Child sponsorship update from Islice
12/08/2007
Update from Summer 2007
Dear Friends,
I am glad for this opportunity to come to you with warm greetings and news from our SOS Children’s Village in Islice. The first half of this year has passed very quickly and has been rich in events for the Children’s Village in Islice and our Association on the whole. I wish to share with you just the most important news and to tell also what events will take place during this summer too.
Month of June has arrived with blooming gardens and unusually warm weather. Our schoolchildren are happy that one more school year is over. 3 girls from the Islice Village have finished primary school and will move to the Youth Facility in Jelgava this summer. Leaving the village will be big challenge and opportunity to acquire new skill for their future. They will learn to be more independent and will go on with their education there. Our smaller kids are full of joy about warm weather and lots of outdoor activities. They are eager to go to our traditional summer camps and spend some time at the seaside with their SOS Mothers.
At present SOS Village in Islice has been involved in training new SOS Mothers. Right now 5 women are preparing to become SOS Moms. They work side by side with already experienced SOS Mothers, learn to deal with all kind of situations and get better feeling of what the Village life actually is. We are glad that we have received applications also from two married couples who would like to acquire a profession of SOS parents and work in the Village too. Latvia is among the countries that participate in a pilot project of couples’ involvement in SOS childcare system, and we are lucky to have the first applicants.
In the spring our children participated in the sports competition held among Children homes of the Southern part of Latvia. Kids played basketball, participated in relay-races and other events. Our children worked hard to prepare for the competition and achieved good results and won prizes. Rewards seemed even sweeter as they were gained with their own work.
Traditional are Easter and Mothers Day celebrations in the Village. Children with the help of pedagogues prepared performances and organised exhibitions of their own creative works. On Easter it was an exhibition of brightly painted Easter eggs! Very special was Mothers Day all the Moms were invited to the concert held by the Village children. It was lovely and warm moments shared by children, Mothers and the whole of the village personnel.
Thanks to friendly support of our local supporters our Mothers and children have attended several concerts and theatre performances in Riga. That is one more good way of receiving new experience and emotions and spending good time together.
This year is very special for us in the end of August we will celebrate 10th anniversary of our Islice SOS Village. We want to make this celebration very special for SOS Mothers who have worked from the very first day and have devoted 10 years of their lives to our SOS children. Great news is also opening of 2nd SOS Children’s Village in Latvia, in Valmiera that will tale place in August too! We are very proud that the new village has the distinction of being the 100th SOS Children’s Village in Europe. In the course of this project we have been most fortunate to receive outpourings of warmth and assistance from the local community, as well as from good people abroad, and with all our heart we are thankful to every single of our supporters and friends.
From all our children and coworkers I wish you the most wonderful and joyful summer time and all the success in everything you do!
Sincerely,
Irena Liepina,
Sponsorship coordinator
Relevant Countries: Latvia.