By Mick Quinn and Debora Prieto | Co-Founders
Dear Sustaining Sponsors and Supporters,
In this report we’d like to share the story of the first sponsored child of the Integral Heart Foundation.
5 years ago this month we had the privilege of making this first heart-connection.
This child, who is not so much a child any more is still an active participant in our programs and she has also become one of our great hopes simply because of her amazing progress over her years of sponsorship.
We want to appreciate the effort of all who have made this possible by believing in Angelita and in our programs. This is just one of the many stories of success because of you and since Angelita was the first sponsored student we wanted to honor her and all of you by following her evolution.
Thank you all and we hope you enjoy this report as much as we did in making it for you.
(The descriptions are for each of the photos that appear below.)
Pictures 1, 2 and 3 are from the first visit to Angelita’s home when she was only 9 years old. We went there with her first sponsor, Eva. It was also our first time meeting her mother and also her sisters. Back then her mother was living with the father of Angelita’s sisters but the situation at home with him wasn’t the best and the mother finally decided to separate from him. Even if the house is really humble, at least the mother is the deeded property owner which means she doesn’t have to pay rent or a mortgage which is a great advantage.
Picture 4 is a perspective of the mountain-side neighborhood (slum) where they live.
Picture 5: Angelita and her family were also our first solar beneficiary. That was their first light ever, before this they only had candles.
Picture 6 shows Angelita opening a box of gifts brought for her by her sponsor.
Picture 7 a photo from a shopping trip to buy school uniforms, shoes and other school materials that the kids needed. As usual, Angelita being sweet and grateful for all.
Picture 8 taken during a home visit, in which we discovered that Angelita was sick and with fever. In the picture Debora is taking care of her.
In Picture 9 Angelita and her first communion dress. She was thrilled.
Picture 10 was taken during a trip we made to her home because we needed video and photos to request extra help from our network of supporters so that she could continue her studies. The level of education in Guatemala is not the best and oftentimes the students do not get the attention they need to learn. With your support we could afford to have one of our senior sponsored students (a trained teacher) direct a study session on Saturday mornings to help her with her homework. That program is still running and today we have more than ten students attending every Saturday.
Picture 11: Angelita with all her family during the Christmas party celebrated by the Integral Heart Foundation where they received extra food baskets, chickens and toys.
Picture 12 we can see Angelita reading during the Saturday study classes that now she shares with other students from the IHF project.
Picture 13 Angelita celebrating her 14th birthday with cake and soda from all of you!
Picture 14 Angelita responding to a question during one of our weekly Critical-Thinking classes.
Pictures 15 and 16 were taken by Angelita herself. They are her perspective on her home and sisters. This opportunity was given to her by two participants in our Wisdom Speakers Series who came to the class to give a talk and gave her a camera so that we could see the world through her eyes.
We know that Angelita will keep growing and evolving because she has the potential, interest, and discipline and she has the help of you, our dear sponsors.
For that, we are very grateful.
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Picture 17: The next step is to improve her living situation. This family of four currently live in a one-roomed wood framed house with a tin roof. Since her mom owns the property we’d like to build them at least a two-roomed block house and to also enclose the cooking/washing area and bathroom which is currently open to the elements.
If you’d like to hear more about this building project please just reply to this newsletter.
Thank you so much,
Angelita and The Integral Heart Foundation.
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