Since I received FOUR letters from sponsored children on Monday, I decided to "ration" them and only open one a day. That way the excitement would last longer! Yesterday I opened a letter from Samuel. (I got two from him on Monday.) The letter turned out to be his CP letter- a response to the first letter I wrote to him when I began sponsoring him at the end of June. He wrote in English, with very nice printing. Here is what Samuel had to say:
"Dear Ms. Nicole,
How are you? I hope that you and your family are in good condition always. My name is Samuel J---- but my family and my friends call me Chao as my nick name. I'm fourteen years old and I'm in second year High School as of now. My parents are already pass away, from now on our older brothers are taking care of us, helping us in our daily needs and in our studies. I have six sisters and three brothers. I live here in province of Albay near at the famous Mayon Volcano.
I love to sing and dance, I also love painting and put decorations in our school and in our house. Most of all I love gardening, I plant more flowering plants and vegetables. I have lot of friends here and we are always together walking going to school. I wake-up at four a.m. [!!] so that I prepare all the things that I need in my studies. I also love reading books at night and study my lessons. I am happy to have you as my new sponsor.
Thank you and God Bless you always! Your sponsored child, Samuel J----"
It's a wonderful letter, full of interesting little details about his daily life. That's the stuff I really like to learn- stuff like that he gets up at 4am to get ready for school, and that his nickname is Chao. He says he is 14, but his family report says he's 13- I think I believe him over the report. It's easy to get a detail like birth year wrong on a report, but most people do know how old they are, I think! Also, his family report lists all six of his sisters, but only one brother. I'm assuming the two "missing" brothers are adults. Listed brother is 22, other siblings are 17-27, with some younger ones too.
His family report also says that his parents are deceased, which I was kind of surprised to see him mention so candidly. I certainly didn't ask about his parents in my welcome letter, because I was aware they were no longer alive.
He sounds like a talented, happy, fun young man and I am glad to be getting to know him!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
First Letter From Elizabeth!
I've sponsored Elizabeth since mid-July 2010. She is 5 years old and lives in Zambia. Today I got my first letter from her! Well, it wasn't written by her, because she is so young and hasn't been to school yet, but it was written by her cousin Martha. Here's what they had to say:
"Dear sponsor,
Greetings to you and your family. Back here I'm fine with Elizabeth and the family. Thanks for choosing to sponsor my cousin. I really appreciate. Elizabeth likes playing with dolls, her favourite colour is blue. She likes eating nshima or rice with fish and vegetables. Wishing you all the best. Yours, Martha K-------"
It's a short letter, but very nice. I love learning little details about my sponsored children's lives, like what they like to eat. And it clears up a bit of confusion I had about Elizabeth's family situation. On her family report, she's listed as living with a "Guardian" (as opposed to "relatives", which is the other option I've seen when the parents are absent.) I was very curious about who this guardian was, and what other people Elizabeth lived with. The fact that her letter was written by her cousin points to Elizabeth possibly living with an aunt/uncle/cousin family. Another possibility is that "cousin" is not an actual blood cousin, but a close family friend who is given the title "cousin" as sort of an honorary member of the family thing. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Martha continues to write letters for Elizabeth (until she can write on her own, that is), or if someone else writes the next letter.
"Dear sponsor,
Greetings to you and your family. Back here I'm fine with Elizabeth and the family. Thanks for choosing to sponsor my cousin. I really appreciate. Elizabeth likes playing with dolls, her favourite colour is blue. She likes eating nshima or rice with fish and vegetables. Wishing you all the best. Yours, Martha K-------"
It's a short letter, but very nice. I love learning little details about my sponsored children's lives, like what they like to eat. And it clears up a bit of confusion I had about Elizabeth's family situation. On her family report, she's listed as living with a "Guardian" (as opposed to "relatives", which is the other option I've seen when the parents are absent.) I was very curious about who this guardian was, and what other people Elizabeth lived with. The fact that her letter was written by her cousin points to Elizabeth possibly living with an aunt/uncle/cousin family. Another possibility is that "cousin" is not an actual blood cousin, but a close family friend who is given the title "cousin" as sort of an honorary member of the family thing. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Martha continues to write letters for Elizabeth (until she can write on her own, that is), or if someone else writes the next letter.
Samuel's Education Report
A few days ago I received Samuel's Education Report. (Samuel is my 13-year-old boy from Legazpi, Philippines.) I was very curious about how he was doing in school because poor children are especially at risk for dropping out, and the risk only increases as the child gets older. I was afraid that now that Samuel's nearly 14, he would have to quit school to work and help support his family. The Education Report helped ease my mind a little.
Samuel is in his second year of high school. He attends a public secondary school that has five concrete classrooms. The school offers year levels from first year to fourth year with two to three sections per year. About 500 students are enrolled; 60% of them are sponsored children.
It takes Samuel 20 minutes to walk to school or 10 minutes to take public transportation.
As for his grades, they are fair, and his progress in school is average. He's not receiving any special help with schoolwork, and the CI project gives him assistance in the form of school supplies. High school education in a public school doesn't require a tuition fee, so at least we don't have to be concerned about that.
Lastly, Samuel plans to continue his education! Hurrah! I hope to see him at least graduate from high school. Barring something really unfortunate happening to me (financially, I mean), I plan on sponsoring him until he graduates or leaves the program. I think it will be wonderful to see him grow and learn!
Samuel is in his second year of high school. He attends a public secondary school that has five concrete classrooms. The school offers year levels from first year to fourth year with two to three sections per year. About 500 students are enrolled; 60% of them are sponsored children.
It takes Samuel 20 minutes to walk to school or 10 minutes to take public transportation.
As for his grades, they are fair, and his progress in school is average. He's not receiving any special help with schoolwork, and the CI project gives him assistance in the form of school supplies. High school education in a public school doesn't require a tuition fee, so at least we don't have to be concerned about that.
Lastly, Samuel plans to continue his education! Hurrah! I hope to see him at least graduate from high school. Barring something really unfortunate happening to me (financially, I mean), I plan on sponsoring him until he graduates or leaves the program. I think it will be wonderful to see him grow and learn!
New Photo of Padmashree!
This photo of Padmashree was taken a couple of days after her 12th birthday, on August 14, 2010. When I saw this picture, I was surprised! (In a good way.) In her last photo, Padmashree looked like, well, a girl. A child. Now she looks like a young woman! I think part of it is the style of dress- I don't know a whole lot about traditional Indian clothing, but based on photos I've seen of other CI girls and young women, this seems to be the clothing of choice/tradition for young women. I did a little google research on Indian women's clothing and found that this outfit is called a half-saree/sari. It consists of a langa (a long skirt), a choli (a short blouse), and a shawl. Full saris are only worn by adult women.Feel free to correct me if I have made a mistake!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Letter from Chuuma!
13-year-old Chuuma's letter clarified the questions I had about her name. I'd seen her name first listed as "Hachita Nchumba", and then as "Nchuma Hachita", and then as other variations, so I was never exactly sure if I was calling her the correct name. I got used to calling her "Hachita", but in her letter she refers to herself as "Chuuma Hachita" and signs her name the same way, so I guess I was mistakenly referring to her by her surname. Oh well. Not offensive, just a mistake. Anyway, this is what Chuuma wrote: (She wrote the whole letter- she didn't use a fill-in-the-blank form like Lavenda did.)
"Dear Sponsor,
My name is Chuuma Hachita. I am in grade four at Mbiya. I am very happy to be sponsored by you. I would like to tell you that I received the mosquito net from Child Hope. I want to tell you that sponsorship will help me. I am happy to let know that I love school. One of my favorite subjects is English. One day I would like to see you. I want to say thank you for a support. I would like to hear from you soon. Your sponsored child,
Chuuma Hachita"
I ADORE this letter. I love the part where she says that one day she would like to see me. I don't exactly think a trip to Zambia is in my near future, but if it ever becomes economically realistic for me, I'll be on a plane for the 20-hour-trip in a second! Ha ha! :)
"Dear Sponsor,
My name is Chuuma Hachita. I am in grade four at Mbiya. I am very happy to be sponsored by you. I would like to tell you that I received the mosquito net from Child Hope. I want to tell you that sponsorship will help me. I am happy to let know that I love school. One of my favorite subjects is English. One day I would like to see you. I want to say thank you for a support. I would like to hear from you soon. Your sponsored child,
Chuuma Hachita"
I ADORE this letter. I love the part where she says that one day she would like to see me. I don't exactly think a trip to Zambia is in my near future, but if it ever becomes economically realistic for me, I'll be on a plane for the 20-hour-trip in a second! Ha ha! :)
Letter from Lavenda!
Today I had another very exciting mail day: I received letters from two of my four Child Hope Zambia kids, Lavenda and Nchuuma Hachita!
First up is the letter from Lavenda, age 8. She wrote a sort of a fill-in-the-blank letter, which I think is a really cool way to give the kids some ideas of what to write about. Underlined areas are what she wrote. Non-underlined areas are the prompts or questions typed on the sheet.
"Dear Sponsor,
My favorite subject in school is mathematics. I will tell you a bit about my teacher, classmates, and school house: Mrs. Chisengele. 30 girls and 30 boys= 60, 40 pictures. [I don't know if that last word is supposed to be "pictures"- I mean, that's what she wrote, but I'm not sure what she was trying to say.] My best friend's name is Purrety. What I like best about her is: we study together all the time. I would like to tell you about my family: In my family 6 are boys 10 are girls. I know my family loves me because they give me all I want all the time and all the months. [Again, she wrote "months" but I'm not sure what the intended meaning was.] One day I would like to: Be a micro bank worker. Name: Lavenda M."
First up is the letter from Lavenda, age 8. She wrote a sort of a fill-in-the-blank letter, which I think is a really cool way to give the kids some ideas of what to write about. Underlined areas are what she wrote. Non-underlined areas are the prompts or questions typed on the sheet.
"Dear Sponsor,
My favorite subject in school is mathematics. I will tell you a bit about my teacher, classmates, and school house: Mrs. Chisengele. 30 girls and 30 boys= 60, 40 pictures. [I don't know if that last word is supposed to be "pictures"- I mean, that's what she wrote, but I'm not sure what she was trying to say.] My best friend's name is Purrety. What I like best about her is: we study together all the time. I would like to tell you about my family: In my family 6 are boys 10 are girls. I know my family loves me because they give me all I want all the time and all the months. [Again, she wrote "months" but I'm not sure what the intended meaning was.] One day I would like to: Be a micro bank worker. Name: Lavenda M."
Samuel's Special Needs Report...and a BONUS EXCITING THING!
Last week I received Samuel's Special Needs Report, and my week was so busy with crazy things happening at work. (Seriously. Do I have a sign on my back that says "Please come act weird at me?") Anyway, I forgot all about sharing it. Samuel and his family's special needs, at this time, are clothing, shoes, groceries, and a sack of rice. The total cost for this will be $100.
If the Special Bonus Exciting Thing hadn't also happened last week, I would probably be sending the $100 to the Philippines for Samuel's SNG on payday. But, near the end of last week I received some VERY happy news.
Elizabeth, my CI-sponsored child from Zambia, can be enrolled in school! Her family/guardian cannot afford to send her on just the family's $70/month income, so what is needed is a $135.00 SNG from me, to cover school fees, uniform and sweater, gym clothes, shoes and socks, and school supplies. So I am going to send Elizabeth's Special Needs gift as soon as possible- it will take me a couple of paychecks to save up the $135, which works better for me than paying it all in one big chunk. After that I'll begin to work on Samuel's.
I am so happy that Elizabeth will soon be able to attend school! She'll be enrolled in nursery school- "regular" school in Zambia doesn't start until age 7. So, instead of being behind as I first feared when I learned she was 5 and not yet attending school, this will actually give her a bit of a leg up compared to some of her peers. Not that everything needs to be a big competition, but it's so nice to know she'll have that little bit of extra educational support.
If the Special Bonus Exciting Thing hadn't also happened last week, I would probably be sending the $100 to the Philippines for Samuel's SNG on payday. But, near the end of last week I received some VERY happy news.
Elizabeth, my CI-sponsored child from Zambia, can be enrolled in school! Her family/guardian cannot afford to send her on just the family's $70/month income, so what is needed is a $135.00 SNG from me, to cover school fees, uniform and sweater, gym clothes, shoes and socks, and school supplies. So I am going to send Elizabeth's Special Needs gift as soon as possible- it will take me a couple of paychecks to save up the $135, which works better for me than paying it all in one big chunk. After that I'll begin to work on Samuel's.
I am so happy that Elizabeth will soon be able to attend school! She'll be enrolled in nursery school- "regular" school in Zambia doesn't start until age 7. So, instead of being behind as I first feared when I learned she was 5 and not yet attending school, this will actually give her a bit of a leg up compared to some of her peers. Not that everything needs to be a big competition, but it's so nice to know she'll have that little bit of extra educational support.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Egda's Education Report
On Monday I opened my mailbox to find a thin envelope from CI. It wasn't one of the really exciting ones, the ones that say "Enclosed is a special message from your sponsored child", but I eagerly tore it open, of course. I found Egda's Special Needs and Education reports!
Egda, from Guayaquil, Ecuador, just turned seven in late June, so she's still very young, but I wanted to know how school was going for her, in case she was struggling. In that case, I could offer some assistance that could be used to hire a tutor or get her some other kind of extra help.
Well, it doesn't sound like that is going to be necessary at the moment! Egda is in 2nd grade, getting good grades, and making average progress. She is not currently receiving any extra help in school, and since she's doing well without it, I don't think it's necessarily something that is needed at the moment.
What I read in the report was very good news: Egda attends a 2-story school that has about 10 classrooms. The school has a computer lab, a sports field, and a patio. About 150 children attend the school. That works out to about 15 per class- pretty good! A better ratio than you'll get in most public schools here in the USA. And there's a computer lab! Excellent.
I also received Egda's Special Needs report, which stated that the things that would make Egda's family's lives much easier are a full size mattress and full size bed sheets. I was given a total of $109.00 for these items. I'm going to start putting a little bit of money away each month for non-educational Special Needs gifts like this. Then, when I get $100 or $109 or whatever total I'm given, I can make the Special Needs donation. I've already budgeted for several $100+ Special Needs donations throughout the year, but those are going to go for educational support. Once I've got a handle on how all my kids are doing academically, and once I've provided as much help as I am able, then I'll tackle things like mattresses and bed sheets. Not that those aren't important things- I just think that education is the number one thing that's going to improve a child's life. This is true for any child of any nationality or socioeconomic status. So that's why I am really focusing on education for my sponsored children.
Egda, from Guayaquil, Ecuador, just turned seven in late June, so she's still very young, but I wanted to know how school was going for her, in case she was struggling. In that case, I could offer some assistance that could be used to hire a tutor or get her some other kind of extra help.
Well, it doesn't sound like that is going to be necessary at the moment! Egda is in 2nd grade, getting good grades, and making average progress. She is not currently receiving any extra help in school, and since she's doing well without it, I don't think it's necessarily something that is needed at the moment.
What I read in the report was very good news: Egda attends a 2-story school that has about 10 classrooms. The school has a computer lab, a sports field, and a patio. About 150 children attend the school. That works out to about 15 per class- pretty good! A better ratio than you'll get in most public schools here in the USA. And there's a computer lab! Excellent.
I also received Egda's Special Needs report, which stated that the things that would make Egda's family's lives much easier are a full size mattress and full size bed sheets. I was given a total of $109.00 for these items. I'm going to start putting a little bit of money away each month for non-educational Special Needs gifts like this. Then, when I get $100 or $109 or whatever total I'm given, I can make the Special Needs donation. I've already budgeted for several $100+ Special Needs donations throughout the year, but those are going to go for educational support. Once I've got a handle on how all my kids are doing academically, and once I've provided as much help as I am able, then I'll tackle things like mattresses and bed sheets. Not that those aren't important things- I just think that education is the number one thing that's going to improve a child's life. This is true for any child of any nationality or socioeconomic status. So that's why I am really focusing on education for my sponsored children.
Friday, August 6, 2010
New Photo of Jesús!
Here is a brand-new photo of my sponsored child from Mexico, Jesús Salvador. He looks so different than in his last picture! His hair is much shorter- I think that's the big difference.I hope that his next update has him attending school, as well!
There is more exciting news about Jesús, too! I checked his family report today and everything is the same except the family income, which has increased by quite a lot! It's gone from $76/month to $125/month. Perhaps the unusually low income was a mistake, or maybe the family was just going through a rough time and now things have normalized. Whatever the reason, I'm extremely happy to hear it!
Updates to Daniesi's Report!
For the past three or four days, I've been kind of obsessively checking my sponsored child Daneisi's report for an update. You see, it had been a full year since the last update and I know they are supposed to be done every 365 days, same as the photos.
Well, today the report was updated, and I am SO VERY HAPPY with what it says. Daneisi is now attending school! Her favorite subject is reading! This had me so happy that, when I read it, I actually started to laugh out loud, which did attract the attention of the other library patrons. But I couldn't help it- I am just SO happy that my little baseball player is in school! I had sent an email to CI asking what it would take on my part (financially) to get her into school, but now I can maybe use that money to provide tutoring or other educational assistance.
I think what happened was that the report was completed before Daneisi was sponsored. I know she's had one sponsor before me, because I asked CI. Then, when she began receiving benefits, CI was able to get her enrolled in school, but since a new report wasn't due until this August, the information wasn't changed on her report. At least that would make sense. Anyway...
The second change that I am very excited about has to do with Daneisi's family's sanitation facility. On the last report, it was listed as "open field". On this report, it has changed to "toilet"! You know, I never thought I'd be this excited to learn that someone I've never even met, thousands of miles away, has a toilet. But I am. I am SO happy for Daneisi and her family.
Well, today the report was updated, and I am SO VERY HAPPY with what it says. Daneisi is now attending school! Her favorite subject is reading! This had me so happy that, when I read it, I actually started to laugh out loud, which did attract the attention of the other library patrons. But I couldn't help it- I am just SO happy that my little baseball player is in school! I had sent an email to CI asking what it would take on my part (financially) to get her into school, but now I can maybe use that money to provide tutoring or other educational assistance.
I think what happened was that the report was completed before Daneisi was sponsored. I know she's had one sponsor before me, because I asked CI. Then, when she began receiving benefits, CI was able to get her enrolled in school, but since a new report wasn't due until this August, the information wasn't changed on her report. At least that would make sense. Anyway...
The second change that I am very excited about has to do with Daneisi's family's sanitation facility. On the last report, it was listed as "open field". On this report, it has changed to "toilet"! You know, I never thought I'd be this excited to learn that someone I've never even met, thousands of miles away, has a toilet. But I am. I am SO happy for Daneisi and her family.
New Photo of Javiera!
Here is a brand-new photo of my sponsored girl from Chile, Javiera. This was taken just yesterday, on August 5, 2010. She's ten years old here, and still looks older than her age. Still looking very serious, too- I hope to get a smile out of her soon. Although I've learned that a lot of the time when kids aren't smiling, it's not necessarily because they're sad or cranky, but because they have crooked or "bad" teeth and are trying to hide them. So we'll have to see. Smiling or not, I'm thrilled to have a new photo of her!Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Shoes for Lavendah and Crestetor!
Here we see Crestetor (above) and Lavendah (below) with their brand new shoes! These shoes were provided by Child Hope Zambia for an extra donation of just $5 per pair. Look at those smiles! Crestetor is beaming! I'm so happy that they will be able to walk more comfortably. (and safer, too- much less risk of cut feet!) The shoes will also keep their feet warm- Zambia is in their cool/dry season right now.
Welcome Letter From Jazmin!
On Saturday, when I opened Egda's letter, guess what I found? TWO letters- one from Egda and one from Jazmin. Both girls live in Guayaquil, Ecuador, although they are not in the same sub-project. I was very surprised to see my welcome letter from Jazmin this soon. I just started sponsoring her about a month ago. Usually it takes 6-8 weeks to receive the welcome letter! Jazmin's arrived in four!
I have decided that that's because Jazmin is exceptional. Of course, all my children are exceptional in their own ways- I just especially relate to Jazmin. She loves to play sports, is being raised by a single mother, and enjoys school and learning.
This is what Jazmin wrote to me:
Dear sponsor:
I thank you for choosing me as your sponsored child! I live in Guayaquil and I am writing these lines from my beautiful city. Let me tell you that I'm glad to know that you are my new sponsor. The first thing that I want to tell you is that I am very grateful because you chose me as your sponsored child. The second thing is that I like sports so much. I practice it during my free time after doing my school homework and helping my mother to do the household chores. I'm also studying in high school and I like it so much because they teach me many good things, such as: Computing, English, Mathematics, Language, Values and other subjects. Our high school has a very big playground and a large field where I have fun with my friends and classmates. I feel very happy. May God bless you and your whole family! Says good-bye with affection,
Jazmin Estefania P. C.
I already adore this girl. She likes sports AND school! She helps her mom! She's very happy! Any time I get in a bad mood, I'm going to read this letter. That should cheer anyone up!
I have decided that that's because Jazmin is exceptional. Of course, all my children are exceptional in their own ways- I just especially relate to Jazmin. She loves to play sports, is being raised by a single mother, and enjoys school and learning.
This is what Jazmin wrote to me:
Dear sponsor:
I thank you for choosing me as your sponsored child! I live in Guayaquil and I am writing these lines from my beautiful city. Let me tell you that I'm glad to know that you are my new sponsor. The first thing that I want to tell you is that I am very grateful because you chose me as your sponsored child. The second thing is that I like sports so much. I practice it during my free time after doing my school homework and helping my mother to do the household chores. I'm also studying in high school and I like it so much because they teach me many good things, such as: Computing, English, Mathematics, Language, Values and other subjects. Our high school has a very big playground and a large field where I have fun with my friends and classmates. I feel very happy. May God bless you and your whole family! Says good-bye with affection,
Jazmin Estefania P. C.
I already adore this girl. She likes sports AND school! She helps her mom! She's very happy! Any time I get in a bad mood, I'm going to read this letter. That should cheer anyone up!
Second Letter from Egda, Ecuador
Also on Saturday, I received letters from BOTH my sponsored children who live in Guayaquil, Ecuador! First I will share the letter Egda wrote. Egda is a little girl who just turned seven years old in late June. I've already gotten a Welcome letter from her. This letter is in response to the birthday card I sent her, in which I included some stickers and a short letter.
Egda says:
Hola Nicole [lastname]!
I greet you with much affection also I wish you are in good health. My family and I are in good health, too. I thank you so much for the card, letter and stickers. I like to play so much during the recess time. The subjects that I like the most are math and language. Here we have a warm weather and I like to go out for a walk together with my friends at afternoon. I love to draw so much. I deeply thank you for being a wonderful sponsor! I say goodbye with a big hug,
Egda Karina P. V.
She wrote herself this time- in cursive that's impressive for a just-turned-seven-year-old. I was expecting her letter to be written by a CI employee or volunteer, because her Welcome letter was written by a CI employee or a social worker. I thought maybe she had some delays, or started school late, and so hadn't learned to write yet. So I was extra excited and happy to see that my Egda can not only write, but write in cursive that's, frankly, better than my husband's. (Even he said so!)
Egda says:
Hola Nicole [lastname]!
I greet you with much affection also I wish you are in good health. My family and I are in good health, too. I thank you so much for the card, letter and stickers. I like to play so much during the recess time. The subjects that I like the most are math and language. Here we have a warm weather and I like to go out for a walk together with my friends at afternoon. I love to draw so much. I deeply thank you for being a wonderful sponsor! I say goodbye with a big hug,
Egda Karina P. V.
She wrote herself this time- in cursive that's impressive for a just-turned-seven-year-old. I was expecting her letter to be written by a CI employee or volunteer, because her Welcome letter was written by a CI employee or a social worker. I thought maybe she had some delays, or started school late, and so hadn't learned to write yet. So I was extra excited and happy to see that my Egda can not only write, but write in cursive that's, frankly, better than my husband's. (Even he said so!)
CI mail coming out my ears!
This past Saturday, I checked the mail, like I always do, hoping for something from Children International. And boy, did I get it! On Saturday I received: sponsorship packets, photos, and detailed reports on Jesus and Henry, a letter from Elizabeth's agency director in Zambia, TWO letters (one from Egda, one from Jazmin, both in Guayaquil, Ecuador), and Padmashree's Special Needs and Education Reports. I was overjoyed. My 23-year-old stepdaughter was in the room when I came in holding all my mail, and I showed her the letters I received, as well as photos of all my sponsored kids, and told her all about sponsorship and the benefits the children receive. She's actually now interested in sponsoring a child through Children International! Right now she's unemployed (Just completed her Master's in Education and is interviewing for jobs), but she says that once she gets a job and has an income she's going to look into it! Yay!
Everything I received was so exciting, it's hard to point to one thing and say "There. That was the best thing I got." The letters from Jazmin and Egda are lovely, and I will treasure them, but I think what I'm most pleased about is Padmashree's Education Report.
I learned that Padmashree attends a 16-room school with 900 other students. She walks to school, which takes her 10 minutes- not bad, unless there's a monsoon, I suppose. Then, not so pleasant. Padmashree's grades are Good and her progress in school is Average. She seems to be right on target, educationally- she's about to turn 12 years old and in Class VII. Her favorite subject is geography. (I think that's funny, because I was my middle school's Geography Bee second prize winner for two years in a row when I was her age!) And, in regards to her future, Padmashree plans to continue on in school and complete through Class XII. (12th Grade). I really hope she is able to achieve this goal. Both of her older sisters, Bonoshree (13) and Tanushree (15) are still in school, so that's a good sign for Padmashree's future!
And how do I know her siblings are still in school? Because I also received the Special Needs report, and these are the things the family is most in need of: Tuitions (private tutoring) for all three girls for the school term October 2010-January 2011, school uniforms for all 3 girls, and sport shoes for the sisters. These items will cost just $100!
I am going to send the SNG on Friday, as soon as I get paid. Of course I have other bills and things to take care of, but I budgeted for SNGs of around $100 several times a year- basically almost each month. I am really impressed with how far money stretches in India. And I cringe when I look back on my past and think of some of the useless things I spent $100 on! I'm so happy that I am able to provide these girls with educational support. And I'm even happier that the family is supportive of their girls' education!
Everything I received was so exciting, it's hard to point to one thing and say "There. That was the best thing I got." The letters from Jazmin and Egda are lovely, and I will treasure them, but I think what I'm most pleased about is Padmashree's Education Report.
I learned that Padmashree attends a 16-room school with 900 other students. She walks to school, which takes her 10 minutes- not bad, unless there's a monsoon, I suppose. Then, not so pleasant. Padmashree's grades are Good and her progress in school is Average. She seems to be right on target, educationally- she's about to turn 12 years old and in Class VII. Her favorite subject is geography. (I think that's funny, because I was my middle school's Geography Bee second prize winner for two years in a row when I was her age!) And, in regards to her future, Padmashree plans to continue on in school and complete through Class XII. (12th Grade). I really hope she is able to achieve this goal. Both of her older sisters, Bonoshree (13) and Tanushree (15) are still in school, so that's a good sign for Padmashree's future!
And how do I know her siblings are still in school? Because I also received the Special Needs report, and these are the things the family is most in need of: Tuitions (private tutoring) for all three girls for the school term October 2010-January 2011, school uniforms for all 3 girls, and sport shoes for the sisters. These items will cost just $100!
I am going to send the SNG on Friday, as soon as I get paid. Of course I have other bills and things to take care of, but I budgeted for SNGs of around $100 several times a year- basically almost each month. I am really impressed with how far money stretches in India. And I cringe when I look back on my past and think of some of the useless things I spent $100 on! I'm so happy that I am able to provide these girls with educational support. And I'm even happier that the family is supportive of their girls' education!
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