Christmas Package Received- Sayonika in India

Post by Dorothee:
And here are photos of Sayonika in India. Her photos are actually quite dark - it looks like they took them at dusk outside.

And her thank you letter: (I got this in December actually!)
"Dear Dorothee,
I start my letter with best wishes. I hope you all are well. We are all fine. My school has re-opened after our holidays for Durga Puja festival. We had sports in our school and I participated in it. I am doing well in studies. I am very happy to receive from you a stuffed toy (baby elephant) and a red beaded wristlet. I have worn the wristlet on my wrist. I have kept the toy elephant with care and I play with it on holidays. I thank you for the lovely gifts. I end my letter with love and regards,
Yours,
Sayonika"
She seems happy but I do hope that she doesn't keep the elephant just for holidays!

Nisha's Fundraiser is Compete!!

Thank you to all who helped get this fundraiser funded!!! Nisha and her brother will now get the tutoring they need!! What a great gift to give some one- an education!!!

iGive Check #2 Has Arrived!!

Our second iGive check has arrived!! It is very exciting because this one allowed for $37.58 to be disbursed into both current fundraisers we have going on. If you are not already signed up with iGive, make sure to get signed up and put Make a Change as the beneficiary! It makes funding these fundraisers go smoother for sure! I, also, put in my personal contribution as did John, so both fundraisers are looking better! Nisha needs less than $68!! Her link is here http://www.firstgiving.com/tutoringfor3siblings
And Maria needs a little under $300. Her link is here:
http://www.firstgiving.com/igpformaria

Thanks for all you do!!

Nisha's Fundraiser

Nisha's fundraiser is going well, and e only need $150 more to complete it! Yay!! This fundraiser will pay for tutoring so that the children can excel in school. If you would like to help this great cause, you can donate via this link: http://www.firstgiving.com/tutoringfor3siblings . Thank you in advance!!

Christmas Package Update Again

I have been extremely overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done both in my home and outside of my home. Because of this, I have had to push the package deadlines out. I am so happy that we are on the last 2 countries!! I am pulling and packing up India now. I have more items to post for CHZ, so I have extended the order deadline. I will get the stuff photo'd and hopefully uploaded by tonight. This will give you a chance to make your final decisions of what you want. Sorry for the delay! Here are the new deadlines below:

India (Sahay office only)= orders due by 9/25/10- money due by 9/30/10

Zambia (Child Hope Zambia orders only)= orders due by 9/30/10- money due by 10/3/10

Christmas Package Update

I am pushing the shipping of the last three packages forward because I am a little behind. For those of you with Christmas package orders for the previous countries, please make sure that you pay your shipping portion today, so that I can get the packages shipped. The shipping payment can be paid via paypal to lecountmc@hotmail.com If you are unsure of how much shipping you owe, e-mail me at that same e-mail address for a total.

For the rest of the countries, here is the new shipping schedule:

Ecuador= orders due by 9/22/10- money due by 9/25/10

India (Sahay office only)= orders due by 9/25/10- money due by 9/28/10

Zambia (Child Hope Zambia orders only)= orders due by 9/28/10- money due by 10/2/10

Update Christmas Packages

I am not able to post pictures right now. We are over the limit on free space, so I have purchased additional space... But, there is a delay for it to hit the account. I hope it hits soon because you know how I love to post pics!!! In the meantime, these ugly no picture posts will have to do. Here are the countries that you can still order for:

Ecuador= orders due by 9/22/10- money due by 9/24/10

India (Sahay office only)= orders due by 9/25/10- money due by 9/27/10

Zambia (Child Hope Zambia orders only)= orders due by 9/28/10- money due by 9/30/10

Happy Notes to India

Another package/letter is off to the Srinu sisters today. It is quite a lot to put together because there are 3 of them. I want to send all 3 something at one time, so it takes three times as long. Shana wanted to send them some bracelets, so I had to get those ready as well. Jaden drew them each a unique picture. Then, I included short questionnaires for them to fill out should the mood strike them (which with everything they are going through, I think it may not happen any time soon). Then, each one of them got a different picture of the girls and a different charm on their bracelet. I can't wait to see pictures of them with the items we sent. I HOPE that the bracelets can put at least a small smile on their faces. Stay tuned- We should have pictures of them with their items in about 2 to 3 weeks!

A Very Sad Day for the Srinu Girls

We received pictures of the 3 girls in India that Jaden sent drawings to. I sent 3 simple letters along with the drawings, in hopes of giving them a person to talk to. Their mother passed away just a short while ago, and now their father is not doing well. As you can tell by their faces, it is a very rough time. I inquired about the girls' HIV status because no one had mentioned it. I wondered if they had ever been tested, Well, it turns out that they hadn't. Pastor Frances took them to the hospital for their tests. One came back positive!! Strangely, it was the oldest, Hari with the positive test!! That means the parents have had it for at least 13 years!! Plus, how did the other two come out negative when the parents didn't know to do the retrovirals inutero, and not breast feed, etc. How did they come up negative? I am happy they did, but it is a strange chain of events. I, also, will never understand why people don't get their kids tested when they see themselves dying. I know it sux to know your child is sick too, but the sooner you know the sooner you can start treatment.

Ok, so now we have the treatment part. We are looking into that now to see what can be done for Hari. Most countries now have a program that provides HIV medication and checkups, but I know nothing about India.

Now is the time to wrap ourselves even closer to the children and give our support! If you would like to send cards or uplifting letters, join the group!
[Friends_of_the_Srinu_Family_and_Vardanapu_Family] on Yahoo!

Letters and Drawings to 3 Girls in Mourning

Jaden worked hard on making pictures for 3 girls who just lost their mother to AIDS. She wanted them to be cheerful. I wrote letters to all three of them to go along with the drawings. The 3 little girls, ages 8, 10, and 12 are in a very difficult situation. They are now watching their father die! I can not imagine how these children all over the world dealing with this disease are able to cope with so much loss and despair in their short lifetimes!! (and to think I am currently bothered by my sinus infection!)

CI Christmas Gifts 2009

One of the great things about CI is that the kids get 4 special gifts every year (regardless of whether the sponsor has sent them anything special just for them), Greg at CI just released this list of what the kids will be receiving this year for Christmas:

The following are items that the children will receive for Christmas
this year:

Cartagena
A brand-new pair of jeans and two t-shirts.

Chile
A shirt and a zip-up vest.

Honduras
Boys – A new pair of pants that can be used as part of a school
uniform.
Girls – A skirt.

Sahay
A LED lantern and flashlight.

Santo Domingo
Boys – A new pair of dress pants.
Girls- A brand new skirt.

Manila
A new outfit.

Jalisco
Children ages 2 to 10 - A new outfit consisting of a pair of pants and
a white polo-style shirt.
Children ahes 11+: A pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

Quezon City
The opportunity to choose a new outfit from a variety of clothing
choices.

Zambia
Girls – A new dress.
Boys – A new pair of jeans and a short-sleeved shirt.

Tabaco
A portable mattress.

Guatemala
Boys – A new pair of jeans.
Girls – A new sweater.

Barranquilla
Two new shirts and a pair of jeans.

Legaspi
The opportunity to choose a brand new outfit.

Quito
Boys ages 2 to 10 - A shirt that can be used as part of a school
uniform or for everyday wear, plus a soccer ball.
Girls ages 2 to 10 - A new blouse that is appropriate for school wear,
and a fashion doll with accessories.
Boys and Girls ages 11+: A shirt that meets the requirements for a
school uniform and three pairs of socks.

Guayaquil
Boys and Girls ages 2 to 8 - A new polo-style shirt and a toy.
Boys and Girls ages 9 to 10 – A water bottle and a new shirt.
Boys and Girls ages 11+: A new shirt.

Little Rock
A warm winter jacket and a holiday stocking filled with school
supplies and sugarless candy.

Did you say that you needed someone to help?

Look at these faces!!!! These are only a batch of pictures that I have in front of me that are for the children waiting for their turn in the fundraising line!!! Every child has a story to pull at your heart-strings. It is difficult right now as we try to get through this slow time for donations.

Each one of these families has special & urgent needs. I am glad that they will each get a chance. There are still several requests waiting for responses from the field. If your name is on this list, and you have the SNQuote & pics back from CI, please forward them ASAP. I need to set up the pages for these:

Robyn

Jennifer

Su (I need the pics only)

Steve

Stephanie

OK... Now, based on the list of ones we are waiting for responses for, I am pretty sure some of there kids on this blog will get their fundraisers bumped up. We already have a lot of kids waiting for our help (as you can see), so hopefully, we will get the other responses soon.

I will start project #14 on October 1st, and we will just keep plugging along on these fundraisers. The key is to never forget WHY we are doing what we are doing!!!

I have such a unique "job" (albeit un-paid). I get to know each one of these children as I set up their pages, look at their pictures, and hear about them from their sponsors. I feel like I have 50 sponsor kids all to myself!!!! I am so grateful that all of you have chosen to share your experiences, love, devotion, and monetary contributions with the group.

Together we are changing lives, one child at a time!!

Special Hug Day

Here is a list of what your sponsor kids will receive on Special Hug day this year:
The following are the presents families will receive for Special Hug
Day:
Cartagena and Barranquilla – The families will receive a new set of
sheets and a white hand towel.
Valparaiso, Disha, Sahay, and Santo Domingo – The families will
receive a new set of sheets.
San Pedro Sula – The families will receive one plastic water container
and one bottle of liquid water purifier.
Manila – The families will receive a dish organizer and protector and
a set of mugs.
Jalisco – The families will receive two cotton bath towels.
Quezon City – The families will receive a plastic water storage
container and tumblers.
Zambia – The families will receive a set of eight enamel dinner
plates.
Tabaco – The families will receive a sturdy thermos and a set of
plates.
Guatemala City – The families will receive a large plastic container
with a lid and one cotton sheet.
Legaspi – The families will receive a plastic water container with a
lid and a spigot.
Quito – The families will receive one bag of groceries filled with
rice, lentils and pasta.
Guayaquil – The families will receive a 12-piece set of dishes.
Rural Guatemala – The families will receive a plastic storage
container and new bedding.

Fundraiser Update

I promised an update... Sorry it will be short, but it will be an update... I will be working every day for the next few days, so squeezing in a post is difficult. I do have a couple of things I want to say, though...

We have now completed 10 fundraisers!!! Fundraiser #9 completed today, and the emergency fundraiser, also, funded!!! Wondering how $300 was raised for the emergency project in less than 24 hours time? Dana set up a raffle amoungst her friends. She raffled off a $60 item & raised $300!!! Instead of just donating the $60, she thought she could raise more by buying a $60 item and raffling it off. Her investment quintupled (is that a word? LOL!)... Whatever, it was matched 5 times over!!!

I thought her idea of a raffle would be a great idea for others that may want to do the same. Especially as we get to these larger projects, we will need to think outside the box and become creative to get them funded. So, keep that in mind. Anyone else with ideas, send them my way, and I will post them for all to see.

Fundraiser #10 is our last small fundraiser, so now is the time for ideas!

Here is fundraiser #10 for "little diego": http://www.firstgiving.com/helpfordiego

Diego is Heather G's sponsor child. Make sure to check out his page. Thank you for your continued support!

Emergency Project Fundraiser #1

The special needs request provided was to start an IGP. Due to the cyclone, the money may be better spent building a new home. I am providing the special needs break down. While the money could be used for the IGP, it will be up to the family (with CI's assistance) to decide what they need the most. $500 will go to the field office in India,who will contact the family and determine their urgent needs. Here is a few paragraphs from Camille (Kanika's sponsor):
The project that Kanika's family would like to start is a rice business. They would purchase rice from a wholesale market and sell the same rice in the retail market. They would require 12.5 quintals of rice to start, which would cost $304.00 and would be very beneficial to the family and enable them to earn an extra $16.00 a month approximately.They also need:1 bicycle1 wooden table2 plastic chairsWhich would cost $100. I think they would be using this to transport the rice and as their vending table. So the total that they need if we were to fund both parts would be $404.00
They currently are 5 people in the household (with no house)- mom, dad, an older sister (4 years older) and a relative. They make $21.00 a month. She is 9 years old and loves school and drawing. She has been warming up and opening up more in her letters- it is sweet. her father is a daily worker and her mother a homemaker. They lost their mud house in the recent flooding 3 weeks ago and are currently displaced and living with relatives in the area. Their house is completely ruined, all of their possessions are gone except for the clothes they were wearing when they had to evacuate their home. Thankfully, they are all safe and healthy but in miserable conditions with all sorts of disease festering in the standing water and mud. They used to get their water from a community pump and the only sanitary facilities are an open field. (Which also contaminates the water now I would imagine...) They are receiving aid from CI and another agency- like all of the people in their area. They fortunately own the land their home was on and have a title to it. It is possible that they can go back and rebuild a stronger structure in the future- which I would like to be able to work towards.
It is so sad because they had been making strides towards a happier, healthier life- I had been able to fund having electricity put in their home so they had light at night (just one bulb), and had purchased furniture and kitchen utensils, pots and pans etc as well as food and clothing and shoes. But it is all gone now. Very sad.

http://www.firstgiving.com/emergencyproject

Speaking of a Minga...

Photos taken from the CI news courtesy of Reuters

I have been approached by a fellow sponsor regarding an emergency situation. On of our own google group sponsors has been affected by the recent disaster in India. Her sponsored child Kanika and Kanika's family lost their mud home to the disaster. Now homeless, with only the clthes on their backs, they need our help.

At first I wasn't sure about what to do. We have fundraisers lined up that are waiting for special needs break downs from the field, and I don't want to push those fundraisers out of the way. After a couple of days of thought, I came up with a plan.

Starting now, we will, also, have emergency projects for times like these. Emergency projects will run concurrently with the regular fundraisers. To qualify for an "emergency" fundraiser, you would be a sponsor that receives a call from CI notifying you of your child's precarious situation. Due to the situation, we will set up a fundraiser to raise $500 to be used as the family needs it (without waiting for a special needs request to be returned). However, you (as the sponsor) will still need to abide by the "pay it forward" concept to get your fundraiser started. This is a "one for all and all for one" group, so I am thinking we are all on the same page about this.

Be thinking of Kanika and the others that were impacted by the most recent disasters. I will be posting her fundraiser as soon as I get the site up.

Here is more information from CI's web-site regarding the Cyclone in India:

Kolkata, India – A team of relief workers from Children International, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization, is assessing the damage left in the wake of Cyclone Aila which hit Kolkata (Calcutta), India, on Monday, May 25. Hundreds of children and families supported by the organization are seeking shelter in schools and emergency centers after the rains flooded their homes and destroyed their belongings.

Officials report 70 mph winds damaged over 4,000 homes when the cyclone made landfall. The high winds uprooted trees, damaged buildings, and knocked out communications, while resulting floodwaters washed out public transportation as well as 5,000 acres of land which these farm communities rely on to support themselves.Children International is providing emergency assistance in the form of food, medicines, water-purification tablets, and other supplies.

The school year

Greg from CI posted the school year schedule on the forum, but I wanted to put it here as a reference to look back to. I didn't know there were so many differences:

Chile: March - December

Colombia: 2 Semesters: February to June, and July to November.

Dominican Republic: September - June

Ecuador:
*Guayaquil: May - February
*Quito: Mid-Sept - Mid-June

Guatemala: January 15 - October 31

Honduras: February - November

India: June - March

Mexico: September - June

Philippines: June - March

Zambia's school year begins in January and consists
of three terms. April, August and December are vacation months.