Check out new pictures under Building Projects. (April 16,2013)

*******************************************************************************************

One of the least reported issues on the world stage has been the internal conflict within the borders of Myanmar. Over 60 years of civil war in one of the most impoverished countries in the world, has left millions of people displaced or in hiding. Many of the displaced people have fled to Thailand for refuge.

The good news is that there seems to be a political will within the current government and various factions to reconcile and to rebuild the once prosperous nation. Even though it is early in the reconciliation process, Global Neighbors has applied for Charity status in Myanmar, to help rebuild this beautiful Nation.

Global Neighbors will continue to work with existing educational projects in Thailand as well as to focus our efforts inside the country of Myanmar. There are endless possibilities to help the local communities to rebuild their nation. It is exciting to be a part of this historical transition!

**************************************************************************************************************

Year End Message 2012

2012 has been a very significant year for Global Neighbors. This has been the busiest year to date with major projects nearing completion. The Teacher Training Center for 100 Teacher Trainers will be completed by December 31, with a new an Educational Building, dormitory and kitchen in place. The furnishings are on site, thanks to the Compassionate Resource Warehouse in Victoria, B.C. We are also pleased to announce that this project is fully funded, thanks to the hard work of our volunteers. The one outstanding item is a water system with proper filtration.

We have hosted 3 Work Tours in 2012, with another 3 planned for 2013. Anyone wanting to join us can check the information our website under "Helping Neighbors" Work Tours.

New Projects:

We are building a Safe House for 30 girls at risk of Sexual Exploitation on our Mae Pa Site. We are currently constructing a kitchen/dining room / laundry drying area. The dorm will be under construction soon with the library, caregiver residence and assembly area to follow. Several buildings are not funded at this point. Your help would be appreciated!

Global Neighbors is excited to announce that we are in the process of registering in Myanmar. Work Tours could include trips into Myanmar in the near future.

Dave Heppner

*********************************************************************************************

Upcoming Projects 2013

Hi,
I would like to give you a brief overview of 2012 and some of the new things in store for Global Neighbors in 2013.

The main project in 2012 was the completion was the Teacher Trainer's Dorm which will house up to 120 students. In November Calvary United Church raised most of the funds to build the kitchen and dining room for these students.

All of the tables and chairs were shipped by our partners in Victoria, B.C., Compassionate Resource Warehouse. They have shipped a total of 4 containers this year, the most loads we have handled in one year. Hundreds of families were helped with relief supplies, clinics received medical supplies and remote students were supplied with dry food.

　We are currently working on a Safe House for 30 girls at risk of sexual exploitation. The SIAST Students from Moose Jaw Campus raised funds to do site preparation, build a kitchen/ dining room / laundry drying area. They also built a gazebo and garden area in memory of a fellow student that died in a car accident. We will start on the dorm construction in January with the library and the caregivers residence to follow. This project will be completed by July 2013 The political situation continues to change in Myanmar with positive changes on the horizon. The actual conditions for the refugees and migrants has not changed significantly, however we need to prepare for the future if positive changes continue. Global Neighbors has applied for charity status in Myanmar. Approval should be granted by January 2013. We will continue to be of assistance to the migrants and refugees along the border, however we will start planning some work inside Myanmar in 2013. Our approach will be cautious, working on experimental projects, to begin with. There are several organizations that have requested partnerships once we are approved to work in Myanmar. The needs are so overwhelming with requests coming from all sectors. I met with a doctor in Myanmar and she told me that medical treatment was almost non existent in many communities. She had seen a patient the day before with stage 4 cervical cancer, she didn’t even have pain medication.

We still have openings for our February Work Tour which goes from Feb 7-21st. Contact Luc at 306-961-3799 or 306-763-3884. 306-764-3485 or lapril@sasktel.net

Please keep us in mind for your charitable contributions when you do your year end tax planning.

We have a Youtube promotional video if you are interested in sharing our organization with your friends at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXl5v5P1kJQ&feature=youtu.be

Please Check our website for more information and contact information if you have any questions or would like someone to give a presentation to your group.

We will send a letter with more pictures with your 2012 tax receipt.

Thanks for your support!

Dave

www.gnci.ca You can contribute by cheque or online at www.canadahelps.org