In 2017, 50 boys and girls - most of them desperately poor orphans and street kids - came to our very first "Hope Bus." The eyecatching, colorful classroom on wheels was an immediate hit and the children loved it! They were tutored in reading, writing, math and other subjects. And they were fed nutritious meals, provided hygiene supplies and psychosocial services, and enjoyed the childhood fun of play and arts and crafts.
Fast forward 5 years, and guess what? As of September 2022, the number of boys and girls served full- or part-time by this fleet of Hope Buses - now numbering three - has increased more than ten-fold to a total of 625! In the desperately poor neighborhood of Baghdad (pictured below), these Hope Buses are like water in the desert for children thirsty to learn and play and be loved. There is nothing quite like it. It is changing little lives, one by one. All because of YOU and others like you!
Now the baton for the Hope Bus Scholarship fund passes to a large donor.
Want to do more? Please give on November 29 - "GIVING TUESDAY" - to our beloved Iraqi children. On that day, Iraqi kids compete with other charities to capture thousands of dollars in FREE funds! The more donors give, the more free funds the Iraqi Children Foundation earns to provide legal protection, nutrition, education, and psychosocial services for Iraq's most vulnerable orphans, street kids, child laborers, trafficking victims, and more. NEW monthly donors of $10 - $200 that day will also get a 100%+ match on one month. Too good to pass up!
Again, our heartfelt thanks to you for being on the team for Iraqi children! Please remember them on November 29 - Giving Tuesday. We are so grateful for you!
All the best,
Cindy
Hey team, we did it! Our dream of a third "HOPE BUS" for Iraqi orphans and street kids has finally come true! A bus has been donated and donors like you have provided funds to transform it into a colorful, child-friendly place of learning and belonging. This means a 50% increase in capacity of the fleet of life-changing Hope Buses to deliver love and hope to children like little Zena:*
Zena* (8) had special challenges. She was slow, had poor hygiene, and sometimes difficult behavior. Her parents treated her as inferior to her siblings, neglected her care, and beat her. To little Zena's rescue came an aunt who lived alone and took the girl into her home. She cared for Zena and, when the opportunity came, signed her up to attend classes at the Hope Bus! Today, Zena gets love and care at the Hope Bus, fun with the children, and private lessons to help with her behavior and hygiene. Into Zena's dark and violent world, came the beautiful warmth of an aunt's love and the promise of a brighter future as a student on the Hope Bus!
Watch this new video, "Voices from the Hope Bus" and listen to boys and girls like Zena who have already had a chance at the protection, nurture and empowerment the Hope Buses deliver.
Then, please help us recruit family and friends to build up our Hope Bus Scholarship fund. Every new monthly gift - from $10 a month to $200 a month - earns an extra free month of support for the Hope Bus kids!
On behalf of the 570 children whose lives have been touched by the Hope Buses, we say "shukran" - thank you - from the bottom of our hearts.
Gratefully,
Cindy
*Name and picture changed to protect child's privacy.
The "Hope Buses" in Baghdad that you have so generously supported are in full operation, providing tutoring, nutritional meals, social services, and play for more than 100 boys and girls! Did you know that over the past several years, more than 560 children have benefitted from this investment in their young lives?
What is special about this project is that it is more than a one-time "hand-out" of a pair of shoes, a jacket, or a basket of food. While those are important gifts at special times, we are committed to a significant, ongoing "hand-up" investment in each at-risk child to help them get a chance at an education and a better future.
But, interestingly, you know what the most intangible impact is? Listen to the words of our Iraqi project manager:
“Did you know that most Hope Bus children when they first come to us have negative thoughts about themselves like they are stupid, unable to learn. They do not have dreams about the future and feel inferior and that they are not like other children in schools. But when they carry school bags, books and pens, and when they start learning to write the first letter, the change begins.
With 2021 in our rear view mirror, we are so grateful to report on the amazing care delivered to Iraqi orphans, street kids, and child laborers at the Hope Buses!
Check out page 8 in our just-released annual report. The near-magical Hope Buses provided tutoring, nutritious meals, psychosocial services, and fun to 105 orphans and former street kids living in some of Baghdad's poorest neighborhoods. A new class of more than 100 just started attending the two Hope Buses in November. Classes include not just academics but also hygiene. They are getting help from our lawyers to obtain needed legal documents. And there is time for fun and gifts. These are the kids your gifts are supporting this year.
See how you make a difference? What if we had no funds to pay the modest salaries of teachers and social workers to educate and care for these children? What if there were no donors to buy nutritious food for their meals on the Hope Buses? And what if there were no funds for science experiments, notebooks and pencils, arts and crafts, or outdoor play and fun? Who would visit their homes or give them hygiene supplies? Thanks to you, we don't have to hang a "Closed Until Further Notice" sign on the bus doors!
Know someone who might like to join the fun and support these Hope Bus children at the margins of society? Just share this good news. Bring on 2022!
Best,
Cindy
PS Download a copy of the full annual report here And if friends or family need a small incentive to sign up, just remind them that new monthly donors get a full 1-month match up to $200. Nice!
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
