Dau Community

 In a motley collection of tightly packed houses built from materials ranging from cardboard, bamboo and palm leaves to breeze block and tin roofs around 300 families 'squat' on government owned land. Most are very poor and unable to afford even essentials like medical treatment or to send their children to school.

Although some homes have running water and electricity others do not and rely on the nearby river for laundry and bathing. Sanitation is poor.

In 2005 a fire destroyed 15 houses. Without our help it would have been very difficult for the families affected to rebuild their homes.

Many of the children in the school sponsorship program live in this community.

A group of the women in the community have formed a committee to try and improve their lives by learning new skills that will enable them to gain employment or start a business. In conjunction with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) we have supported them with finances, training and business know-how.

We have been able to help YWAM to finance a number of ladies being trained as dressmakers. Tools With A Mission provided six electric sewing machines and with generous support from Tagalog Balikbayan Services  we were able to ship these machines out to the Philippines so that this group of women could set up their own dressmaking workshop. They are now earning extra income for their families making clothes and school uniforms for children in the sponsorship program and other items for sale.

We have provided finance for a further group of ladies to learn to make belts and sandals (flip-flops) which they are sucessfully selling.

Copyright - The Conroy Rendon Charitable Trust 2009