Tag Archives: help children

Shelley Callahan | September 13, 2016En Español

In El Salvador, children have two choices: try as hard as they can to stay in school or submit to the constant pressure to join neighborhood gangs. Organized crime is rife in El Salvador, and recruitment starts at an early age, when kids are at their most vulnerable. Often, their parents are working and the children are home alone—that’s when gang culture starts to come knocking, angling for loyalty and increasing their numbers.

Luis is pictured with our volunteer coordinator and some of our sponsored children.

When parents are involved in their children’s day-to-day lives, they’ll have some control over their child’s activities. But that can’t always be the case, and that’s why programs like the Marillac secondary school are often the only force helping children resist an easier, but much more dangerous, way to make a living.

Opening doors to a better life

The Sisters who run Marillac focus on expanding their reach and increasing their offerings for the poor families that surround them. They recognize that children not only need education, a safe space to learn, and psychological support, but also activities that foster motivation, independence, and a sense of community. To further these goals, the sisters have put their heads together and dreamed up new facilities that sponsors have helped them become reality. A new gymnasium, a computer lab, and even a robotics program. Children Incorporated has been proud to help with the security for the lab, and even prouder to watch as the children find joy in something that will help them stay focused on a better life for both them and their families.

They recognize that children need education, a safe space to learn, and psychological support, but also the activities that foster motivation, independence, and a sense of community.

One Children Incorporated-sponsored student, in particular, has embodied this spirit of using her gifts to help her community. Sofia’s adventure began as “just a student of ours who likes to sing,” as Luis describes it. After losing her father a year prior, Sofia was having trouble coping.

“She was so sad,” remembers Luis. “You could see how sad this poor little girl was. And she would sing this famous Spanish sad song, and it was powerful. Her voice was incredible.”

Members of the community began to promote Sofia in the area, and she was invited to participate on a local television program. The producers noticed her skill at singing, dancing, and leading other children, and asked her if she would like her own show, now a popular children’s musical hour.

The local radio station followed suit, and Sofia now also hosts a talk show for children. “She’s so motivated to do well,” says Luis. “She comes back and coordinates these dances at the school, and shows everyone how to do the dances—she’s always involved in this, that, and the other.”

Because of donations to Children Incorporated, Sofia has been able to afford Marillac’s school fees, and it’s opened up opportunities for her in ways she may never have experienced. Now, she’s on track to become an El Salvador success story, and she’s inspiring other children to express themselves while carrying on cultural traditions. To Luis, that’s a testament to the belief of Children Incorporated’s donors, who know that helping out one child can affect the lives of many.

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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 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 El Salvador that is available for sponsorship.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | September 13, 2016En Español

In 1964, Jeanne Clarke Wood traveled to Guatemala and met 95 impoverished children, all struggling bravely through the harshest of circumstances. She founded Children Incorporated so that she could make an impact on those who need help the most — poor, often abandoned or orphaned children in countries without government services to provide even the basic necessities of life.

The organization now supports eight separate programs in Guatemala, which Children Incorporated’s Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, visits often. The rampant poverty in his native country is difficult to witness. While Guatemala attempts to clean up corruption within the government, many organizations have to go without funding, which means the citizens have to go without the services that the organizations provide.

Luis watches as a student practices her cosmetology skills on another student.

This year, a massive drought will deprive 1.5 million of basic staples, further slowing the government’s efforts to turn their economy around.

Songs in the key of hope

Luis finds his hope in the schools and programs he visits, where volunteers and donations from global organizations like Children Incorporated have, over the years, transformed the lives of hundreds of children. One school in particular, Juan Apostol School in Guatemala City, brings hope, strength, and inspiration to children in a very specific way. Though its students come from the heart of the Guatemala City slums, they make up one of the country’s best and brightest school bands.

Our Volunteer Coordinator, Tita, had to convince Luis that supporting the band was in line with Children Incorporated’s mission. As she spoke, it became clearer to him that the band was a unique academic motivator for Juan Apostol’s children. To participate in the band, you have to be an A student. And this isn’t some side project — the 85-student band and its two smaller bands of 45 and 30 are the school’s pride and joy. It’s by design — the coordinators understood that the band had to be something truly special to get these kids’ attention.

One school in particular, Juan Apostol School in Guatemala City, brings hope, strength, and inspiration to children in a very specific way.

Not only do the band members learn creative expression through music, but they also learn how to function as part of a very close-knit team, both musically and practically. The students and their parents have to raise funds for every trumpet, every drum, and every trip they take. The result is a group of families that are truly invested. “Every student wants to be in the band,” says Luis. “It’s just incredible.”

“They’re taught responsibility, coordination, administration, and they have to be good academically,” he continues. “So I thought we needed to support that.”

This year, Children Incorporated delivered enough brand-new instruments to replace a large percentage of Juan Apostol’s. Luis was able to attend a student performance as they blew their new trumpets and beat their new drums. He remembers feeling the children’s excitement as it grew and grew. “This is not a school that has a lot of money, and seeing those 85 kids playing felt like 20,000, all so proud of what they’re doing and showing that.”

Hands-on training now for a better tomorrow

Along with helping with the school’s band, which travels all over the region, Children Incorporated assisted in implementing a skills training program at Juan Apostol. Participating children train for more than a year in computers, graphic design, or even cosmetology, and when they’re finished, they receive a certificate from the government. So not only are Juan Apostol graduates earning a step up because of academic training, but they’re also going out into the world with skills they can use to do meaningful work. The program’s effectiveness has grown with its popularity, and now almost every child gets to participate.

It’s innovative programs like these that help children distance themselves from the challenges they face at home. Guatemalan children are often pressured into the drug trade or have to find legitimate work to help their families. Making sure that both students and parents understand the value of learning the skills taught in band or the skills training program, and keeping the process engaging for all shows these children, and their families, a glimpse of a better life.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN GUATEMALA?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | September 1, 2016En Español

Eastern Kentucky is a hotbed of hand-me-downs. We do a lot of work in the region, and this time, we’re here to drop off school supplies and check on the children as they begin the new school year. The thing I’ve noticed most is that children here have nothing new – unless it’s something we just handed them.

When you’re handing out school supplies to children whose parents couldn’t provide them, there are a lot of difficult moments, as well as poignant ones. As they come to the resource centers to collect their things, it’s the children’s clothing that jumps out from a distance. Pants are too short, shoes are too tight, hems are frayed and holes are apparent – they’re wearing clothes they’ve outgrown that have clearly been handed down one too many times already.

Finding style on a budget of $0

But they’re trying hard. Children with too-short jeans and missing buttons have obviously spent time and effort styling their hair just right, and they’ve got all the mannerisms and body language of their peers on TV. They’re doing their best to be normal, cool and style-conscious even when there’s no one at home to help them do it.

But all of that cool falls apart in the face of a new backpack.

The three sisters

At one of our affiliate elementary schools, volunteer coordinator, Kim, introduced us to three sisters who live with their father. Becky and Amber are 10-year-old twins, and Jordan is 8 years old. Their father hadn’t provided any school supplies, so Kim showed them to her supply closet, which she’s stocked with items from Children Incorporated and a few local donors.

Becky trying to decide which bookbag she wants to take

Inside the closet, the girls were overwhelmed. It’s not that there was so much — it’s that there was anything at all. The sisters had clearly never been given the chance to pick out something for themselves — ever.

Amber and Jordan managed it fairly well — they viewed the selection and honed in on the backpacks they wanted.

Becky, however, was a different matter. She kept staring, picking up one and then another, paralyzed by having any options at all. Eventually, we had to encourage her to choose so she could get back to class, and she finally walked out with her favorite.

For days, I’ve been picturing her face, staring in stupefaction and trying to comprehend the message: “You have a choice. You can pick the one you want. And it’s new – not someone else’s reject. You can pick out the brand-new backpack that you like the best.”

What an amazing and terrifying thought for a 10-year-old who’s never been told anything of the sort before. And what a heartbreaking and yet touching moment to witness – at the age of 10, she’s offered the chance to pick something and it’s a brand-new something. It’s taken 10 years for that to happen.

Something old, something new

That’s a moment we ended up witnessing over and over again on this trip, watching the faces of children being presented with new shoes, new backpacks, new magic markers – and often even a choice in which ones they wanted.

In many towns where we work, Children Incorporated isn’t the only major benefactor. But in eastern Kentucky, we are. Children Incorporated has donated $125,000 to 150,000 in supplies to each school here since we started, and for most of these children, the only new items they’ll ever see come from our sponsors.

“You have a choice. You can pick the one you want. And it’s new – not someone else’s reject. You can pick out the brand-new backpack that you like the best.”

And that doesn’t cover all of them. Our volunteer coordinators estimate that 80 to 90 percent of students at each school could qualify for help. But there isn’t enough help to go around, so every year we have children like Amber, Becky and Jordan who are getting support for the very first time.

We’ve seen a lot of moments when children first realized they were being gifted something brand new. But it’s Becky who stands out in my mind. She’s had that backpack for more than a week, and I have no doubt it’s the best thing she’s ever been given — not just the backpack, but also the freedom of choice.

What’s in your backpack?

It’s not the backpack – it’s the ownership, the agency and the knowledge that you’re good enough for something of your own and not just what no one else wants.

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HOW DO 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, email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

Shelley Callahan | August 25, 2016En Español

“Back to school” is a phrase that, to many of us, conjures up images of shopping for a new pair of jeans or a new backpack, and getting as much as we can out of the last days of summer. To retailers, it means a jump in consumer spending on clothes and supplies.

But for the 15 million children living in poverty in the United States, the phrase “back to school” is just another reminder of how challenging it is to have their basic needs met.

But for the 15 million children living in poverty in the United States, the phrase “back to school” is just another reminder of how challenging it is to have their basic needs met. Children Incorporated’s Director of U.S. Programs, Renee Kube, knows these challenges all too well. She and her team are about to leave for Eastern Kentucky to deliver school supplies to a number of communities there, something she’s done more times than she can remember during her 20-year tenure in this position.

In the past 10 years, the cost of school supplies and extracurricular activities has gone up 88% for elementary schools, 81% for middle schools, and 68% for high schools, according to a report by Communities in Schools in partnership with Huntington Bank. In Eastern Kentucky, where poverty spreads as coal mines continue to close, this uptick has turned a difficult situation into an almost impossible one.

“What if you don’t have that warm coat that you need to wait for the school bus,” says Renée. “Or if you don’t have the shoes you need because you’re sharing them with your brother, and it’s his turn to go to school that day. If you don’t have the supplies you need, then you’re not as apt to do your homework or classwork. These are real, significant, actual barriers.”

A little can do so much

Though backpacks, paper, pencils, glue sticks, crayons, colored pencils, weather-appropriate clothing and shoes don’t seem like much, these items play a huge part in supporting a generation’s future. “They promote attendance and build self-esteem,” says Renée. “Kids who are in our program are some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our communities.”

An amount as small as $25 would go a long way towards getting a child the supplies they need. The volunteer coordinators have made it their mission to be as savvy at stretching a dollar as they possibly can. And the reaction from the kids is something Renée wishes every donor could see personally.

“I love what I do,” she remarks with much enthusiasm. “The highlight is definitely going out to the communities and meeting the kids.” From younger students who want to know everything about their sponsors to teenagers who take a little while to open up about their hopes and dreams, Renée can see so easily how these children are affected, just by knowing somebody cares for their future.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENTUCKY?

You can sponsor a child in Brazil in one of two ways – call our office and speak with one of our sponsorship specialists at 1-800-538-5381, email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | August 16, 2016En Español

The glamour of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio is a day’s drive away from Uberaba. But, to the children who live in this small neighborhood on the outskirts of Curitiba in dilapidated shacks on unpaved roads, the Olympics might as well be on another planet.

Children Incorporated sponsors five separate projects in Brazil, helping 170 kids gain access to necessities and opportunity. While each program has a place in Andreia Beraldo’s heart, it’s Recanto Esperanca in Uberaba that has left the most lasting impression.

Andreia is Children Incorporated’s Project Specialist for International Programs, and the first time she saw the center, which now serves 64 children, the building barely had a second floor. Two years later, she could barely recognize the place. With three floors, which includes a gymnasium, Recanto Esperanca is by far the nicest and most solid structure in the neighborhood, Beraldo says.

“Both times I went there,” says Beraldo. “You can see the children are so happy. Even the volunteers shared that they didn’t like going back home because they were so happy to be there. Some of them even wished they could come back for the weekend, because it’s so nice and safe and clean.”

Far from home, one couple shares a vision

But of course, the building is only the gathering place — the real Recanto Esperanca is the people behind it, namely Erika and Thomas Bleiker. The two relocated to Brazil from Switzerland on a mission to do what they could to help impoverished children.

Like many poor areas in Brazil, Uberaba presents challenges to its residents. The drug trade thrives here, and children, most of whom are left alone while parents try to earn a living, are especially vulnerable to negative influences. Abuse and violence are an ever-present danger, as are contagious diseases like dengue and zika, and children struggle to stay healthy.

In 2004, the Bleikers built their center around the idea that the neighborhood could be changed by fostering a sense of pride and self-worth in its children. Recanto Esperanca provides a safe space, where kids can sharpen their minds, participate in recreational activities, build ties with their neighbors, and just play. Before or after school, children busy themselves with computer skills training, sports, art, religious classes, or drama classes.

This summer, the theme is all about the Olympics — practicing new sports and learning more about the countries that are taking part.

The legacy of support

“Both times I went there,” says Beraldo. “You can see the children are so happy. Even the volunteers shared that they didn’t like going back home because they were so happy to be there. Some of them even wished they could come back for the weekend, because it’s so nice and safe and clean.”

Though children are the focus, the Bleikers want Recanto Esperanca to engage parents as well, to support the entire family. The neighborhood mothers also find themselves at the center, learning new skills, like art, jewelry-making, and more. With this beautiful handmade jewelry as a testament to the impact of Recanto, Thomas and Erika Bleiker have been successful in raising funds from all over the world.

Children Incorporated was struck by the dedication of Recanto Esperanca’s founders and the impact it was all clearly making on the children. It decided to sponsor children in the program, donating shoes, clothes, school supplies, cleaning products, and even food. These basic resources are not easily accessible for many of Uberaba’s children and teenagers, but Children Incorporated was able to work with Recanto to improve the lives of 59 of them.

Beraldo imagines a near future for Recanto that involves a trained teacher to help with tutoring in the way that a similar hire kicked another center, Caritas, into high gear. She’s already seen that Recanto’s children, who range from six-year-olds to older teenagers, flourish as part of a supportive community, and she knows that more opportunities for academic study will only motivate these kids more.

And something Uberaba greatly needs is educated adults forming a community that looks out for each other. As these children grow up practicing the Swiss sport of floorball, putting on a play with their peers, or learning that someone cares enough to give them some help with their homework, they’re collecting the tools they need to rise out of poverty, perhaps bringing their community along with them.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN BRAZIL?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | July 28, 2016En Español

Just when everything feels hopeless, one person can change your entire perspective.

For me, it was Sister Martha in Kenya.

Luis with Sister Jane

Sister Martha and Sister Jane are Children Incorporated volunteer coordinators who run Maria Immaculata School in Nairobi, Kenya. The school hosts almost 400 students from toddlers to teenagers and more than 300 of them board there because they are orphans. Children Incorporated sponsors about 100 of these students, providing school supplies, food, medicine and uniforms.

I met Sister Jane and Sister Martha on Wednesday morning when they picked us up to tour the school. Sister Jane is in her 30s and has been at the school for about two years. Sister Martha is about 20 years older and has been there since 2004, a few years after the Catholic Church bought the land and opened the school.

All of the volunteer coordinators who work with Children Incorporated are in sync with the needs of their children but Martha and Jane have taken it to a whole new level. For every project they mentioned, they had documentation, details and a plan.

One of those plans involved a biofuel stove.

Burning manure for fuel

At Maria Immaculata, the food for 400 children, plus the staff and volunteers, is cooked over an open wood-burning stove. More than 400 people, three meals a day — that’s a lot of wood, a lot of smoke and a lot of work.

Looking at the smoke-filled kitchen, the physical labor it takes to cut that much wood and the huge amount of space needed to store it all, Martha and Jane came up with an idea.

And then a detailed plan: By purchasing a biofuel system, the nuns and staff could turn manure from the school’s livestock into fuel.

And then a detailed plan.

By purchasing a biofuel system, the nuns and staff could turn manure from the school’s livestock into fuel.

It wasn’t just that they’d had a smart and creative idea — it was that they had figured out the finances, the logistics and how to make it work.

Professional grant writers in America could take lessons from these Kenyan nuns. With their biofuel system approved and funded, they turned to their next project — an outdoor cafeteria.

A seat at the table

Right now, the children go to the kitchen to get food, take it back to their classrooms to eat, and then return the dishes to the kitchen. There just isn’t anywhere else for them to take their meals.

Sister Martha and Sister Jane have been working to get funds for a covered eating space outside the kitchen — essentially a picnic shelter for meals. Just as with the biofuel system, they’ve approached it with creativity and incredible detail.

Sister Martha outside of the school’s office

But it turns out that Sister Jane is going to finish that project on her own.

She was leaving nothing to chance for her students as she handed over the reins of the school.

We spent the entire day on Wednesday with the two nuns, touring the school and doing home visits in the city. At the end of the day, we had a long meeting to discuss the school’s needs and plans.

It was only then that Sister Martha dropped the news — she was leaving the school.

She was being transferred to a new job running another school in a different city and Jane would be taking over her job at Maria Immaculata.

Immediately.

Moving on up

We didn’t realize how immediately until the ride home. After the meeting, both sisters rode with us back to our hotel and only then did we realize that their next stop was the bus station, where Sister Martha was departing for her new home and her new job.

She had delayed her departure by days or weeks to meet with us, show us around, give us the entire tour and make sure we felt comfortable with the situation and with Sister Jane before she left.

That dedication — and the way she and Sister Jane demonstrated their seamless transition – buoyed my hope for the children of Nairobi. If Sister Martha and Sister Jane are lifting these 400 students out, then maybe in schools all over the city, other equally-committed and creative volunteers are doing the same.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD IN KENYA?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD