From Bill Brese - September 5, 2009

Usually at this time of the year I send out a letter to remind our sponsors that contributions in support of students at the Moravian Institute in Rajpur, India, are due at the end of September.  Cheques should be made payable to the Moravian Church in Canada and sent to me.  The amount is still $700 although the actual cost of support at Rajpur has gone up to $800.  Our rates were left unchanged for 2009 due to the depressed economic conditions. 

I am attaching an update on the Moravian Institute which I gleaned from some of the emails which I received recently from the Rev. Thsespal Kundan.  Happily work is progressing well on the new girls’ dorm which was delayed in getting started.  Currently the girls are quartered in overcrowded conditions on the second floor of an old building.  They have to use bathroom facilities in an adjoining building.  It is no wonder that they are watching the progress of the construction of new dorm with great anticipation.  It is frequently mentioned in the letters which the girls have written to their sponsors.  The Moravian Institute has made an appeal to Moravians around the Unity for help in building the dorm.  Please bear this in mind in case your congregation is inclined to raise funds to help.  Any contributions would be most welcome.

See pictures of dorm construction

Just over a year ago we launched the Lasting Legacy Fund to help grads from the Moravian Institute go on to secondary education.  Happily $15,000 was raised for that purpose and to date 6 needy students have been able to benefit from loans from the programme.  More money is needy in the short run to enable more students to go on to university and/or college.  (See the attachment for details.)  If you feel led to make a contribution to help with the Lasting Legacy Fund you may send your cheque to me.  I realize that these extra opportunities to help the work of the Moravian Institute will not be applicable to all sponsors.  Many of you are extending yourselves to sponsor a student.  But the needs exist and I just want to get the word out .  The Holy Spirit does the rest. 

Blessings, 

Bill

2009 September Lasting Legacy Project - Update (Note: Our first foster child - Powjuaklung Gengmei)

From: Moravian Institute, Rajpur, Dehra Dun, UA, India 

Through the generosity of the Canadian Moravian Mission Society we have been able to operate their Lasting Legacy Fund to provide short term loans for the continued education of our post secondary students to facilitate career progression.  Thanks to this gift we have been able to support a number of students as they begin careers in fields as varied as computing, nursing and electrical engineering. 

Established in March 2008, the fund received a Canadian Dollar amount of CAD$15,000.  This is held as restricted funds within the Moravian Institute accounts and is reported and audited in line with Indian accounting regulations.  So far six individuals have benefited from the Lasting Legacy Fund as follows: 

Gaichung Ruangmei / MCA 
Gaichung works at the Moravian Institute full time in the accounts department, dealing with the day pupils fees and the administration of the National Institute of Open Schooling. He has also been teaching Years 7 & 8 computing. 

In 2007 Gaichung expressed an interest to increase his educational qualifications in support of this career, and to receive further training in computer applications and software that would enhance his future career prospects in a number of fields.  The Institute extended him a loan without any specific scheme in mind and when the Lasting Legacy Fund came into operation we felt this was a most appropriate start to the implantation of the scheme within the same financial year. 

Gaichung completed a BCA in 2006, and in 2007 he gained admission to Polaris Academy to study for an MCA (Master of Computer Applications), a two year distance learning course.  The cost of this course is met by the loan provided from the Lasting Legacy Fund as each semester’s fees are due. 

2008 

Premojit M Singha / B.Tech Electrical Engineering 
Premojit completed his studies and ISC Year 12 examinations here at the Moravian Institute in March 2008.  He successfully applied to GGS College of Modern Technology in Haryana State to study a four year course for a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering, and began studying in August 2008. 

Premojit has benefited from receiving a grant towards the initial cost of this course through the kind sponsorship of Edmonton Moravian Church. The remaining ongoing costs of his education are met through the provision of a loan from the Lasting Legacy Fund. 

Julia Panmei / Post Basic BSc Nursing 
Julia completed her General Nurse Midwifery Diploma in 2005 and her service in the Emmanuel Hospital Association hospitals, a network of Christian mission hospitals serving the rural poor, to become a trained nurse. She then had three years experience working as a nurse. This was a requirement before undertaking further training. 

She applied for entrance to the MIBE (Mid India Board of Education) Graduate School of Nurses in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, a recognized institution by the Indian Nursing Council, to study the Post Basic BSc for Nursing. She was accepted for this course in July 2008.  The MIBE is the educational unit of the Nurses’ League of the Christian Medical Association of India and was started in 1945.  The course Julia has undertaken will prepare her to serve and lead at a higher level in the National Healthcare Delivery Programme.  The cost of this course is met by the loan provided from the Lasting Legacy Fund, the first year’s fee paid in full, and then two separate payments for her second year. 

2009 

Powjuaklung Gengmei / MBA
Through the kind sponsorship of Christ Moravian Church, Calgary, Powjuak was able to complete his secondary education and his BCA. In 2004 he started working in the Institute since then as a computer teacher and network administrator. The Institute also financed his training as a librarian, and he gained useful experience working in the Institute library for two years. With a desire to enhance his career options Powjuak undertook his MBA and in 2009 made a request for financial assistance to cover his final year fee. 

In April 2009 he accepted a more lucrative position in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.  The cost of this MBA has been met by a loan provided from the Lasting Legacy Fund. 

Ken Gengmei / MBA in Finance & Banking 
Ken works full time in the Moravian Institute as a warden in the boy’s accommodation. He also takes responsibility for the school’s stores.  In 2009 he requested financial support to undertake an MBA from Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu. Ken completed his B.Com in 2008 and the MBA is delivered via distance learning. 

Ken continues to work full time whilst studying for his MBA, gaining for himself valuable work experience, and hopes to use the qualification gained as a stepping stone into a career with an NGO or charity focusing on the improvement of living standards and quality of life for ordinary Indian citizens, specifically in the area of education and poverty reduction.  The cost of this course is met by the loan provided from the Lasting Legacy Fund as each semester’s fees are due. 

Tsewang Phuntsog / MBA in Finance & Banking 
Phuntsog works full time in the Moravian Institute assisting in the accounts department. In 2009 he requested financial support to undertake an MBA from Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu. Phuntsog completed his B.Com in 2008 and the MBA is delivered through distance learning. 

Phuntsog continues to work whilst studying for his MBA, and would like to use this qualification to begin a career in banking, finance or commerce.  The cost of this course is met by the loan provided from the Lasting Legacy Fund as each semester’s fees are due.