Tag Archives: education

Shelley Callahan | March 21, 2020En Español

After spending two weeks visiting our affiliated projects in Colombia and Peru, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and I were scheduled to visit with our last school before returning home — the Villa School outside of Lima, Peru.

Located in the Villa El Salvador slum district in the outskirts of the capital, the Villa School is a “Fe y Alegría” school. Fe y Alegría schools are a federation of local organizations which offer educational opportunities to the poorest sectors of society.

About Fe y Alegría

Students wear matching school outfits with the name of the school and the neighborhood.

Founded in 1955 by the Society of Jesus in Venezuela as a movement to promote comprehensive education and social development, there are currently Fe y Alegría schools in 19 countries around the world. Fe y Alegría schools work to strengthen education for marginalized populations through specific methods:

-Teacher Training: Ongoing training provided for teachers and school directors, including in computer technology.

-Technical Education: Fe y Alegría schools provide students with technical training that prepares them for the workforce, with the aim of promoting sustainable development.

-Higher Technological Education: Training is also provided to prepare children for technical careers that respond to the needs of the local/regional economy in which the institutes are located.

-Rural Education: Fe y Alegría schools provide capacity building in rural areas of Peru, working to develop educational materials suitable to the needs of the local region.

-Basic Alternative Education for Adults: The schools offer adults who were unable to complete their school studies the opportunity to pursue elementary and high school-level studies.

-Inclusive Education: Fe y Alegría seeks to promote the participation and integration of children with disabilities in the education system. It does so through teacher training and the development of learning materials catered to the specific needs of disabled students.

Currently, Fe y Alegría is running 79 high schools, 161 schools in 6 rural areas, 268 technical schools and workshops, 7 institutes of higher technology, and 20 centers of technical and production education.

Many spoke of how important sponsorship was to them and how sponsors helped not only the children, but the entire family.

The Villa School

When we arrived at the Villa School, we met with our volunteer coordinator, Ines, who had a special presentation prepared for us. We gathered with a few dozen of our sponsored children and their mothers in a large room where chairs had been set up in a circle.

Luis and I sat, and a group of older children performed a traditional Peruvian dance for us. When the dance was over, mothers and students expressed to us sentiments about their sponsors.

Many spoke of how important sponsorship was to them and how sponsors helped not only the children, but the entire family.

A few of the mothers became emotional as they spoke, mentioning how grateful they were to know there were people in the world willing to help their children get through school so they could have the chance at a better life away from slum neighborhoods in Lima.

Happy children all around

Afterward, Luis and I took a tour of the large school, where multiple basketball courts and soccer fields were surrounded by classrooms, carpentry workshops, and buildings with spaces for dancing, music classes and other recreational activities.

As we made our way around the rectangular path of the school with Ines, hundreds of smiling students dressed in matching Fe y Alegría School uniforms walked, ran and skipped past us gleefully. It was apparent that they were enjoying their time with their friends and teachers. I could tell this was, indeed, a place of faith and joy for all the children at this special Fe y Alegría school.

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How do I sponsor a child in Peru?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 15, 2020En Español

*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 actually began in 1957 as a housing camp for workers building the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River.

Today, the majority of its residents are Navajo; the town lies just off the western fringes of the Reservation, which comprises more than 27,000 square miles, extending into both Utah and New Mexico.

It’s hard enough for teachers to get high school age students to read without added obstacles such as the lack of books, the absence of a variety of books, or the lack of literacy software or computer programs that can help keep their interests.

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 existed here for many years.

The importance of literacy

While visiting Page last year, our President and CEO, Ronald Carter, met with Page High School Principal, Mrs. Martin.

“I wanted to take the opportunity during our meeting to ask Mrs. Martin what she felt were the greatest needs of her students,” said Mr. Carter.

“She told me that promoting reading among the students is a priority for her. High school students often lose interest in reading as they find other hobbies or have less time to read because of sports or jobs. She feels that if the school had access to new books or other resources, she could encourage them to read more.”

Mr. Carter pictured with Mrs. Martin

It’s hard enough for teachers to get high school age students to read without added obstacles such as the lack of books, the absence of a variety of books, or the lack of literacy software or computer programs that can help keep their interests. According to the award-winning teacher, Nancy Barile, M.A.Ed., one of the best ways to encourage students to read is to offer them many different options or subject matters to choose from so they feel their interests are met.

But when a school doesn’t have the funds to have a well-stocked library, students might not even look for books to read because they feel their options are limited, and that can be detrimental to their education. Today, roughly 30% of adults in the United States only read at a third-grade level. Regular reading can help with not only literacy rate, but with brain function, vocabulary, and memory.

The need for teachers that care

Educators, such as Mrs. Martin, can have a significant influence on children’s desire and ability to read, and it is apparent that she cares a great deal about giving her students every opportunity to learn while they are at Page High School.

“It is great to know that students can rely on her to work hard for them and to have their interests in mind, even if there are roadblocks to overcome,” said Mr. Carter.

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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 or 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 | March 15, 2020En Español

Located along South America’s central-western coast, Peru comprises arid Pacific coastlands, spectacular mountain ranges and the vast Amazon rainforest. This land has been home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years, including the Inca Empire, the culture that constructed Peru’s most iconic landmark, Machu Picchu.

Peru’s rich culture, breathtaking beauty, and wealth of natural resources, however, belie the abject poverty in which many of its residents live. Many rural areas are still recovering from the Sendero Luminoso terrorist attacks of the 1990s, which claimed countless lives and caused thousands of families who had relied on agriculture for generations to seek shelter in large cities where they encountered even deeper poverty.

A safe place for girls

While Peru as a whole suffers from high unemployment, hyperinflation and other difficulties that poverty entails, problems like disease, malnutrition and crime are most pronounced in its overcrowded urban areas. These problems are the worst in the nation’s capital, Lima, where our affiliated project, the Puente Piedra Girls’ Home, is located.

Established by an order of nuns, the home offers girls ages five to twenty-two shelter and a safe place to receive a quality education all within the same vicinity. Currently, the Puente Piedra Girls’ Home serves over a thousand children in kindergarten through twelfth grade and is run by a dedicated staff of educators — many of whom are former students and residents of the Girls’ Home who grew up in our sponsorship program.

Seeing Lima for the first time

When our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, and I arrived in Peru, we made our way to the Puente Piedra neighborhood to meet with our volunteer coordinator, Sister Ana Maria.

Located about an hour’s drive outside of the center of Lima, the extreme poverty in the sprawling urban areas was apparent just from looking out the window of the moving taxi. Perched on dusty hillsides, small shacks made of wood and corrugated tin towered above the highway. For low-income families living in these homes, their only option was to build houses without permission in places where no one else wanted to live. As these communities became more established, locals banned together to collect money to build roads or narrow staircases leading up to houses — things that the government might otherwise do if these shantytowns were legally recognized.

When we arrived at Puente Piedra, Sister Ana Maria took us on a tour of the beautiful facility.

Well-kept dormitories were divided by age group, and a house mother was assigned to each dorm to look after the children. An adjacent school offered classrooms, a library and a computer lab. The spacious grounds also had plenty of places for girls to play, with trees and gardens surrounding all the school buildings.

No other place to go

Sister Ana Maria explained to Luis and me that many of these girls come from homes where they are neglected because either they have no immediate family to take care of them or their families are so poor they cannot feed and clothe their children properly.

For these girls, living full time at Puente Piedra allows them to attend school and thrive in a nurturing environment. It also prevents them from experiencing the poverty their parents’ experience. Even on school holidays, most of the girls stay at the home, having no reason to return to their families where they would have nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep.

Former sponsored children ARE the next generation

We made our way to the school administration offices, which are centered among basketball and volleyball courts, where hundreds of students were enjoying recess.

As we approached the principal’s office, a teacher came out of one of the classrooms and introduced herself as a former sponsored child. Luis and I were pleased to meet her, listening to her talk about her fond memories of her sponsors, even remembering their name after more than 30 years.

A moment later, another teacher appeared and greeted us as a former sponsored child as well. Before I knew it, we were surrounded by ten administrators — including the principal — who had all been in the Children Incorporated program.

For these women, the motivation and encouragement, as well as the financial support they received from the sponsors, gave them a reason to stay in school, graduate, continue onto higher education, and return to Puente Piedra to lead other girls to success.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN PERU?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 9, 2020En Español

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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | February 19, 2020

Throughout the year, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, communicates with our affiliated projects in 20 countries around the world about the needs of children, their families, and the communities in which they live. In working closely with roughly 150 individual volunteer coordinators, Luis is continuously updated about the thousands of children we support through our sponsorship program – and how our projects could use additional support.

We want to highlight some of the needs of these projects, which we consider opportunities for our donors and sponsors to contribute beyond our sponsorship program.

We want to highlight some of the needs of these projects, which we consider opportunities for our donors and sponsors to contribute beyond our sponsorship program.

Special funds to help children in need

– Children Incorporated supports six feeding programs around the world which provide students with adequate meals throughout the day. We are looking for support to sustain these programs which will provide for hundreds of children in 2020.

– We provide mosquito nets to children and their families in India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka which protect from mosquito-borne illnesses. For just $10, you can purchase a mosquito net that can keep a child healthy so they can attend school.

– Shoes and socks are such a significant need for children living in poverty. Our Shoes and Socks Fund provides hundreds of shoes to children in our programs all over the world so they can attend school appropriately dressed.

We provide children with mosquito nets to protect them against mosquito-borne illnesses.

– Offering children after-school tutoring is often essential to their success in school. We support tutoring programs at selected sites so they can receive the help they need to perform well academically.

– Our skills training programs give children a chance to learn skills for their future, which can help them obtain jobs upon graduation. Our Skills Training Programs Fund provides support in the areas of computer science, cooking, sewing, and cosmetology.

– Our Higher Education Fund helps children attend college and universities once they have graduated from our sponsorship program. Many of our Higher Education Fund beneficiaries have returned to their communities as teachers, nurses, social workers, accountants, architects, counselors, and speech therapists.

Opportunities to support children in various countries

India: In 2020, we would like to install water purification systems at our affiliated projects in Dornakal and Guntur, fund improvements and renovations at the new Kothagudem Home, and make improvements to the facilities and dormitories at the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel.

Chile: In Chile, we would like to support the funding of a roof cover at Maipu School in Santiago to protect children from harsh weather.

Guatemala: In Guatemala, we would like to provide funding for a feeding program at our affiliated project, Santa Isabel Ana Seton,

El Salvador: In 2020, we would like to establish a skills training program at Maria Reyna Home in El Salvador and implement a skills training program in computer repair at Marillac School.

Philippines: In the Philippines, we would like to continue to support nutritional programs at the Fortune’s Children at Parang and the Pinagpala Children’s Center.

Skills training programs, like this one in Bolivia, help children to be prepared for future jobs after graduation.

Ethiopia: In Ethiopia, we would like to support our nutritional program at our affiliated project, Kids Hope Ethiopia.

Kenya: In Kenya, we would like to continue to support nutritional programs at our affiliated projects, St. John’s Community Center and the Dandora Community Center, continue to provide mosquito nets to our affiliated projects, and provide shoes to sponsored children.

Bolivia: In Bolivia, we would like to establish skills training programs at Santa Rosa School, fund the repair of the school La Inmaculada, and fund skills training programs at Cristo Rey Mission and the Padilla School.

Honduras: In Honduras, we would like to provide support for our Higher Education Fund for students at the Maria Reyna Home.

Lebanon: In Lebanon, we would like to provide shoes for children at our three affiliated projects.

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How can I support Children Incorporated’s special projects?

You can support our special projects 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 donate to the particular special fund you are interested in supporting.

Shelley Callahan | February 19, 2020

We are pleased to share with you our 2020 Spring Newsletter. Thank you for support children in need around the world!

Our Beds and Linens Fund is More Important Than Ever

Children living in poverty go without so much in life — including a comfortable place to sleep in their own homes.

“Our Bed and Linen Fund allows us to purchase new mattresses, bed frames, sheets, blankets and pillows for children so they can get a good night’s sleep and be ready for the school day.”

– Renée Kube

“During my travels to visit our affiliated projects, especially this past year, I have heard more and more stories from our volunteer coordinators who conduct home visits in which they have discovered children who have either no beds at all or too few beds. As a result, two to four or more siblings are sleeping together on one, old, worn mattress,” said Children Incorporated Director of Development, Renée Kube.

“Our Bed and Linen Fund allows us to purchase new mattresses, bed frames, sheets, blankets and pillows for children so they can get a good night’s sleep and be ready for the school day. We are endlessly grateful for any contributions to this invaluable fund that helps us better support children in our program.”

If you would like to find out more about our Beds and Linens Fund, or make a contribution, please contact us today!

New Shoes for a Special Child in Arizona

Joseph*, like many of our sponsored children, is being raised by his grandmother.

Joseph with his new shoes

Joseph and his siblings live in Arizona and were abandoned by their mother after their father died.

Suddenly, Joseph’s paternal grandmother found herself raising children again with no income and no means to support them. She can scarcely provide food and shelter for her grandkids, and she has virtually no money to keep them clothed properly. Thankfully, Joseph has a caring sponsor who provides him with the items he needs as he rapidly grows into a young man.

Recently, our volunteer coordinator at Joseph’s school called him into her office to present him with brand new shoes, along with other items he needed. Joseph is young and plays hard, and his old shoes were badly worn. Joseph was ecstatic, and proudly stood for a photo of him with his new shoes.

We are able to provide new shoes for children thanks to our sponsors and donors to our Shoes and Socks Fund. If you would like to make a donation to our Shoes and Socks Fund, contact Children Incorporated today.

*Name changed to protect the child.

Apartments for Graduates in Honduras

The living area of new apartments for students in Honduras

Once sponsored children graduate from high school and move onto higher education, they often continue to live with their families until they can complete university or vocational training.

Unfortunately, for some students, like those at our affiliated project, the Maria Reyna Home in Honduras, this is not an option. Coming from very poor families, and facing issues such as abuse, gangs, and drugs in the neighborhoods where they lived, these children cannot return home because it isn’t safe.

Thankfully, because of contributions to our Hope in Action Fund, Children Incorporated was able to support the construction of apartments at the Maria Reyna Home so that those students attending college or university will have safe housing until they can find steady employment that will allow them to live on their own.

Thank You for Giving So Many Children a Reason to Celebrate Christmas!

This past holiday season, we received hundreds of pictures from our affiliated projects of children around the world enjoying Christmas parties and receiving gifts, thanks to their sponsors. Thank you so much for everything you do for children in need during the holidays and all year long!

Brand New Items for Children in Paraguay

For many children living in poverty, having a sponsor is their only means of receiving basic necessities such as food, clothing and educational assistance. Some may never receive brand new items such as blankets and shoes without the support of a caring sponsor.

Thanks to you, children, such as the girls from Hogar Medalla Milagrosa in Paraguay, and others around the world are being provided for in ways in which their parents cannot. We are incredibly grateful for your support to make sure children experience the joy of receiving items that are new and just for them.

In Bolivia, Students are Learning Skills for the Future

One of the ways in which we support children beyond our sponsorship program is through our Skills Training Programs, which are implemented at many of our projects around the world. Thanks to these programs, students are given the opportunity to learn skills to help them obtain employment after they graduate, so that they can help support their families right out of high school and eventually become financially independent.

We received pictures of students at our affiliated project, the Santa Rosa School in Bolivia, participating in a Gastronomy Skills Training Course, thanks to support from Children Incorporated. These students are learning skills they can use at home or use to gain employment upon graduation.

Protecting Children from Harsh Weather in El Salvador

Thanks to donations to our Hope In Action Fund, Children Incorporated was able to provide funding for a roof cover over the playground at our affiliated project, Escuela Santa Luisa in El Salvador. The cover will protect children from rain and heat as well as offer a place for activities and assemblies for parents and students.

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER