PSDI 9005 Greenridge Drive Saint Louis, MO 63117

PARTNERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I N T E R N AT I O N A L

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. LOUIS MO PERMIT 2828

EMPOWERMENT

Street Circus
BANGLAdEsH
SUPPORTS

25 NEW SCHOOLS FOR 2 YEARS AND PROVIDES

EMERGENCY RELIEF TO

800 DESTITUTE RURAL POOR!

FOR MORE iNFORMATiON: Virginia Klein Executive Director PSDI 9005 Greenridge Drive St. Louis, MO 63117 PH: 314.993.5599 Email: v.klein@ psdintl.org URL: www.psdintl.org

BANGLADESH CULTURE cELEbRATES

DIVERSITY
Bangladesh, which is the size of Illinois, has a reported 168,000,000 people. Although the majority are desperately poor and resources are few, the people are open and hospitable. The majority of Bangladeshis (about 90%) are Muslim, the remainder are Hindus, Christians and Buddhists. Due to immense cultural diversity, multiple dialects, hybridization of social traits and norms as well as cultural upbringing, Bangladeshis cannot be stereotyped very easily, except for the fact that they are very resilient in nature. People of different religions perform their religious rituals with great celebrations and the Bangladesh government has declared all important religious festivals of these four major religions National Holidays. These celebrations, along with several tribal community festivals, form an integral part of the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a blend of cultures which over the centuries has assimilated inuences of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity in its music, dance, and drama; art and craft; folklore; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; as well as in a distinct cuisine and culinary tradition. Wikipedia
PARTNERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I N T E R N AT I O N A L

For as long as one can remember, the small family circus has been a part of rural Bangladesh. Trapeze artists, stilt walkers, small animal acts and contortionists perform under colorful tents to the delight of villagers, young and old. Sadly, the traditional roving circus is disappearing as life becomes more difcult for poor rural villagers. The tradition was revived for one night in October, when PSDI presented a Bangladesh Street Circus to promote its Adopt A School program and Emergency Services, which assist the poorest rural families. Everyone loves a circus and guests were greeted by circus performers and welcomed by American as well as Bangladeshi music, food and drink. As they enjoyed the roving performers from Circus Harmony, they were supporting children and families a world away, giving them a chance to be children and build a secure family. PEP schools give children a chance to be children for a few hours each day by adding singing and dancing, poetry and games to the school curriculum. Such a simple thing and yet so necessary to nurture the spirit and add joy to learning. Through their generosity, patrons also provided emergency services for 800 people without resources who are living on one meal a day and are too weak to help themselves. When they are stable they will choose an economic development program from the many offered and learn how to become self-sufcient.
PARTNERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I N T E R N AT I O N A L

PSDI BOARd OF DiRECTORs: JOSEPH NETTEMEYER Chairman RICH CHRISTENSEN Vice-Chairman VIRGINIA KLEIN President/Executive Director CARTER EMERSON BR. STEPHEN GLODEK, SM PATRICIA WERHANE MATT LAMB

PSDI IS COMMITTED TO THE UPLIFT OF THE RURAL POOR AND TO YOU, OUR GENEROUS DONORS, TO BE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF YOUR GIFTS.

Empowering the rural poor to end their own poverty. Winter 2013

your donations:
they DO make a difference!
O YOU EVER WONdER WHETHER OR NOT YOUR dONATION REALLY MAKES A dIFFERENCE?

SHARE YOUR HOLIDAYS

with a family that needs your help!
EMeRGeNCY NeeDS ReMAIN AT THe TOP OF THe LIST THIS HOlIDAY SeASON
SHELTER for those who have no place to live. Winters are especially hard on the malnourished who lack the strength to ght the most common respiratory infections. Repairs to hut: Add a protective tin roof to keep the hut dry: $ 40.00 $ 130.00 Grant to start a small business Training for success: $ 60.00 $ 20.00

DO YOU QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THE PROBLEMS ARE TOO BIG, TOO WIdESPREAd, TOO MANY TO EVEN TACKLE? SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT THOSE IN NEEd NEVER ENdS ANd THERE IS NO SOLUTION. IS THERE?

Mother Teresa said that her worldwide humanitarian work would never have happened if she hadnt picked up that rst dying man. This one act of kindness led to outreaches in 144 countries and millions of lives being touched. You DO count AND your donations DO make a difference! Here are some of the ways that your gifts have changed individual lives in the last year. In January 2013, unusually cold temperatures brought suffering and death to the poorest people in our work areas. Your donations made it possible for PEP to respond quickly with 482 warm blankets. PEP families also lost a major source of income to freezing temperatures. You provided: 456 families with chickens and ducks; 521 families with goats; and 2 received young calves. 38 families received agriculture help and 231 families planted fruit trees at their homesteads. 197 families received materials to develop inventories for cottage industries allowing them to distribute their wares in large quantities and increase their income. Food was provided to 98 families in need of emergency help, especially the elderly, young children and those too weak to work. 51 primary schools welcomed 1530 students in 2013. Through the two-year Adopt A School Program, students will now be assured of having the funds to complete the primary grades and continue in the government schools. Repairs were made to 23 homes and to 47 rickshaws or bicycle vans enabling owners to work. Health is always an issue and PEP intervenes when it can. Because of you, a two-year old girl had a life-saving operation and a four-year old boy had serious birth defects corrected.
PARTNERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I N T E R N AT I O N A L

FOOd to strengthen adults too weak to work and children too hungry to retain what they learn. Food for 60 days for a family of ve while they recover enough strength to begin to work

These are some of the most pressing needs for the poor. PEP does its best to take care of the most critical needs rst, therefore, your gift may be used in some alternative life-saving way.

$ 224.00

SAFE dRiNKiNG WATER is critical to prevent dehydration and death from water-borne diseases caused by animal and human waste. Tube wells access pure water from underground water tables. In areas where arsenic is the contaminate, wells are dug to levels that test arsenic free, usually many hundreds of feet. Arsenic poisoning causes chronic illness and birth defects. Tube well (150-200 feet deep) Arsenic deep well (750-1000 feet deep) Sanitary Latrines $ 160.00 $ 720.00 $ 25.00

EVeRY DOLLAR GIVeN IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A POOR RURAL FAMILY TO BeGIN ITS JOURNeY OUT OF POVeRTY. PSDI HAS THe POWeR TO CHANGe LIVeS WeVe SeeN IT HAPPeN OVeR AND OVeR AGAIN. YOUR GIFT HeLPS US TO DO JUST THAT!
PARTNERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I N T E R N AT I O N A L

pRiMARY sCHOOLs to start children on the path to a different, more stable economic future through education. Adopt A School for 30 students 2 year commitment can be divided among a group

$1740.00/yr

ECONOMiC dEVELOpMENT pROGRAMs that will give these very poor, fragile people the means to reclaim their independence through work and skills training.