Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Message from Dinah



I am happy to announce the arrival in the boundary of Shefali Halder, who will be acting as a mother or matron to the girls and younger boys. Her photograph is attached and I am looking forward to meeting her when I arrive, with Anne and baby Simon, at the end of October. Bruna will be meeting her later in November and I am sure we will all be happy to confirm her appointment as a very essential member of our family.

Shefali is in her early fifties, unmarried, and with experience as a dental nurse and of accounting. She comes from Dhaka but has no dependents in the city and Ali tells me she is happy to live in beautiful Bhola! She already loves the children and they love her. I am sure she will by now have learned sign language.

Still on the subject of staff, Ali is working with a lawyer friend, whom he and our Swedish colleagues have known for over 20 years. Their objective is to draw up a job description for a manager of the project, so as to free Ali to do what he does best: be with the children and spread awareness of disability on the island. Again, our Swedish friends have some potential candidates and with luck Bruna and I will meet some of them when we are over in the autumn.

All is fine in the boundary. Construction of the tailoring building is going well, with the staircase now in place. The washroom in Valumia is nearly ready for our use in November!

It is now Ramadan, of course, until the end of the month. The weather is still hot and rather wet, everything is growing well in Valumia. I am looking forward to eating some of these papaya!