MERRY CHRISTMAS

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ALBANIAN gëzuar Krishtlindja
ALSATIAN gleckika Wïanachta
ARABIC miilaad majiid
ARMENIAN Shnorhavor Surb tsnund
AZERI Noel bayraminiz mubarak
BASQUE Eguberri on
BELARUSIAN З Божым нараджэннем (Z Bozym naradzenniem)
BENGALI subho baradin
BOSNIAN sretan Božić
BRETON Nedeleg laouen
BULGARIAN весела коледа (vesela koleda)
BURMESE Christmas nay hma mue pyaw pa
CATALAN bon Nadal
CHEROKEE ulihelisdi danisdayohihvi
CHINESE 圣诞快乐 (shèng dàn kuài lè)
CORNISH Nadelek lowen
CORSICAN bon Natale
CROATIAN sretan Božić
CZECH veselé Vánoce
DANISH glædelig jul
DUTCH vrolijk Kerstfeest
ENGLISH merry Christmas
ESPERANTO gojan Kristnaskon
ESTONIAN häid jõule
FAROESE gleðilig jól
FINNISH hyvää joulua
FRENCH joyeux Noël
FRISIAN noflike Krystdagen
FRIULAN bon nadâl
GALICIAN bo Nadal
GEORGIAN Gilotsavt Shobas
GERMAN frohe Weihnachten / fröhliche Weihnachten
GREEK kala christougenna / kala xristougenna
HAITIAN CREOLE jwaye Nowel
HAWAIIAN mele Kalikimaka
HEBREW חג מולד שמח (hag molad saméa'h)
HINDI Krismas ki subhkamna
HUNGARIAN boldog karácsonyt
ICELANDIC gleðileg jól
IGBO annuri Ekeresimesi
ILOCANO naragsak a paskua
INDONESIAN selamat Natal
IRISH GAELIC Nollaig shona
ITALIAN buon Natale / gioioso Natale
JAVANESE sugeng Natal
JAPANESE merii kurisumasu
KABYLIAN assegass amegass
KINYARWANDA Noheli nziza
KIRUNDI Noheli nziza
KOREAN seun-tan chu-ka-hae-yo
KURDISH Noela we pîroz be
LAO souksan van Christmas
LATIN felix dies Nativitatis
LATVIAN priecīgus Ziemassvētkus
LIGURIAN bun Denâ / bun Natâle
LITHUANIAN su Kalėdomis / linksmų Kalėdų
LOW SAXON vrolik Kersfees
LUXEMBOURGEOIS schéi Chrëschtdeeg
MACEDONIAN среќен Божиќ (srećen Božić)
MALAGASY tratry ny Krismasy / arahabaina tratry ny Krismasy / arahaba tratry ny Krismasy
MALAY selamat hari natal
MALAYALAM Christmas ashamshagal
MALTESE il-milied it-tajjeb / milied hieni
MANX Nollick ghennal
MAORI meri Kirihimete
MONÉGASQUE bon Natale
NORWEGIAN god jul
OCCITAN bon Nadal
PERSIAN krissmas khojaste / krissmas farkhonde
POLISH Wesołych Świąt
PORTUGUESE feliz Natal
ROMANI baxtalo Krečuno
ROMANIAN un Crăciun fericit
RUKIGA Noheiri nungi / webale Noheiri
RUSSIAN С Рождеством Хрисовым (S Rojdesvom Khristovym)
SAMOAN ia manuia le Kerisimasi
SARDINIAN bona pasca’e Nadale (logudorese) / bona paschixedda (campidanese)
SCOTTISH GAELIC Nollaig chridheil
SERBIAN Срећан Божић (srecan bozic)
SHONA krisimas yakanaka
SINDHI Chrismas joon wadhayoon
SLOVAK vesele vianoce
SLOVENIAN vesel božič / vesele božične praznike
SOBOTA dobro dedek
SPANISH feliz Navidad
SWEDISH god jul
TAGALOG maligayang pasko
TAHITIAN 'ia 'oa'oa e teie Noera
TAMIL Nathaar thina vaalthukal
THAI สุขสันต์วันคริสตร์มาส (souksaan wan Christmas)
TURKISH Noeliniz kutlu olsun
UDMURT Shuldyr Ymuśton
UKRAINIAN З Різдвом Христовим Z Rizdvom Khrystovym
VIETNAMESE Mừng Chúa Giáng Sinh
WALOON ("betchfessîs" spelling) djoyeus Noyé
WELSH Nadolig llawen
WEST INDIAN CREOLE jénwèl
YIDDISH אַ גוטע ניטל (a gute nitl)

After returning home from my first trip to Vietnam,deeply affected by the plight of the Vietnamese people I had met, I made a commitment that I would return to Vietnam and support several street children to return to school.

At my annual friends and family Christmas Eve Party later that year, I suggested to everyone that instead of buying the usual obligatory Christmas present that everyone put into a hat the amount of money they would normally spend on a present and on my return trip to Vietnam, I would help a poor family improve their life with this money. The idea was wholeheartedly embraced and so it began.

From these very humble beginings Lifestart Foundation began and with your support has grown into the organization that it is today. If I look back over the past 10 years at all that we have accomplished and all of the children and families that we have helped it is nothing short of staggering.

The success has been made possible by all of you, our wonderful supporters and volunteers. Thank you to those supporters who in the true spirit of Christmas have adopted a similar idea with gift giving at this time of year.

No matter where you are in the world or what language you speak - Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and THANK YOU for your support from all of the Lifestart Foundation volunteers, staff and recipients.

Lots of Love from Karen
www.lifestartfoundation.org.au

For those of you who are little techno challenged like myself if you click on any of the words in blue it will automatically link you into that subject.


Enjoying the blogs?? Forward them on or subscribe those who you think would be interested in Lifestart Foundations work.......its free!

Visit us at:
LIFESTART FOUNDATION WORKSHOP
77 Phan Chu Trinh Street,
HOI AN.
VIETNAM

I recently sent a brief update on Lifestart Foundation projects to our supporters. I've included it below for anyone who may have missed it in November.

"Supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, the Lifestart Foundation applies a holistic approach to helping those in need through proven working programs to effect a generational change.

The team works to create sustainable and on-going income streams for the disadvantaged via education and vocational training. Those with complex disabilities are given improved opportunities through the Lifestart Foundation Workshop and the Lifestart Foundation Free Disability Community Centre. Assistance also comes in the form of safe accommodation, transportation, medical support and dental treatment.

Education
Over the last year we have provided additional scholarships for children who may not otherwise have been able to complete their education to year twelve at government schools. These children are exceptionally bright and will each receive a seven year educational scholarship.

We have also continued our annual scholarship program for disadvantaged students, allowing them to stay at government schools for a further year of education.

The Lifestart Foundation Free School provides education to students from difficult situations who are not able to attend government schools for academic, medical or personal reasons. Our volunteer English teachers provide lessons to the students who attend our free school as well as our workshop members, educational scholarship students, staff members and others in need.

Free Disability Community Centre

On the 9^th of December 2011 we will formally open the Free Lifestart Foundation Disability Community Centre with the goal of improving the standard of living of adults with complex disabilities in the Quang Nam province. The Centre will help existing Lifestart Foundation recipients and members of the wider community.

We have recruited two excellent candidates, Tuan and Sang, who will train as Allied Health Assistants. They will work alongside our Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (AYAD) funded volunteer Julia Davies. Julia is a Physiotherapist from Hobart, and is on a 1 year placement with Lifestart Foundation. We are working in collaboration with the department of Physiotherapy at Monash University and hope to have final year Physiotherapy students volunteering at the centre from June 2012.

Creating Sustainable Income Streams: Lifestart Foundation Workshop

We are continuing the development of the Lifestart Foundation Workshop. The workshop employs those with disabilities and from difficult situations, giving them the opportunity to learn new skills and earn a sustainable income. We have been developing new products and introducing new members over the course of this year. The Lifestart Foundation Workshop is located at 77 Phan Chu Trinh Street in the old town of Hoi An, Vietnam. We welcome visitors to the store, and also have an art and crafts tour which includes lantern making and traditional painting classes.

Creating Sustainable Income Streams: Spotlight Stitch in Time Project

We have recently entered into a philanthropic partnership with Spotlight stores through their “Stitch in Time” Project. Spotlight have committed to giving us regular orders for fair trade fabric shopping bags, which they will sell in their stores. All the profits from the sales will go to the disadvantaged women in Vietnam who will be making the bags, and to Lifestart Foundation.

Creating Sustainable Income Streams: LongLife Body Products

In September we began the production of LongLife natural body products thanks to the generous support of Crusoeden Body, an Australian natural body product Company. Crusoeden Body has created a special range of natural body products with Asian blends of essential oils, and has trained our workshop members in the production of all of the product range. We are selling these beautiful products in the Lifestart Foundation Workshop and to also hope to sell them to hotels and resorts in Vietnam. The aim is for LongLife to run an ethical business which will direct all of its profits back into the charity. The sale of these products will help people in Vietnam in need of a sustainable income as well as creating an ongoing income for Lifestart Foundation.

How you can help

We are currently looking for more sponsors interested in helping students to continue their education. We also have a range of products from the Lifestart Foundation Workshop available for purchase. They would make fantastic Christmas presents! The products can be bought from our online store linked below or by contacting me directly with an order.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lifestartfoundation

Future Contact

If you have a preference to receive similar updates in the future by post or by email then please let me know. If your email address or postal address has changed then please let me know as well and I can update my records.

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