Tag Archives: children

Shelley Callahan | November 30, 2016En Español

Let’s get right to it: We would be nowhere without your support. Sponsors make it possible for Children Incorporated to help hundreds of thousands of children around the globe rise above poverty.

Kids like Abel, the tenth grader that I and Luis Bourdet visited last June in Ethiopia, depend on sponsors for supplies and flourish because they know someone out there cares about them. Abel is in the top five of his class!

Sabrina holding a picture of Abel

We contacted Abel’s longtime sponsor, Sabrina Timperman, about her connection to Children Incorporated and her relationship with this rising star. Timperman is a veterinarian and lives in Manhasset, NY.

Q and A with Children Incorporated

CI: Why did you get involved with Children Incorporated?

ST: When I was a little kid, I remember watching commercials on Saturday mornings about sponsoring a child. I’d always tell my mom I really wanted to sponsor a child, but we never did. Still, the commercials stuck with me. I decided as soon as I was able, I would do it- and I did. I signed up in 2007 when Abel was very young. I always wanted children but never had any myself. Instead, I saw an opportunity to help a child in need.

CI: Did you specify specific characteristics of the child you wanted to sponsor (age, gender, country) or was Abel assigned to you without specifications?

ST: I was assigned Abel at random. I searched online for Children Incorporated and signed right up. I’ve never looked back.

I searched online for Children Incorporated and signed right up. I’ve never looked back.

CI: It’s been almost ten years-what have you learned about Abel?

ST: Abel is 16 and in the tenth grade. He loves math and wants to be an engineer someday. He’s very smart and could go far if given the opportunity. He lives with his sister and mother in a government-owned house in the slums that costs about $35 a month to rent. His mother supports the family by selling small, plastic housewares and dishes on the street.

CI: What do you know about the slum where Abel lives?

ST: Someone in his family is sick, and I know that some of the things that I send are making a big difference. I hope it helps him survive in a world that is very harsh. They don’t have a lot. The money is providing him with food, clothes, books, and school.

CI: Do you communicate with him directly?

Abel’s school photo as a young boy

ST: Yes! He writes letters to me in English. His letters are short, but I cherish them. Abel tells me which sports he likes, like basketball. He has a sister; someone in his family is sick but not sure whom. I’ve always wished we’d had been able to contact each other more. I know he goes to school and studies hard.

CI: What do you wish for Abel?

ST: I have this vision that in 30 years from now when he is an adult, one time before I die, I would love to see him. It is so interesting to be with someone for so long having never met them. I’ve watched him grow up. I have his pictures in my room of him getting bigger and bigger. I hope I have given him a chance at a better life.

CI: What advice would you have for someone who is reading about you and Abel, and is considering sponsorship?

ST: I think that it is extremely rewarding; it is money well spent. I could go buy myself a latte, but this small amount of money is changing someone’s life, and it is the difference between that child eating or not- and we all have to do our part in making others lives better and this is a meaningful way to do that. You walk away going, “I changed someone’s life today, and I helped give them something that they wouldn’t be able to get in another way”. The money is helping to make a difference and that is important even if you don’t ever meet the child. It’s a little money for all of us, but if we put it together, then we can be impactful and make a really big difference. And hopefully, they can be sustainable and more self-sufficient in a way and they can continue to succeed and move forward.

Meet Abel

“Hi, my name is Abel. I am in the tenth grade. My favorite subject in school is physics. My teacher describes me as active, sociable, and an excellent student. I enjoy reading and playing soccer. I live with my mother and sister. I live in a small, old rented room that has no running water or indoor plumbing. When I grow up I want to be an engineer. Sponsorship is important to me because it helps with my school fees and other expenses so that I can attend school regularly without a problem.”

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN ETHIOPIA?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | November 22, 2016En Español

In the eight months since we first launched our On the Road series, Luis and I have traveled some 20,000 miles around the globe visiting the families and communities your contributions support.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we thought we’d share some of our favorite food samplings from around the world.

We are so grateful for the opportunity to report on the impact sponsorship has on the children we serve. We’ve met some pretty amazing people along the way, many of whom have welcomed us into their homes to break bread.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we thought we’d share some of our favorite food samplings from around the world.

Salteñas (Bolivia)

If you travel to Bolivia, save room for lunch! Luis and I ate so well with the Sisters while we were there that most days we skipped dinner altogether.

We got to try some of the children’s favorites: majadito (rice cooked with onions, tomatoes, and spices, and served with fried eggs and yucca or plantains), mondongo (marinated pork, served with boiled corn and potatoes), and pique macho (cubed beef, sliced hot dogs, and stir-fried vegetables cooked in local spices and served over French-fried potatoes).

And of course, Salteñas!

A Salteña is the Bolivian version of an empanada. Filled with meat, potatoes, peas and more, this delicious pastry is a great mid-morning snack. Deliciosa!

Injera (Ethiopia)

Ethiopian food means injera, a spongy pancake-like flatbread made from teff, wheat, barley, corn, and/or rice flour. A fundamental part of every Ethiopian meal, it is often eaten with meat stews and cooked greens. Luis and I make a habit of trying out the traditional cuisine on each of our trips — and, in Ethiopia, that included visiting a restaurant that offered traditional dancing as well as dinner.

Dishes come served on large platters to share, brimming with lentils, kale, and spicy tomato stew. The flavors are delicious, and better yet, Ethiopians use the injera to scoop up the food — no utensils required!

Tortillas (Mexico)

Luis and I mainly ate tacos while in Mexico. The variety of fresh and flavorful ingredients is astounding. My favorite part of Mexican dishes: they all seem to come with fresh limes for extra flavor, although dishes are usually already full of flavor. Rice, beans, guacamole, and salsa are served with every meal, and tortillas are plentiful, brought to you in a round tortilla warmer that looks like an oven mitt to keep your tortillas warm as you eat your meal.

Sorghum (Kentucky)

Driving through Kentucky, it’s easy to find mainstays like pizza, fried chicken, spaghetti, biscuits and gravy, and chicken and dumplings. Last summer, we had the opportunity to stop by a local farm with one of our volunteer coordinators and meet a farmer who makes sorghum, a sweet syrup akin to molasses. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried sorghum on your biscuits. Yum!

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD THROUGH CHILDREN INCORPORATED?

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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | November 16, 2016En Español

Mexico is such a modern, developed place that in many respects reminded me of America – but high unemployment rates have cities grappling with spikes in poverty and crime.

As a result, there are many children who have been abused, neglected, or flat-out abandoned by family members in distress. In several cases, the parents are unable to care for their children because they are incarcerated.

As a result, there are many children who have been abused, neglected, or flat-out abandoned by family members in distress.

Children without families to help keep them safe, healthy, and to make sure they’re going to school often find themselves involved with drugs and crime. It’s because of this that Luis and I so loved to see the Sisters step in and fill the void.

At homes like Hogar Santa Maria, Hogar Santa Ines, Mexiquito, and La Luz, it was the Sisters who were there for the children, providing not only support and guidance but real and moving affection, too. These parental figures provide the structure and consistency that help kids bloom into a generation that can positively impact their country. They foster a loving, nurturing environment where the children have adults to depend on and other children to play with.

Together, they’ve made a family.

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How do I sponsor a child in Mexico?

You can sponsor a child in Mexico 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 Mexico that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | November 5, 2016En Español

If you travel around Mexico, as we have, you’re sure to notice that Monterrey feels a little different from the rest of the major Mexican cities. It may be wealth. After all, it’s the second wealthiest city in Mexico. But this capital of the state of Nuevo Leon is a distinctly more modern feeling. Its population of 1.1 million produces iron, steel, glass, furniture, automobiles, and electronic equipment amidst the Sierra Madre Mountains on all sides.

Here, the lower you stand on the income ladder, the higher up on the sides of the mountains you live.

I was so struck by the industrial-yet-contemporary feel of Monterrey when we arrived — it felt like the city had been prepared for its own growth spurt, with expansive highways and city roads that easily accommodated the traffic.

Above this, natural beauty drew my eye as I try to distinguish where the surrounding mountains ended and the sky began.

But despite its busy commercial face, Monterrey is also known for being home to thousands of Mexico’s unemployed and underemployed. As a result, families struggle, even in the middle of all this productivity.

Protecting the Vulnerability of Children

In 1970, Hogar Santa Maria opened with a mission to help the boys and girls of these struggling families, providing them with even the most basic of needs: food to eat, a bed to sleep in, and a safe place to do both. Despite being known as one of Mexico’s safest cities, Monterrey still carries a lot of danger for poor children left to fend for themselves during the day.

The home isn’t far from our hotel, but when we visit it, I see that it’s in a lower-income housing area. Here, the lower you stand on the income ladder, the higher up on the sides of the mountains you live. It’s cheaper there — fewer services are available, and no public transportation can get up the steep roads. The view from the houses is breathtaking, but within the neighborhoods is a less stunning view. Crime runs rampant here, with drug peddling and robberies pretty much status quo. Parents worry about their children becoming involved at a young age, as they so often do.

For three years, Sister Eloise has run Hogar Santa Maria with the help of a secretary and five other Sisters. Together, they provide what’s essentially daycare to twenty-five children, age six through twelve. All of the children go home on the weekends, and about a third of them sleep at home each night, with the Sisters making sure they get good meals and are en route to school at the right time.

Sponsored children eating lunch during our visit

In addition to the six Sisters running the show, the place subsists on donations from community individuals. There’s no government aid here, and because the model revolves around getting the children ready for, headed to, and picked up from school, the capacity of area schools sometimes affects Hogar Santa Maria’s allowed enrollment numbers. Schools in this area essentially determine how many students the home can take. For instance, right now, the home looks after twenty-five students, though the program is designed to accommodate sixty.

Leave it to these always-resourceful nuns to find alternate ways to make money, though. They run a used clothing thrift store in an area far away from their charges. This way, the place doesn’t become a market, the kids remain protected, and Hogar Santa Maria can generate a little income. Volunteers from the community, as well as university students, assist the home in mentoring the boys and holding fundraisers. Children Incorporated sponsors fill the gap with food, medicine, and school supplies for the children at the home.

The children themselves almost embody Monterrey’s juxtaposition of poor and thriving. From the poorest houses, everyone’s treated to a panoramic view of this incredible city, but they still can’t find work. Meanwhile, Monterrey enthusiasts keep coming from Latin American countries or other Mexican states, having heard there was plenty of work for all who needed it but finding nothing at all suitable. Instead of a growing job market, then, the city just has a growing population of poor and uneducated. And in the middle of all this, Hogar Santa Maria keeps quietly running along.

Children Incorporated sponsors fill the gap with food, medicine, and school supplies for the children at the home.

Looking for Help to Keep Their Kids Safe

After visiting Santa Maria, the sisters take us on a newly home visit to Pedro’s house. Pedro lives with his mother, two older brothers, and his mother’s boyfriend in a small house with separate bedrooms and a kitchen. He lives at home with his family, but he is at Hogar Santa Maria on weekdays while his mother works to clean houses.

He’s home this week, though, having just had his appendix removed.

Sister Eloise and the social worker smile and chat with Pedro, who smiles back at them. His mother, meanwhile, tells me about how she worried about leaving her son home alone. She says she feels much more secure about Pedro’s safety now, knowing that Pedro is being cared for by the sisters at Hogar Santa Maria while she works to provide for the family.

The other home on our schedule this morning was a home devoid of children — at least at the time we were there. The grandmother was home alone in a house with three beds, a plastic kitchen table, a small couch, and a refrigerator. She told us that three children, three adults, and she all lived all together in one room. It seemed to me that this had to mean that all the children slept in one bed.

While the adults worked during the day (including the youngest child, who went to work with her mother), the older children traveled to school all on their own. Again, at this home, the family we met expressed great concern that the children would get into crime or drugs if left to their own devices. They count on Hogar Santa Maria to keep their children safe.

I wonder what exactly Hogar Santa Maria needs in order to enroll enough children to meet its full capacity — more money, surely, to buy food and supplies — but also to hire staff and teachers. I wonder if these families look down at the city below and wonder what it would feel like to have everything they need all the time, including the luxury of safety.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN MEXICO?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | November 2, 2016En Español

The city of Guadalajara has a lot of things going for it — it’s considered the home of mariachi music, the historical area’s plazas and museums are sought-after by tourists, and overall, it’s considered to be the cultural capital of the Americas. With the surrounding areas considered, the population exceeds four million, making it the second most populated area after Mexico City.

In 1986, a priest named Father Ramon Aguirre decided to start a home for children whose parents were serving time in prison. In a large city like Guadalajara, you can’t really avoid pockets of poverty or the crime that comes with it. Father Ramon Aguirre felt that it was important to help siblings stay together while their parents were away — this way, the families could remain families, rather than the children being turned out into the streets, which happened often during that time.

Resources are currently an issue—La Luz is currently only at half capacity. None of their support comes from the government, since none of the kids were brought to the home by the government.

Stability Five Days a Week

La Luz Home is run now by Sister Nellie, who picked us up from the bus station with Allie, a full-time social worker at La Luz. We ate lunch together after we arrived, and the two told us more about the specific situation at the home, which is a little different from the ones we’ve seen so far.

The boys and girls at the home, for one, go to public schools during the week but are cared for by the sisters in the afternoons. All of them go home on the weekends, which is certainly a change from the other schools. Sometimes that means going home to their mother because their father is incarcerated; sometimes that means going to the home of a relative if one or both of the parents are out of the picture (from time to time, both are incarcerated).

Not only does the structure of the school keep the children sticking to a routine, but it also keeps the sisters from having to find the resources to house the children over the weekend. Resources are currently an issue — La Luz is currently at only half-capacity. None of their support comes from the government, since none of the kids were brought to the home by the government.

The sisters find the children through their work within prisons as they help incarcerated individuals find spiritual peace. In doing so, they learn about the prisoners’ children and their current living situations and agree to help out the prisoners’ families.

The children of incarcerated parents are brought here, where dormitories surround a large playground. The dorms are separated by gender, and the 24 children range from age three to thirteen. There’s a psychologist on staff who helps the children with the transition, and Allie, who works closely with the children. Together, those two decide whether or not the child should be reestablished permanently with the family once the parent(s) are out of jail.

The family of some of our sponsored children

These children might be kept in a stable place with their siblings — unusual in itself. But their home lives are the most upsetting of any of the kids we’ve seen so far on this visit. If their environments weren’t poverty-stricken, they were probably abusive, unstable, and inconsistent. Most of the crimes committed in this case are robberies, and the legal system takes a long time to work. No one’s ever sure exactly when they’re going to see their parents again.

But here at La Luz, they don’t have to worry about that, at least not right now during our lunch. The children have had a dance instructor lately, and they perform for us as a way to thank us for visiting. As it’s Friday, their mothers and grandmothers start to arrive to pick them up for the weekend, and I love watching their faces light up as they spot their moms waiting. Some of them are so excited to see their family member that they get distracted and forget to dance.

After the School Week Ends

The next morning, we begin home visits with Sister Nellie. They’re our first since we’ve arrived in Mexico, as the other homes we visited housed children full-time. I’m anxious about what to expect.

Guadalajara is very modern on the surface, but as soon as you turn down a side street, the roads are unpaved, the houses get tiny, and security weakens (the more affluent areas of town have gates to protect against crime). The first home we visit is that of a mother with five children, three of whom stay at home during the week. Their father is incarcerated, and the whole family stays in a portion of their uncle’s home.

We can see into the home through a window. It’s got a dirt floor, a small kitchen — it seems far too small for six people. Sister Nellie knocks on the metal door, but no one answers.

I’m relieved that the grandmother’s house is nice and clean and she seems like an able caretaker, but I’m even more relieved that the children can go to La Luz and have their minds engaged during the week.

Everyone’s confused because the visit had been scheduled in advance. Sister Nellie asks a neighbor, and they suggest checking at a house up the street, as sometimes the kids will go there when the mother has to work cleaning houses. They’re not there, either. It feels so strange to go searching this street for these children, but Sister Nellie isn’t worried. She explains that this kind of thing is pretty normal, in that the children’s routines are anything but. Their lives change from moment to moment.

We find two of the children at their grandmother’s house, watching TV. These are just two of her twenty total grandkids. She rents the house currently, but her daughter intends to find a place for her and the children once the children’s father is out of jail. They’ll likely watch TV all weekend, while the older children wander the nearby streets and the very youngest child sticks close by the mother as she cleans the homes. I’m relieved that the grandmother’s house is nice and clean and she seems like a capable caretaker, but I’m even more relieved that the children can go to La Luz and have their minds engaged during the week.

The next home visit is largely the same situation — five children, a dad in jail, and a TV on. Two other relatives live there as well, bringing the total to eight people, with six sleeping on three couches and one bed in the living room. When we talk to the children, they say they love going to La Luz, and that there’s nothing for them to do when they’re at home, even though we’ve seen how excited the kids are to see their mother.

Hearing that from the kids is bittersweet. We’re so glad that we can be part of a program that is clearly making a difference in the kids’ lives, and it’s so refreshing that they can still see their parents sometimes, but the idea of them sitting in the dark and watching television all weekend is dispiriting.

There’s a light in that darkness, though, beyond the pleasure they get from seeing their parent or guardian. The youngest child in this family, Fernando, gets packages from his Children Incorporated sponsor every month, including clothes, shoes, and toys. He doesn’t write much in school, but he’s gotten very good at drawing and coloring, each month making a special picture for his sponsor.

While finances are always on the minds of the households we visit, La Luz is especially concerned with resources right now. Some support comes from the La Luz Children’s Hospital next door, but much of it comes from Children Incorporated, which helps furnish clothes, school supplies, and food. The home could be housing as many as 48, but the money just isn’t available, despite the clear need in the community.

After lunch, we head back to our hotel as I try to wrap my brain around what life is like for these kids. I’m not sure they’re old enough to really process what it means for their families that one or both of their parents are in jail, or how their lives could really change at any minute. That’s why it’s so nice to see them getting some consistency and support at La Luz, even though it’s only during the week.

I focus on how happy the children were as soon as they saw their mothers’ and grandmothers’ waiting faces. Father Ramon Aguirre was right to try to keep families together, while at the same time giving these kids some structure, with which they seem to thrive.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN MEXICO?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | October 27, 2016En Español

After just a few days in Mexico, Luis and I have already seen the impact of not just Children Incorporated’s efforts in these communities, but the impact of local generosity and perseverance too.

Luis pictured with Sister Isabel

Santa Julia, a home for girls just outside downtown San Miguel de Allende, was both like and unlike Mexiquito. Narrow roads led to the home, which is closely surrounded by private residences separated from the home by steep, protective walls, giving it a sort of tightly packed fortress feel.

In reality, Santa Julia is larger than it initially appears. The tall dorms obscure the rest of the property from sight, but the property includes a computer lab, an art room, a recreation room, a sanctuary, a cafeteria, a playground, and gorgeous grounds with the lime trees that are starting to feel to me like a symbol of comfort and calm.

Meeting Sister Isabel

Luis is initially confused by the introduction of Sister Isabel, Santa Julia’s new director. She’s not the director we’re used to working with — her predecessor, Sister Lydia, had been transferred a month ago. That’s fairly standard practice among the sisters so that they can have experience doing different kinds of work. At first, Luis was nervous. Sister Lydia had been a huge advocate for Children Incorporated and had taken great care to learn the program and diligently reported information about the 30-plus children who are enrolled at Santa Julia.

After just a few days in Mexico, Luis and I have already seen the impact of not just Children Incorporated’s efforts in these communities, but the impact of local generosity and perseverance too.

Sister Isabel quickly made us realize that our timing couldn’t be better. She’s new, but she’s very enthusiastic about learning more about Children Incorporated, so we took the opportunity to familiarize her with the program. And Sister Isabel, for her part, told us about the 36 girls who live at Santa Julia.

But really it wasn’t until we met them at lunchtime that we really fell in love. The Santa Julia girls introduced themselves by giving us hugs — they were so well-behaved, energetic, and loving. And it extended to the sisters, too. Each girl seemed so affectionate with their caretakers, and we realized it was probably the only affection the girls ever experienced. Most of them were abandoned or orphaned, and some come from abusive or neglectful families. But now, all of them — from age two all the way to university-age — are surrounded by love and support.

The children were so excited to have their guests sit and eat with them at lunchtime, and we were surprised that they knew all about sponsorship. Some of them kept asking us why we didn’t bring the sponsors — they call them “padrinos,” which means “godparents” — with us! I loved the idea that they so warmly wanted to meet their sponsors.

Like Mexiquito, Santa Julia received some funding from the government, but only for individual children who the government placed in the home. Unlike Mexiquito, the surrounding community donates not just in-kind services but a significant financial gift as well, particularly the foreign community in San Miguel de Allende. Their funding is evident in the brand new dorms, the new playground, and the English classes taught by a dedicated teacher.

By the time we leave, we’re fully convinced that Sister Isabel is the right person to be at the helm of the good ship Santa Julia. Even though she’s new to the job, her big heart and enthusiasm are so evident, as is the experienced team she has working with her.

We wave goodbye to the girls of Santa Julia, promise to thank their padrinos, and get ready for a visit we’d been looking forward to since the day we started planning our trip.

21st Century Knowledge for 21st Century Children

About four years ago, a few Children Incorporated donors traveled with Luis to San Miguel de Allende to meet with Sandra Suaste, director of the local library. The idea had been floated that if Children Incorporated focused on coming up with a way to teach technology to the children in both San Miguel de Allende programs, that would give those boys and girls a significant leg up for the future.

We wave goodbye to the girls of Santa Julia, promise to thank their padrinos, and get ready for a visit we’d been looking forward to since the day we started planning our trip.

Often, local schools and even the homes themselves don’t have the resources to dive into teaching technological skills. The donors and Luis envisioned an environment where children could be instructed on how to use computers and even get the building blocks for how to build digital products. Adults, too, could use the facility to take classes that might generate a little income for the library. Like farming, which we’ve seen some of the more rural programs make a priority for learning, tech instruction has the potential to reach down through multiple generations and change lives.

The Director of the Biblioteca Publica de San Miguel de Allende was on board, and now, our mission was to check on the classes.

Sandra was all smiles — the classes were going well, and she even had some recommendations for updating the computers at the lab and donating the older ones for the community to use. Having just met the children from Santa Julia and Mexiquito, we were able to picture them at the lab. It felt great to know that they were receiving something that they’d have trouble getting access to otherwise.

I enjoyed finding another way that Children Incorporated has helped these kids. The Biblioteca Publica reminded me that Children Incorporated work goes beyond homes and schools, sometimes setting up entirely new programs with willing partners.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN MEXICO?

SPONSOR A CHILD