For our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and me, our trip to Colombia ended in Manizales, where we visited the last of our three affiliated projects in the country, Centro de Orientación.
Established by an order of nuns, Centro de Orientación functions as a community center to rehabilitate mothers who have fallen victim to the ravages of poverty, often having no other choice than to work on the streets of Manizales to make money.
A brother and sister who are enrolled in our sponsorship program
In addition, the Center provides nutritious meals and a safe place for children to enjoy recreational activities while teaching them how to become mature, confident and educated young adults. Support from Children Incorporated sponsors ensures that the children have clothing, school supplies and food to take home each month.
Lifting women up through training
Located in the San Jose neighborhood of Manizales, the Center serves children ages 6 to 16 years old, as well as their mothers, during the weekdays. The children attend local schools where they are taught core academic subjects such as science and math. In the afternoons, they receive tutoring and vocational training, in areas such as hairdressing or sewing.
During the school day, the children’s mothers are taught how to use industrial sewing machines, how to make crafts to sell in local markets and how to cook — skills that they can use to obtain employment so they can support their families.
During the school day, the children’s mothers are taught how to use industrial sewing machines, how to make crafts to sell in local markets and how to cook — skills that they can use to obtain employment so they can support their families.
When Luis and I arrived at the Center, we were met by Sister Solidad, our volunteer coordinator, and her assistant, Claudia. While taking a tour of the facility, Sister Solidad explained that four Sisters live at Centro de Orientación who all work closely with the children to teach them self-worth. They encourage the children to believe in their potential to do more than just finish primary and secondary school. They also strive to help mothers pursue educational opportunities at the Center so they can support themselves and lift their families out of the impoverished situations in which they live.
Waiting to start a family
After our tour, we met with our sponsored children and their parents in the basement of the Center, where a large, open room full of plastic chairs had been arranged in a circle.
As Luis spoke with the group about their sponsorship experiences, Claudia explained to me that since Centro de Orientación has been offering its skills training programs to the community, she has noticed over the years that the younger women are waiting until they are older to have children. And when it comes to teaching their own children valuable life lessons, they are confident in explaining to them the importance of getting an education and learning skills for work before they start a family.
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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN COLOMBIA?
You can sponsor a child in Colombia 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 Colombia that is available for sponsorship.
For children in our program living in poverty, their sponsors are more than just providers of basic needs — they are often the light of their lives in an otherwise dark world.
Now that Blake has a positive outlet for her agression during gym class, she no longer has outbursts and is focused on practicing to join the school’s volleyball team.
Blake* is a young girl who suffers from several mental health disorders that cause bursts of anger and social defiance in school. Her grandparents are raising her because her parents are incarcerated. According to our volunteer coordinator who works closely with Blake, her sponsor is a positive and bright force in a world that is often negative for Blake, as she struggles daily with her sensitive health issues and stressful living conditions.
Knowing that Blake was struggling with physical outbursts and having exhausted the school’s resources to help her, our volunteer coordinator used sponsorship funds to buy fitness equipment such as punching bags and gloves and a volleyball for Blake. Now that Blake has a positive outlet for her aggression during gym class, she no longer has outbursts and is focused on practicing to join the school’s volleyball team.
Thank you for being a light for children in need!
*Name changed to protect the child.
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How can I Sponsor a child in Kentucky?
You can sponsor a child in Kentucky in one of two ways – call our office and speak with one of our sponsorship specialists at 1-800-538-5381, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.
The sponsorship relationship enables a sponsor to help support a needy child through monthly contributions, and through the exchange of correspondence with a sponsored child, if the sponsor so desires. A sponsor’s friendship and encouragement is priceless to a child in such circumstances. Indeed, many children value the relationships they establish with their sponsors as much as they value the financial support they receive from them. There is an opportunity to build a relationship between sponsor and child that can be quite profound.
Our current monthly sponsorship rate is $35, and it goes toward providing basic necessities such as school supplies and fees, food, clothing, and access to healthcare, among other services.
*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.
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The remote community of Red Valley — home to Red Rock Day School — is situated amid the incredible desert beauty of the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Comprising more than 27,000 square miles of spectacular but inhospitable countryside, the Reservation extends into both Utah and New Mexico. Within 60 miles of the school is the famous “Four Corners,” a spot marking the meeting of four state boundaries– Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah — at a single point.
While on their tour of the school, Patricia showed Ron and Renée the school library, which is located in the center of the school. She mentioned that sadly, there is no funding for a full-time librarian.
There is virtually no employment in Red Valley. Broken homes, alcoholism, and inadequate food are constant manifestations of poverty — poverty that extends to local schools which are also suffering, including our affiliated project, Red Rock Day School.
Providing the best that they can
Originally built in the 1940s, and partially funded today by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Red Rock Day School strives to provide each child with nutritious meals, care and support from well-trained teachers, and a quality education. Yet, because of a lack of government funding, the school itself does not have a full-time librarian.
While visiting Red Rock Day School, Children Incorporated President and CEO, Ron Carter, and Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with longtime volunteer coordinator, Patricia, who took them on a complete and extensive tour of the buildings and grounds.
Renée is pictured with Patricia outside of Red Rock Day School.
“Patricia was delighted to have Ron for his first visit. Red Rock Day School is in an especially remote part of the Navajo Reservation and is quite a distance from any main roads. Patricia warmly welcomes visitors — especially when it comes to the Children Incorporated program,” said Renée.
A big need for a remote school
While on their tour of the school, Patricia showed Ron and Renée the school library, which is located in the center of the school. She mentioned that sadly, there is no funding for a full-time librarian. Instead, every Friday, a teacher’s aide will open the library so the kids can check books in and out. This means that four days out of the week, the school library is off-limits to kids, for either reading or studying. And in remote Red Valley, children living in poverty do not have a place to purchase books or the means to do so.
It was disappointing to both Ron and Renée to know that children weren’t able to make full use of the library, but they were consoled by getting the chance to meet some of our sponsored children during their visit, knowing that even though Red Rock Day School might not have all the amenities of other schools, at least children in need had the support and encouragement of caring sponsors.
Meeting special sponsored children
The first student they met was an adorable eight-year-old name Bruce.*
Bruce is rather small for his age but is big in personality. He lives with his parents and siblings. His dad is unemployed, and his mom has a low-paying job as a caregiver.
The family lives in a one-room house, but it does have electricity and running water. Bruce told Renée and Ron that he really likes having a sponsor. Patricia expressed that the Children Incorporated program has made all the difference in Bruce having school supplies and weather-appropriate clothing and shoes.
Getting to know Cynthia
The next sponsored child they met was Cynthia. Cynthia is in kindergarten and loves writing her ABC’s and playing outside. She lives with her single father and three siblings.
Her dad is a welder, and he gets jobs as work is available, often having to drive long distances for short term opportunities. He struggles to provide for his children and is deeply grateful for Cynthia’s sponsor.
Introducing Caleb
Lastly, Renée and Ron spoke with Caleb, another kindergartener. Caleb likes picture books, and he loves toy cars. He lives with his mother, stepfather, and new baby sister. Both of them are self-employed.
Patricia said they mostly pick up odd jobs in the community, and their combined earnings are meager. Caleb’s sponsors have been a massive help to this family, who otherwise struggle to make sure Caleb has his basic needs met throughout the year.
*Names changed to protect the children.
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How do I sponsor a child in Arizona?
You can sponsor a child in Arizona in one of two ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.
*Note: This blog was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although much has changed regarding our sponsored children’s learning experience in the past months, our On the Road stories remain relevant in regards to our volunteer coordinator’s work and the impact of sponsorship on children in our program thanks to our sponsors. We are pleased to continue to share stories with you about our work.
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The town of Page is located amid the stark mesas, wild terrain, and incredible desert beauty of north-central Arizona, only a few miles from the Utah border.
One of the youngest communities in the United States, Page began in 1957 as a housing camp for workers building the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River.
The community of Page today
Today, the majority of Page’s residents are Navajo; the town lies just off the western fringes of the Navajo reservation, which comprises more than 27,000 square miles, extending into both Utah and New Mexico.
Despite an ancient history and revered culture, Page’s economy is weak, and high unemployment and social problems fuel a cycle of poverty that has persisted for many years.
Our volunteer coordinator Eloise and the school’s principal, Ms. Covington.
Because of these circumstances, our affiliated project, Page Middle School, is incredibly valuable to the community as not only a means for children to receive an education but as a support system that families otherwise might not have — especially when sensitive issues arise.
Learning about the needs of Page Middle School students
While visiting Page Middle School, our President and CEO Ronald Carter, met with the school’s principal, Ms. Covington.
“Ms. Covington really appreciates and values the support that Children Incorporated can give her students,” said Mr. Carter
During her visit, Ms. Covington shared with Mr. Carter that, as with many schools in America, bedbugs and lice were a big issue.
Although bedbugs and lice are never related to a family’s cleanliness or socioeconomic status, Ms. Covington and Mr. Carter were aware that the stigma of bedbugs and lice causes embarrassment for children. The stress of infestations in the home can lead to them being anxious or tired during the school day.
Helping kids cope
Additionally, bedbugs or lice means that children need new clothing and bedding — items that impoverished families do not have money to replace.
Thankfully, our Bed and Linens Fund is able to help with the replacement of bedding for children in need.
“Last year, Page schools experienced a few cases of head lice, and the special kits that are needed for treatment are expensive for families who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Mr. Carter.
Thankfully, our Bed and Linens Fund is able to help with the replacement of bedding for children in need. For sponsored children, volunteer coordinators purchase new clothing to help children during these sensitive situations.
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Due to the generosity of our sponsors, all of our enrolled Native American children are currently matched. However, we have many other U.S. children who are in need of a sponsor’s encouragement and support. You may also wish to consider a donation to our Covid-19 Response Fund or one of our other special funds at this time. Please feel free to contact us for further information.
HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?
You can sponsor a child with Children Incorporated 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 donation portal, create an account, and search for a child that is available for sponsorship.
When our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and I first arrived in Medellín, Colombia, I noticed a striking difference from our visit to the capital city of Bogotá. Unlike many other cities that I have visited in South America, Medellín’s level of poverty and destitution was present even in the most well-off areas of town. As we drove from the airport to downtown Medellín, I was surprised to see homeless people living on the streets — even in affluent neighborhoods. This was something I didn’t often see in developing countries.
Centro Primavera offers courses to mothers so they can graduate from high school and training so they can gain the skills they need to obtain employment.
We arrived in the early evening and planned to meet with our volunteer coordinator, Piedad, and her assistant, Manuela, outside of the San Pedro neighborhood, where our affiliated project, Centro Primavera, is located.
We arrived at a small, downtown Medellín restaurant where we joined Piedad and Manuela, who were already waiting for us. Piedad explained that she has been with Centro Primavera for 25 years. The organization operates in one of the tougher neighborhoods in the city — where drug use and crime are prevalent, and many impoverished women are forced to work in prostitution to make money to support their children.
Piedad is pictured outside of Centro Primavera with a few of our sponsored children.
Piedad’s primary goal is to help get these young women and mothers off the street. Centro Primavera offers them courses so they can graduate from high school and training so they can gain the skills they need to obtain employment. Other programs at the Center are geared towards providing the children of these mothers a place to receive tutoring support and play inside, away from the violence and drug abuse that is rampant in their neighborhood.
A place for mothers and children
The next day, we met Piedad at Centro Primavera in the early morning. She took us on a tour of the facility, which serves children both as a daycare center and an afterschool enrichment center. Children ranging from infancy to eighteen receive nutritious food and medical care.
The older children enjoy arts and crafts, dance classes and games in one of the many recreation rooms available for their use. The Center also has a full library on the first floor, a kitchen on the second floor and private offices where women and children receive psychological support.
Stories of My Neighborhood
“Relatos de mi Barrio” was created by Centro Primavera staff members to help the community understand the Center’s mission.
After taking the tour of the buildings, Luis and I had the chance to sit down with some of the mothers and hear more about the programs that Centro Primavera offers. The Center focuses on four programs: the first is skills training in such areas as cosmetology, computers, baking and leatherwork. The second is prevention of abuse and women’s rights education. The third focuses on sustainability and finding resources for the institution to continue with its work.
The fourth program is called “Memory and Identity,” which works to provide information about the San Pedro neighborhood to the local community and authorities so that there can be a plan of action as to how to handle issues that arise. Piedad shared with us a book that she wrote called “Relatos de mi Barrio,” which tells the history of San Pedro and how Centro Primavera has had a positive impact on the community over the years.
It was apparent to both Luis and me that Piedad works hard for the mothers and the children at the Center. She is incredibly grateful for the Children Incorporated sponsorship program which offers basic needs to kids and gives them a sense of encouragement and pride from their sponsors. She would love to get more children enrolled in our program – at the time of our visit, more than twenty children were available for sponsorship.
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How do I sponsor a child in Colombia?
You can sponsor a child in Colombia 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 Colombia that is available for sponsorship.
Situated in the northwestern corner of South America, Colombia is rich in natural beauty, comprising rugged Andean mountains, lowland plains, sprawling Amazon rainforest and coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Its modern history begins at the end of the fifteenth century, when Christopher Columbus and the first Spanish explorers arrived in the region, subsequently establishing the area’s first successful Spanish settlement in 1508. Spanish colonization continued for over 400 years until the mid-nineteenth century when Colombia gained its independence and established itself as South America’s first constitutional government.
However, political instability in the mid-to-late twentieth century led to the uprising of guerilla groups, sparking violence throughout the country. Tragically, children were often the victims of terrible inhumanities and social injustices. Kidnappings, human trafficking, recruitment as soldiers into paramilitary groups and forcible participation in drug-trafficking rings became common realities for vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
With civil unrest a part of Colombia’s past since 2016, the country is safer than it once was, yet many families struggle living in poverty. Thankfully, our affiliated project, the Rondon Center in Bogotá, offers mothers of our sponsored children an opportunity to earn money at the Center’s garment factory, Creaciones Miquelina, while also providing basic needs to the children, thanks to our sponsorship program.
Seeing Bogotá for the first time
Sponsored children receive bags of food to take home regularly.
Our trip to visit the Rondon Center was my first to the city of Bogotá, Colombia’s capital. Traveling with Children Incorporated’s Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, our plan was to meet our volunteer coordinator, Sister Diana, at the Rondon Center, and then visit a few homes before taking a tour of Creaciones Miquelina.
We arrived in Colombia on a Sunday, and traffic was light as we drove through the city making our way to the Center. I found the outskirts of Bogotá to be surprisingly modern, with shopping malls, high-rise apartment buildings and large green spaces for locals to exercise and walk their dogs.
Once we got further into the city, Bogotá began to feel familiar to other South American cities I have visited — with one big exception. Colonial-era architecture and spacious plazas were abundant, yet they had been covered with either graffiti or large, colorful murals. The lines between vandalism and artistic expression were blurred, as it seemed as though every building was painted in some manner. I couldn’t determine in many instances which paintings were planned and which were done illegally, but I felt that they added to Bogotá’s charm as a visually striking city.
Getting to know the Rondon Center
Named after the Rondon neighborhood in which it resides, the Rondon Center is home to a group of Sisters who run Creaciones Miquelina.
When we pulled through the Center’s front gates, I first noticed how nice the grounds were kept. Flower gardens with benches and fountains were found both outside and inside the Center, connected by paths that made for a serene setting.
As we got out of the car, Sister Diana greeted us warmly and quickly motioned for us to come upstairs with her. Our sponsored children and their mothers were waiting for us — they had planned a presentation to welcome us to Colombia.
When we entered a large recreation room on the second floor, the children were sitting quietly in plastic chairs next to their mothers, patiently awaiting our arrival.
Luis and I sat down, and then the children took turns performing skits. The stories the children told through their acting were ones of danger — drugs, kidnapping and prostitution. The subject matter seemed rather mature considering how young some of the children were, but I quickly realized that in Colombia, they were lessons that needed to be taught at the youngest of ages.
The realities that children face living in impoverished neighborhoods are harsh, and the Sisters at the Rondon Center want to make sure children understand their self-worth so they don’t end up down a dark path later in life — a dark path that many of their mothers had to work hard to get away from.
After the presentations, the Sisters handed out bags of food for the children to take home thanks to donations from their sponsors. They excitedly looked through the bags, holding up boxes of cereal and dry spaghetti, olive oil and flour. Luis and I chatted with some of the mothers for a few brief moments before the group eagerly departed so they could return to their Sunday afternoon family activities.
Working from home
After the children and their mothers left, Sister Diana took Luis and me to visit a few homes of our sponsored children. Like in many places in Latin America, poor families tend to live up in the hills, away from the city and the services that are offered to wealthier residents. Often times, it is the only place they can afford to have a little piece of land for themselves, even if it means their children are miles away from schools or community centers.
One of the homes we visited was of a little boy in our program who lives with his single mother and two sisters. Their small living room was occupied by a sofa, chair, two sewing machines and a tall shelf full of spools of thread and folded fabric.
As we stood talking, the boy’s mother explained that she started working in the garment factory at the Rondon Center and saved enough money to buy her own machines. Now, the company she works for delivers the fabric to her and comes to pick up the finished pieces each week when she has completed them.
The realities that children face living in impoverished neighborhoods are harsh, and the Sisters at the Rondon Center want to make sure children understand their self-worth so they don’t end up down a dark path later in life — a dark path that many of their mothers had to work hard to get away from.
She told us that over the years she has earned enough money to add an extension to her house while also getting to be home with her children in the afternoon and evenings. She proudly showed us some of the shirts she created and beamed when she told us that her son was one of the top students in his class.
Creaciones Miquelina
The next morning, Luis and I returned to the Rondon Center where Sister Diana offered Luis and me a tour of the Creaciones Miquelina. Established in 1977 by a Colombian nun named Esther Castaño Mejia, Creaciones Miquelina started with just a few sewing machines to offer help to women rescued from the streets. The workshop began by providing training so women could apply for jobs in other factories. Today, Creaciones Miquelina has grown to employ and train hundreds of women each year to work in their factory while providing daily meals to their children.
As we toured the factory, Sister Diana showed us where the garments were cut, where the designs for clothes were created and where the administration offices were located. Windows from the second floor overlooked the factory where roughly a hundred women were busy at work.
The entire operation was impressive, and knowing these women otherwise would have had no chance at learning skills they needed to take care of their families made our visit to the Miquelina that much more special.
HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN COLOMBIA?
You can sponsor a child in Colombia 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 Colombia that is available for sponsorship.
