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PCCA Journal|1

st

Quarter 2010

41

brought for themselves, but the atmosphere is so much

different.

Feeding programs are a very good start, and starving

children now have food every day, but the transfor-

mation of the community needs more than a feeding

program. To make a lasting change to the village, more

programs need to be put in place, and a church/com-

munity center is key to administering these additional

programs. Once a building is constructed, a preschool

can be developed that will give the most vulner-

able children a jump start on their schooling. When

an after-school learning center is established to help

children whose parents and/or guardians are mostly

illiterate, the success rate in school is increased signifi-

cantly. Church and spiritual training can now be held

in a building in which the pastor and congregation can

take pride. The village pastor, as a direct result of the

church building being in place, starts to become the

focal point of the village, administering many programs

that accelerate the transformation of the village. The

church/community center sends a strong message of

hope, permanency, and possibility.

In villages where Helping Hands in Africa has

worked for a number of years, the transformation is

powerful. Children are staying in school and graduat-

ing from high school for the first time ever. Community

leaders are becoming empowered to apply for, and

receive, government housing grants for their village to

replace dilapidated shacks with very modest homes.

Guardians of orphans are applying for and receiving

childcare grants to allow them to take better care of

their grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, etc. Small

businesses are springing up as people feel empowered

to take back control of their circumstances. A spirit of

hope replaces the feeling of despair at the enormity of

the problems the village faces.

Currently there are two villages where Help-

ing Hands has established some basic pro-

grams, but the villages are being held back by

the lack of resources to finish structures that

were started 2-plus years ago. The buildings,

shown below, are ready to be built out and

will be a key to accelerate the transformation

of the village once completed.

These villages need someone to reach out

and help them accelerate their path to a

higher degree of self-respect and self-sufficien-

cy by helping complete the structures so that

additional programs can be established. A per-

manent structure will encourage hope, com-

munity pride, and possibility for the future.

It is our hope that PCCA members can play

a significant role in helping HHIA to finish

these very important structures that contribute

so greatly to the self-sufficiency of a village and the

future of these children. I believe this is very doable.

Let’s talk!

Herb Fluharty, of Mears Group, Inc., is a past presi-

dent of PCCA. He can be reached at herbert_fluharty@

hotmail.com.

Blydeville Township, Lichtenburg

Mabelle a Podi Village, Pilanesburg

Michelle Tessendorf tells PCCA members about the dire situation in

Africa and explains what Helping Hands in Africa is doing to help.