Nelson Daily Stories

 THE STORY BEHIND THE DIVYA On December 23, 2019 Newsround on the BBC carried a story headlined “New hand cranked washing machines could help refugees.” The article began: “Hand washing clothes can be a really hard task but it’s even harder in a place with little water or electricity – somewhere like a refugee camp.” It continued to explain that fifty new low-cost hand cranked washing machines designed by student Nav Sawhney from the University of Bath, in England would be trialled at a refugee camp in Iraq in the Middle East that week. “It’s hoped that they will help families living in the camps who struggle to wash their clothes.” How did this all begin? It was during a sabbatical in southern India that Nav had spoken with a woman there who told him it was extremely hard for her and others to get their clothes clean.” He had seen for himself “women and children enduring many backbreaking hours washing clothes by hand.” Nav felt prompted to help the people there “with their daily ...

HOW DO WE CHANGE THE WORLD?           ONE RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS AT A TIME                             Morgan Freeman     “It just blows my mind that someone could be so generous to a stranger,” Savannah Stoneman said. “I just want to thank them from the bottom of my heart and let them know that their kind act has relieved so much stress I have been dealing with.” Who is Savannah Stoneman? A famous actress? A politician perhaps? No! Savannah is a student at Coastal Carolina University in the USA now doing her student teaching internship. Savannah works twice each week at the Outback Steakhouse in Conway to help herself as “money is very tight.” Savannah’s father was deployed in Iraq sometime ago and she has a tattoo of his handwriting done on her wrist. As she was serving a young couple last...

      MILLIONS IN YEMEN ARE IN CATASTROPHIC NEED They are the forgotten people.     And many more will die for absolutely no reason.   “Unless this moment is seized we’re going to see many more people die for absolutely no reason” David Miliband said to Becky Anderson yesterday, March 29, 2021 on the TV program “Connect the World. David Miliband is a British Public Policy Analyst and President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Rescue Committee. Do you want to guess what place in the world they were discussing? That should be easy. Yemen , of course! Where else in the world have children been dying from hunger and lack of medicines for years now? Where else in the world are millions said to be in catastrophic need? Millions? Yes some 3.3 million human beings are in catastrophic need as the Civil War rages on. There are many sides in the conflict, but the war is a man-made catastrophe. Miliband says the opening of ...

 “MORE THAN A HERO, A BLOOD BROTHER!” “It doesn’t take much to help another human being. You just have to have some compassion.” These words come from Army veteran Dan Reynolds, a man who has had his own share of difficulties in his lifetime.  Difficulties? Like what? Like having to live in a van, instead of a house or an apartment, for some time. Dan is a handyman in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. He fixes things. One day after doing some yardwork he noticed that Tony Antonelli, who lived nearby, did not look well, he looked pale and tired. Was there a problem, Dan wondered? He decided to find out. Yes, there was a problem. Tony explained that four years ago he had undergone surgery to replace one of his failing kidneys. He had been given one from his wife, Mary. But now the kidney had started to fail. He did not have much time to find another donor. Without a donor he would have to go on dialysis for the rest of his life. Finding a match is difficult. Without a moment’s hesita...

 MYCELIUM – the green substitute. Have you ever heard of Mycelium? I knew nothing about it until a couple days ago when I read a most interesting article. I must share the information with you. “Mycelium hits the market as green substitute for leather, plastic.” That was the headline for an article on CBC Technology and Science, March 22, 2021. “Designer Stella McCartney unveils mycelium-based clothing.” Written by Emily Chung the article explained how the British Fashion designer unveiled black leather clothing made “not from cow hide - but mycelium which is grown from fungi.” Sounds very strange, doesn’t it? But it is happening.  For some time, those people who did not want to wear leather garments made from animals had to settle for plastic “pleather.” But, according to Chung’s article, later this year, people who want products made with leather should be able to buy more products “made from another bio-based material that is grown by recycling waste.” “Mycelium is already ...

    DESERT JAMAICA, DESERT BOOT, JAMAICAN BEE Clarks International Limited trading as Clarks is a British International Shoe Manufacturer and Retailer. It was founded in 1825 by brothers Cyrus and James Clark in Somerset, England where it still has its headquarters. The company is “described as a brand steeped in British history.”  We read on the company’s website: “After years of developing trade and award winning designs, Clarks went one step further in 1873 when James’ son William mechanized the shoemaking process bringing the company to the forefront of technological innovation. By the early 1910s Clarks became a must-have brand among the style conscious in London, with new premium and fashion forward designs developed for discerning customers.” When I was a child growing up in rural Jamaica my parents sent me off to boarding school in capital city Kingston. One of the things I recall clearly was the pair of Clarks shoes that they packed in my suitcase. The shoes were...

   NATIVE AMERICAN DEB HAALAND MAKES HISTORY                Now she is ready to serve. As the policies and activities of the Department of the Interior and many of its agencies have a substantial impact in the Western United States, the Secretary of the Interior has typically come from a western state; only one secretary since 1949, Rogers Morton was not a resident or native of a state lying west of the Mississippi River.  Deb Haaland, former U.S. representative, chose a ribbon skirt and moccasins for her swearing in as Secretary of the Interior. She made history on Thursday March 18, 2021 when “she began her job as Secretary of the Interior, becoming the first Native American member of the cabinet.” Deb Haaland now serves as the 54th US Secretary of the Interior. Along with Sharice Davids she is one of the first two Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress. Deb Haaland was educated at the University of New Mexico School...