Angel Covers: February 2006

As I was searching the right words to convey my thoughts, I received the quote from Didi Ananda Ruchira, the Director of the Abha Light Foundation in an e-mail. It was exactly what I was trying to say. It is very easy to feel pity for someone. We hear about so many tragic situations and our hearts just break in pity for the people who suffer through them. But it's not enough! We have to move beyond just a sense of pity for people who suffer, move beyond saying, "That's so sad," and never giving a second thought to the plight of so many others. It has always been our desire to have the compassion that not only recognizes how difficult and awful the circumstances that have been dealt to so many children around the globe, but searches and finds ways to alleviate the suffering of these children. We want to step in and make a difference in their lives and help to provide hope for their future. With your help, this is happening. Lives are being changed and children are being helped!

A new year...

A new year always brings to a close everything from the previous year. Sales tax has to be paid for items we sold, reports have to be completed for outlining the year. Our 2005 Annual Report is complete and available on the web. We will post our federal financial paperwork as soon as the reports are completed.

They need your help...

Children's lives are changed when others get involved. We were very excited to see so much growth in our sponsorship programs last year. We have been working to expand these programs, not only by adding more children in the programs, but by reaching out to help provide education in new areas. Last year Angel Covers partnered with Love Without Boundaries for the educational program in QingHai. We are incredibly grateful to our QingHai sponsors and have all children in that program sponsored. This year that partnership is growing. We are currently working to find sponsors for children at a boarding school in XiangGen. For as little as $10 a month you can make a tremendous difference that will keep these orphans and children who live in extreme poverty in school. Our program for children from Maasai Villages is also growing. There are currently children available in a new village. Sponsorship will keep these children in school. Programs at Humble Hearts, Galilee Primary School and Waddington High School all continue to grow rapidly. With the beginning of a new school year in January, there are many children in these programs who wait for sponsors. Some programs offer the ability to be more involved than just a monthly sponsorship payment. Through writing the children letters and sending small gifts you can make an even greater difference. Find the program that is right for you and begin making a direct difference in the life of a child today!

Why sponsorships? We get asked frequently why do we need sponsorships to pay for tuition in Kenya, isn't school in Kenya free? The short answer is no. Kenya, for example did abolish tuition fees making primary education free. The catch is that "free" education still costs money. The Kenyan government only has so much money for education. Teachers salaries have to be paid, buildings have to be taken care of. Without the tuition money, schools now have to find other sources for books and supplies while taking on an increased number of children. The bottom line is that there is not enough money for the schools in Kenya's primary education system, and there are not enough schools for all of the children. The schools we work with were not part of the school system the government funded when education became "free". Even the free education schools have found ways to limit the number of children. Compulsory uniforms, or other fees that are not "tuition" are very common. The children we work with come from families that cannot always afford food. There simply is not money for items like a school uniform or other fees required for students to attend school. Many schools, like the ones we work with, exist to help fill this gap and make education available for children who otherwise wouldn't receive even a primary education.

To compete for jobs and break the cycle of poverty the children need a high school education. A secondary education is not included in the "free" education programs like those in Kenya. The only way for a student to attend secondary school is to have a family who can afford it, through sponsorships, or some other form of outside help. Sponsorships also have an additional affect of providing hope for a child. It tells them there is someone out there in the world who cares about their situation and their life. That hope alone can be life changing.

What about college?

Angel Covers was privileged to pay the tuition for an orphan to attend college in the Guangdong province of China. She was the first orphan in the province to attend college. Her college tuition more recently has been paid for by a local individual. It is always great when a community solution can be found. Recently we were approached with another situation. In Kenya, at the base of Mt. Elgon along the Uganda border there is a very poor village. This village has no medical care at all. The village has worked hard to train individuals in things that can help the entire village. There is a young man in this village who has the opportunity to attend a nursing school and bring medical care to the village. Julius does not come from a family who has the means to pay for nursing school. The first year of school would cost $900. If anyone would like to sponsor Julius, we, along with Julius and the entire village would be thrilled. Although we were unable to raise the funds for him to begin this semester, we are working in connection with Village Volunteers to have him admitted for the mid year semester. We know that $900 a year is a large sponsorship. In response to this and a growing need for advanced education to help communities and individuals progress in Africa, Angel Covers is thrilled to announce the formation of a scholarship fund for higher education in Africa. We will start by sending Julius to school and in doing so bring medical care to a remote and poor village that has none. We will continue to send boys and girls to college through our local contacts and programs if money is available in the scholarship fund.

A place to live...

Every child should have a place to live; a place that is home, safe, where they can be cared for and know their needs will be met. For many children this is not a reality. As the AIDS pandemic continues to take its toll across the continent of Africa, children become orphans daily. As their last parent is critically ill and dying they are evicted from their homes because the parent is unable to work and pay the rent. Some children are cared for by neighbors, others by relatives, many end up on the street. Holly House was founded in Nairobi to care for these children who have no home. They come at all ages. Recently, six more children were added to Holly House. While this may sound like a solution for these children, it has also become its own problem. By 2010 it is estimated that there will be over 18 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. With the recent addition of six children, there are now close to 50 children at Holly House; a home designed for 25. Thanks to the efforts of sponsors at Holly House and the Galilee School, temporary provision has been made to rent some additional space to house the children. Continuing to rent additional space is very expensive and means that sponsorship dollars are not achieving their maximum benefit for the children. It is very difficult to make ends meet if all of the children are not sponsored. Since last summer Angel Covers, in partnership with Packages of Hope, has been working to raise funds to build a new home. A home that is owned and not rented. The land has been purchased and initial funds have been raised but we have a long ways to go. Ideally we would like to see construction begin this summer. At times it can seem like an overwhelming goal, but we know that every $5 donation gets us a step closer. While we can't house the 18 million children by 2010, we can continue to make a difference for the children at Holly House and the ones who will come to the door in the future. All we have to do is take action. Can you help us build a new home?

Small things get in the way...

The solutions to help children lead a normal life are often quite small. We recently learned about a 12 year old boy in Xuzhou China. A normal life has always been out of reach because he needs a set of hearing aids. With a set of hearing aids schools in Xuzhou will work with deaf children and prepare them for a integrated school classroom. We are working with contacts to arrange a set of hearing aids for this young man. It will be wonderful if we are able to get him a set of hearing aids and he is able to receive an education. We'll keep you informed on the progress.

On their way...

Project Tigger never ceases to amaze me. Such a simple thing as a bouncer...so important for children who desparately need the stimulation of being out of a crib, and yet the bouncy seats were never an option. We received confirmation that the 550 bouncers are on their way to the orphanages in China. By the time we finish sending this newsletter, they will probably have arrived. The 50 bouncers being sent to Russia are on their way. I can't wait to hear the difference that the bouncy seats make for the children in Russia. Thank you to everyone who continues to support this program!

After the orphanage...

What happens when a child grows up and the orphanage is no longer home? That question alone has many different answers based on the location of the orphanage. In Russia, generally the teens are sent out of the orphanage on their own at the age of 14. Far too young to attempt to find their way in society without any help or training. For a few girls in Russia, there is a transitional home helping these girls learn skills, how to manage money, and helping prepare them for the road ahead. This two year program provides the girls with the opportunity to do more than turn to prostitution and drugs. Angel Covers was happy to be able to purchase computers for The Harbor, enabling the girls to learn even more skills. We continue to develop our contacts in Russia, and are seeing many exciting things happening.

What others are doing...

There are always so many people finding ways to raise money or support. We want to be sure to tell you about the wonderful things they are doing. This month we want to tell you about a man in England, Alex. Alex is using the Edinburgh Half Marathon in March to raise money for the purchase of mosquito nets to be distributed in Africa. Alex had been working with Richard, the Director of Mosquito Nets R Us, on the idea when they contacted Angel Covers looking for an organization to distribute the nets. We were very excited and honored to be approached, and have been working on the arrangements for the delivery of the mosquito nets. Properly treated mosquito nets are a great preventative tool to combat the spread of Malaria. It can be expensive to purchase nets and have them treated. These high quality nets should last longer than many we have purchased in the past. It will be great to offer this protection to the kids. Everyone needs to cheer loudly in March as Alex runs in the half marathon. If you would like to cheer him on with a donation towards the purchase of nets we know he would appreciate it. Be sure to put "Mosquito Nets" in the notes box on your donation! Alex hopes to raise enough funds for at least 200 new nets!

Did you know...

that at the end of the last decade there were approximately 155 million malnourished children in this world? Over half of those children live in southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (statistical data from UNICEF).

Children of the month...

This month we are happy to feature brothers from Eastern Europe. Due to country rules we are not able to send their photos. Alexander, born 7/7/96, and Alexei, born 10/10/99, are brothers who are waiting for a family of their own. They have lived in the orphanage since March 2002 after the death of their mother. Alexander is exceptionally bright, and talented in sports, art, poetry and school in general. He is the pride of the orphanage staff. He misses his younger brother, who is housed in a different orphanage because of their age difference. Alexei is a very cute, social boy who loves to play and enjoys music classes. He is an obedient and affectionate child. He is very interested in school, and his language skills are on target. They look forward to being reunited when they join their new family.

If you are the family that can reunite these brothers, or are interested in learning more about adoption from Eastern Europe, please contact the Diane or Dacia at Children's Home Society & Family Services. 1-800-952-9302 or by e-mail at welcome@chsfs.org.

A sad time...

We found out just a few days ago that a 5 year old at Humble Hearts has died. It is devastating to the staff at the school when one of the children dies. They work so hard to bring in children who are not attending school and to provide them with hope. We join them in their sorrow as we say goodbye to Sandra. Sandra's death is one that was caused by economic conditions. In the slums where she lived the only toilets were a ways from her house. There is no running water in the tin one or two room shacks that are homes for families in the slums. Sandra was crossing a railroad track as she was headed to use the bathroom. The train startled her and she froze. Sandra was thrown from the tracks, but the medical care available at the clinic in the slum was not capable of handling her extensive injuries. They attempted to transport her to a hospital, but she died on the way as she had lost too much blood. Our sympathy extends to Sandra's family as well as her school friends and teachers. No child should have to die simply because he or she needs to use the restroom.

*****

We know the number of children's lives we are able to touch through our programs is small compared to the number of children in this world who desperately need help. But, it is always exciting to see our programs and partnerships expand. It gives us hope that yet another child will have a chance to rise above the poverty and circumstances they live with today. Every child won't succeed, but it is enough to give them hope and the opportunity to try. Some will succeed. They will become the next teacher who touches a future generation, the next doctor who brings care to people that have none, or even the next political leader who changes policy and programs to help an entire nation emerge. There is so much potential inside each of these children. Through true compassion, we can unlock this potential and help open the doors for a brighter future. Thank you for partnering with us and opening your heart to make a difference in the lives of children!

Kari
Director, Angel Covers