Type

Construction of a home

Budget

CHF 130’000

Status

Completed

Year

2008-2009

Nong Khai

Construction of an extension and acquisition of a vehicle for the Sarnelli Orphanage in Nong Khai.

A little over forty years ago, a young priest named Reverend Father Mike Shea was sent by his American congregation to work with the orphans living along the Mekong River.
With the outbreak and proliferation of AIDS in the 1980s, the priest decided to build an orphanage for sick children. In 2000, the Sarnelli Orphanage was founded. Today it accommodates approximately 160 children, 60% of which have AIDS.

Father Mike offers these children a home and above all a warm, family environment. The orphans are all educated at the village school and receive medical care from doctors. They are looked after until adulthood at which point they can take up an apprenticeship, which in turn allows them to become self-sufficient adults.
The extraordinary work that this priest has undertaken made a strong impression on us and inspired us to join forces with the Pully Rotary Club to support this project. This financial aid was made possible thanks to two gala evenings that took place in June 2008 at the Octogone in Pully where the famous dance school Rudra-Béjart gave two magical performances. This event successfully raised CHF 150’000.-, allowing construction work to begin at the end of the monsoon season in November 2008.