Child sponsorship letter from Managua
04/12/2007
In the first place we are sending you many greetings on behalf the SOS village of Managua, we hope this information you be able to know about the most important events in this community throughout the year. At the moment 111 children live in the village and 17 of them were welcomed this year as a consequence of abandonment, though these children have relatives they do not want to assume any type of responsibility.
Something important has been the adaptability of these children and that was very constructive since their entrance. A plan of action was put into practice to be worked with the SOS mothers the entered to an educative program obtaining successfully good results in the adaptation. This year we had 75 children in primary school and 20 in secondary school, 11 children were in nursery school and only 5 children could not go study by reason of several circumstances such as being minor or simply we need their legal documents. But we had the graduation of 6 children of nursery school, beside that 7 children were graduated of the primary school and 6 of the secondary school. We also celebrated two 15th birthday parties, the celebrations were an illusion to them sharing good times with the family and friends, and they danced and enjoyed the rhythm of the music. We also had some baptisms and confirmations and were celebrated outside the Reyna de la Paz Church.
About health issue this year we found our children very healthy, almost nobody made ill, we had not any emergency, although we faced some special cases of bronchial diseases realizing that our communities suffered many viral illness. As a part of the village integral development we participated in a project impelled by the municipality of Managua called “Family Plantation” where the bigger children and SOS mothers learnt techniques to plant corn, cucumber, green pepper and watermelon, those plantations was in small scales around the backyards of the SOS houses. This kind of knowledge will be useful in their lives.
Mr. Kutin our chief of the SOS Children’s Village Organization who visited us in March, for that reason we organized some events performed by children, young people, SOS mother and co-workers, the activity took place in the newsstand of the village with piñatas and traditional food.
On the other hand, we heed three youth facilities for young ladies and only one for young men, it is evident that they experiment a big change when they are moved to another type of facility, after living under family protection they suddenly face the real world for becoming more independents, but they constantly receive orientation and advices to make their dreams come true and some of them will find a job or learn a profession.
At the moment we have 6 young people in 5th of secondary school and 4 young people more in 4th and one more in 1st of secondary school, in addition we have another young lady who has university degree and is studying the career of business administration in a university called UdeM. Gretty Kraudys is another young lady who studies at the United World School in Costa Rica and we also have another young man who is studying hard for being a graphic designer in a private school called Manuel Olivares, here in Managua
Concerning to the SOS family, the family union has been consolidated little by little which has contributed in the emotional stability of the children, and consequently all of them have maintained a good relationship with their biological families.
Your support has been useful to reach goals in 2006, the village director and the SOS co-workers of the SOS children’s Village of Managua are wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year 2007!
Kind regards,
Jose Concepción Almanza
Village Director
SOS Children’s Village- Managua
Sponsor letter from Matagalpa
Dear friend,
On behalf the SOS Children’s Village of Matagalpa we are sending you our most sincere and warmest greeting, this letter was made especially to inform you about the advance of this distinguished village throughout the year.
Finding the best answer of the children’s necessities it has been our personal mission of each collaborator who worked during this year. We have done our best to make a reality our proposal, it is reflecting back in the tranquility and the way they play, it is fantastic how these children enjoy life at this SOS Children’s Village.
This year we could welcome 16 children, most of them are coming from the mountains, cities as Jinotega and the Atlantic Region, those are the zone where the poverty rules. Now there are eleven SOS families and having more than 100 children in this village.
Jeamilete is our young SOS mother who welcomed 7 of these children, she welcomed three of them on March 18th, few months later all the children used to call her Mommy!, they always give her affectionate, when our mother has some days off to visit her parents , their children do not want to let her go, especially Heyling who is 8 years old , she was welcomed at Jeamilet’s house in June and she shew up with a little body very irritated caused by malnutrition., now she is healthy and really loves her SOS mother.
Ada del Carmen, another founder SOS mother of this village has moved to live in a near neighborhood, she was afraid to live outside the village, but now Ada and her 9 children talk about good things and the experience they shared with the neighbors of the community.
Every one of them leads the SOS houses very well, and they value positively the right way that we have been consolidating the SOS child-care model that our founder Hermann Gmeiner gave to us, throughout the year six of our mothers concluded their training, practice and theory, therefore now they are officially SOS mothers. The autonomy in their homes is a big personal challenge; and as a result the family reinforcement presents a major unity and belongings feelings to their children. In addition we have the support of 5 doctors who give us attention gratuitously, and a lawyer who attend us making legal proceeding totally for free.
Jose Angel will be moved to live in a youth community and has convinced his SOS mother since he wants to be a taxi driver, this tool will help making his dream come true, for the reason that he wants to be a business administrator in the future, in addition he is still studying English and working in a mini-shop, we are always watching his steps and having the first experience with a talented and dedicated young boy as Jose.
On the other hand, more than 50% of the population lives in extreme poverty, generally the migration of adult people looking for job to other places is for this main reason, so we believe the family violence is caused indeed for hopelessness. But this situation allow us to provide the possibility to rebuild the lives of many children in the protection of a permanent family, due to we have an opening of another new SOS house the next year.
The Village Committee, composed by four SOS mothers selected by themselves has converted in the fundamental milestone to support the Village Director in the task to develop the SOS community having choices which contribute to guide each child and adolescent in the construction of their own lives. Our work and compromise is still in force.
We have had a year of success and all this could be possible thanks to your collaboration. For this reason we wish you a Merry Christmas in family union and many blessings for the next year.
Yours truly,
Edwin Rocha
Village Director
SOS Children’s Village - Matagalpa
Children sponsorship letter Esteli
Dear friend:
We are sending you our warmest greeting on behalf of the SOS Children’s Village in Estelí. We have the opportunity to keep collaborating for those children who need love and affection, and the adolescents and young people who are the present and future of our society. We have 135 children, including adolescents and young people that conform different facilities; we have 12 SOS houses in the SOS Village, two SOS youth facilities for young men and a SOS youth facilities for young ladies.
After vacations our children were exciting to return school, that moment was very emotive because they were expecting to buy scholastic equipment such as shoes, school uniforms, books, notebooks, and so on.
Relating to education, our children are attending preschool and some of them are attending primary school and the adolescents attend secondary school. Hector, Karen Erika and Nubia are some of them who have obtained prices and appears on the school honor list. They say
”We are proud and happy because we are taking advantage of the opportunity that the SOS village has been provided us, we thank our SOS mothers to reach our goals”.
In February we welcomed three little siblings named Carlos, Isabel and Fernando José, they came from a surrounding neighborhood of Estelí. At the moment they are in good physical shape and attend preschool and they are happy in the village, when I asked them what do you like of your school?- They use to answer ”we like painting, drawing and traveling by bus!!!. Now these siblings found a protection and a family that guarantee to respect their rights”.
In February we faced a sad situation, we have two SOS mothers who are natural sisters, their mother died at that time, as a result children and both SOS mothers were so sad, but thanks to the support of this village they are trying to face the reality and accept their lost.
At the beginning of April, we were on vacations in Easter time, just for one week we changed our activities, especially our children. At that point each family organized several activities. The most they liked was the trip to the swimming pools in Estelí. Jose Andres and their SOS bothers and sisters went to a swimming pool in a town called Condega, they say...”We visited a nice swimming pool and shared candies and fruits, the trip by bus from Estelí to Condega was amazing, it took about 35 kilometers from Estelí!”. All the SOS families had some fun and shared great moments.
On April 26th, we remembered the death of our founder Mr. Hermann Gmeiner, so the SOS village and the Hermann Gmeiner School commemorated this date and we had a spiritual event that took place in our local church together the collaborators of the village. May 30th., we celebrated the Mother’s day here in Nicaragua, everything was lovely in the village seeing how children kept some money to give their SOS mothers presents and cards. In some cases, children woke up early in the morning to sing the traditional mother’s song (Las mañanitas). Some SOS mothers were impressed about it.
On June 1st., was the turn for children since that date was the Children’s International day. Each SOS family according to their family budget celebrated a special dinner and children had cakes, piñatas, and games and danced too much. That really was a special day and we have in our memories and in the hearts of every one of them.
This progress has been possible thanks to your great hearth and important collaboration for shaping their own futures and development of their communities, thank you so much.
Kind regards,
Elias Alvares
Village Director
SOS Children’s Village- Estelí
Relevant Countries: Nicaragua.