Help!

I won’t dance around the bush, because I am actually writing to get more people involved J ya3ni we can say begging call. Ok, I’m growing into the most shocking beggar! My family doesn’t dare come visit me, because I demand BAKSHISH in such an unashamed manner when I serve the coffee. Only I promise it is a good cause!

I am organizing a campaign for the orphans in Jordan. My interest in orphans started at a very early age, probably because of all the wretched TV cartoon series we grew up watching such as Remi, Bell and Sebastian, Sandi Bell, Daddy Long legs, Sally, Bonbon!! For those who don’t remember he was a little dog who was looking for his mommy!

If you notice, they are all miserable children who were the victims of orphanhood and loss and suffering, how am I supposed not to be affected?!

Few months ago, I met Laith in a small bloggers meet up. Laith and I immediately started talking about possible cooperation opportunities between his organization Jeeran and my organization Tatawor. On the course of the last few months, we devised a plan to help the orphans in Amman. We started with wanting to bring them toys, thinking that this is what they need. However when Widad, Hala and myself started researching the actual needs of the orphans, we realized that it is not toys at all… what they need is a mother apiece to give them the individual attention they ought to have! But unfortunately in our case we can’t provide that, we can’t just buy mommies from some shelf in Cozmo. Thank God the children’s were reasonable in their demands, because we can provide them with what they asked for

1. Chocolate, chips, candy, biscuits (that was what the majority asked for, PLEASE PLEASE buy a big bag… I promise it won’t cost much! Or a chocolate box, that will make 24 kids very happy, ecstatic as a matter of fact!!!)

2.watches for the boys who are older than 15 years and accessories for the girls

3. cars for the little boys and Fulla dolls for the little girlies

4. MONEY (to buy the missing stuff)

5. Books and movies for the orphanage itself (preferably in Arabic)

And so started my campaign, I started harassing my friends, only most of them turned out to be stingy bastards! And by now they all know how to ignore my puppy look when I beg!! But one person told the other and people started donating… so far someone gave me 10 watches for my boys…bless him I need maybe another 30… they can be bough very cheaply by the way, down to 3 dinars!! That would do Who is being pushy?!. So if you have old watches that are fit for teenager boys, please don’t wait, another person gave me 10 DVDs for the children… so if you have Disney videos… I am waiting for you!

But the best thing that happened to me…today an old bitter mean woman in my family has heard
 about my campaign and she came to visit us… as usual I tried to get out of it, but she sat me there
and gave me around 1 hour talk, mostly to criticize my curly hair and too relaxed clothing! 
(She even asked me to use fair and lovely to become whiter! She saw that silly add on TV) 
 When I managed to leave the living room, she surprised me with 5 JDs! Bless her heart!   
 
Did I say she is mean? I take it back!  
Did I say she is and old bitter woman? I definitely take it back! 
She is a lamb! I was so touched by her 5JDs, I gave her a big kiss, before I snatched them out of 
her hand and ran out of the room as fast as I could!I am hoping to get enough money to buy a fulla 
for every little girl.  
 
The point is People, if you feel like giving… PLEASE PLEASE remember me!  

You can have more information about the campaign on the blog that was gratefully 
created by Jeeran…   
 
The address is Swefieh, across the street from Lebnany Snak, near shalaty bookshop, Wa7a building2
first floor, office number 106-107. Phone number 5825593

PALFORCE

September 19th, 2006 at 00:00 · Reply

Salam Mariam,

Why not invest in a big ranch where all the kids can live there, and look for a family whois willing to raise all those 10’s of children, so in return they could live for free(donations actually).

I think those kids need MENTORS more than anything, they need someone to lookup to so they can build character.

Anyrates, where do we send our cash donations?

God bless,

Khaled

bam bam

September 19th, 2006 at 13:43 · Reply

am really glad to see this, i have a few questions

1. which orphanage are you talking about ? S.O. S. ?

2. out of personal experience i find the people aged 15 and over are the ones who need aid the most since by 18 (males especially) are required to break away from the orphanage and sometimes earlier. So maybe you can put training as part of the donations, since it will make their lives alot easier later on ?

3. regarding the kids, i think when approached they will say that (i faced a similar demand in the past), but once you get to know them you find that there is a mentoring void as the person before me mentioned.

So i suggest in addition to that to co-operate here and open up a volunteer program by bloggers, maybe ever weekend or so we can organize something for them and hence attempt to enrich their lives.

Madas

September 19th, 2006 at 16:28 · Reply

Ban bam,

Thank you for your valuable suggestions, it is a great idea, but needs a lot of work, I think this donation project is the beginning only, maybe in the future we can think all about these ideas and work on them. would like to donate anything ?

Qwaider قويدر

September 19th, 2006 at 19:44 · Reply

I second on Palforce suggestion, and please do post “WHERE” do we send our donations

September 19th, 2006 at 19:48 · Reply

Oh, I just saw the link. (was that there? or did you just add it?)

September 20th, 2006 at 09:34 · Reply

Khaled, sorry for not replying before, I was very busy at work, I went home and just passed out at 8:30!

The ranch is my dream! but at this point of my life it is very dificult! if you want to donate then this is the address: Swefieh, Abdel Rahim Alhaj Street, across the street from Lebnany Snak, in a builduing called alwa7a 2 first floor offc\ice number 106-107, this is Jeeran’s office their number is 5825593

Hoping we hear from you

September 20th, 2006 at 09:37 · Reply

it was there all along but i will add the address thank you ya shabab… God bless you

David

September 20th, 2006 at 19:37 · Reply

Dear Madas,
I hope that you will be able to collect lots of toys for the children! I’m not sure that I can be of much help, but you certainly have my moral support. Good luck!

September 21st, 2006 at 19:15 · Reply

Hi David,

Thank you very much for your moral support… I felt vetry lucky today. is it possible that it is your support? Well, actually today i went to a small library, but they decided to help… I am very glad

September 22nd, 2006 at 07:32 · Reply

Well Madas, perhaps I was your good luck charm today. Happy to be of help!

Today, I got some news that I felt good about too, and it may interest you. One of my Iraqi blog friends asked if I could help her find a few books. I was able to get them and I mailed them to her relative who is a professor at Irbid University in Jordan. Well, I heard they arrived safely today. Well, since I have discovered that the U.S. to Jordan mail system works pretty well, maybe I could send a couple toys to help out your kids. I think I may know where some vintage Barbie dolls might be hiding. If this sounds interesting, send me an email with a mailing address and I’ll hunt around for those little plastic minxs.