PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, AND PLANS
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ~Nelson Mandella

We recognize that dreams cannot flourish in a vacuum, and so in addition to educational programs, our efforts encompass all the basic necessities of clean water, nutritional diets, a safe environment, and basic medical care.

Projects: Villages often have pressing one-time needs they are unable to meet without our help:

• In Catdang Village, we have purchased and installed water purification systems for the schools, provided desks and equipment for new classrooms, brought electricity to schools, repaired roofs, and up-dated sanitary systems. In support of the local economy, we have imported and sold 4 containers of locally made baskets, with all proceeds returned to the village.
• In Ethiopia, at the Hope Community Services Orphanage in Mekelle, we have funded a new well, helped establish a mini-clinic for the children, and built a dairy farm, vegetable garden and poultry shed to provide a sustainable, nutritious diet. We are funding construction of a kitchen and dining hall that will not only serve the orphanage, but will also provide local children a nutritious diet.
• For El Rosario and its surrounding villages in Honduras, we are building a community center to house a regional library and education center that will serve as the focal point for young adults to improve literacy, learn new technical and agricultural skills, and train for the leadership roles of the future.

Programs: These initiatives are undertaken on a recurring basis, and need your ongoing support:

• In Catdang, we are completing a medical needs assessment for the village, arranging for annual medical examinations for children, ongoing medications for de-worming and other prevalent health problems, and ensuring that basic immunizations are administered. We will provide financial assistance for students too impoverished to otherwise attend school, and are establishing an ongoing maintenance and beautification program for school buildings. A nutritional and hygiene education program has been created.
• In Ethiopia, the orphanage mini-clinic needs ongoing re-stocking as it serves an increasing number of children. TCI will continue its assistance to the Pediatric HIV Clinic in Mekelle Hospital and will maintain and expand the education programs that prevent the spread of HIV. We have made an ongoing commitment to the administration of antiretroviral drugs and to enrichment services for The Blind Boarding School, including Braille education, books, music, and better food and living conditions for the students.
• Government schooling in Honduras is provided only through the sixth grade, and in conjunction with ACTS, we are dedicated to finding ways to extend the educational experience for children. ACTS, which regularly sends teams of doctors associated with Dartmouth's Mary Hitchcock Hospital, has established a snacks program, created school gardens, brought water to school buildings, provided books and supplies, and sent “Teacher Teams” of experienced American teachers to work with and train teacher counterparts n the village.  TCI will support these and other initiatives, particularly those related to the Community center, to help advance the education of village children.

Plans: In addition to maintaining all the great Projects and Programs already established, you can help us turn the following plans into reality for the benefit of children:

• The Catdang kindergarten needs relocation to provide space for the children as well as serve as the base for health and nutrition programs for the children and their families. Our plans include a school lunch program, a library, introducing physical education into the curriculum, providing pre- and post-natal care to mothers, and initiating programs to support the local arts and crafts industries to help the village attain sustainable economic viability.
• The new orphanage run by Hope Community Services in Mekelle needs to finish building the residence hall, install an irrigation system for the farm, acquire additional livestock, plant fruit trees, and hire caregivers in order to meet its goal of accommodating 100 children. The orphanage is in desperate need of a vehicle to help transport children and serve the farm. TCI is dedicated to extending our commitment to orphaned children and the fight against AIDS.
• Working with our strategic partners in El Rosario and surrounding villages, there are latrines to build, water systems to install, sustainable farming to institute, and many programs to provide basic necessities in concert with the local community committees. We do all this in conjunction with ACTS, Sustainable Harvest International, and Engineers Without Borders.

*** Help us take the INITIATIVE to help children ***