Tag Archives: poverty

Shelley Callahan | April 14, 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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Built to consolidate three existing high schools into a single school, Letcher County Central High School opened in 2005 with a profound and straightforward mission: “to provide a quality education for every student in Letcher County, ensuring each student will achieve his/her full potential to make a positive contribution in our community, nation, and world.”

“I was thrilled at the thought of Children Incorporated helping Laura to make her dreams come true,” said Renée.

Thanks to its dedicated staff and administrators, Letcher County High School has received a bronze rating from “U.S. News Best High Schools” and has received similar recognition for its sports teams, clubs, and marching band. The school also offers Advanced Placement courses and vocational training to help support children and encourage them to pursue academics or jobs of their liking.

A proud volunteer coordinator

While visiting Letcher County High School, our Director of U.S. Programs, Renée Kube, met with our volunteer coordinator, Jennifer.

“Jennifer was proud to show me her Children Incorporated notebook where she organized all of the paperwork for our program. Her and her assistant, Paula, expressed their excitement to grow our program at the school, and even mentioned recruiting some parent volunteers to help,” said Renée.

Meeting Laura

Jennifer and our sponsored child, Laura

Renée then had a chance to meet one of the students in our sponsorship program.

Jennifer invited Laura* into her resource room to introduce herself to Renée. Laura is in the ninth grade and is interested in becoming a cosmetologist. She and her best friend are always practicing hairstyles on each other, and they’ve been talking about cosmetology school for about a year.

“After Laura left the office, Jennifer shared that, as is the case with many of the families of children in our program, Laura and her two siblings are being raised by their grandmother. [Her gradmother] lost her job and has been having a great deal of trouble stretching her limited benefits to provide for the household. Our program is a godsend to Laura’s grandmother,” explained Renée.

“I then told Jennifer about our Higher Education Program that could assist with tuition for vocational and technical institutes — just like the one that Laura would attend to become a cosmetologist.”

“I was thrilled at the thought of Children Incorporated helping Laura to make her dreams come true,” said Renée.

*Name changed to protect the child.

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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 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 | April 12, 2020En Español

Students all over the world have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the United Nations, nearly 1.4 billion children are out of school.

Today, we hear from our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, about how our affiliated projects, volunteer coordinators, and our organization are reacting to the challenges that children are facing globally due to the pandemic.

“As a result of school closings, some of our affiliated projects around the world are having a difficult time, especially when it comes to our many projects where children are boarding at the school,” said Luis.

Helping children who can’t go home

“As a result of school closings, some of our affiliated projects around the world are having a difficult time, especially when it comes to our many projects where children are boarding at the school,” said Luis.

“For many of these children, there is no option to return to their families’ homes. The children come from impoverished households in undesirable conditions that would increase their risk of infection. Due to a lack of the means for adequate sanitation in their own homes, they must continue to reside at the boarding homes, where the necessary facilities exist for the practice of proper hygiene.”

“The projects are willing to help children, but they are very overwhelmed. At the Maria Reyna Home in Honduras, for example, where Children Incorporated recently established an apartment for the higher education students that live there, more than seventy children and young people are housed. As a result of the current COVID-19 crisis, it has become difficult for the staff to manage the care of such a large population while under quarantine,” explained Luis.

Young girls at the Maria Reyna Home wash their hands thoroughly amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Much of the school’s personnel has returned to their own homes, so they are short-staffed. The older children in higher education are helping by cooking in the kitchen and tutoring the younger students while still studying and taking online classes.”

“With the local universities closed, the older students are doing everything they can to help at the Home. Children Incorporated has been able to offer some assistance. The Home had a bakery that they wanted to re-open, and we offered support for supplies. The older students are now running the bakery and making bread every day,” expressed Luis.

“I am so happy to start to hear these uplifting stories from our projects. Maria Reyna is still in need of food supplies such as milk and meats as well as some medication. We will offer support through our Hope In Action Fund that is [purposed for emergencies] just as these.”

“We are so grateful for the support of our sponsors and donors who make it possible for Children Incorporated to help projects such as Maria Reyna when they need it the most,” said Luis.

Moving forward together

We will continue to keep you updated with information about the children in our program as information comes to us weekly from our projects. Thank you for your continued support during this time. Together, we will move forward and do everything we possibly can to help vulnerable children today and in the future.

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We have created a COVID-19 Response Fund so that we can support children in crisis in the upcoming months. Donations will be used to provide food and emergency supplies to the children in our program who are in immediate need.

DONATE TODAY

Shelley Callahan | April 8, 2020En Español

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Amid the incredible desert beauty of northern Arizona, the remote community of Kayenta lies situated on the Navajo Indian Reservation, along the southern edge of the spectacularly beautiful Monument Valley.

Monument Valley is a major tourist attraction in the area, located only 25 miles from Kayenta and our affiliated project, Kayenta Community School. The town has several lodging options to accommodate tourists who are traveling to see the gorgeous scenery and dramatic rock formations, where some of the parents and guardians of children in our sponsorship program work seasonally.

Unfortunately, for these families, when the tourist season ends, so do many of the jobs at hotels and motels, and parents find themselves scrambling to find work — an annual routine that keeps them in abject poverty.

Unfortunately, for these families, when the tourist season ends, so do many of the jobs at hotels and motels, and parents find themselves scrambling to find work — an annual routine that keeps them in abject poverty.

Serving hundreds of children in need

The Kayenta Community School is funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and operated by the Navajo Nation through a BIA tribal grant. The school has a dedicated faculty that provides children with a quality education.

The school itself is large, serving 450 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. One hundred of those children live far away from Kayenta and reside in the school’s dorms throughout the year. The children go home during summer and winter break, as well as most weekends during the school year.

During a visit to Kayenta Community School, our U.S. Director of Programs, Renée Kube, and Children Incorporated President and CEO, Ronald Carter, met with our volunteer coordinator, Gloria.

Gloria is a teacher’s aide at the school. She met with Ron and Renée in the school’s library, where they talked about the community, the school, and how our sponsorship program is helping the community’s children.

“Although many visitors to this area of the U.S. get to see the incredible natural beauty that it has to offer, according to Gloria, they don’t often see the difficult poverty that families face,” said Renée.

Getting to visit with our sponsored children

After their meeting, Gloria invited a few of our sponsored children to the library to speak with Ron and Renée.

An exterior photo of the school

First, they met with Jenny.* Jenny is an outgoing fourth grader and the middle of three sisters who are being raised by their grandmother. The grandmother is a homemaker who struggles to provide for the household on a very limited amount of tribal public assistance. Jenny told Ron and Renée that she loves to draw, and she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. She also loves having a sponsor because it makes her feel good to get new clothes and shoes during the school year.

Next, they met Bethany. Bethany is a happy and active fourth-grader who likes volleyball and playing outside. She and her little sister live with their parents. Their dad is unemployed, and their mother has a low-paying job at a local fast-food restaurant. Bethany thinks being sponsored is very cool, and it makes her proud to know someone cares about her.

Luke’s special guest

Lastly, Renée and Ron met with Luke — who is Renée’s sponsored child!

Luke is in fifth grade, and he likes learning about Navajo culture and watching scary movies. He is the youngest of five siblings (two brothers and two sisters) who are being raised by their mother and grandmother. Their mother is out of work at this time, and the grandmother has a low-wage job in town.

“Luke was pretty surprised to learn that I, the lady from Children Incorporated who was visiting his school, was his sponsor,” laughed Renée.

“He took it very well after the shock wore off. I think he couldn’t believe he was meeting his sponsor. He is a great kid, and I really enjoyed getting to meet him in person.”

*Names changed to protect the children.

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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

Shelley Callahan | March 31, 2020En Español

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The remote community of Shonto is situated on the rim of its namesake canyon, some 150 miles north of Flagstaff, amid the incredible desert beauty of the Navajo Indian Reservation.

Our affiliated project, the Shonto Preparatory School, was established in the 1960s as a cluster of “hogans” – traditional Navajo dwellings made of logs and mud, constructed in an octagonal shape. The hogan has only one opening – a doorway – which traditionally faces east.

“This school is incredibly important for families in an area where the child poverty rate is 22.3%. Parents rely heavily on the support that their children get from the school administration and Children Incorporated sponsors,” said Renée.

“Shonto has been affiliated with Children Incorporated since 1969. The school itself is well-respected. Many children are bused-in from communities that are 40 miles away because Shonto provides such a quality education to students,” said Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs.

Helping kids throughout their school years

“This school is incredibly important for families in an area where the child poverty rate is 22.3%. Parents rely heavily on the support that their children get from the school administration and Children Incorporated sponsors,” said Renée.

Additionally, because the school serves children from kindergarten through high school, children in our program often have sponsors from elementary school to graduation.

Meeting with Marlita

Our Volunteer Coordinator at Shonto Preparatory is Marlita. While meeting with Marlita at Shonto Preparatory School, Renée got to hear more about how Marlita manages the Children Incorporated sponsorship program.

“Marlita is very dedicated to her students, and she devotes many hours of additional time to help children at the school as well as in our sponsorship program,” explained Renée.

“She knows the Children Incorporated program well. In fact, Marlita’s mother was a sponsor for many years. At one point, they both visited our office in Virginia and enjoyed meeting the staff and learning more about how we operate.”

Marlita brings sponsored children to the school’s library to meet with them regarding our program.

According to Renée, Marlita worked for many years as the school librarian. However, more recently, she was transferred to cover a vacancy as lead teacher for 3^rd through 5th graders.

“The library is still Marlita’s ‘home away from home.’ She has a great relationship with the library manager, Mrs. Kee, who lets Marlita use the library to meet with students,” said Renée.

“Marlita says that because she has use of the library, she has an easy time pulling children out of class and getting to spend a little time with them. While she meets with sponsored children in the library, she gives them gifts from their sponsors or has them write letters, and they can take their time in a quiet place where they feel comfortable and won’t be bothered.”

Getting to know our sponsored children

During her visit, Marlita called a few sponsored children into the library to meet Renée.

Renée first met Elise*, who is a confident and happy fourth grader. Elise told Renée that her favorite subjects are art and Navajo language and culture, and she likes to draw. She also loves kittens.

After Elise returned to class, Marlita explained to Renée that Elise comes from a large family of three brothers and four sisters. Her father is unemployed, and her mother has a low wage job for a small local company. The family lives in a house with no running water or electricity.

“Marlita is very dedicated to her students, and she devotes many hours of additional time to help children at the school as well as in our sponsorship program,” explained Renée.

Next, Renée met Marcus* who is a sweet and rather shy second-grader.

Marcus loves math and wants to be a doctor when he grows up. According to Marlita, every day is a struggle for his family. He and his four siblings live with their parents. The mother is a homemaker. The father has a very low-paying job and has a tough time providing basic necessities for his children. They live in a small house with no running water. Like many homes on the reservation, water is hauled to the property in an assortment of bottles and buckets or is delivered and poured into a barrel. Marlita said that even though the family is very poor, the children are always neat and have clean clothes.

Lastly, Renée met Alexandra*. Alexandra is in seventh grade this school year. She is a bright and rather quiet girl who is the youngest of eight children. Alexandra’s mother is a homemaker, and her father is unemployed. They live in a traditional Navajo hogan without running water. Alexandra told Renée that when she grows up, she would like to join the Air Force.

*Names changed to protect the children.

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HOW DO I SPONSOR A CHILD?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | March 22, 2020En Español

During the difficult time of changes due to the COVID-19 virus, donations to our Beds and Linens Fund from our donors — just like you —were able to help two sisters in need before they weren’t able to return to school for some time.

Our volunteer coordinator, Jackie, at one of our affiliated schools in Kentucky, became aware that these two young girls enrolled in our sponsorship program didn’t have beds at home. With funding from Children Incorporated, she purchased blankets, sheets, mattresses, and bed frames and arranged for them to be delivered and set up in the family’s home.

With funding from Children Incorporated, she purchased blankets, sheets, mattresses, and bed frames and arranged for them to be delivered and set up in the family’s home.

Thank you for all that you do to provide for children in need through your sponsorship and donation to our Beds and Linens Fund!

Because of you, these girls and other children in our program now have comfortable beds for a good night’s rest while school is out – and for after they return to school.

How do I donate to the bed and linens fund?

Children living in poverty often go without mattresses, bedding and linens. Many do not have beds of their own and sleep on cold, hard floors. Your donations will help us to provide these children with comfortable places to sleep.

Every year, we provide hundreds of children with beds and linens so they can sleep comfortably at night. To make a donation, visit our Beds and Linens Fund donation page, or email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org.

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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