujatha, Maria and Bommi dressed in JRC uniform

Received 15 school bags from a Marthoma church in Houston, TX, USA. They are to be given to 15
needy children at Ranipet boys home. They are regular colorful children’s backpacks but decorated
beautifully by American children. In each bag, children have kept hand written letters and some useful
stationary items for the boy’s to use. Thank you Judi for all your efforts.

On August 29th, we had a ‘Democracy Party’ where

our girls in team of threes talked for five minutes on a
topic of their choice. Topics ranged from Swine Flu,
Environment, Government, and Entertainment to
Freedom. We all voted for them individually on a
scale of 1-5. At the end, we learnt about the way
elections work in a democratic society. They worked
extremely hard for this and when the results were
announced, those who didn’t win, took it very hard
and began to cry. That was heartbreaking.
Bommi, Gayathri and Mogana talking about the environment

How you can help us…
HOPE House is looking for a Math
teacher to teach the 7th and 8th
graders in Tamil for an hour or
two/ day. Retired school teachers,
Math post graduation students, and
anyone that has an eye for math
can call us at 9629471920.
We would appreciate if you like to
donate any used or new ‘Math
made easy’ resources.
If you’re touched by our message and inspired to support us, you can do the following:
If you live in the USA,
address your payments to
“HOPE House International”
and mail it to this address:
If you live in India,
Address your payments to
“The HOPE House”
and mail it to this address:
“Voice of HOPE”
FAQ
What entertainment provisions does the
HOPE House provide for the children?
We have a cable television with a DVD
player, good collection of DVD’s (English
and Tamil), two bicycles of different sizes,
and two computers with one having an
internet connection, toys, jump ropes,
carrom board and Jigsaw puzzles etc.
On the weekends, girls participate in
competitions of various kinds and go out for
picnics once every two months.
HOPE House International
P.O. Box: 7438
Chico, CA – 95927-7438
(HHI is a 501c3 organization – (non profit) and
your contributions are tax deductible allowed
by the U.S. law)
The HOPE House
16/28, 25th East Cross Road
Gandhinagar, Vellore – 632006
(HH is 80 G organization (non-profit) and your
contributions are tax deductible allowed by the
Indian law)
“Voice of HOPE”