Help Poor Children

The Way Out of Poverty

Monday, October 5, 2009 by Kelly Nix

Just ask any mom or dad of kids in our child sponsorship program what is the best hope of their child overcoming poverty, and the answer you're likely to get is, "Education."

Education really is a powerful tool for children living in poverty. Sponsoring a child is not just about giving material aid such as food and clothing; it's about opening the door to a better future. Through education, our sponsors help open the door to success for their sponsored children.

Another Made-up Holiday?

Wednesday, September 16, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

Tomorrow, September 17th is Special Hug Day. Sure, it may not mean much to you unless you’re familiar with Children International’s child sponsorship program. But let me assure you that this holiday is very meaningful to our sponsored children. In fact, it’s downright, well...special.

We didn’t come up with this holiday to sell cards or cheesy decorations or to make people feel compelled to commemorate the day with frivolous gifts. Perhaps the name Special Hug sounds silly, but the items the children and their families receive are nothing but practical.

Even making the bed is fun when you’ve got new clean sheets. “The bedspread is beautiful, and I like the color,” says Angie from Barranquilla, Colombia.

View our Special Hug slideshow to see gifts from past years and read what children living in poverty say about this special day.

Photo by Patricia Calderón, Communications Coordinator in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Small Victories against Poverty in Mexico

Monday, September 14, 2009 by CI Staff

On September 16th, Mexico will celebrate its Independence Day...a day remembered in Mexico as "El Grito" (The Battle Cry) because the indigenous people rose up to secure autonomous rule.

But sponsored youth in Mexico have another kind of independence to celebrate as well: an exciting victory in their struggle to overcome poverty.

Recently, a group of teens in Mexico sponsored through Children International received the first HOPE scholarship ever. The endowment ceremony was a happy event where 30 young people including Ana Fajardo, who was one of the youth delegates attending the United Nations Youth Assembly, received a scholarship to help them pay for tuition, school supplies, and books. The scholarship recipients may use the funds to pay for vocational training or university fees.

I was fortunate enough to get to know Ana in New York last month. She is a funny yet driven young lady who upon meeting me presented me with a business card and resume on matching floral stationery.

With the help of the HOPE scholarship, I am sure Ana will become the self-reliant adult she is driven to be.

Blog by Dolores Quinn Kitchin. Photo by Alejandro Bonilla from our child sponsorship agency in Jalisco, Mexico.

A Reflection on Ecuador

Friday, September 4, 2009 by CI Staff

At the waistline of the World, half a league over seas and oceans, the mottled outline of Earth's tectonic bosom cradles the city below. I behold, through wispy haze, the vestiges of a conquistador’s Elysium…

The mountainous area that surrounds Quito is shockingly gorgeous. Its Andean air is a pleasure to breathe, while succulent clouds tease the eye from greater heights. And yet at city-level, the reality of human life smothers the carnival of emotions swirling inside of me.

Before long, thoughts start to grind their way through my head, reducing my ego to pulp. Here I stand in a neighborhood located in a single section of one city of a developing country among many around the world. How many more people are out there – how many more instances of abused and abandoned children, of battered and desolate mothers, of families imprisoned within labyrinthine grids of cold concrete, cane, and dirt so dismal they would make Daedalus smile?

While I bask in sunlight, there are so many more who soak in clammy darkness. And rather than blind myself with the light of a good life, I continue squinting toward the mouth of that pit and tighten my grip on the small piece of rope in my pocket. There are very long pieces in the hands of a few, but I should not wait for them. I should tie mine to the small bits of many others who share theirs, and together, we may have enough to lasso the Moon.

These baroque allusions are nothing but a smoke screen for my lack of answers. The hope I have in humanity's ability for compassion and charity, regardless of our source for inspiration or however we might find them, is one of the few antidotes to my paralyzing frustration regarding poverty.

David Nebel is a translator and photographer for Children International. In this post, he reflects on a recent visit to the children and families of our child sponsorship program in Ecuador.

Adding New Meaning to "Have a Coke and a Smile"

Friday, August 28, 2009 by Kelly Nix

I'm the one member of the team that visited Ecuador last week who hasn't yet blogged about it, so I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on the trip.

Today I'm blessed to lead a comfortable, middle-class life in the United States of America. But when I visit sponsored families, it doesn't take long to fit in; after all, these are the children I played with as a child growing up in South America. Their moms and dads were the people down the street. This proximity helped me understand that people living in dire poverty are not just faceless statistics; they have names, faces, fears, hopes and dreams for the future.

Walking into their homes is always a reality check. It's hard to reconcile the bare cinderblock or thin-slatted walls, the paneless windows, the rusted tin sheets with the sun shining through in a thousand places, the threadbare furniture and the stacks of clothing and personal effects around the walls -- piled there because there is no closet or wardrobe, no dresser, no place to store anything -- with the gracious smiles on the faces of your hosts. And at some point during the visit, most likely one of the young daughters of the family will quietly slip into the room, proudly bringing you a glass of Coke.

You quickly do the mental math and realize what that single glass of Coke represents to the family. With a daily income that might not exceed a couple of dollars -- if it comes in at all -- a glass of Coke is liquid gold. As you quietly murmur a word of thanks, you see the faces of your hosts light up with real joy at the ability to honor their guest. Any thought of turning down their offer vanishes and, humbled, you make sure they see how much you really enjoy their kindness.

I wish every sponsor could make a visit to their sponsored child. It will forever change the way you think about life. You'll be able to put names and faces on courage and graciousness.

And, of course, you'll get a glass of Coke.

Sponsorship: A Youth Report

Monday, August 24, 2009 by CI Staff

You all asked for it, and we at Children International listened. Sponsored youth and Youth Reporter Leydi Marroquín describes for us what sponsorship means to poor families in rural Guatemala.

Sponsorship is very important in my community because it is the only hope for the poorest families that live here. When mothers fill out the sponsorship forms, they feel happy because it’s one step forward in the search for a better life.

Sponsorship isn’t about covering every need that people have; at least that’s how I see it. But it does cover the most important things to have a better life. Sponsored children receive medical attention, free medicines, dental treatment and a lot of help so they can go to school. When mothers are told that their children have been sponsored, I have seen the happiness on their faces. That is an experience I wouldn’t exchange for anything.

I like to see the kids when they come to the service area to pick up their gifts. They anxiously await that day. They mark it on their calendars like a special day. I can’t explain how much love the children feel when they receive their gifts. They make good use of them too, because they enjoy getting gifts from their sponsors.

Sponsors are like angels. I have my own angel, and they have given us all help despite the fact that we are far away. Sponsors make kids smile; they make them feel loved without having seen them. They make us youth feel like someone has our backs and motivate us even though we have never heard their voices. They help us stay away from drugs and alcohol, because they make us feel important. They allow us to attend workshops and sports activities that let us enjoy life amidst adversity.

I thank each and every one of those angels and everyone who works here in Patulul. And I thank the staff everywhere in Guatemala, like Javier Cárcamo who not only taught me how to use the camera to take photos and shoot video, but who taught me to organize my ideas and know that what I have to say is important and that my opinion really does matter.

Reporting for you,
Leydi Marroquín

From Lows to Highs in Ecuador

Thursday, August 20, 2009 by CI Staff

Forgive me if this post is a little long, but it’s after midnight, and I’m still reeling from a broken heart...

After two hectic days of interviewing sponsored children and families in Guayaquil, and encountering the extreme poverty faced by families there, my colleagues and I packed up our gear and headed to Quito. Now here I sit, at 2:00 in the morning – thousands of feet higher and several degrees cooler – trying to condense the intense emotions I’m feeling into a few meager paragraphs.

Our first day in Quito was supposed to be light. But that wasn’t to be. Before I could even acclimate to the altitude, the first interview of the day took my breath away.

Driving high up into a hillside neighborhood named La Colmena, or “The Beehive,” because of the clusters of poor families who live together in single buildings stacked like honeycombs, I was startled by the contrast to the homes we’d just visited in the low-lying river region of Guayaquil. Whereas impoverished families in Guayaquil typically live in split-cane shacks perched over dusty roads, those in Quito mainly occupy concrete tenements that cling to steep slopes that swarm with traffic. And it was there that we met 10-year-old Jessica.

Fellow writer Deron Denton and I wanted to interview Jessica because she had recently received one of the wheelchairs a group called Free Wheelchair Mission donated to sponsored children with disabilities, and we were curious to know how it was helping her get along. Our answer waited at the top of a dizzying set of narrow stone stairs that led to a claustrophobic, attic-like apartment Jessica shares with her petite grandmother, Doña Carmen.

Despite the steep surroundings, Jessica’s grandmother, 63 and barely five feet tall, used to carry her granddaughter up and down the hills to school and physical therapy every day. Pushing the wheelchair wasn’t much easier, she said, but it gave Jessica freedom to move around at school without someone to support her. When we asked who helped Jessica up the stairs to the house, the room grew quiet.

Jessica’s mother had passed away and her father, Juan Luis, had mysteriously disappeared a few months earlier, explained Doña Carmen. The police searched for him but to no avail. All she and her granddaughter could do was wait and worry about his safety.

That’s when Jessica got up and stumbled into her bedroom to show us the picture her father had drawn for her. A big smile flashed across her face as she told us what a good artist he is, but her smile turned to grief as the thought of his absence brought tears to her eyes. When I asked her what her father last said to her, all the heartache she’d been bottling up inside came rushing out in a wave of tears. Two staff members, Maria and Cecilia, rushed to her side and took her in their arms while Deron and I furiously wiped away the tears from our own eyes.

The pain of Jessica’s loss filled the room as we desperately tried to console her. And yet thanks to Maria’s and Cecilia’s kindheartedness and expert reassurance, Jessica’s smile soon returned, and she was able to find comfort in the pink sunglasses we gave her as a gift.

And now, as I sit here typing this post, bleary-eyed and heartbroken, straining to imagine a happy ending, there’s no doubt in my mind that Jessica’s loss would be unbearable if she didn’t have sponsorship to connect her with people who love and care for her. Because even at those times when life can’t seem to sink any lower, the spirit of a young girl like Jessica can still soar to new heights if you and I are there to lift her up.

By Damon Guinn. Photo by Children International Communications Coordinator in Quito, Ecuador, Cecilia Carrión.

On the Ground in Ecuador: Revisiting Reality

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 by CI Staff

As a former Communications Coordinator for Children International in the Dominican Republic and coming from a poor family myself, I thought I knew everything there was to know about extreme poverty; and, therefore, that it wouldn’t affect me all that much to see once again the way sponsored families live. Until now, that is...when I had the opportunity to travel to Ecuador with some staff members from Children International. It was a trip that made me face once again the reality of living in extreme poverty.

I was very moved by some of the stories of the families that we visited during our first trip to the field in Guayaquil.

I saw very nice people trying to make ends meet out of very little. We met families with sponsored children that have serious health conditions; families that survive day by day with only the bare minimum; volunteer mothers who care about their communities and believe in the sponsorship program; sponsored youth who have a chance to step up and build a better future for themselves and their families; and sponsored children have faith in their sponsors’ contributions.

We also confronted the reality that there is a lot more to be done for these families. I realized that yes, there are differences among countries, cultures, food and ethnicities; but there is also a common reality that they all face: they desperately need help. But despite the sadness of these situations, I noticed that the families we visited were always so grateful for the little they have, always with a smile on their faces, always welcoming and trying to accommodate us and make us feel comfortable in their tiny houses. It was a valuable lesson that made me think about how much we have, and how sad sometimes people's lives can be...

I was also very impressed at how the staff interacted with the sponsored families, always trying to get the best interview, the best picture, and the best story. And I was happy to know that with the support of Children International’s programs and their sponsors’ contributions, these families have at least some of their needs covered.

I am so glad for this great opportunity and for experiencing for myself – this time as a visitor – how amazing, helpful (and sometimes life-saving) is the support that Children International provides to the sponsored families. This is, without a doubt, a sponsorship program in which I personally believe.

Vilma Nebel, a former Communications Coordinator for Children International in the Dominican Republic, is traveling with the CI team in Ecuador. Check back tomorrow for an update from Senior Staff Writer Damon Guinn.

Thoughts from Ecuador: Confluence

Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by CI Staff

This is my first trip to Ecuador, and – as always – we met some amazingly resilient people on our first day in the field here in Guayaquil, Ecuador. We’ll be writing stories about the families we met in the weeks and months to come. But I just thought I’d share a small insight I gained today.

I learned that the city of Guayaquil is named after the Guayas River. Two large rivers – the Daule and the Babahoyo – merge here, making the Guayas.

As we left Guayaquil proper on our way to visit sponsored children and their families, we crossed the Daule River. Patricia (our communications coordinator extraordinaire) pointed to the wealthier homes on the bank from which we had come. Even from a distance, we could see that the homes were large, well-constructed and neatly spaced apart, much like what I am used to back home in Kansas City. On the other side – the one we were approaching – we could see the rickety shapes the poor call home, tightly bunched together in a seemingly haphazard way.

After a day of visiting with the families on the “other” side, I thought of the confluence of humanity that merges in every city around the world, like the two rivers that make up the Guayas. I was pensive as we headed back to the hotel...asking questions that – for me – have no satisfactory answers.

You know: the “why” questions.

But, as is the case each time we make a trip to the field, the families we spoke with had a gift for me. They may not be living in that big, sturdy, expensive house with the expensive TVs and furnishings, but their homes are often filled with generous spirits, a love for one another, beliefs and bonds that help them stay strong, and a gratitude for what they do have.

And every one of them mentions that the help they receive from sponsorship is one of the things they are grateful for.

It made me wonder how easily I can come up with a list of all the things I should appreciate....

Deron Denton, staff writer for Children International, is currently on the ground in Ecuador with a team from CI's Creative Services Department. Look for an update each day this week through Friday.

The Return of Supergringo (Part 1)

Sunday, August 16, 2009 by CI Staff

As my colleagues and I embark on a trip to Ecuador to interview sponsored children and their families, we’ll be sharing stories about the amazing people we meet along the way. In the meantime, here’s a two-part look at my first trip on behalf of Children International. It was an experience that left me with a fresh outlook on life and, in a manner of speaking, a whole new identity...

It was December 2003, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and I was sitting in the hotel lounge after a long day’s work.

As I skimmed over my interview notes and tried to make sense of the staggering poverty I’d just seen, a familiar song by Frank Sinatra echoed through the lounge...“Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew/ When I bit off more than I could chew./ But through it all, when there was doubt,/ I ate it up and spit it out./ I faced it all and I stood tall;/ And did it my way.” The jazz duo in the corner was staring directly at me, grinning.

I couldn’t help but smirk and give a nod of recognition to the musicians. I decided to take it as a sort of universal anthem. How else to explain the strength and resilience I’d witnessed in the people who had little more than pride to get them through poverty’s relentless hardships?

Two children in Guayaquil enjoy listening to themselves after an interview with Damon in 2003.

Besides, I’d drawn a lot of attention already. Earlier in the trip, I’d stepped out of the van and into the wide-eyed stares of several children playing soccer along the dusty streets of a community called Lucha de Los Pobres, or “Struggle of the Poor.” Bumping my head on the way out, two young boys pointed and whispered to one another, “Supergringo, Supergringo.”

My goal had been to hang back and observe, like a fly on the wall, but at 6’4” I looked more like a fish out of water – a very long, pasty-white fish. Then, just when I was starting to feel completely out of place and wet behind the ears, I met Walter Mendoza...

Damon Guinn is a senior staff writer with Children International. Check back tomorrow to learn more about the inspiration Damon gained from Walter's story.

Learning Life Lessons...From French Fries (Part I)

Friday, August 14, 2009 by CI Staff

This is the first of a two-part series by Children International employee Vong Hamilton, who accompanied the International Youth Day delegates from around the world as they visited New York City.

DAY 1
I fell headlong into humility in -- of all places -- a pizzeria in downtown New York City. And that was just the beginning.

I watched two of our youth delegates, Ranjit and Chengo, each order two slices of pizza, a cheeseburger and fries. I thought to myself, "Seriously...can they eat that much food?" To my surprise, they did!

As I listened to Chengo talk, something triggered a faraway memory, though I knew it could only have been drawn from my imagination as I'd never been to Zambia before except to lose myself in photos. I envisioned Africa’s poverty and desolation; and in that desolate place in my thoughts, I imagined what Chengo's life must be like.

I pictured him 24 hours prior, living in his squatter community with his mom, who is very ill. I pictured him in front of their shack, his little sister peeping from behind, and the rest of the world going on without them as they stared down the lonesome road, anxiety mirrored on their faces as they waited to see what they'd have for their next meal.

And there was Chengo...in New York...in a pizzeria...eating fries. Fries that I never think twice about throwing away if they get cold. Chengo and Ranjit couldn't believe they could choose anything off the menu. And I started to really reflect on how different their lives are from mine. How I get the liberty of having choices... deciding what to eat, what to wear and where to go; whereas, perhaps they just take what they’re given and are grateful.

Suddenly I felt appalled at all the materialism in my world…and yet appreciative at the same time of the simple things I overlook on a daily basis. I wished so much to do something special for the kids…as if a material gift could diminish their poverty. But I knew that, for them, being a part of something as special as sponsorship and getting to experience the trip of a lifetime was more than anything they could ever wish for.

Be sure and check back tomorrow as Vong finishes sharing her reflections on a trip that forever changed her way of looking at life...

Sponsors Support Needy Children and One Another

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

When Kelly and I started Children International’s Google Group, we knew it would be a great place for sponsors to get together and share ideas. But slowly it has evolved into something more – a group of friends who support one another ... and each other’s sponsored children as well.

The sponsors on the group share the stories of their sponsored children and the needs they face. Reading the stories and seeing an opportunity to help even more, sponsors set up fundraising projects, and the results have been pretty amazing. Some of the smaller projects funded include fundraisers for beds, food, school items, tuition, nutritional supplements and clothing. Sponsors have also raised money for Income Generating Projects which allow families to start up businesses to help them break free from poverty. As sponsor and fundraiser organizer, Heather puts it, “We are working as a group to change the lives of many families.”

These smaller projects understandably get funded much faster than the larger ones, but they are all so worthwhile. Currently Heather and company are working to build homes for two families living in poverty. You may even recognize them from past articles from Children International. First is the Mulangu Family in Zambia, a family of orphans who live in a borrowed home with the constant threat of eviction. The other is Jenie, a sweet little girl in the Philippines who lives under a bridge with her family alongside drug dealers and gangs. With the help of the fundraisers, both families can have the joy of a modest, but safe home.

If you would like to help with any of the group’s ongoing projects or see photos of the difference these fundraisers have made, please visit http://makeachangemac.webs.com/. Pages like these are just one more reason that I know Children International's sponsors are the greatest.

Hog for Kids: Helping Needy Children

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

Gustavo Fernandez made a pit stop at Children International's headquarters to discuss his Hog for Kids program which benefits children living in poverty in the Dominican Republic.

Thanks for your generosity and for taking time out of your day to hang out with Children International's staff, Gustavo! What a cool way to make a difference in the lives of children.

H.O.G. for Kids Rolls into Kansas City

Monday, July 27, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

We’re in for a special treat today at Children International’s world headquarters. Professional photographer and Children International sponsor, Gustavo Fernandez, is making a stop in Kansas City on his cross-country motorcycle ride to help needy children through Children International. He calls the program H.O.G.® For Kids.

Gustavo is making stops in cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York taking pictures of children and asking their families to sponsor a child in the Dominican Republic like he does. His goal is to find sponsors for 50 children living in poverty, and we support him whole hog! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

Visit Gustavo’s cool H.O.G. for Kids homepage to see more of his photographs, see where he’s been and learn more about his mission.

Gustavo with his sponsored child Erica and her mother, Santa, in the Dominican Republic.

A Sponsored Youth's Point of View

Friday, July 24, 2009 by CI Staff

Each year our Communications Coordinator in Guatemala, Javier Cárcamo, trains a new batch of youth reporters to write stories, conduct interviews and take photos and video. Here, 17 year-old youth reporter Edwin Canac Tzaj shares what life is like in his rural community and how sponsorship is giving him an opportunity he never thought he would have.

My community is a small and hidden place. We live at the base of a hill and all of the neighbors are happy, but you always have a desire to have a better life. Even though we are happy, it’s kind of difficult to live here, because there isn’t any work. Some farmers give work to day laborers so they can support their families, but there isn’t enough work for everyone. Some only find work in other villages, so they have to go far away early in the morning and they come home even more tired.

The women help their husbands working in the fields cutting peas and lettuce, and some just do whatever work they can find each day in the markets or at construction sites. Every morning the sun rises and women weave their güipils (a traditional Mayan blouse) to sell, although many women work in the fields too, carrying their babies on their backs.

Even still, life here is beautiful, but everyone hopes to have happier lives with good futures for their children and to be able to enjoy the weekends at church or just taking a walk around town.

Poverty in my community is due to the fact that there aren’t any good salaries or jobs. And that’s why many people can’t afford to send their children to school, much less give youth like us higher education - like my siblings and me, for example. Our parents don’t have any way to support us, although they have always tried very hard. But sometimes it’s been difficult to keep studying. I know we have to struggle and work for our futures, because many desperate youth have thrown themselves into vice, because they have no work, nor the love of a mother or father, or anyone to support them.

But sponsorship in my community is something that makes things different for many families. In my community there are more than 100 sponsored children and youth, and that has helped us to improve ourselves and have a greater possibility of becoming better people. I am very thankful to all of you, because you have lovingly given us help, and that is such a benefit for each household. You have helped us with school supplies and personal items.

Now that I have the opportunity to be a Youth Reporter, I feel even better about myself, because now I can communicate my community’s feelings. And this is something I never dreamed of before, because it used to be very hard for me to speak Spanish, because I speak an indigenous language. But thanks to the opportunity to go to school, I can write this –although I still get a little nervous. I am learning to take photos and talk to people without feeling embarrassed. And I’m really happy about that, and I’m very satisfied being sponsored by Children International. That’s why I wish you all success in each and everything you do each day.

Guatemala's Youth Reporters

Did you like this story? Want more? Send us a comment, and let us know. We’ll be sure to make this a regular feature.

Sponsorship Eases Poverty

Monday, July 20, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

Erycah in Lusaka, Zambia Africa discusses how sponsorship helps to ease poverty.

Q: What is your favorite part of sponsorship?
A: My favorite part is gift distribution. My favorite gift was a blanket. I was happy because I didn't have one.

Q: What do you want your sponsor to know about you?
A: I want my sponsor to know that I am very happy. We used to suffer a lot before I was sponsored, but now things are better for my family and me.

Photo and reporting assistance by Clementina Chapusha, Communications Coordinator in Lusaka, Zambia.

Why Special Hug is So Special

Friday, July 17, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

While they may not sound like exciting gifts to you and me, for families living in poverty sheets, dishes, storage containers and towels are a pretty big deal. Just imagine trying to keep your water free from contamination when you have a dirt floor and a leaky roof. Or having to eat your food right off of the old wooden table because you broke the last plate you had. Even being able to snuggle your face into a soft new bath towel is a pleasure that few of our sponsored children get to experience. That’s why Special Hug Day really matters to poor children and their families.

Feeling huggy yet? Visit our Special Hug page to make a contribution.

P.S. - Want to know what sponsored children will receive this year for Special Hug Day? For the inside scoop on gifts head to our Google Groups page and look for the “Special Hug Day Presents” discussion topic.

Photo by Communications Coordinator Anthony Lorcha.