Sponsorship Agency

Celebrating the Universal Day of the Child

Friday, November 20, 2009 by Kelly Nix

Fifty-five years ago, the United Nations proclaimed November 20 as Universal Children’s Day.

Of course, at Children International, every day is Children’s Day. But today we’d like to ask you to take a little extra moment to remember the world’s children.

CI had already been helping children for 18 years by the time the UN’s proclamation was issued. And today we’re going stronger than ever – and by “we,” I mean we – that is, the combined power of all our donors, field staff and volunteers.

With your help, we’re making the lives of over 335,000 children in 11 countries better. So keep up the good work…and happy Children’s Day!

Photo by Cecilia Carrión, from our agency in Quito, Ecuador.

Believe It or Not

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

You might just be surprised when you hear what sponsored child Camila from Valparaíso, Chile answered was her favorite sponsorship gift...

Favorite thing to do:
I love to watch and practice sports - running, jumping, playing. I want to be a sportswoman!

Favorite thing about sponsorship:
What I like most are the gifts. The cleaning supplies are the things that I liked most. I like coming to the community center, especially when I have to go because my sponsor have sent me a special gift.

Message for her sponsors:
I want to tell my sponsors that I want them to visit me. I want to meet them. I love them a lot, and I send them lots of greetings.

Photo by Leopoldo Montecinos, Communications Coordinator for Children International in Chile.

Take a Picture. It'll Last Longer.

Monday, November 16, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

That's exactly what our Communications Coordinators do every day. We get awesome photos in from them all the time, but unfortunately, there's no way we can use all of them. No need to let them go to waste! Here are some of the latest and greatest they've submitted.

Our Lusaka, Zambia community centers offer sponsored children medical and dental care, school tutoring and balanced meals, but many times, kids just come to hang out with their friends. I chose this photo not just because of the kids' smiling faces, but because of what they're watching on TV. Made me chuckle.

Volunteer mother Patricia Cuascota was leading Quito Communications Coordinator, Cecilia Carrión, around the neighborhood to take photos when she got a call that her daughter had fallen and hurt herself. She apologized profusely to Cecelia for not being able to continue the tour as she said turned to go home. No wonder Cecilia named this photo "Volunteering is an act of generosity."

Kids in our feeding program in Quezon City, Philippines aren't afraid to dig in! Photo by Carmie Carpio.

Patricia Calderón, Communications Coordinator in Barranquilla, Colombia couldn't help but snap a photo of cousins Andrea and Cheli. "They caught my attention when I found them coming back from running an errand, holding hands as if they were taking care of each other. They were wearing their uniforms and ready to go to school," Patricia says.

When Communication's Coordinator, Nivedita (Neenee) Moitra, takes her camera out into the neighborhoods of Kolkata, India, everyone wants to be in the picture.

This Just In from Guatemala!

Friday, November 13, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

Sponsored child Clarisa takes us on a little tour and explains why she likes being sponsored through Children International.

Video by Javier Cárcamo, Communications Coordinator in Guatemala.

Happy Veterans' Day!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 by CI Staff

Today is Veterans' Day, and it got me thinking about one of my favorite veterans, Children International employee emeritus Ted Smith.

After a decorated career as an Army officer, Ted came to work for Children International in 1981. The organization was new to the child sponsorship arena, and Ted was instrumental in the start-up of many of our original sponsorship field agencies. In fact, they still refer to him as “godfather” in some of our service areas. (I guess he made them an offer they couldn’t refuse.)

I traveled often with Ted – from 1993, when I began working at CI, through 1999, when he retired. Together, we visited India, the Philippines, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. Some of my fondest traveling memories are of dinners with Ted Smith, raconteur extraordinaire. After a long day in the field, he’d regale us with stories of his world travels, punctuated with his signature exclamation, “Gawd!”

But when you traveled with Ted, you never forgot that you were with a military man. Every detail of every trip was conducted with absolute precision, duly scheduled and executed to the letter. And wherever we went or whatever we did, I never forgot the one action that was unacceptable in the Ted Smith Handbook. Don’t. Be. Late. And so I never was – not because I feared his wrath, but because I wanted to earn his respect.

When a trip ended, we’d head to the airport, exhausted and ready to go home. After checking in and making it through myriad security checkpoints, someone would invariably look around and say, “Where’s Ted?”

The answer: marching away from us and toward the VIP lounge to which he’d earned passage with his hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles. Mission accomplished, he would soldier off for some peace and quiet. Heavens knows he deserved it after putting up with us time and time again!

A trek past Mount Mayon in the Philippines, 1999. Ted, as usual, is better prepared thatn any of us with his umbrella to protect against the sun.

A trek past Mount Mayon in the Philippines, 1999. Ted, as usual, is better prepared than any of us with his umbrella to protect against the sun.

Ted’s service to his country mattered to him, and I used to send him a note or email every Veterans' Day to let him know that it mattered to me, too. I haven’t done that in awhile, which I deeply regret. Maybe this will help make up for it.

So thanks, Ted. And thank you to all our contributors who are veterans or currently serving their countries. You honor us with your dedication to helping us fight a different kind of battle…the war on poverty and its effect on the world’s children.

Gretchen Dellett is a writer and long-time employee of Children International.

The Help That's Hard to Talk About

Monday, November 9, 2009 by CI Staff

Sponsoring a child through Children International is so much more than a monthly contribution, a photo and a couple of letters. It’s an entire network of sponsors and dedicated field staff who really care about each and every child we serve. Javier Cárcamo, Communications Coordinator in Guatemala helps us illustrate this point:

Sponsorship provides support for diverse circumstances and needs, and sometimes, it’s the only support that families receive when they face emergencies and tragedy. When the Children International team must cover an emergency, our involvement goes far beyond just doing our jobs. In moments of uncertainty, when families are confronted with a loss, framed by despair, poverty and the anguish of not being able to do anything, Children International is there to give support and a comforting hug.

This is the case of Ludwin, a sponsored boy of just 8 years, who comes from an impoverished family. Sadly, Ludwin passed away recently due to a prolonged illness. Since the detection of his illness, Children International - Guatemala made a series of efforts to help him improve his health - exams, tests, treatments, transportation to specialized treatment centers, medicines, food. But after several months, we got the devastating news; the specialists had given Ludwin only a few weeks to live.

This information pulled at the hearts of our committed staff at the community center. A moved Field Official, Nelson Cali, realized that Ludwin would not live to see his next birthday. With great sorrow, but the intention to give Ludwin a moment of happiness amidst the inevitable, staff members took up a collection of gifts so Ludwin could celebrate his last birthday properly.

The community joined the celebration full of happy moments, yet our hearts were heavy. There were dozens of gifts, toys, stuffed animals and items of clothing. A cake with candles. A clown who donated his regular performance fee to the family. Two piñatas, only one of which Ludwin was able to break open, and candy, lots of it, which little by little got a smile out of Ludwin. Only he knew the pain that forced him to remain seated during much of the party.

They were hours of joy for Ludwin. Perhaps this was the best memory that accompanied him until his last breath when he finally could rest from his suffering, surrounded by all of his gifts in his little bed.

The help that sponsorship provides in these heartbreaking cases allows families like Ludwin’s to get support for the funeral costs, which for a poor family is an expense that is almost impossible to cover. Many sponsors and donors don’t know that their support is the only thing that the sponsored families can count on when they are confronted with these situations, and only in this way is it possible for them to provide their loved ones a dignified last goodbye.

Right now there are dozens of cases of children who are receiving specialized medical attention around the world, and in other cases for various reasons, a loss is mourned. It’s comforting to know that when facing this pain, all the sponsored families can count on Children International to offer the help that sometimes is hard to talk about.

A Boy after My Own Heart

Friday, November 6, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

John Carl and I have a few things in common. He likes sponsorship. So do I. One of his chores is washing the dishes. So is one of mine. Singing is one of his talents. Well, what do you know? Me too!

But what really makes me smile about John Carl is his answer to this simple question: What makes you happy?

Sponsored child John Carl in Tabaco, Philippines

John Carl: "Eating chocolate cake makes me happy."

Me too, John Carl. Me too...

Photo and reporting assistance by Sarah Jane Velasco from our Tabaco, Philippines child sponsorship agency.

Great News from Consumers Digest

Monday, November 2, 2009 by Jim Cook

We’re excited here at Children International about Consumers Digest having just identified us as 22nd in terms of charitable efficiency in its annual guide to charities. That puts us in some very good company given the number of charities doing great work today, and we’re very proud of that.

Consumers Digest is a widely read and well-respected publication that really provides a great service to the giving public, enabling people to make informed decisions about where to put their charitable contributions. It is one of a number of organizations that either rank or list charities.

The listings or rankings of all these organizations are necessarily based on quantitative measures; and while those are good indicators, they tell only part of the story.

The full picture is complete when one is able to see the programs in action, preferably over time. That’s when the qualitative aspects can be seen. In our case that plays out in our field locations, most of which are in other countries. There one can see the children we’re helping and how we’re helping them. The conditions in which the families live is also a valuable input to the overall picture and those conditions paint a clear picture as to why the help we’re providing is so necessary.

One of the most impressive things to me every time I travel to the field is the dedication and commitment of our field staffs. Working under often extreme and almost always adverse conditions, they do a great job day in and day out. Again, this isn’t something that lends itself to a ranking system but if it did, I humbly believe we’d be Number 1.

Another interesting measure is impact over time. I vividly remember something said to me by our field director responsible for sponsored children on islands in the Philippines…he said that while sponsorship was making a big difference in the lives of the sponsored children every day, the biggest impact was measured over time—for instance, he said, anyone really evaluating our programs should compare how people manage their health now compared to ten years prior when they were still using very primitive, ineffective cures and techniques compared to a more enlightened approach today. And all that was thanks to persistent teachings and the introduction of modern practices by our staff.

I also believe that the amount of time we are in the communities where we work is a valid program effectiveness measurement. We’ve been in many communities for nearly thirty years. I still think of our Ecuador agencies as “new” ones and we began working there in 1989—twenty years ago! That consistency of presence and service has enabled us to become part of those communities and a steadfast and dependable support for children from a young age to their graduation at age 19.

All that said, we are most appreciative of Consumers Digest’s mention of Children International. Being Number 22 is good…great, really.

But there is so much more!

Jim Cook

Staff Bio: Meet Patricia Huerta, From Guayaquil, Ecuador

Monday, October 26, 2009 by Kelly Nix

Patricia Huerta graduated from the Catholic University of Guayaquil, Ecuador with a degree in interior design. However, her early career took a very different course, leading her to work for the Canadian consulate in Guayaquil as well as serving in Human Resources and as an assistant manager at two different banks.

She and her husband welcomed a daughter…and then another. Recognizing the importance of spending time with her children, Patricia took a break from her career to become a full-time mom. But after her daughters were older, she returned to the professional world – this time to work for Children International. Although she started as the director’s assistant, in 2007 Patricia took on the challenging role of Communications Coordinator for our Guayaquil agency.

“I love visiting children and youth at their homes and to be in their neighborhoods with their special particularities and similarities,” shares Patricia. “I like to talk to them and listen to their thoughts, wishes and ideas. I feel proud when our sponsored children and youth express themselves better than many kids with better economic resources and education; maybe they're more mature because of the difficulties they face in daily life, and they do recognize and acknowledge the support CI is giving them.”

Going to the field for stories involves advance planning, particularly to secure the use of the agency vehicle and its driver – who also serves as Patricia’s bodyguard in the sometimes dangerous neighborhoods she visits. “Before an interview I go to the community center to collect the staff who will guide us to the house to be visited, sometimes the Supervisor, other times one of the assistant and in many occasions, the volunteers go with me to the houses,” she reflects. “Talking to the volunteers is the best; they're nice and they know helpful information that could lead to a good story. We visit the houses, take photos, talk to the family and go to the next house or return to the community center. If the driver doesn't have other vehicle requests, I stay in the community doing interviews, talking to children and taking more photos. I love my job!”

Sometimes the job is incredibly rewarding, as was the case when a former sponsored youth, Diego, stopped by to let the office staff know of a prize he is being awarded by the Nobis Foundation for his service when he was in the sponsorship program. And some days it’s incredibly sad…like when she got the news about a sponsored youth who lost his battle with tuberculosis. “I visited him twice, as I heard he had tuberculosis; I wanted not only to write a good story, but to know if he was taking good care of his health with the help of the Agency doctors. Unfortunately he couldn't make it and I feel so sad because he was a valuable young man whose only illusion was to return to school and to rejoin the youth group at the community center – activities he had to leave when he became ill.

“I think that bringing the stories direct from the field, and sending a photo of the reality our children and youth live in, is one of the best resources CI has to let the world know the importance of its labor to help needy children,” adds Patricia. “I feel so good when I see one of my photos published in Journeys or in other CI publication; it's like a dream come true for me.”

Meet Michael, 7, From Ecuador

Friday, October 23, 2009 by Kelly Nix

"I want to say thank you for taking care of me, and for being my sponsor. If you come here to visit me I want you to teach me how to play basketball."

My Neighborhood, My Life and Children International

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by CI Staff

Children International Communications Coordinator, Javier Cárcamo, brings us yet another fantastic story from his Youth Reporters in Guatemala.

Hello, my name is Gabriela Pérez, and I’m a Youth Reporter.

Yes, I’m sponsored. I’ve had that blessing since I was little. I don’t really remember when that was, but for as long as I can remember, my mom has told me that it’s a blessing. Now I’m 18 years old, supposedly an adult. Sometimes I think about how I was forced to grow up fast, because my dad abandoned us. Maybe that’s why being sponsored was such a big help to my mom - and to me, of course.

Thanks to sponsorship, I’ve always had a feeling of security - that no matter how bad things got at home, I was always going to be okay. The truth is that sometimes we didn’t have anything to eat. I’m not exaggerating. There really was nothing. We didn’t have a refrigerator. We couldn’t store food other than vegetables and a few jars of salsa.

My older brothers worked hard along with my mom so that we had money, but even so, they shut off our power a lot, and we spent up to three months just using candlelight. The hardest part was when I had to do my homework and the sun went down. It was really difficult not to just give up, because aside from the fact that my eyes burned, I was scared. Don’t laugh, but at night my neighborhood is creepy. Electric lights are scarce, and fear is abundant.

But every day I feel fortunate to be alive. The best part about becoming a teenager is that I could enjoy sponsorship in a whole new way. Thanks to the Youth Program, this year I was chosen to be a Youth Reporter. That made me so happy.

“Professor Javier” taught me lots of things. He gave me the opportunity, the medium to reach all of you. I hope you read what I write and that you realize that without Children International, I might be washing the dishes in some rich family’s house. But no. Here I am, sitting at my little kitchen table, writing in the hopes that my sponsor can read it and feel proud of me. And that lots of sponsors read it and realize that I have a voice now, that I dream of a better future.

The benefits that Children International gives us stay with us throughout our sponsored years and for many years to follow. I have these dreams, these hopes that everyone who works at Children International have sowed in my heart. They believe in me, and so does my sponsor who has made an investment in me. And I won’t let any of you down. I promise you that.

Thank you, and until the next time...
Gabriela

A Review of Sponsorship in India

Monday, October 19, 2009 by Kelly Nix

When an outside news organization decided to visit Children International's child sponsorship agency in India to see firsthand how an international children's charity functions, they encountered a model of efficiency. See for yourself the results of their visit.

Something to Munch On - World Food Day

Friday, October 16, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

A sponsored girl enjoys a refreshing drink with her meal.

October 16th is World Food Day, and from 1981 on, it has been creating awareness of the problem of hunger and malnutrition around the globe in the hopes of alleviating hunger.

Providing nutrient-rich foods to malnourished sponsored children is an important part of Children International's child sponsorship program. In addition to inviting these children to have healthy lunches in our community centers, we teach parents how to prepare balanced meals that won't break the budget. Volunteer mothers help us keep our costs low by becoming the lunch ladies during the week and cooking and serving nutritious dishes for the children who need it.

And when times get truly desperate for our sponsored families as the cost of food rises, Children International's Lifeline Food Program is there. Through the program we are able to provide families in need with food baskets that they can take home when the cupboards are bare - without a doubt, an enormous relief for parents struggling to feed their sons and daughters.

To see just how Children International helps malnourished children regain their health, view our slideshow "Something Good to Eat."

Photo by Marelvis Campo, Communications Coordinator in Cartagena, Colombia.

When It Hurts the Most

Monday, October 12, 2009 by Jim Cook

On a daily basis I hear and see things from our field staff that let me know that sponsorship is a bright spot in the lives of our children and their families. Out of everything we do, these accounts/reports make my job as Children International's president truly worthwhile.

There are times, though, when the anecdotes and images are far more difficult to digest, when something doesn't turn out for the best or, here recently, when Mother Nature roars in and takes what is most precious.

As hard as it is to imagine, Typhoon Ketsana took the life of a sponsored child - this is when it hurts the most. By presenting our sponsors with this heartfelt report from Carmelinda Carpio, our communications coordinator in Quezon City, I hope to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in these devastating storms while paying homage to our brave staff in the Philippines who were there in an instant to ease the pain of loss and provide families a bit of relief.

Eight days after losing her life to drowning from typhoon Ketsana’s flood that filled her parents’ home, sponsored child Flordeliza was finally laid to rest along with her paternal grandmother, mother, and 4 younger siblings.

From the wake to the settling of funeral dues to the burial itself, the agency was with Flordeliza’s father, Miguel, along the way to console him…especially during his darkest hours. On Sunday morning, Agency Director Lei Orioste and field officer Marilyn Samolde, who handles Flordeliza’s community, personally attended the funeral rites for all seven of the deceased and gave words of comfort to Miguel and Remedios, the lady who took care of Flordeliza and two other siblings on weekdays.

No word is enough to describe the grief that he is facing now, but Miguel appreciates every little act of concern and comfort for him.

Miguel, who during the first few days of the wake had to go out looking for financial help, was finally able to spend time with his loved ones right after the agency gave its pledge of handling his financial burden.

At the cemetery, sensing that someone had to facilitate the ceremonies and knowing that Miguel could no longer say a word, Lei Orioste told the crowd that they could pay their final respects to the deceased family. She also thanked them for coming and for showering Miguel with support. She then helped organize the burial for each coffin.

At around noon, the coffins were laid to rest beside each other. Although he couldn’t clearly express it, Miguel is thankful that his loved ones were buried close to each other.

No words of comfort can ever equal the amount of sorrow he is currently under, but at least Miguel can now move on and no longer think of where to ask for help. His family can now rest in peace and he can start rebuilding his life. According to Miguel, he will move to another place and take over his family’s old business.

The agency will continue to check on Miguel in the days to come. Our field officer will also pay him another visit during the placing of gravestones on each of his loved ones’ tombs.

Please keep our families and staff in the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers in these indescribably tough times.

- Jim

Recovery Efforts Continue in the Philippines

Friday, October 9, 2009 by Kelly Nix

Children and families in the Philippines are still struggling to recover a measure of normalcy in the wake of typhoons Ketsana and Parma.

Staff from Children International’s Manila and Quezon City child sponsorship agencies continue to carry out disaster relief efforts – an overwhelming challenge due to the enormity of the losses, which, sadly, include the lives of a sponsored child and most of her family.

Manila Agency Director Cynthia Tiotuyco visits with flood victims.

Two top-priority efforts are food relief and medical assistance. Thousands of dollars of food items have been distributed to affected families, and thanks to the generosity of a local drug manufacturing company, children and families have also benefited from the donation of thousands of dollars in medicine.

Staff works to keep families healthy despite difficult circumstances.

Preparing to distribute emergency food supplies.

Our agencies are also helping with in other ways. Families who lost everything they owned are receiving help with materials to repair their houses; additionally, many children and families are receiving items like blankets, clothing, footwear and – of critical importance – school uniforms and supplies, so no more time is lost from school than is absolutely necessary.

Replacing children's lost or damaged school supplies is critical.

We are looking at ways to make life safer for families in the future. Our agency staff is working with local government officials to identify more secure sites for settlements that, prior to the typhoons, were located in flood-prone areas such as riverbanks and sewage canals. The agencies have also registered with the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs and the National Disaster Coordinating Council to ensure all relief efforts meet international and national standards.

Grateful children smile after receiving emergency rations.

Our sponsored youth are no less involved. Local Children International youth council members are working to launch preventative education efforts to address issues like improper garbage disposal, which has been identified as one of the factors that contributed to the widespread flooding during the typhoons.

Please check back Monday for a special message from Children International President Jim Cook.

Photos by Children International's staff in the Philippines.

A Typhoon in Photos

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

Typhoon Ketsana landed in the Philippines on September 25th, bringing with it heavy rain that flooded much of Manila and Quezon City.

Water reached up to the roof in some areas.

People were forced to swim to safety through several feet of water in the streets.

Swimming became a necessary mode of transportation.

When the water had receded enough to survey the damage, countless families found many of their possessions wet and unusable.

This family found their possessions soaking wet.

Children International's community centers were not immune to the destruction.

One of Children International's community centers suffered damage as well.

Check back Friday to see how Children International's well-organized team is helping to provide relief to our sponsored children, their families and others severely affected by the typhoons.

Photos courtesy of Children International staff in Quezon City, Philippines.

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.

Bracing for Super-Typhoon Parma

Friday, October 2, 2009 by Sarah Trapp

As Children International continues our relief efforts in the Philippines, we are keeping our eyes and ears open for new reports on the forecasted super-typhoon Parma. This new typhoon is expected to make landfall on Saturday hitting areas farther north than Typhoon Ketsana which severely affected our sponsored populations in Manila and Quezon City.

We will continue to provide updates as we hear from our staff in the Philippines. For the latest please visit www.children.org.

A Note from Jim Regarding the Philippine Disaster

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 by Jim Cook

I thought I might contribute some information about the Philippine flood disaster. Today, after evaluating excellent assessment reports from our two agencies in Metro Manila, we have made the decision to send over $500,000 in cash and $1.6 million in badly needed supplies to provide further emergency relief and to help people begin to rebuild their lives.

This is a significant contribution that addresses similarly significant destruction caused by the flooding. Our sponsored families are disproportionately affected because they are forced to live in very marginal locations and situations. Areas that are often prone to flooding with homes not built to withstand the force of floodwaters.

I should also add how proud I/we are of the amazing efforts our staffs there have made. Within three days, under the most difficult of circumstances, they have accounted for all the sponsored children! In addition, they were there almost immediately passing out emergency supplies. One staff member reported a flood victim saying how reassuring it was to see familiar staff there with emergency supplies!

Thanks to all for your interest and support!

Jim Cook

Flood Relief Efforts Continue in the Philippines

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 by Kelly Nix

Thanks to all of you who continue to hold the people of the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers.

No doubt you’ve followed the situation in the news. To say matters are grim would be an understatement. Our child sponsorship agency staff in the Manila area continues to work tirelessly to track down sponsored children and their families at different shelters to verify their wellbeing and ensure their basic needs are met.

As we receive news from the field, we’ll be updating it on our website, www.children.org. Please continue to click the “Emergency Alert” button on our homepage as your first source for the latest information from our staff at ground zero.