Page 4 - EMBRACE Book

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Letter from the

Executive Director

Dear friends,

As I reflect on the achievements of the EMBRACE project,
I am filled with joy at what has been accomplished.

At the heart of the EMBRACE project is the goal of saving
the lives of mothers and children.

The issues that cause preventable maternal and child
deaths are complex and overlapping. The EMBRACE
project’s comprehensive scope and depth of connection
with the communities involved have improved the lives
of over 100,000 people in Cambodia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Rwanda, and Canada.

Maternity wards, halfway homes, and demonstration
gardens have been built. Transportation systems have
been established and improved. Savings and loans
associations are flourishing in areas devoid of traditional
banking structures. Harvests and incomes are more
varied and increasing. Families are thriving.
I smile when I think of Ida. I can still see her running
through an alley in her village in the Philippines as she
hurried to greet the visitors from Canada. She was so
excited to show us the bountiful harvest gathered from
her own garden. On a tiny piece of land, she was now
able to produce enough food to feed her family. Food that
she did not know how to grow before the EMBRACE
project. Malnutrition has almost been eliminated in her
community and the children are now well nourished.
Words cannot describe the delight that comes with
meeting the many children who are vibrant and full of
life because of the dedication and generosity of the many
people and institutions who have partnered with us to
implement this project.
I hope that these pages will give you a true sense of the
changes wrought by the communities.

I am truly proud of what has been achieved and am
confident that the families we shared this journey with
will continue to reap the benefits of their increased
knowledge for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Steve Matthews

Photo: © 2019 ADRA | Frank Spangler Photo: © 2019 ADRA | Frank Spangler