Most Recent Blog Posts

• A Note from the Scene of the E A Note from the Scene of the Earthquake

  • From: CI_KellyN
  • Description:

    This is from a message I just received from Leo, our Communications Coordinator in Chile. Please keep our sponsored children and staff members in your thoughts and prayers during these very difficult times.

    Hi Kelly,

    Thank God, I'm home now, in the city of Quilpué -- more than 10 kilometers from the coast.

    When the aftershock happened I was at the home of some sponsored children, finishing [a] video, in an elevated area of Viña del Mar.

    Following the aftershocks, we were on our way to the office. Up to that point everything looked normal; but when we got to the city we saw people running toward the mountains. That's when we found out about the tsunami warning. Our driver followed the traffic, which once again led us to the higher areas of the city. Along the way we met some of the staff; they quickly climbed in the truck with us...

    As always, cell phones and other forms of communication stopped working.

    Kelly, what else can I tell you...I've never lived through an experience like this one. As an anecdote, at the very moment of the aftershocks, the transfer of presidential powers was taking place in Valparaíso...now we oficially have a new president.

    Thank you very much for all the concern. Thank God that my family and the agency staff are all fine.

    Leo

    As always, we are making every effort to identify the location and condition of each of our sponsored children. Sponsors whose children have been directly affected by the earthquakes or their effects will be notified as soon as this is determined. Please continue to monitor our website, www.children.org, for the latest emergency alerts.

     

  • Blog post
  • 8 hours ago
  • Views: 83

• A A

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    By Leo Montecinos

    Walking the streets and alleyways of the city of Valparaiso has always a good sightseeing outing; however, ever since the morning of Saturday, February 27th, the outing has changed from touristic to horrifying.

    This time on our walk we saw cracked streets and destroyed homes, downed communication lines, water shortage, injured people, death and families who lost everything. This is the result of one of the most intense earthquakes ever registered in the history of Chile.

    In the city of Valparaiso, the damages are palpable; homes that have lost their facades, mounds of rubble, broken glass, and above all else, the worried faces of our people. That is what we saw on our tour of the city. “Don’t leave us. Please help us,” a passer-by implored with anguish upon recognizing we were from Children International.

    As we continued on, a phone call informed us that a volunteer had lost her home. We quickly made our way to her house... We found ourselves at a desolate scene.

    Nevertheless, comfort and hope aren’t totally absent. “The most important thing is that my family is okay,” María Jara told us with a mix of sadness and satisfaction. María is an outstanding volunteer for Children International. “The policemen came to visit my home, and they told me that I had to leave, that I couldn’t keep living here anymore.”

    María, along with her family, went to live temporarily with her mother, while they wait to regroup and overcome this tremendous hardship. Her daughter, Javiera Sandoval, doesn’t want to go home. “She’s very scared. She doesn’t want to go back to that place,” says María. At just four years old, Javiera will never forget what she went through in the early morning hours of Saturday, February 27th.

    Today, Chile is sad. Valparaiso is sad. Her people are sad and frightened. Aftershocks are common place, yet the the outpour of kindness from every corner of the world is comforting. It is comforting to know that so many people care about this little country, which despite it’s difficulties, will find a way to keep moving forward... and without a doubt, we will!

    Leopoldo is our Communications Coordinator in Valparaíso, Chile.

  • Blog post
  • 6 days ago
  • Views: 143

• Good Night, Mommy and Daddy Good Night, Mommy and Daddy

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    By Leopoldo Montecinos

    When on the night of February 26 my wife (who had just returned from the hospital after being released), my three little boys and I were saying good night, we never imagined we’d be so rudely awakened. Just a few hours later we had to get up. Quickly, struggling to keep our balance, we ran to our children’s room…

    Thank God, they didn’t even wake up! Yes, it’s true…they didn’t wake up! Only the youngest, two-year-old Vicente, sat up at the end of the longest three minutes we’d ever lived through, tenderly said “Daddy…” and went back to sleep…

    Despite the experience and the intensity of the earthquake, we never imagined the true magnitude of what had occurred – and what was about to happen…without water or electricity, an old battery-powered radio (the kind no one uses any more) was our companion for the rest of the night. All we could pick up was radio stations from Argentina, who were giving the first reports of what had happened in our country. Everything was confusion.

    With no phone lines and no cell phones, we were cut off from communications. The batteries on the old radio began to run down…we didn’t get power again until Sunday night (and there are places that still don’t have lights or water.)

    It’s only in the past couple of days that we’ve come to know the real magnitude of this earthquake and the tsunamis that followed it; it’s an enormous tragedy. Chile is prone to earthquakes, but we never get used to them and cease to be surprised. The aftershocks (last night we had a 6.1) keep reminding us, at every moment, of what happened.

    Chile is trying to get back up like so many other times. Chile is seeking calm; Chile is hoping to once again say “Good night.”

    Leopoldo Montecinos is the Communications Coordinator for Children International’s agency in Valparaíso, Chile. Watch the blog for firsthand accounts of what Leo has experienced as he and other staff members have visited families of sponsored children in the days following last Saturday’s tragic earthquake.

  • Blog post
  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 142

• CI Staff Surveys Communities A CI Staff Surveys Communities Affected by Earthquake

  • From: CI_SarahT
  • Description:

    As rescue and recovery crews clear rubble in Chile’s quake-ravaged communities, Children International staff have begun the process of surveying sponsorship areas and identifying the status of sponsored children and families directly affected by the disaster.

    Our staff on the ground stresses that it could take a week or more before they are able to submit a thorough and detailed assessment of the disaster given the extensive damage to infrastructure.

    Rest assured that we will contact all sponsors whose children have been directly affected by the disaster once our staff in Chile can provide us with a full report. And we will continue to post any and all developments to our site as they arise.

    Current reports indicate that as many as two dozen families have incurred damage to their homes, but there have been no reports of significant injuries to sponsored children.

    Marcia Ligüeño, the mother of a sponsored child, told staff that the supports of her house are on the verge of collapse. “My home is almost in the air,” she said about the upheaval.

    Some sponsored families’ homes in Valparaíso have been inspected by structural engineers to verify whether or not they are safe for habitation. So far, initial reports from our agency staff suggest there is no total loss in the area.

    Chile’s Department of Education also postponed the start of the school year, which was scheduled to begin today, March 3, until March 8. However, Children International’s community centers are resuming operations and many volunteers and youth are joining efforts to deliver help to those in need.

    Note: We will post updates to our website, www.children.org, as they become available. Please check back frequently.

  • Blog post
  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 108

• Huge Earthquake Strikes Chile Huge Earthquake Strikes Chile

  • From: CI_KellyN
  • Description:

    A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Chile early Saturday morning. The epicenter was located near Concepcion, nearly 200 miles south of Valparaíso, where Children International sponsors more than 17,000 children.

    We do not have any reports of injuries to sponsored children or their families at this time. However, detailed reports from our staff on the ground are still forthcoming, as many communication and transportation lines are down. Infrastructure damage has been reported.

    The Santiago airport is expected to be shut down for the next 24 hours.

    It is Children International’s policy to contact sponsors when their sponsored child has been directly affected by a disaster.

    We will provide updates here as we receive new information from our staff in the field.

    Thank you for your support and concern.

    Note: We will post updates to our website, www.children.org, as they become available. Please check back frequently.

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 223

• Getting to Know Haiti Under Sp Getting to Know Haiti Under Special Circumstances

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    In this moving post, Dayanara Reyes, a former Children International employee from the Dominican Republic, shares how a recent relief trip to Haiti dispelled some ancient misconceptions about her neighboring country...and taught her important lessons about brotherhood.

    “Hard times are when we learn who our friends are”

    By Dayanara Reyes

    A month after the earthquake stuck our brother nation of Haiti, a group of friends and coworkers  decided to carry food rations from the Fair Trade Banana Producers [in the Dominican Republic] to a specific group of affected people there.

    Days before our trip, the dates weren’t working out. There were purchasing and trip delays; one of the front tires of the semi truck carrying the donation blew out…I found myself thinking, then and along the journey, “Should we cancel this trip? If all this is happening to us here, what awaits us over there?”

    

    As we traveled, many of us expected the entry to Haiti to be difficult…traumatic….Just a few kilometers after entering Haiti, we stopped to eat some snacks we had brought along so we could have energy for the work ahead. Carlos, who accompanied us and served as our driver for the whole trip, was surprised to see a group of Haitians stop when they saw us, because they thought we were having problems with the vehicle and were coming to help us. Right then we did a little reflecting…The common notion is that Haitians are people without feelings who think only of themselves, but that first action showed us that was a mistaken image of their country and its people.

    When we finally got to where we were to unload the donations, a Haitian man, noticeably moved and who obviously was from a high social class (in Haiti, there are only two social classes: very high and very low) stopped when he saw the truck and said, “Thank you for all the help you have brought from the Dominican Republic; that shows us we are brothers.” This was a second lesson that showed and reconfirmed that there is a mistaken impression of this nationality.

    As the goods were being unloaded, we proceeded to take a tour of the city so we could see how it was left and the impact [of the earthquake] on its inhabitants. The images were devastating…public offices completely out of commission – destroyed…inhabitants camping in different parks, on grassy areas with public restrooms, where you could see the clothing, the tents and the few donations they have received…right then you could see how children, adults and the elderly intermingled, and we thought of all the diseases that could be transmitted; but neither we nor they could do anything about it then. Seeing this made us feel helpless in a way.

    

    

    We continued our tour, and we encountered a blind man in front of the Cathedral, which was partially damaged; it was impressive to see the Christ on the cross still intact. This man moved us, because even though he couldn’t see, he narrated with his song and his guitar the story of what happened there, as though he had seen it all…the deaths, the destruction, the children crying….

    

    

    Out of everything we experienced during those three days, the greatest message one of our Haitian brothers left with us was, “Many Haitians have left our country; however, we need Haitians to make a firm decision to stay here and rebuild our country.” [I was impressed by] his dedication, patriotism, strength and love for his own, enough to get back up in spite of this great fall. This feeling spread to me, and after I returned home, when people would ask me how I had returned – with everyone expecting me to say “depressed” – my answer was, “Greatly strengthened.”

    During the tour, with the emotions of that [fateful] twelfth of December still raw, Jean Marc, who acted as our guide, told us how he survived along with his six- and three-year-old sons:

    “We were at my sister’s house. I had been in other earthquakes, but when I saw that this one kept going, that it didn’t stop and was much more intense, and when I saw the house begin to crack, I ran out with my children and didn’t stop until I reached my house. Along the way, my children and I saw houses falling down, people dying, rocks falling on people and their insides coming out. The most traumatic and moving part of our journey [home] was when my six-year-old son told me, “Daddy, now I know what it means when people say the world is coming to an end.”

    

  • Blog post
  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 110

• A Point to Ponder... A Point to Ponder...

  • From: CI_KellyN
  • Description:
    "If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down."
    - Mary Pickford

  • Blog post
  • 2 weeks ago
  • Views: 232

• Fire Sweeps through Communitie Fire Sweeps through Communities in Quezon City, Philippines

  • From: CI_KellyN
  • Description:

    We have received a report of a fire in Holy Spirit barangay, a community where our sponsorship program in Quezon City, Philippines, operates. Thirty-one families – including those of five sponsored children – were left homeless by the disaster; however, despite the tragedy of the loss of homes and property, we are thankful that no human casualties have been reported.

    We have also received preliminary reports of a second fire in a neighboring community, but as of yet we have no information regarding damages.

    The local government, neighbors and Children International staff members are working to meet the basic needs of the victims of the fire. Our agency is prepared to help immediately with essential household items and school supplies for the families, who are staying in temporary shelters ranging from tents to neighbors’ homes, and even jeepneys (small, bus-like vehicles used as public transportation).

    After the families’ immediate needs are met, our agency staff will survey the damage and create lists of the construction materials that will be needed to rebuild the homes of the affected sponsored children.

    It is Children International’s policy to notify sponsors immediately once it has been ascertained that their sponsored children have been affected by a disaster.

    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A mother and child stand next to the charred remains of their home.

     

    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The fire left behind little or nothing that was salvageable.

     

    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This home was left nothing more than a pile of blackened timbers and twisted metal.

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 206

• Notes from a Board Member Notes from a Board Member

  • From: CI_JimCookBlog
  • Description:

    A few days ago, I promised to share with you a letter from one of our board members. Dr. Charles Maahs traveled to Colombia with me on our recent trip and had the following observations which might be of interest, as they give a nice glimpse into some of what we saw on a more “granular” level.

    “After taking some time to reflect on our Board trip to Colombia, one of the best ever (although every trip has been 'best ever'), I thought I might share a few of my reflections with you.

    In Barranquilla, the opportunity to meet with both the Youth Corps and the Health Corps was very inspiring. As I mentioned to you, we were able to see the results of some solid years of sponsorship, and sponsored youth who had "grown up" in the program. Their ability to share in such an articulate way in the company of visitors from the north was impressive. And, of course, the 'Joan Horan Band' was one of the highlights of our time at the Nicole Lyn Anderson Service Center. (All of the Service Centers are a great addition to our work).

    The home visits we made in both Barranquilla and Cartagena are always a sobering time where one comes face to face with the reality of the profound poverty that continues to exist in segments of their communities, and a good reminder of why the mission and vision of CI's sponsoring of children is so consequential and needed. Visiting and moving about in the communities where CI has Service Centers was a confirmation and affirmation of how much the CI staff is respected and trusted both in Barranquilla and Cartagena. As I believe you mentioned, Hermelinda and Nidia [agency directors in Barranquilla and Cartagena] have different leadership styles, but both are extremely effective with good supporting staffs.

    In Cartagena, again having a chance to meet with sponsored youth was a highlight. Arranging the youth in small groups gave fellow board member Larry Lee and me the opportunity to ask specific questions and the youth reciprocated by asking some of their own. From the noise level of the room it was obvious that all of the small groups with various board members were having simply a good time and exchange of ideas.

    Being with the Sports League and watching the fun the youth were having was a great testament to the importance of that particular program. It was also fun for the board to exchange greetings and multiple picture taking with the youth. Omar, the Game On! sports program coordinator, is doing a great job.

    Visiting the houses where nutritional meals were being served for those at risk of malnutrition as well as those who were already malnourished was valuable to observe as an essential offering for the sponsored children. I thought the Service Center at Santa Rosa with its space and openness was a good setting. And as usual, conversations with the volunteer mothers, doctors and dentists was an inspiring and educational time for us.

    Thanks again for the opportunity to make and be a part of a 'best ever' trip."

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 276

• Reuniting a Family Reuniting a Family

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    By Deron Denton

    I don't know about you, but it seems to me there is a serious deficit of good news out there. I mean, we all KNOW there are plenty of people doing good things out there (and a lot of them are in here - in the CI family!), but acts of generosity don't seem to grab the headlines or get very much air time.   

    Well, we recently received a report from our agency in Quezon City, Philippines, that put a smile on our faces. We hope that by sharing it, we might reduce the good news deficit by just a little.

    When husband-and-wife sponsors (who wish to remain anonymous) received a letter from their sponsored child, Rafael Yap - who just turned 18 this week - stating that Rafael's father was no longer living with the family, the sponsors wanted to learn more.

    As it turns out, Rodolfo (Rafael's father) hadn't actually abandoned the family...it was just that he couldn't find work near home. So, in order to provide for them, Rodolfo was living in another city and sending money back home to support his wife and three children. He was only able to return home every 2-3 months.

    The sponsors sent us a letter of inquiry, asking our staff in Quezon City to look into what it would take for Rafael's father to move back home. The only plausible plan the family and staff could foresee was to provide Rafael's mother with money to start a small store. If that succeeded - it might be possible for dad to return at some point in the future.  

    Only in a passing flight of fancy did Rafael's family mention that purchasing a jeepney (a private, small bus-sized taxi) would solve the problem. They understood this wasn't possible: the amount of money required to purchase a jeepney was beyond their dreams.

    Although it was more than what they'd originally intended to donate, when Rafael's sponsors heard about the cost of the jeepney, they decided to make it happen. Measuring the cost against how much good it would do - in terms of re-uniting a family and in terms of income-generation - it seemed like a bargain.

    There was one catch: the sponsors really wanted to see Rodolfo back home with his family, permanently, in time for Christmas. Quezon City staff and Mr. Yap had about one month until Christmas from the time the money was donated.

    As promised above, this is a story about good news...Rafael, his mother, and his siblings had their father home for Christmas. Permanently. Rodolfo is now driving his own jeepney and supporting his family. And he gets to be with them every day.

    

    Oh, and there was even money for Mom to start her own small store, helping to reduce the family's level of poverty even further.

    

    How's that for good news?

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 291

• Seeing Through a Different Len Seeing Through a Different Lens

  • From: CI_JimCookBlog
  • Description:

    I’m a little late with my monthly blog due to a number of excellent reasons, with procrastination at the top of the list.
    
    In January, Children International’s Board of Directors visited our agencies in Barranquilla and Cartagena, Colombia. It’s always great to travel with our Board. They are so engaged with what we are doing…they ask about a million questions of the staff, the children, their parents and the volunteers. 
    
    Over the years, trips like the one we just took have been absolutely essential for the Board members to understand what we do “on the ground” and why we do it. There is no substitute for seeing firsthand the conditions facing the children we sponsor. I remember the very first Board trip that took place in 1986. I was a member of the Board then and was not working at Children International. It changed my life.   
    
    As the Board weighs decisions and provides its direction to the organization, having a clear understanding of field operations is invaluable. For that reason, I really appreciate the Board members taking the time away from their home and work to make what is really an investment in Children International’s work around the world.
    
    On this recent trip a number of Board members were able to visit their sponsored children. I was able to visit mine as well, in both cities. That’s always a special time. Seeing the children and their parents always provides more incentive for me to send letters and photos to the children. 
    
    And as is always the case after a visit to the field with the Board members, we returned with a long list of special cases and special projects the various members identified while in the field. This trip that included everything from food baskets to beds for sponsored children to a scholarship for a child hoping to become an accountant to a special chair for a child with cerebral palsy. 
    
    One of the great things about these trips is for me to view the field activities through a different lens—in this case through the eyes of the committed members of the CI Board of Directors.

    Shortly I'll be sharing with you a note I received from one of the Board members who traveled with me. I think you'll enjoy looking through his eyes.

    Jim

     

  • Blog post
  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 235

• You Can't Write This Stuff You Can't Write This Stuff

  • From: CI_SarahT
  • Description:

    This is Joshua from Legaspi, Philippines. He sure had some great things to say about being sponsored through Children International. So without further ado, take it away Joshua...

    “What I love most in the sponsorship [program] is that I receive regular gifts and I get to visit a doctor for a free check up. I feel happy when I’m healthy. My favorite gift is clothing.”

    “When I first visited the community center, I just looked at so many things posted on the bulletin board including pictures of children who enjoy being sponsored. I’m so happy being one.”

    And a special message to his sponsor: “I love the gifts that I received from you and I feel very special as a sponsored child. I’m doing well in school because of you. I wish you all the best.”

    Photo and reporting assistance by Anthony Lorcha.

  • Blog post
  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 286

• Humble Handouts for Haiti Humble Handouts for Haiti

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    By Patricia Calderón in Barranquilla, Colombia and Damon Guinn in Kansas City.

    Yusiva Acosta was profoundly moved as she watched images of earthquake victims in Haiti on TV. Bodies were being pulled from the rubble, children were being rushed to makeshift hospitals and people everywhere were pleading for water and food.

    The 13-year-old sponsored youth knew she had to help. It didn’t matter that she lived in a poor community in Barranquilla, Colombia – she wanted to do whatever she could to lend a hand. “The news caught my heart, seeing the people in Haiti who need our help,” Yusiva said. “Because today they are the ones who are affected, but tomorrow it could be us.”

    Yusiva’s family couldn’t afford to part with any of their $170 monthly income, so she decided to go door to door in her community and ask her neighbors for food donations. “What surprises me the most about my community is that, despite the fact that we are from the poorest neighborhoods in Barranquilla, everyone has helped,” Yusiva remarked, “and they’ve added their own little grain of sand to this activity...”

    What’s not a surprise is Yusiva’s initiative to help others. She’s benefited from leadership training through our Youth as Agents of Change program and is an active and very popular member of the local Youth Council.

    Yusiva plans to deliver the food items to the local Red Cross office, which is receiving donations for later shipment. “I am very satisfied with what I’ve collected, [and] with the people who helped me,” she exclaimed. “Every day I see them I thank them for having trusted in me and for having contributed....”

  • Blog post
  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 273

• The Three Rs The Three Rs

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    By Scott Cotter
    
    A quick note from Kenya…
    
    About two hours outside of Nairobi there is a school that sits atop a small rise in the hard African pan. The only way to get there is a dirt road that beats vehicle and rider into a gauzy daze.
    
    The school draws Masai children from up to five miles away. It is said Kenyans make such good runners because they have to cross long distances to reach schools and often run the entire way. They leave early in the morning all by themselves and cross the distance as fast as possible to not draw the attention of animals that call this sun-baked land home.
    
    We have a book distribution program in Kenya that reaches dozens of schools all over the country, many of them like the one described above. Those books, in some unlikely places, are teaching children the three Rs and much more.
    
    When we met the children and their families of this school, the hospitality was amazing. They thanked us by singing us some traditional songs and reciting poetry. Have a look. (To see the video, click on this post.)

     

  • Video blog post
  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 478

• Playing with Poverty Playing with Poverty

  • From: CI_Staff
  • Description:

    By Scott Cotter

     

    It’s the one place they seem just like other kids. And it seems so, well, simple.

    Put up a swing set, a slide, a teeter totter and a jungle gym and you have instant happy. Laughter fills the air and kids get to be something they should be…kids.

     

    

     

    In Chibolya, it’s easy to see how much use the equipment gets. Weld on top of weld holds the parts together so the children can keep playing. And they do. Day after day, they’re forgetting the circumstances outside the walls while shouts of joy fill the air. Heck, even rain won’t run them off. In Kanyama, drops fell like rocks, pounding the community and everything in it. But many of the kids ignored the weather and kept right on having a good time.  

    Our community centers here are a refuge. I suppose they are everywhere. Especially when kids have no place to play.

     

    

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 1 month ago
  • Views: 352

• Welcome! Welcome!

  • From: CI_KellyN
  • Description:

    We hope you like our new home!

    If you are a regular reader of the CI blog, thanks for following us. And if this is your first time to read one of our blogs, we hope it will become a habit! Sarah and I look forward to getting to know you.

    Even though we’ve moved from our old location, our posting schedule will continue uninterrupted. So pull up a chair, have a seat and join the conversation!

  • Blog post
  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 305
  • Not yet rated

• Disaster in Haiti Disaster in Haiti

  • From: Children_Intl_Admin
  • Description:

    by Garrett Kenyon

    The world is in shock as alarming images from the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday, Jan. 12, at approximately 4:53 p.m. ET flood news channels and the internet. The epicenter of the disaster was 10 miles (15 kilometers) southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, throwing the city of 3 million into chaos. A series of tremors and aftershocks continued throughout Wednesday that could be felt as far away as eastern Cuba, more than 200 miles away.

    Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is ill-equipped to handle a disaster of this scale. A lack of social services and infrastructure is complicating relief efforts, filling hospitals and overwhelming international aid organizations. The U.N. headquarters in Port-au-Prince was destroyed in the initial waves, leaving rescue and peace-keeping efforts paralyzed.

    Up to a third of Haiti's 9 million residents have been affected by this disaster, and tens of thousands are feared dead as efforts continue to free survivors from the rubble and identify the missing.

    The president of Haiti, Rene Preval, and his wife survived the quake, though a number of important government buildings, including the presidential palace and the foreign ministry, have been completely destroyed.

    Sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, the Dominican Republic appears largely unaffected, though residents report feeling the initial tremors and aftershocks. Some fear another flood of refugees from Haiti will further damage the Dominican Republic's already-poor economy; but so far, reports suggest that the border is calm.

    President Barrack Obama has promised immediate relief, saying America "will respond with a swift, coordinated and aggressive effort to save lives." Several American aircraft carriers are headed toward the beleaguered nation, including the USS Carl Vinson, which is scheduled to arrive later today with much-needed emergency supplies.

    Several major relief organizations are working to bring relief to the Haitian people. Although Children International does not work in Haiti, donations will be sent, in their entirety, to organizations the agency trusts will use funds wisely and with an eye on medium to long-term renewal in and around Port-au-Prince. For more information, click here.

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 481

• Meet the New LiftOne Meet the New LiftOne

  • From: Children_Intl_Admin
  • Description:

    What is LiftOne?

    Where it All Started

    The LiftOne Project began with a simple idea: what if our dedicated sponsors committed themselves to recruiting one more person to sponsor an impoverished child?
        The impact of thousands of new children being enrolled in the sponsorship program would be huge. Entire communities on the brink could be pulled back from the edge. As new community centers were built, the effects would ripple even further outwards.
        Thus, the original purpose of LiftOne was giving sponsors a tool that would help them recruit one more sponsor to the program. Users were able to build their own webpage on which they wrote about their experiences with sponsorship and posted pictures of their children. Then they sent the link to their friends and family to help inspire them to get involved.
        It was a success. The efforts of those who used the LiftOne Project pulled many families around the world out of the depths of extreme poverty and gave them new hope. In fact, it worked so well we wanted to do more.
    
    The New LiftOne Tool
        
            The LiftOne Project was great, but we wanted to make it better. We sent out an email asking current lifters what they want to see in a new LiftOne. The response was overwhelming. We took these suggestions and got to work. You’re looking at the results right now.
        Not only have all the features and functions of LiftOne changed, the very idea of "the project" has evolved. While we still hope people use this tool to help recruit new sponsors, this new tool is really a gift to Lifters. It is no longer our "Project" to you...this is merely "LiftOne", where you define what this becomes.
        It’s no secret: some of the most passionate, intelligent and active people in the world are sponsors. What would happen if we gave them a place to meet, share their stories and ideas, learn from each other and share their experiences? Nobody knows. But we’re about to find out.
        We hope you use LiftOne to meet likeminded people. That you learn new things, find new passions, and share your experiences with others. You will get out of LiftOne exactly what you put into it. May you enjoy the ride!
    
    -LiftOne Team

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  • 5 months ago
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