Tag Archives: opportunity

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?

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 11, 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 remote community of Pinon is located amid the incredible desert beauty of northern Arizona on the Navajo Indian Reservation, 160 miles from the Grand Canyon. The Reservation comprises more than 27,000 square miles of spectacular but inhospitable countryside, extending into both Utah and New Mexico.

For many children from impoverished households, the Pinon Community School offers them the opportunity to receive a quality education while also receiving positive reinforcements from staff for good behavior.

Despite its massive scale and rich cultural heritage, residents of the Reservation are desperately poor. There is virtually no employment. Broken homes, alcoholism, and inadequate food are constant manifestations of poverty.

A small and desolate community

According to our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, “the community and its surrounding area consist of just over 1,000 people, and it is extremely poor. The child poverty rate is 54.7%. There is a small health center managed by the Indian Health Service, a small grocery store, and a scattering of houses and very little else.”

For many children from impoverished households in Pinon, our affiliated project, the Pinon Community School, offers them the opportunity to receive a quality education while also receiving positive reinforcements from staff for good behavior — other than receiving only punishments for bad behavior.

Seeing our HIA projects firsthand

While visiting the Pinon Community School last year, Renée met with Carol, our volunteer coordinator, who took her on a tour of the building and grounds.

“I was very pleased to see the reading pergola Children Incorporated had made possible last school year through our Hope In Action Fund. Carol told me they have cushions for the benches that are brought inside every evening and then brought outside each morning. The pergola gets a lot of use, and the children and teachers love it,” said Renée.

Our volunteer coordinator at Pinon, Carol, shows Renée the school garden.

Carol also showed Renée the school garden that was built, again, thanks to a donation to Pinon from our Hope In Action Fund. Carol pointed out corn stalks left behind from the most recent harvests that will eventually be turned under to nourish the soil before a new crop is planted. A hose had been brought over to water some of the herbs in the garden that were going strong.

Warrior Bucks for Kids

After taking a tour of the school, Carol and Renée met with Ms. Largo, the school’s principal, to discuss the Children Incorporated sponsorship program and what other needs the school might have that our organization could look into supporting.

“Ms. Largo told me that her focus outside of providing basic needs for the children is to build up the school’s ‘Positive Behavior Initiative’ program. She said so many of the children come from high-risk homes and some act-out in class. In replacement of a climate of punishment, she has instituted an environment of positive rewards,” explained Renée.

“Instead of always handing out punishments for poor behavior, students may earn ‘Warrior Bucks’ for various positive actions such as completing homework, improved attendance, and being kind and helpful to teachers or other students. The ‘bucks’ may be redeemed for small things such as snacks, hygiene items, and even Post It Notes, which are very popular with the students.”

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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.

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 | March 4, 2020

In many developing countries, food is often cooked over open fires in poorly ventilated kitchens. It is estimated that 3 billion people worldwide cook over an open flame, which releases toxic smoke that is dangerous to health and safety.

The new kitchen is safer for both children and staff members.

At one of our affiliated project, the Lou Ann Long Girls’ Hostel in India, the cooks prepared meals for the students in a small, dark one-room kitchen with only one small window that was continuously filled with thick smoke. The kitchen was badly in need of updating, but the administration did not have the necessary funds.

Thanks to our donors – just like you – Children Incorporated was able to renovate Lou Ann Long’s kitchen. New gas stoves with proper ventilation systems were installed, and modern sinks and updated windows and floors now provide more space, a cleaner environment, and natural light for the kitchen staff.

Thank you for all that you do to support projects like this in India and around the world!

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How do I sponsor a child in India?

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

HOW LONG CAN I SPONSOR A CHILD IN INDIA?

We hope that you will assist your sponsored child until he or she leaves our program. This may occur when a child graduates from high school, moves out of our service area, or for a variety of other reasons. Due to the transient state of many families and the difficult circumstances of the regions where they reside, we cannot predict or guarantee how long a child will remain enrolled in the Children Incorporated sponsorship program, although we make every effort to provide services to children for as long as possible.

Thank you for all that you do to support projects like this in India and around the world!

When a child leaves our program, it is our policy to select another, equally needy child for you to sponsor, in the hope that you will accept sponsorship of the new child and continue to partner with us in changing lives. Unfortunately, we usually lose contact with children once they leave the sponsorship program (as we do not maintain personal addresses or contact information for any of the children). Even so, the positive impact of your generosity – both upon the individual child and upon his or her community – endures!

WILL I RECEIVE UPDATED INFORMATION FROM MY SPONSORED CHILD IN INDIA?

Yes. We will send you updated information and an updated photo about once a year, although the frequency may vary depending upon the child’s location. The typical progress report includes information about the child’s grade level in school, hobbies, and interests.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 3, 2020

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.

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 2, 2020En Español

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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.

SPONSOR A CHILD