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RAMADAN APPLIANCES: ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION
Every Ramadan we purchase and distribute basic electrical appliances to needy families. These include washing machines, cookers, water heaters, air conditioning units, and fridges. To date we have distributed over 6623 appliances to over 250 families. All the appliances are greatly discounted by local suppliers and delivered free of charge, and this enables us to provide the maximum number of families with much needed items - it is also another example of the tremendous community spirit shown by local companies in supporting the Palm Association whenever they can. Families have also received new items including carpets, curtains, wardrobes, bedding, beds, children’s shoes, both adult & baby nappies (diapers), baby powdered milk, cerelac, baby clothes, fans, crockery, wheelchairs, and hospital beds. |
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BE-FREE CENTER
At the beginning of 2006 the Be Free Centre was opened in conjunction with Esterad. We are very proud to have put this amazing organization, the first of it’s kind in the Gulf, in touch with their very generous sponsor, and helped to bring the dream of a healing centre for women and children come to life. The concept of the Be Free Centre is very close to our heart and we have continued to support Be Free by providing necessary operational equipment. If you would like any further information about Be Free follow the link www.befreecenter.org |
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GOODY BOX: SALMANIYA HOSPITAL PAEDIATRIC WARD
This is another project very close
to our heart. Ward 222 in Salmaniya Hospital is the
ward dedicated for children with serious chronic illnesses.
Many of the children spend all or most of their young lives
in this ward. The parents of the children in Salmaniya
Hospital cannot afford private health care and although
the medical care is exceptional due to dedicated doctors
and nurses, we want to know what we could do to make these
children’s life a little brighter. After speaking to
the nurses we decided to provide a monthly “goody” box
full of healthy snacks and treats that the children would like.
We asked all the children on the ward what their favourite
treats were and make up a box from our great friends at
Midway Supermarket and deliver that every month. The nurses
tell us it is the highlight of the month when a new box
arrives, and for us just to make one of these brave children
smile shows we are making a difference.
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AL RAHMA CENTRE: STUDENT SPONSORSHIP
The Palm Association annually sponsors six mentally and physically challenged young people to attend the Al Rahma Centre. This includes fees and transport to and from the centre which is located in Riffa. This non governmental centre is run purely on charitable donations and is a part of the Bahrain Association for Mental Retardation. The centre provides health, social, psychological, vocational and rehabilitative care to mentally and physically challenged young adults and children, as well as support for their families. The aim of Al Rahma is to teach and encourage the students to become more self reliant and to enjoy more fulfilling lives The annual cost of sponsorship for each student is BD 500 - this includes transportation to and from the
centre as well as year long daily care by fully trained staff. |
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EID VOUCHERS FOR ORPHANS
Eid is a very important time of the year for all Muslims. It celebrates the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, a month of fasting and personal sacrifice, and is very much an important time for families. It is tradition that people celebrate Eid by dressing up in new clothes and visiting their family and friends. We annually provide local Bahraini orphans, who are being cared for within village communities, with BD10 clothes vouchers to ensure that, although they do not have their own families, they can still have new clothes and feel special for their own Eid celebrations. Last year we gave out 160 vouchers and made a difference in 160 small lives. |
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BRITISH AIRWAYS DREAMFLIGHT
We are very happy to support the British Airways “Dreamflight” trip which selects
two seriously ill Bahraini children to join children from around
the world to enjoy a chance in a lifetime visit to Disneyworld in
Florida. We provide suitcases full of essentials for the two chosen
children, including clothes, toiletries, cameras, and all the little
extras a child would need on holiday. “Dreamflight”
is an incredible project and we try to make this trip even more
special for these very courageous children. To the left is a picture of the two Dreamflight boys having fun in the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, October 2008! |
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PROJECT REBUILD
Our annual appliance delivery takes us to various villages around the Island where we have come upon homes in the most unimaginable, unlivable, and unsafe conditions. Despite their obvious hardships the owners are warm, friendly, hospitable and humble - classic qualities of the Bahraini people. We are currently working with our local contacts in targeting the direst of properties to further our rebuild projects this year. In 2006 we undertook two rebuild projects in conjunction with the Bahrain Philanthropic Society and are delighted that we have been able to make a difference to these people lives in that they are now living in safe, comfortable homes. In 2007, another two homes were transformed. |
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RAMADAN FOOD DRIVE
The annual Ramadan Food Drive is a project which is supported by local schools. Each Ramadan local private schools raise funds and also ask students to donate dry food items to be distributed to the needy. This is always a very satisfying project for us because it involves getting local school children involved in the community and helps to promote community awareness. The school children volunteer to come along with us on our deliveries and meet the people they are helping. It is a very rewarding day and often moving day. The schools that have participated in the past have been The British School of Bahrain, Nadeen School, and Bayan School. |
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FOOD BOX DELIVERY
Our “Sponsor a Family Programme” allows us to provide and distribute approximately 100 food parcels to the value of BD15 every month to needy families situated around the Bahrain. Each family has been identified by our trusted community contacts as facing difficult financial situations. All of these families live on the bare minimum due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances, so by providing the food parcels we mange to alleviate their problems a little. Families are assessed regularly and any whose situation improves are removed from the programme and a new family added. All the food items are purchased at wholesale prices, and each food parcel contains basic non perishable items including rice, flour, dried milk, and sugar. The packages are kindly made up and packed by a local supermarket free of charge and delivered using our own transport. To date we have distributed over 6000 parcels to needy families, 1225 of those during 2006. The annual cost of supporting a family is BD180. If you would like to be involved
with our “Sponsor a Family Programme”
please contact us for further details. |
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UNIVERSITY STUDENT SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME We believe that education is the key to a
rewarding and fulfilling life.
Students who would not normally be able to
afford higher education are currently studying at Bahrain University under The Palm
Association “Sponsor a Student Scheme.” These ambitious
young adults are sponsored by individuals and also by local private
schools, which raise funds through school events to cover the educational expenses.
This is usually a 4-year mutual commitment and we are very proud of
our students and their sponsors. Each candidate is carefully vetted
for their grades, ambition, and commitment, and successful students
are continually monitored after enrolment in the scheme to ensure
that they continue to maintain high standards. The cost of sponsoring
a student is BD350. |
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BLANKET APPEAL
This winter when the weather turned cold, a plea for donations for
blankets went out in the form of a text meassage. This resulted in the distribution of over
200 blankets to the needy just two days later. |
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GIVE UP A TREAT AWARD
Children can choose to forego their party"goody bag" in favor of treating a child in need. The money from the goody bag or the goody bag itself can be given as a treat to a less fortunate child. Children will receive a medal recognition and the satisfaction of knowing that small changes and sacrifices can make a big difference in the lives of the underprivileged. |
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SHOEBOX APPEAL
This is part of our “Schools Awareness Programme” whereby shoeboxes full of good quality second hand toys are collected by expatriate children from The British School and Nadeen School. The boxes of toys are then distributed to needy students of various ages at other local schools |
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HEARING AIDS
Dr. Omar of the Child Development Centre, which caters for severely deaf Bahraini children from very poor backgrounds, made us aware of the plight of these children. The Centre’s aim is to start children on a hearing aid programme as young as possible (as early as 1 year old) to enable the children to be integrated into main stream schools across Bahrain. In 2005 we supplied all 50 children with 2 hearing aids (one for each ear) at a cost of BD6,500 (US$17,240). |
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BAHRAIN’S SHANTY TOWN
Under directives from His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, 50 families were re-housed in new homes after living in wooden shacks for over forty years. With the aid of the Capital Governorate The Palm Association provided an appliance of their choice to each of these families when they moved into their new homes. |
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CHICKEN RUN
In 2003 we assisted the Al Bayan School in their first annual ‘Chicken Run.’ As part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) community service requirement, the students raised BD1000 which they used to purchase fresh chickens to personally distribute to needy families across Bahrain. This gave the students an appreciation of the families’ poor living conditions, and encouraged continued visits and support. The programme continued until 2005. During Ramadan in 2006 the students decided to distribute food vouchers to families instead of fresh produce. The students felt this offered the families more choice over the food they were going to having during Eid. |
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BURI STUDENTS VISITED YATEEM OPTICIANS
Buri Students visited Yateem Opticians with Palm committee member Debra Wakefield and Buri Charity council member Jalal Majeed Mohsen Ahmed. Fourteen students over two weeks were tested at Yateem Opticians main branch in Manama. The initiative came about in local discussions with the Buri Charity Council who recommended several needy students who they felt would benefit from prescription glasses. They were all tested for various eye conditions by the Optometrist, and were all prescribed prescription glasses or lenses. It was fortunate in the case of five of the students that they were tested at this time as it brought to light sever but correctable conditions such as high myopic lazy eye, cataract and keratoconus. The Palm Association has agreed to fund the costs of the glasses, and Yateem Opticians have kindly offered to provide them at a discounted price. Some of the students were then treated to a “healthy” snack at Penny’s Restaurant in the Yateem Centre before heading back home. |
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To make a difference, make a donation today. we are committed to using our resources where they are needed most |
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