Author: Gerhard Albert

Heiniwan-o has had a hole in his heart for some time. He, his parents and his three older sisters are aware of this plight. His mother is also ill and his father is a casual worker. For financial reasons, an operation is not an option.

During a visit to Heiniwan-o's home in April 2023, we learn about the boy's significant health problems and finally come into contact with a sponsor from Bamberg who will help and cover the costs of the heart operation. But it will still be a whole year before the nine-year-old boy can be helped.

During a preliminary examination in November 2023, it turns out that the heart now has two holes. Heiniwan-o has to undergo various examinations. And again and again, it is a matter of being patient and waiting for the results.

On April 23, 2024, the time finally comes. The young patient is helped in a three-hour operation at Neighrims Hospital in Shillong. He remains in an artificial coma in the intensive care unit for a few more days. But then things start to improve. The initial severe chest pain subsides over the course of several days and he feels better every day. And just a short time later, Heiniwan-o can move through the hospital corridors under his own power.

Two years ago, in March 2022, we as Khublei faced a major project and thus a major challenge: 
The Tome Memorial Secondary School in the Mooralong district of Jowai is to be expanded to include grades 11 and 12 to form the Tome Memorial Higher Secondary School.
We are getting to work acquiring and collecting the financial resources for this ambitious project. The new school has two floors: ground floor and first floor with a total of eight classrooms. In addition, there is electrical installation, paint and blackboards, teacher desks and school furniture.
After almost exactly two years, it's done! All financing is in place and the school building is finished to the point where it can be inaugurated in a magnificent and impressive ceremony on April 12, 2024.
The celebration is accompanied by music, dancing, singing and celebratory speeches. In the presence of the entire school community, Bishop Ferdinand of the Diocese of Jowai, the Khublei association with Gerhard and Ulli Albert, Angelika Kraus and Norbert Röhrer, our partner Jaintia Hills Development Society with Rev. Manbha Pakem Denis Kurkalang and Ma Francis as well as several church and political dignitaries, all those taking part in the celebration experience the great moment of the ceremonial opening of the new school building.

In March/April, schools in Meghalaya hold their annual school sports events. Here, the different teams compete against each other: green, blue, red and yellow teams. This is a big event for both the children and the parents. In some places, the children compete not only in sports activities; there are also "competitions" in impromptu speeches, art, music, etc.

There will also be singing and dancing as part of the supporting program. A great and varied experience that involves all the students at the different schools with their individual abilities! And even if it's pouring with rain, no one will be deterred from making their contribution!

So that we can properly protect children from Corona, they not only receive masks, but they also receive instructions and a precise explanation of how to wear the masks. And above all: why!

The families in particular need are given food from our Corona aid project “Shopping Basket”. In addition to food such as rice, oil, spices, lentils, etc., the families receive Corona masks that were donated by a sponsor from Ebelsbach.

We have received an urgent call for help from Megalaya:

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected the lives of many poor people in Northeast India.
At the beginning of the pandemic, people suffered from lockdown, leading to shortages of food and other essential commodities. The poor and daily wage earners are the most affected by the current crisis as they have no savings and cannot go to work. As a result, all groups below the poverty line are facing severe food shortages and the threat of starvation.

Wandame, 12 years old, an orphan boy from Nangbah, has it particularly hard. After his mother died, his two sisters also lost their jobs due to corona. His godparents in Bamberg are giving him hope!