Angel Covers: January 2006

A Look Back at 2005

This past year has been one of amazing accomplishments, and the accomplishements have come about because the hard work and effort of those who support us. Education was and continues to be a large focus for us. We spend so much time talking about what needs to be done for children, that I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about all of the amazing things you have made possible.

Tibet

In partnership with Love Without Boundaries, we started a sponsorship program at the Wenle School in QingHai. There are currently 54 students at this school in the autonomous Tibetan region, and they all have sponsors. What a tremendous difference this makes for the children. Keeping them in school and providing hope for a better future. In the next year we will also have sponsorship programs at the RhenZhen school and the XiangGen school. These programs will also be done in partnership with Love Without Boundaries. At RhenZhen the children sit outside year round and learn from the monks. It has been their desire to have a school building. Thanks to a very successful Gifts From the World auction in November, Angel Covers and Love Without Boundaries were able to make a school building a reality. There is work to be done to remodel the building and fundraising is underway to make that happen. Thinking of the children sitting outside this time of year to study is heartbreaking. We are happy that their unbending desire to learn will be aided this next year by a school building, and know sponsorships can take them even farther.

China

In China, 2005 has seen the purchase of more and more bouncers to get babies out of cribs and stimulated, including the purchase of over 500 at the end of the year. One orphange has used their bouncy seats so much they have worn out and requested new ones. What a wonderful thing to hear! Cribs have also been purchased for many orphanges. Thanks to the support from many parent groups, much has been accomplished in making a difference for their children's former home. It is great to see the compassion and caring given back to the orphanages to support the children who remain. We were excited to continue supporting education efforts in China, and starting a relationship with the foster care program in Guiyang. The special needs children in this program will have a brighter future as the foster parents gain the tools needed to promote their developmental needs

Humble Hearts

In the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya we were excited to see Angel Cottage become a reality. The deaf children who attend the Humble Hearts School for the Deaf now have a place to live, which means they don't have to walk extreme distances putting themsevles in danger to attend a school able to meet their special needs. We were also excited to see new classrooms built that will better meet the schools needs. The sponsorship program at Humble Hearts has also grown significantly. It has been great to hear about the academic accomplishments the children have made as they score well on exams. The school has continued to grow in numbers of students as well. Hearing students have been integrated into the school, helping the deaf children, who have been marginalized in the past, to become even more a part of the community. We look forward this year to the sponsorship programs continued growth and this school making an even greater difference in the community.

Waddington High School

In the Soweto slums of Nairobi, the Galilee Primary School and Waddington High School continue to make tremendous progress through the support and efforts of many sponsors. Waddington High School completed its first year and has just begun its second class of students. Through a generous donation, the tremendous progress was made towards completing the building. The original plans for six classrooms was completed. One will be used for a library and one for a lab. With the money that remained, progress was made on an additional two classrooms. The sponsorship program for the high school also continues to grow. As the second class of students began this month, more sponsors became necessary. We will continue to work towards finding sponsorship for all students in the school. Education is so important for these children. It is their best chance at competing for a job and breaking the cycle of poverty they live in. It is also the best chance they have of avoiding the AIDS pandemic that plagues sub-Saharan Africa.

Galilee Primary School

Galilee Primary School has seen expanded classroooms, a tremdous increase in desks, books and school supplies. This has resulted in the students learning more, higher test scores and an increased hope within the children about their future. The lunch program has also been greatly expanded. With the income from this program and the increased number of sponsors, more children are receiving lunch at school. Many of the children do not receive regular meals at home, so the lunch program is extremely important not only for their nutrition, but to help them concentrate as they receive an education. The school has continued to grow as well. Successful schools like Galilee and Waddington attract new students. We will continue to work towards the goal of finding sponsors for every child. It takes so little of an investment to make tremendous differences for a child.

Holly House

Along with the progress, comes programs that need more help. Holly House has continued to take children in and provide them with a safe and loving home. More children wait in true need. Holly House can hold 25 children very comfortably. However, Holly House is currently home to 42 children. Beds are being shared, store rooms are being utilized to house children, every available inch is being stretched farther than it should be. Additionally, the waiting list of children who need a home such as this continues to grow. A new home is desparately needed. In 2005, we began the work of raising funds for a new home in partnership with Packages of Hope. We have been able to purchase the land where the home will be built. Fundraising has begun for the home itself, but will require more effort. Looking forward to 2006, we hope to make this the year a new home is built. All children deserve a safe, comfortable place to live.

Russia

Our support to orphanages in Russia greatly increased in 2005. The end of the year saw our first purchase of bouncers, which will be shipped to Russia soon! We were so excited to reach this milestone. Medicine, clothes, food and other essentials top the list of items we were able to provide orphanages in need. It was a thrill to be able to purchase a hot water system for an orphanage that did not have any hot water. We know the children will be thrilled to have hot water for bathing. Seeing the children enjoy the new playground where there was no place to play before was quite exciting. Our partnerships in Russia continued to grow. We were excited to be able to help with a transitional program for teens this last year and look forward to continuing to make a difference in this area.

There was so much more that happened in 2005. Blankets and supplies to other orphanages in numerous countries, chicken programs started, the beginning of a sponsorship program for children from Maasai villages, and the list goes on. We can't thank you enough for the continued support and encouragement we receive. We never believe we help all of these children alone. It is only with your support that amazing things are accomplished. 2005 was a very exciting year. We look forward to 2006, which is already off to a tremendous start, and all of the things it will bring for children around the world!

Have a great month!

Kari
Director, Angel Covers