CHARITIES

THE NINOS AHO CHARITY FUND

Ninos Aho was born on April 24, 1945 (Nisan of the Assyrian Year 6695) in the small village of Girkeh-Shamo in the Syrian-part of Mesopotamia. From his early youth, Ninos was interested and moved by the teachings of the Assyrian national leaders like Naum Faiq and Farid Nuzha. He soon believed in national activism with high ethics and dedication and began diligently working towards the revival of the Assyrian culture and Assyrian unity. He has written numerous articles and poems published in Assyrian magazines. Ninos' mastery of the eastern Assyrian dialect is no surprise at all if one knows that in 1972 he had the privilege to have the late and great poet Rabi William Daniel as his teacher. Ninos is powerfully eloquent in his poems. His lyrics are the basis for dozens of romantic and national songs compiled and published in 2000 (4) as an Anthology. A segment of one of his best-known poems, Aturaya Khata, has been printed on jersey scarves as a part of Assyrian Heritage's Fall 2009 collection. The Ninos Aho scarves were so well-received upon its launch, most colors sold out within two days at the AANF's convention in Chicago over Labor Day weekend. Those familiar with Ninos Aho's work were overwhelmed with emotions to see their favorite poem come to life and incorporated into their wardrobes. Partial proceeds from the Aturaya Khata scarves collection has been donated in Ninos Aho's honor to the Mar Gabriel Monastery in the Mardin province of southeastern Turkey. Founded in 397 A.D., it is the oldest surviving Syriac Orthodox monastery in the world. The ancient monastery has been involved in a land dispute with the Turkish government and Kurdish village leaders. Attempts to confiscate land owned by the monastery has garnered attention from many European governments gathering opposition to Turkey's EU bid. http://www.ninosaho.org/

CHRISTMAS IN NINEVEH

For the past holiday seasons, Assyrians around the world have come together to support a program called "Christmas in Nineveh". The program was created by Firas Jatou, President of the Assyrian Academic Society, back in 2004 to provide gifts for the children in Nineveh in northern Iraq. The program was inspired by a similar program created by financially-stable Assyrians in this region who would gather funds and have a team of Santas distribute the gifts to Assyrian children in need. As the war created financial havoc across the region, it was time for Assyrians in the diaspora to step in and make sure the children have not been forgotten during the holidays. Over the past few years, Assyrian organizations as well as individuals around the globe have collaborated efforts to make the program even bigger. The Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Union of Canada, Assyria Foundation of Netherlands, Assyrian Without Borders of Sweden, Assyrian Youth Federation of Germany, Zinda Magazine, as well as Diyarbakir Tur Abdin Assyrian Association have all come together in the past to help raise over $10,000. The Chaldo-Assyrian Student Association in Nineveh in turn purchased the gifts in the Nineveh Plains, put on Santa outfits, and distributed the gifts house to house throughout the villages. Assyrian Heritage sponsors an annual sale via its online store to donate partial proceeds from sales for this amazing charity. You can join Assyrian Heritage and other Assyrian groups to make a memorable Christmas for these children in war-torn Iraq. Make a child in Nineveh happy by purchasing Assyrian Heritage today!