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?
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Typhoon Ketsana landed in the Philippines on September 25th, bringing with it heavy rain that flooded much of Manila and Quezon City.
People were forced to swim to safety through several feet of water in the streets.
When the water had receded enough to survey the damage, countless families found many of their possessions wet and unusable.
Children International's community centers were not immune to the destruction.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
I’m sure you’re aware at this point of the tragic events surrounding the typhoon-induced flooding in the Philippines. Our staff in the Manila area are scrambling to assess the situation.
What we do know is that the damages are staggering. Thousands of families have been displaced; the last information we received indicated the death toll from the flooding was at least 140 people…and we can only imagine more sad news will come in once rescuers are able to reach remote areas.
We appreciate all of you who are thinking of and praying for all the children and families, sponsored or not, in the Philippines. It’s very difficult to communicate with the field under these circumstances, and our staff there has its hands full dealing with the emergency. Nevertheless, they are doing a very good job of contacting us as often as possible with updates.
Whenever we do receive substantial updates, we’ll be posting the information to our main website, www.children.org. Please visit the homepage frequently and click on the “Emergency Alert” button to learn the latest news.
Thanks again. It’s because of people like you that we’re able to be there to respond to tragedies like this one.
"My sponsor makes me happy because my mom cannot buy shoes for me, and my sponsor gives me shoes for school. It is nice to write to my sponsor because it's like having a friend, and I like to have friends.
I would like to tell my sponsor I enjoy playing at the park in the slides. If I could, I would like to take my sponsor to play together in the slides, and I would give her a big smile. That is how I would show her how happy I am for the help I get."
Sarahi (right) with her sister Wendy.
Photo and reporting assistance by Cecilia Carrión, Communications Coordinator for Children International in Quito, Ecuador.
After Soledad’s parents traded her to a man twice her age for a bottle of moonshine, she never imagined she’d find a way to escape her misery. Then, years later, in a desperate attempt to help her kids, she discovered Children International…
Taking matters in her own hands, Soledad enrolled three of her children in Children International’s sponsorship program: 6-year-old Maritza,* 4-year-old José,* and 9-year-old Ana.* Through sponsorship, her children receive school supplies and uniforms, material support and health care.
Ana* is perhaps the luckiest. Children International covered the costs to repair a heart defect she’d had since birth. (Staff members at our Quito agency even donated blood to her when they learned there was a shortage at the local hospital.) Help like that, Soledad admits, gives her reason to believe in a better future.
“I haven’t been able to do much in my own life,” she says, “but I’m working hard so my kids can at least achieve reasonable careers – maybe not something extraordinary, but something where they can have a good life.”
She’s helping her two oldest daughters, María,* 14, and Nadia,* 12, study to be seamstresses at a school near the airport, and she hopes she’ll soon be able to make a down payment on a sewing machine so they can perfect their trade and get good jobs.
Now when Soledad looks out into the distance, she no longer sees her life disappearing before her eyes. With the support of sponsorship, she sees opportunities for her children, and that’s enough to fill her heart with hope.
*Names have been changed to protect the indentities of those mentioned.
Damon Guinn is a senior staff writer with Children International.
Marelvis Campo, Communications Coordinator for our child sponsorship agency in Cartagena, Colombia, has been part of the CI team for the past eight years.
Marelvis holds a degree in Journalism and Social Communication. Prior to joining Children International, she worked in radio and television in local and regional markets within Colombia. She began working for CI as an intern, but very soon, says Marelvis, “I realized this was where I needed to be; I needed to apply everything I had learned to the organization to show people the work Children International does to help the poorest and neediest children of the city.”
Children International’s Communications Coordinators (CCs) are the field correspondents who report on the stories and news items that later appear in our print and Web publications. According to Marelvis, a typical day for a CC might include visiting community centers, where they are joined by community volunteers prior to launching out into the community to visit children’s homes for photos and interviews. They walk through the neighborhoods seeking information, taking pictures, chatting with people and interviewing children and their families to gain a better understanding of how the program is impacting their lives. Then, at the end of the day, they travel back to the office and begin to compile the information they obtained to be transmitted to our writers in Kansas City.
When asked about her favorite memories of her job, Marelvis immediately speaks of working with a young girl with osteogenesis imperfecta, or Brittle Bone Disease. “In spite of her disabilities, she was able to finish grade school, and she’s close to graduating from high school,” she recalls. “When I learned of her story, I interviewed her and she told me she dreamed of having a computer so she could do her homework. I shared her wish with a friend who works for a local newspaper. Stirred by this girl’s efforts and by her mother’s great love for her, my friend wrote a special Mother’s Day feature about the girl’s mother. As a result, a kind reader donated a computer for the girl so her wish could come true.
“One very special moment for me,” reflects Marelvis, “was when I realized that even small efforts mean a great deal to the people for whom we work.”
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.
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