Tag Archives: child poverty

Shelley Callahan | En Español

In the town of Santa Tecla, located six miles west of El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador, our affiliated project, the Marillac School, is providing children with the opportunity to receive an education — and a quality one at that.

Communities and schools around the world face barriers in providing children with a quality education.

Founded in 1940 by the Sisters of the Order of St. Vincent de Paul, the school serves as not only an escape from the harsh realities local students face growing up in poverty but an escape from poor public education or no education at all.

Considered a semi-private institution, the administrators of the Marillac School — with sponsorship support from the Children Incorporated program — work hard to ensure that kids are receiving basic needs and the best education that they can provide. This gives our sponsored and unsponsored children the opportunity to succeed.

What constitutes poor education?

Children at the Marillac School during recreation time

Communities and schools around the world face barriers to providing children with a quality education. Lack of adequate funding to educational institutions can lead to overcrowded classrooms with little or no resources for students. Untrained teachers, lack of proper food and improper classroom facilities can also significantly affect children’s ability to learn.

The consequences of an inadequate education

What are the consequences of inadequate education? Poor education can lead to illiteracy. It also inhibits children from qualifying for higher education or being prepared to join the workforce later in life. Children who aren’t properly educated tend to be less healthy than those who do and are susceptible to turning towards crime and remaining in poverty in adulthood.

A better chance at a future

For impoverished children around the world, like those at the Marallic School, the benefits of quality education are tremendous.

Higher quality of education is associated with positive outcomes such as better health and well-being and a greater interest in politics and social issues. Students who attend quality schools gain a competitive advantage at getting jobs upon graduation, which can lead to a higher income and the chance for a family to break the cycle of poverty. Quality education also can discourage crime because when educated, children feel a sense of hope and opportunity for a brighter future for themselves and their loved ones.

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How do I sponsor a child in El Salvador?

You can sponsor a child in El Salvador in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in El Salvador that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Shelley Callahan | En Español

Abundant in rivers, lakes and fertile, tropical farmland, El Salvador’s natural beauty traverses a vast central plateau bordered by Pacific coastal plains to the south and rugged mountains to the north. For centuries, several Mesoamerican nations called this land home, including the Lenca, Olmec, Maya and Pipil/Cutcatlec.

“Santa Luisa is blooming. They have added new classrooms for the children. There were new labs for skills training programs, and a small kitchen was built as well,” said Luis.

However, this small and densely populated Central American nation is particularly susceptible to natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and has been plagued by chronic political and economic instability for more than a century.

High unemployment rates, rising inflation, organized crime and a soaring birthrate leave many Salvadorans living in abject poverty. The border town of Sonsonate — where our affiliated project Escuela Santa Luisa is located — is one of many places affected by these afflictions.

A school to be proud of

Nearly a century ago, Sisters of the Daughters of Charity established Escuela Santa Luisa to provide a safe haven and sound education for the orphaned, abandoned and impoverished children of Sonsonate. The school continues its mission today helping children in need — including the more than 60 children our sponsors support at the project.

A sponsored child at Escuela Santa Luisa

On a recent visit to El Salvador, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, visited with our volunteer coordinator Sister Marta at the school. Sister Marta took Luis on a tour of the grounds to show him the renovations that had taken place at Escuela Santa Luisa that made her very proud.

“Santa Luisa is blooming. They have added new classrooms for the children. There were new labs for skills training programs, and a small kitchen was built as well,” said Luis.

While on their tour, Sister Marta took the opportunity to mention to Luis some additional improvements she would like to see happen — ones that the school did not currently have funding of their own to complete.

Our Hope in Action Fund to the Rescue

“The school’s biggest need now is to install a roof in the playground of the school, which they want to use to protect the children from rain and excessive sun. It will mean that the playground can be used all year long and that it can double as a place for students, parents and school administrators to hold meetings,” explained Luis.

Luis felt strongly that anything that could be done to improve the school would also help the children be more prepared, focused and active in their learning — all things that can lead to academic success. He made up his mind before their meeting was over that he would propose using donations to our Hope in Action Fund to help Escuela Santa Luisa continue with their important improvements.

A new roof for a special school

Not long ago, Luis received pictures of the new roof build at Escuela Santa Luisa. Luis commented by saying, “The cover is truly large, and will benefit the children during rainy days and very hot sunny days. The school can now also host large assembly activities with parents and students. I am glad Children Incorporated could provide this support for the benefit of so many children at the school.”

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How do I sponsor a child in El Salvador?

You can sponsor a child in El Salvador in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in El Salvador that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | En Español

Nestled in northern Central America, Honduras was once home to several Mesoamerican peoples — most notably, the Maya. This ecologically diverse land — with its rainforests, cloud forests, savannas, mountain ranges and a barrier reef system off the northern coast — teems with life.  Its wealth of natural resources is equally impressive, including a variety of minable minerals as well as agricultural exports such as coffee, tropical fruit, sugar cane and lumber.

In Honduras, schools are often overcrowded which causes children’s’ education to suffer.

Moreover, Honduras’ growing textile industry serves an international market. The nation’s wealth of natural beauty and resources, however, belies the dire poverty in which its people live — Honduras holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the poorest nations in Latin America.

This is due, in part, to its longstanding political instability, social strife and economic issues such as fluctuating export prices, rising inflation and unemployment. Other factors contributing to the nation’s high poverty rate include frequent natural disasters, disease and inadequate education, resulting in a high rate of illiteracy.

The town of Sigueatepeuque

In the quaint, rural town of Siguatepeque — where our affiliated project the Siguatepeque Primary School is located — unskilled workers like the parents of our sponsored children receive a wage of only a few dollars a day. The poorest residents subsist on a daily diet of beans and corn, which only propagates the widespread malnutrition among children.

In 1970, a local church group recognized the dire need for education among the town’s most impoverished children and established the Siguatepeque Primary School. Today, the school is run by the Lutheran Church and — along with our sponsorship program — provides for children’s most basic, immediate needs while offering a comfortable place in which to receive an education without concerns about overcrowded classrooms.

The issue of overcrowding

Children need and deserve room to grow and learn within their school setting, but parents who can’t afford school fees or tuition have no choice about what school their children attend.

Overcrowded classrooms are a problem in many public schools across the world. Overcrowding negatively affects students and teachers.

Teachers’ morale is low when their classrooms are overcrowded. They find their work environment to be stressful and have a hard time focusing on appropriate lesson planning and teaching techniques. Also, crowded rooms often mean that students can’t concentrate because of their proximity to classmates, meaning they miss valuable lessons because they are distracted by chatter.

Often, cramped classrooms lead to a drop in grades for students because they don’t receive one-on-one attention from instructors or have access to proper school supplies, textbooks or technologies that help with learning.

Sponsorship to the rescue

Children need and deserve room to grow and learn within their school setting, but parents who can’t afford school fees or tuition have no choice about what school their children attend.

Thanks to Children Incorporated sponsors, families do have a choice. Instead of sending their children to overcrowded public schools in Siguatepeque, they can send them to the Siguatepeque school where teachers can give special attention to students who already face plenty of challenges getting ahead in life.

With a lower attendance, a quality education can be guaranteed for some of the most underprivileged children in Honduras, giving them the opportunity they deserve to succeed.

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How do I sponsor a child in Honduras?

You can sponsor a child in Honduras in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Honduras that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Shelley Callahan | En Español

Honduras’s industrial center and second-largest city, San Pedro Sula, has a reputation for being dangerous. Deemed the “murder capital of the world” for almost a decade until 2016, crime and economic distress have led to the mass migration of Honduran minors seeking safety from gangs and drug-related violence.

But for those children who have no choice but to stay behind and face the harsh realities of their environment, places such as our affiliated project the Maria Reyna Home offer a safe place in which to grow up — and receive a quality education.

A home for neglected girls

Founded in 1942 as a girls’ orphanage, the Maria Reyna Home cares for orphaned, abandoned or neglected girls. Located in one of the most impoverished and most crime-ridden neighborhoods in San Pedro Sula, the Home offers a refuge from slum housing, hunger, disease, crime and pollution that are all-too-tragic realities in the city.

For those children who have no choice but to stay behind and face the harsh realities of their environment, places such the Maria Reyna Home offer a safe place in which to grow up — and receive a quality education.

“At the Maria Reyna Home, children from some of the darkest districts of San Pedro Sula are accepted. They have suffered neglect, malnourishment and even abuse before they come to live at the Home,” explained our Director of International Programs Luis Bourdet.

While living at the Home and attending classes on the grounds, the Sisters of Mercy of the order of St. Vincent take care of the children every day. They provide a clean and adequate living space, nourishment, protection and most importantly — an education. And according to Luis, the girls do very well academically at Maria Reyna.

“The change of living conditions is so great that most students excel in school here, while they had a hard time before,” said Luis.

“The Sisters provide the children with training in embroidering and baking so that they have a skill once they graduate from high school. Because of this, many children upon graduation want to continue with their education.”

A new initiative

During his visit, the Sisters and Luis discussed a recent initiative to raise funds for additional dorms rooms for students who want to continue their education after graduating from high school.

“I agreed with the Sisters completely that this was a vital need for the school, and Children Incorporated has agreed to support the home so they can remodel and accommodate those students who have the desire to attend local universities or technical schools,” said Luis.

“After the renovations are complete, some of the children will be able to stay, during a transitional period. That way they can be supported while finding sound employment so that they don’t return to the harsh conditions they come from.”

Additionally, the Maria Reyna Home administration plans to request scholarships from the local government and local universities for those students that are exceptional in academics.

In conjunction with the Home’s efforts, Luis also wants to support these young women through our Higher Education Program Fund so all who wish to can continue to pursue their academic dreams.

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How do I sponsor a child in Honduras?

You can sponsor a child in Honduras in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Honduras that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

 

Ron Carter | En Español

I will never forget the first time I visited the offices of Children Incorporated. It was on a Monday in February of 2003, a day that became one of the most significant in my life. That was the day that I was hired as Assistant Director to the U.S. Programs Division of Children Incorporated.

I clearly recall the sense of deep gratitude I experienced upon being hired to work at Children Incorporated, and through the years as I have moved from one position to another, my thankfulness has only grown.

I had worked for another, much larger child sponsorship organization for nearly twelve years, and I was happy there. I had hoped to stay with that company for the remainder of my career, doing work that was beneficial to children and families around the world. Yet in August of 2002, without warning, my position and those of several of my co-workers were eliminated. I was stunned to lose a job I loved, and for several months, I sought without success to find another place to work and to serve.

An extraordinary moment

Then, on a Sunday evening that February 2003, as I was attending church, something quite extraordinary happened. I asked the church to pray for me in my efforts to find a job. After the service ended, a man who seemed familiar walked up to me and began a conversation. He explained that he had at one time also worked for my former employer, and he recalled meeting me there. Then, he said, “You should call Children Incorporated, the place where I work now. They may have something for you,” and he gave me the number of then-President and Chief Executive Officer, Marian Cummins.

I called Mrs. Cummins the next morning, and she couldn’t have been nicer. She invited me to come in for an interview that same day. I went and was greeted by not only Mrs. Cummins, but also by Jeanne Clarke Wood, the founder of Children Incorporated and two other staffers, Odell Dunavent and Helen Strathy. I was hired on the spot, and I started my position at Children Incorporated just a couple of days later.

A place to feel at home

I knew from my very first day at Children Incorporated that it was a special organization. I closely observed how the small but dedicated staff interacted with one another, and just how much work they seemed to get done. I listened as the division directors spoke with project coordinators in the field, and I was amazed to hear them referring to sponsored children by their names and not just by numbers as had been the norm at my previous place of employment.

From day one, I knew I had found my work home. The transition from a large, formal, often sterile environment to one of caring, personal connections and heartfelt dedication was a welcome change for me. I clearly recall the sense of deep gratitude I experienced upon being hired to work at Children Incorporated, and through the years as I have moved from one position to another, my thankfulness has only grown. I tell people all the time how blessed I am to work for an organization like Children Incorporated where I know that I am making a difference each and every day.

We are but the vessel through which children are fed and clothed and cared for in many diverse ways. You make all of our work possible, and I am thankful for you.

Thanks to you this Thanksgiving

You also make much more of a difference in the lives of children than you may even begin to realize. The programs Children Incorporated has established to provide assistance to youngsters functions only as a direct result of your giving. We take the dollars you provide — and with the able assistance of our network of volunteer coordinators — offer children education, hope and opportunity for their futures.

We are but the vessel through which children are fed and clothed and cared for in many diverse ways. You make all of our work possible, and I am thankful for you.

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Shelley Callahan | En Español

For years, Catlettsburg, where our affiliated sites Catlettsburg Elementary and Ponderosa Elementary Schools are located, was known as “The Gate City” because it was here that barges were loaded with coal to be shipped down the Ohio River to other ports.

Although the children may come from strikingly different economic backgrounds, that doesn’t change how they interact with one other.

The decline of the coal industry in Kentucky and West Virginia has severely diminished the city’s economic importance, and commerce is now minimal. Today, this area of Boyd County, Kentucky suffers from high rates of both poverty and illiteracy, since a significant number of adults have never completed high school.

These social and economic problems negatively affect even the youngest members of Catlettsburg, which is why both Ponderosa and Catlettsburg Elementary serve as bright and welcoming places for children to learn and escape some of the harsh realities they face at home.

The Haves and Have Nots

The school administration posts messages of inspiration for their students.

While visiting the two schools, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with our volunteer coordinator, Jenny. Jenny oversees the resource centers at both schools, ensuring that children — including sponsored and unsponsored children in our program — are receiving basic needs throughout the school year.

During their meeting, Jenny explained to Renée that because Boyd County is located in a very rural and beautiful part of the country, Catlettsburg has become a popular place for middle and upper-class families to build homes. Jenny feels that because of this migration, the student population is divided more conspicuously into the “haves and have nots.”

Although the children may come from strikingly different economic backgrounds, that doesn’t change how they interact with one other.

While the administration, faculty and staff of the schools may know which families struggle and which do not, Jenny says the students are very close and treat each other with kindness and respect.

Additionally, as a tight-knit group, the children are more than willing to come together to help other students in need — even those that are far away.

Additionally, as a tight-knit group, the children are more than willing to come together to help other students in need — even those that are far away.

Rising to a challenge

Before their meeting ended, Jenny told Renée a story expressing how much pride she had in her students.

In 2018, the deadly Camp Fire burned down much of the town of Paradise, California — including a school also named Ponderosa Elementary School. Not long after the fire, the principal of Ponderosa Elementary School in Catlettsburg was informed about a nationwide fundraiser through another Ponderosa Elementary School in Oregon.

The fundraiser, deemed “Pennies for Ponderosa Initiative” requested that the eleven schools named Ponderosa Elementary School in the United States collect donations for the rebuilding of the California school.

The children at Jenny’s school stepped up to the challenge. They not only raised money to help students on the other side of the country, but also sent video messages of hope and encouragement as they and their families worked to rebuild their lives.

Whether coming from an impoverished background or not, children at Ponderosa Elementary School showed that they were willing to do anything they could to help others in need — and that is something to be proud of.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENTUCKY?

 You can sponsor a child in Kentucky by calling our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members, emailing us at sponsorship@children-inc.org, or clicking the link below:

SPONSOR A CHILD