Tag Archives: south korea

Shelley Callahan | March 3, 2021

We are happy to share with you our Spring 2021 Newsletter, highlighting our work around the world thanks to our sponsors and donors and their generosity and dedication in helping children in need. Enjoy!

Tablets Are Bringing Education to Children Around the World

Many children in our sponsorship program are experiencing exceptional difficulties during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, as schools have had to shift to virtual learning. These adjustments have been hard on parents, teachers and children — especially for those students who don’t have the technology they need at home to keep up with their course work.

We are happy to share with you our Spring 2021 Newsletter, highlighting our work around the world thanks to our sponsors and donors and their generosity and dedication in helping children in need. Enjoy!

Thankfully, because of our amazing donors, Children Incorporated has been able to provide tablets to children in our program in Latin America, India, and in the United States over the last few months so that children can continue learning until schools are back to in-person learning in the near future. These tablets will allow students to keep up with their studies and do not have to be returned when classes resume so children can keep learning at home after the pandemic as well!

Bringing Joy to Children During the Holiday Season

Our sponsors and donors are often the only reason children in our program receive holiday gifts, and for that, we are incredibly grateful — especially after an exceptionally difficult year for so many families.

On behalf of all our volunteer coordinators around the world, we would like to share a message from Sandy at Beaver Creek Elementary in Kentucky to express our gratitude for the holiday gifts you provided:

“Thank you for all the support you give our children. You are our backbone. We couldn’t survive without Children Incorporated. Merry Christmas to all Children Incorporated staff and sponsors!”

Our Warm Clothing Fund Brings Smiles to Children in Need

Brain poses for the camera with this new clothes.

Every year, your donations to our Warm Clothing Fund do more than just keep children properly clothed — it also brings immense joy to children who otherwise might never get new winter clothes.

Our volunteer coordinator, Monica, at Gouge Elementary School in North Carolina wrote to us about Brian*, after she provided him with warm clothes, thanks to his sponsor:

“I showed Brian the new clothes I bought him, and he is loving it. He said, ‘I just love clothes!’ And I took the picture in that moment. The mask is hiding his laughter. We both got tickled because he got so much clothes, he couldn’t hold all of it. The socks are in his book bag.

This was definitely the highlight of my week. Thanks to Children Incorporated sponsors for all you do, and for letting me be a part of this!”

*Name changed to protect the child.

An Interview with Board Member, Liz Collins

Our President and Chief Executive Officer, Ron Carter, recently sat down with our Board Chair, Liz Collins, to discuss her long and valuable relationship with Children Incorporated.

RON: Liz, you first became involved with Children Incorporated in 2003 when you accepted a job as a sponsorship coordinator. You later served as Director of Marketing and Development. What are your recollections of your time as an employee of Children Incorporated?

I loved being able to share all of the amazing work that went on in our programs with our donors. As a result of their giving and the tireless efforts of our volunteer coordinators, we changed a lot of lives.

Liz Collins, Board Chair

LIZ: I loved being able to share all of the amazing work that went on in our programs with our donors. As a result of their giving and the tireless efforts of our volunteer coordinators, we changed a lot of lives.

RON: Do you have any special memories of that time?

LIZ: I do. The stories of the children who graduated from high school and went on to college are special to me. I recall one particular story of how we were able to send funds to have a child’s driveway paved so that he could use his wheelchair to get to the bus. Before that, his brother had to carry him down the driveway to the bus each day. I also think about the incredible artwork of Roberto Andrade, one of the children in Latin America who benefitted from our program. There are so many more wonderful memories!

RON: You left Children Incorporated in 2010, shortly after your son, Noah, was born, but I asked you to return to Children Incorporated as Board Member at the start of 2015, and you willingly agreed. Just a few months after you joined, Steve Holton, our then chair, was forced to resign due to health reasons, and you were selected as Board Chair. In your wildest dreams, did you ever see that coming?

LIZ: No! I was truly taken by surprise with the sudden turn of events, but honored and humbled to be able to serve the organization in a new way.

RON: As Board Chair, what are your impressions of Children Incorporated? What are you most proud of? What is it about Children Incorporated that you most value?

LIZ: Children Incorporated might be among the smaller sponsorship organizations, but it is by far the most personable. That’s what I love, and I truly believe our donors and volunteer coordinators value that attribute as well. We’re transparent in our funding, and we’re extremely conscientious about our overhead so that much more of every dollar raised can go to the children, families, and communities we serve.

RON: I agree that our personality as an organization, as well as our transparency, are the keys to our continued success. But I also have to say that we have a wonderful network of volunteer coordinators, and our small but loyal staff really is incredible.

Emily was very excited to receive school supplies thanks to her sponsor.

LIZ: Yes, I agree completely. That old saying “It takes a village” really applies. That is how I see Children Incorporated. The staff, our donors, and the volunteer coordinators, all working together, make it all happen. And, it’s a village I’m very proud to be a part of and to serve in.

Still in Need of Ordinary School Supplies

School closures have meant big changes for families and children in our program, but despite the adjustments that the pandemic required, students still need the most basic items that Children Incorporated has always provided for them.

While many of our sponsored children are learning remotely at home, either partially or wholly, they still need ordinary school supplies, especially the younger ones. Emily*, received a bundle of new supplies at home thanks to her sponsor and promptly wrote to him to say that she loved everything — especially the dry erase board and matching magnets. From her photos, you can see that Emily’s sponsor has made her incredibly happy as she adjusts to home learning!

*Name changed to protect the child.

A Special Thank You to Our Partner, the Jeunesse Kids Foundation

In January 2021, we were approached by the Jeunesse Kids Foundation to participate in a fundraiser they were hosting virtually. Jeunesse Kids is dedicated to creating a positive impact in the lives of children worldwide, and the foundation is funded and supported by a vast community of caring individuals who are passionate about building a better tomorrow for young people in underprivileged communities around the world — which very closely aligns with Children Incorporated’s mission and vision.

We are very proud of you, Kris!

Thanks to the efforts of all of the Juenesse Family, their fundraiser raised over $102,000 for Children Incorporated from donors around the world over the course of a weekend which will go towards purchasing tablets for virtual education children in Peru, Argentina, the Philippines, Kentucky and New Mexico, repairing a greenhouse at the St. Michaels Special Education School in Arizona, and towards expanding on skills training programs at the Montero School in Bolivia. We are incredibly grateful for their support!

From Sponsored Child to Attorney: Our Higher Education Fund at Work

We want to send our congratulations to Kris in Honduras for receiving her University Degree at the end of 2020. Kris has been in our sponsorship program since 1999. Thanks to her sponsor and our Higher Education Fund, she was able to attend school over the last twenty years and now has graduated as an attorney. We are very proud of you, Kris!

A New Roof at the Dandora Center in Kenya

While students were out of school for remote learning, we were able to continue to support our projects thanks to donations to our Hope In Action Fund so administrators could repair buildings in anticipation of the return of students in the near future.

At our affiliated project, the Dandora Center in Nairobi, Kenya, a new roof replaced an old worn one which will protect the children from poor weather and heat when they are back in classrooms.

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER

Ron Carter | February 19, 2020

Dear Friends,

I want to tell you a story about a special young lady named Anna.* Anna lives in Kentucky and is a senior in high school. She is an ambitious girl who has always dreamed of a better life for herself — better than the life she had become so accustomed to as she was growing up.

Years ago, Teresa, our volunteer coordinator at the school Anna attends, saw Anna’s potential to rise above poverty.

As one in a family with seven children, Anna’s home was chaotic. She had no personal space, no privacy, and it was next to impossible for her to find a quiet place to study. This was a problem for Anna who wanted to make good grades and excel in her schoolwork. Her parents worked hard to provide for their family, but there was just not enough room for all of them. Additionally, there was never enough food, and Anna and her siblings were often forced to wear worn and tattered shoes and clothing. They often attended school with insufficient school supplies.

Dreams for the future

Since Anna started high school, she has participated in the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps. She now wants to join the Army as soon as she graduates from high school in the spring. She then hopes to get a college degree and continue to serve our country as a military nurse.

Years ago, Teresa, our volunteer coordinator at the school Anna attends, saw Anna’s potential to rise above poverty.

She saw Anna’s drive and determination to do something more with her life, and enrolled Anna in the Children Incorporated sponsorship program. Thanks to the hard work of our U.S. Sponsorship Division, Anna was matched with a sponsor very quickly, and Teresa was able to use the funds she received to buy Anna new clothes, hygiene items and other items she desperately needed.

When Anna turned eighteen in December, she moved out of her family home and in with a friend’s mother, where she hoped to find a peaceful place to accomplish her studies. For a while, things went well, but then quite suddenly, her circumstances changed and she was forced to find another place to stay. Anna packed her meager possessions into a trash bag and set off to find a new home or someone that would give her lodging. She missed quite a bit of school while she was looking for a place to stay, until finally a friend offered to let Anna move in with her family and sleep on their sofa.

Helping Anna in a time of need

Teresa found out that Anna had missed quite a few days of school and immediately recognized that Anna was in danger of becoming a drop-out; something Teresa definitely did not want to happen. Teresa reached out to Renée Kube, our Director of U.S. Programs, and asked for help for Anna so that she could survive through winter break and into the new year. Children Incorporated, through our Hope In Action Fund, was able to provide Anna with food and other necessities, as well as financial assistance to cover her various living expenses. As a bonus, Children Incorporated helped her share a nice Christmas dinner with her host family. Teresa, our wonderful volunteer coordinator, helped her find part-time work at local café, the same one where Teresa’s daughter is employed. Anna is now making some money of her own and can contribute to her friend’s household, where she plans to stay until graduation from high school in the spring. After that, she intends to join the Army.

Will you consider making a donation to our Hope In Action Fund today? With your help, we will continue to be ready to help children in need at any time – for any reason.

None of this could have happened without the support of our Hope In Action Fund — as well as that of Anna’s sponsor. This very special fund is intended to help in wide-ranging and diverse situations, including ones just like Anna’s. When emergencies arise and families and sponsored children need assistance, sometimes beyond what sponsorship alone can provide, Hope In Action is there to help fill in the gaps. For Anna, the assistance she received from Hope In Action dollars made an incredible difference.

Will you consider making a donation to our Hope In Action Fund today? With your help, we will continue to be ready to help children in need at any time – for any reason.

From the heart,
Ronald H. Carter
President and CEO
Children Incorporated

*Name changed to protect the child.

MAKE A DONATION

***

Shelley Callahan | October 7, 2019En Español

In 1964, the average cost of a new home in the United States was $13,050. Postage stamps were 5 cents each, and a gallon of gasoline cost just 25 cents more than that. In the same year, a young woman named Jeanne Clarke Wood started Children Incorporated out of her home in Richmond, Virginia to improve the lives of children who often went hungry and without having their most basic needs met.

Fifty-five years later, the work of Children Incorporated is still changing lives.

Reports from those early days indicate that funds provided by Children Incorporated were life-changing. Hungry children were fed. Children who had been wearing threadbare clothes and shoes with holes in the soles were outfitted with sturdy clothing. Young people, who had gone without paper, pencils and necessary schoolbooks were provided with them.

Fifty-five years later, the work of Children Incorporated is still changing lives.

Thanks to our donors and sponsors, we have changed the lives of approximately 300,000 children and their families in the last six decades. Today, our dedication to improving lives and providing education, hope and opportunity is as strong — if not stronger — than ever.

The playground equipment in Puerto Rico was a huge improvement to the area.

Thanks to You, Children in Puerto Rico Have New Playground Equipment

Thanks to the generosity of our wonderful donors, Children Incorporated recently purchased and installed brand new playground equipment at the Iglesia Bautista de Metropolis in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This playground offers a safe place for children in the surrounding community to play under the supervision of caring adults — something they have not had in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Brand New Textbooks for Students in Kenya

In Kenya, children are often required to purchase their own textbooks — an expense that is a significant burden for their families. Thanks to donations from our donors, we were able to send additional support to the Dandora Center in Nairobi — our affiliated project — for the purchase of schoolbooks. With this help, students at the school recently received books at no cost!

In Guatemala, a New Skills Training Program Teaches Dressmaking

We recently received photos from our volunteer coordinator at the Juan Apostol School in Guatemala City, Guatemala, of students learning how to sew thanks to the newly implemented Dressmaking Program. Students learn sewing skills that they can apply to their personal lives or use in the future to generate income.

This is the fifth training program implemented at the Juan Apostol School, thanks to our donors and sponsors. Other programs include Cosmetology, Food Preparation, Computer Repair and Maintenance, Graphic Design and Music.

Children receive backpacks and school supplies thanks to our Back-to-School Fund.

Back to School season is one of the toughest times for children in need. Not having new outfits or school supplies to start the school year off right can diminish their confidence and make it difficult for them to focus.

Thankfully, children in our program — like those in Letcher County, Kentucky — receive bookbags and other school supplies, so they have the tools they need to feel good about themselves and to start the school year ready to learn!

Letter from our Volunteer Coordinators

“I truly believe Children Incorporated has made an impact on my students’ lives. I have seen their smiles, felt their hugs and their appreciation for gifts and letters of encouragement from their sponsors.”

– Deborah, Kentucky

“As I’ve said for years, the sponsors are the true heroes of the Children Incorporated program. It is amazing to think that strangers care enough about a child — a child they have never, and most likely will never, meet — to send help. I hope sponsors realize that the friendships and bonds they create with these children are just as valuable as their monetary donations. Children Incorporated and its sponsors are changing the world one child at a time.”

– Stacy, West Virginia

“We would like to thank the sponsors for their support. All children want to know they’re cared about, and I can tell you that you have provided these children with lots of smiles. The Children Incorporated program has given our students a huge sense of pride as well as the knowledge that someone cares. Parents come in and say, ‘I appreciate the sponsorship so much.’ I’m surprised at how much people are willing to give, especially to children they’ve never seen in person. My words of thanks fall way short of conveying how important sponsors are in these kids’ lives.”

– Wally, North Carolina

Four-Star Rating with Charity Navigator for the Fourth Year in a Row

We are proud to announce Children Incorporated has earned our fourth consecutive 4-star rating with Charity Navigator!

Charity Navigator is an independent American charity watchdog organization that evaluates charitable organizations in the United States. The four-star rating is the highest possible rating that an organization can receive from Charity Navigator, and it shows that Children Incorporated adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.

Attaining a 4-star rating verifies that Children Incorporated exceeds industry standards and demonstrates our trustworthiness to the public. We believe in full transparency of our financial management and are grateful to be recognized for our dedication as stewards of your generosity.

Sincerely yours,

Ronald H. Carter President and CEO

Congratulations to our Higher Education Fund Recipient, Sarah!

Sarah pictured with her diploma.

We want to give huge congratulations to Sarah, one of our amazing sponsored children and Higher Education Program participants. Sarah recently graduated from college with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration.

Sarah writes:

“Children Incorporated has been a part of my life since I was in kindergarten. They have helped my family and me through difficult times. I have received many packages and letters that have supplied me with new clothes and great memories. Also, I received help to get me through college when I did not know if I would be able to go or not. If it were not for Children Incorporated or the sponsors that fund this great organization, I would not have had the same childhood or college experience. I want to express my gratitude and say thank you to everyone who has helped me.”

We are very proud of you, Sarah!

*Name changed to protect the child.

READ THE FULL NEWSLETTER

Shelley Callahan | June 14, 2019En Español

No matter where you are in the world, it tends to be more expensive to live in big cities. Rent and housing costs in major cities are often higher than in rural areas. Products purchased in stores can be more costly as well in urban settings — including basic needs like food and clothing.

“Of all the homes I have visited in South Korea, the Shin Mang Ae Children’s Home receives the largest allocation per child, but the cost of sustaining each child is much higher.”

– Luis Bourdet

Children Incorporated has two projects in and near one of South Korea’s largest cities, Daegu. With a population of around 2.5 million people, Daegu is the fourth-largest city in the country.

The city itself is known for Eastern medicine, impeccable lawns and a national museum with Buddhist relics and culture, and although not as expensive to live in as Seoul or Busan (South Korea’s two largest cities), living costs are still higher than in many other smaller Korean cities.

The Shin Mang Ae Children’s Home

Located within the city limits of Daegu, the Shin Mang Ae Children’s Home provides sponsored and unsponsored children in our program with a nurturing environment, nutritious food and medical care throughout the year, and a well-rounded education.

The nicely-maintained complex that makes up the home is comprised of three large dormitories, a dining room, a kitchen, a chapel and storage buildings. Children attend local schools and enjoy activities in the afternoons, like volleyball, basketball and baseball.

Upon visiting the home, our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, noted that the lawn of the home was incredibly well maintained, like other residential and commercial properties within the city.

It tends to be more expensive to live in big cities, such as in Daegu in South Korea.

“The home’s current director is the son of the late founder of the Shin Mang Ae Children’s Home. His mother had dedicated the later years of her life to improving the home and creating an immaculate lawn for the children to enjoy,” explained Luis.

Thirty-eight children live at the home — our sponsors support fifteen of them. Beyond donations provided by Children Incorporated, the home receives funds from the local government as well as from local churches and other Korean donors.

The importance of sponsorship

“Of all the homes I have visited in South Korea, the Shin Mang Ae Children’s Home receives the largest allocation per child, but the cost of sustaining each child is much higher,” said Luis.

Even with all the outside help the home receives, Luis knows that the Children Incorporated sponsorship program is incredibly important to our sponsored children, and for more reasons than one.

According to Luis, sponsorship funds are mainly utilized to cover educational expenses and other basic needs like shoes and clothes that are not covered by government contributions.

“The director of the home indicated that support from our program is vital to the children to provide for unexpected educational expenses, like when books and school supplies are not provided by the school.”

“The children also love connecting with their sponsors and receiving the extra help,” stated Luis.

Love your neighbor

The Ae Hyang Children’s Home (whose name means “love your neighbor”), is located an hour outside of Daegu. The home is made up of a main building with dormitories which are surrounded by a hilly forest. School-aged children attend local public schools, where they receive instruction in core academic subjects as well as rudimentary English.

Even though the home isn’t technically within the city, administrators still struggle with expenses related to high costs of city living. Unfortunately, compared to other homes that Children Incorporated affiliates with, the government provides a very low amount to the Ae Hyang Children’s Home.

According to Luis, sponsorship funds are mainly utilized to cover educational expenses and other basic needs like shoes and clothes.

“Sponsorship support is very much needed at the Ae Hyang Children’s Home because government support doesn’t cover all the needs of the children,” says Luis.

***

How do I sponsor a child in South Korea?

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

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | May 30, 2019En Español

Making sure young people have positive influences around them is crucial to their development.

This is especially true for children coming from difficult circumstances like the orphans and children from impoverished backgrounds living at the Kang Nam Children’s Home in South Korea.

After a visit to the home, our International Director of Programs, Luis Bourdet, reported that the sixty children living at this Children Incorporated affiliated project meet with local university students every week. The college students not only help the kids with their homework but also serve as role models and mentors.

Apart from having more than twenty-six staff members, the local university volunteers spend their free time at the home tutoring and participating in sports activities with the children.

These interactions with caring adults outside of their supervisors and teachers help the children learn valuable life skills and teach them behavior that will prepare them for the outside world once they are grown up.

Kang Nam Children’s Home

Located on the south side of Seoul, the Kang Nam Children’s Home provides orphaned and underprivileged children in this region of South Korea with a safe, nurturing environment, nutritious food and medical care.

Children are often placed in the home after having been through the country’s welfare system. Many of them are coming from broken homes or have only lived in an orphanage, having no living parent. Because of this, many of the children we support have already had very challenging lives considering their young ages.

Thankfully, the administrators of the Kang Nam Children’s Home, with help from our sponsors, make sure the children receive food, clothes, housing and an education.

College students help kids at the Kang Nam Children’s Home with their homework and serve as role models and mentors.

“On top of support from sponsorship funds, the local government provides money to cover staff salaries and building maintenance. The Korean Welfare Foundation also supports the home for any incidental expenses,” says Luis.

The home also has some corporate sponsors and individual local sponsors. Because of all this, Luis reports that the physical buildings in the home are in great shape, and the children are well cared for by many different individuals and groups.

“To further support the children’s psychological development and give them a sense of family life, the facilities have been divided into ‘houses’ where six to nine kids share the house along with a housemother, who is always a university-educated social welfare worker,” continued Luis.

Volunteer to give back to kids

Apart from having more than twenty-six staff members, the local university volunteers spend their free time at the home tutoring and participating in sports activities with the children, helping with psychological evaluations or leading field trips to local parks.

Combined with the knowledge that they have a caring sponsor, the university students and the fantastic staff of the Kang Nam Children’s Home ensure that our sponsored and unsponsored children are surrounded by dozens of encouraging adults who are helping the youth of today grow up to be influencers of tomorrow.

***

How do I sponsor a child in South Korea?

SPONSOR A CHILD

Shelley Callahan | May 22, 2019En Español

We know well that sponsorship support is valuable to children living in poverty both physically and psychologically.

That was especially apparent for our Director of International Programs, Luis Bourdet, while he was visiting the Sung Ae Children’s Home in South Korea.

According to our volunteer coordinator, Ms. Cho, who oversees all of our projects in South Korea, the support received from Children Incorporated sponsors is valuable in many different ways.

While at the home, which is located outside of Korea’s capital of Seoul, Luis found that the support children receive from their sponsors is utilized not only to provide clothing and shoes for them but also for educational needs that government funding does not cover, such as funds for fields trips.

But while there, Luis also found that many of the orphaned children who are living at the Sung Ae Children’s Home are learning for the first time in their lives what it means to be loved and looked after.

Helping children achieve their goals

According to our volunteer coordinator, Ms. Cho, who oversees all of our projects in South Korea, the support received from Children Incorporated sponsors is valuable in many different ways.

“Ms. Cho indicated that our partnership is significant not only in its financial aspect, but in its psychological effect on children as well. The orphans appreciate that people from far away and unknown to them can help them achieve their goals,” said Luis.

That caring love from sponsors goes a long way in encouraging children to do their best, especially for children who do not have parents of their own to encourage them.

The Sung Ae Children’s Home

Like many South Korean orphanages, the Sung Ae Children’s Home traces its origin to efforts to address the postwar crisis after World II.

Caring love from sponsors goes a long way in encouraging children to do their best as they grow.

The home is in the suburban town of Incheon, just 30 miles from Seoul, where orphaned, underprivileged children in the region are provided with a safe, nurturing home, nutritious food and medical care.

The home serves children ranging in ages from four to eighteen. The home itself consists of large, attractive dormitories, offices, an auditorium, a dining hall and a kitchen.

“Many of the buildings are new, updated only a few years ago,” said Luis. “I was very pleased to see the government had funded the updates so that the children have a beautiful home to live in.”

While living at the Sung Ae Children’s Home, sponsored and unsponsored children attend local public schools, where they receive instruction in core academic subjects and rudimentary English. Children receive three nutritious meals each day, with kimchi (the peppery cabbage-based staple of the Korean diet) occupying a prominent place on the table.

Working hard and having fun

In addition to rigorous schooling and education-related activities, the children perform a variety of assigned chores at the home, but they also get to have fun.

It is the priority of the administrators of the home to make sure that the children grow up in the safest places possible where they are encouraged to succeed and continuously feel loved and looked after until they reach adulthood.

Recreational activities in the afternoon and on weekends include flying kites and playing sports like soccer and volleyball. Field trips into Seoul are a special treat, where the children get to visit parks, shrines and museums. Picnics are also popular.

Protecting Children

According to Luis, Children Incorporated currently sponsors 19 of the 58 children living at the home.

In addition to assistance from our program, the home also receives a large amount of help from the Korean government, which covers costs such as housing and educational expenses to make sure the children have everything they need.

While Luis met with Ms. Cho, she expressed to him that the home overtly emphasized the protection of the children. Because they do not have a family of their own to protect them, she makes sure they are safeguarded from any harm at all times. It is the priority of the administrators of the home to make sure that the children grow up in the safest places possible where they are encouraged to succeed and continuously feel loved and looked after until they reach adulthood.

***

How do I sponsor a child in South Korea?

SPONSOR A CHILD