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Winter 2015/16 Newsletter |
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Goodbye 2015...
Bring on 2016!! |
Hi Friends, we are excited to finally send out our first newsletter of the year :)
It has been a busy start to the year – wrapping up summer vacations (yes, we are in summer here!), starting a new school year, and welcoming a new girl into Corazón del Pastor. We also have to share about a couple exciting things that took place in December, so we have a lot to pack into this update!
Before we do this, we just want to express how grateful we are for all of your support in 2015. We had an incredible year thanks to our supporters, and are now able to enter into 2016 full of hope and vision for what lies ahead.
We are also aware of the challenges we continue to face due to constant rising costs in Bolivia, so as you read our updates and look through some amazing photos of our kids, we encourage you to consider how you can help us continue to provide for our boys and girls.
Without further adieu – our Winter update!
Peace and Blessings, |
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A Very Merry
Christmas |
Every December 24th, the Niños con Valor family here in Bolivia gathers to celebrate Christmas together. The children plan presentations of theatre, dance and singing, while the staff prepares a delicious meal. In the midst of all the celebration, our kids open up their stockings and gifts, which is one of the most anticipated activities of the year.
To add to the joy of the day – this was the first NCV Christmas celebration for Zuleika, Claudia, Tomás, Timoteo, Marta and Ramiro!
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Paulina, holding Cristina who is looking SO cute in her Christmas outfit.
Tias Maritza and Lucia preparing the Christmas meal.
Abigail and Tia Ninfa serving the potatoes.
Tia Liseth introducing the different presentation the kids planned for the day.
The boys of Pedacito de Cielo singing a Christmas song.
Zamora, in one of the traditional dances the girls shared.
The girls love any excuse to dance!
The boys went for a more "cool" approach in their second routine.
Our younger girls presenting a Christmas reading from memory.
Marcos - pretty excited to have his very own clock.
Ramiro celebrating his first Christmas with his NCV family.
Samuel, along with Tia Ines.
Valeria didn't stop smiling all day.
Alandra, in her typical dramatic fashion, reacting to her presents.
Sofia - 20 and still excited to receive Christmas gifts.
Martina and Zuleika showing the gifts they received from their sponsors.
Twins Jhoselin and Johana likewise happy to have received a special present from their sponsors.
Fabian, as happy about the wrapping paper as about what was inside :)
Laura, opening one of her gifts.
Timoteo - so excited about the new bikes and scooters for PDC.
Manolo showing off one of the bikes and high chairs.
Claudia, recently home from the hospital, wearing her new hat and checking out her gifts with Tia Paola.
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Helping is in
Style |
In December, in collaboration with fashion designer Franz Auza Quechover and several local organizations working with the community of adults and children living with HIV, we held two large charity fashion shows.
The proceeds all went towards creating Bolivia’s first fund to provide supplementary medical care to children living with HIV, and will be administered by Niños con Valor through a committee made up of representatives of different organizations, including members of the community of people living with HIV in Bolivia. |
We put up posters all over the city to promote the big event.
The runway - all prepped and ready.
A children's choir opened up the evening with Christmas carols.
The next series of photos is of a selection of designs by Franz Auza Quechover.
Franz on the runway with the models of La Meson to close the show.
A folkloric dance crew providing entertainment for the audience.
Mariela and Zamora on stage with Franz and the lead singer of a local hip-hop group.
Franz being interviewed by a national television station.
Our kids congratulating Franz on his show - a large group of boys and girls were able to attend.
A bit of a dance party broke out at the end, and our girls were quick to get on stage.
Sisters Karina and Nohemi, happy about the free snacks provided by national airline - Ecojet.
Our kids posing for a photo with Franz, before heading to bed (it was a late night!)
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| Garage Sale! |
While the majority of our financial support comes from outside of Bolivia, each year we have increased our efforts to raise more funds nationally. This is becoming increasingly important as prices in Bolivia continue to rise.
Last month, we held our second charity garage sale to raise funds for our programs here in Cochabamba. The sale was a huge success, and provided plenty opportunity to share with other about the important work that Niños con Valor is doing here in Bolivia. |
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Moda
Loca |
| Every January, as summer vacations come to a close, we hold our annual "Crazy Fashion Show". This is a time for the staff and kids to dress up, dance, and strut their stuff, as a final “hurrah” to vacations and to start the transition to a new academic year. This year, we were able to share the day with several volunteers from AIESEC, and witnessed some of the best outfits in the ten years we have been holding these events.
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Tomas getting his groove on.
Manolo: Not-So-Dark Knight.
Alejo complimenting Marta on her fashion sense.
Cynthia, showing off Dori's first outfit of the day.
Tia Carmela, holding Ramiro during his first every Moda Loca.
Tia Marisol working hard on Karina's hair.
Fabiola getting right into the spirit, having only joined CDP a little over a week earlier.
Victoria, our fashion diva, required two tias to help with hair and makeup.
Natalia demonstrating the movement of her garment.
Tio Carlos and Bemabe, a pretty stylish duo.
Agustina was probably the most colorful of all.
Tia Caitlin, with Clara - who went for a more elegant look.
Adriana and Jhoselin, not looking nearly as scary as they think they do :)
Volunteer Anai with Paty.
Tia Paola, posing with Cristina - our youngest participant.
Johana and Evelyn, with Tio Tyson (who found yet another creative use for the wig he has incorporated every Moda Loca).
Tias Martiza and Sonia, with two AIESEC volunteers, showing that the kids have nothing on their elders when it comes to style.
Claudia, joining in her first big family event since returning from hospital.
The boys and Tia Caitlin digging into some delicious food.
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Back to
School |
In Bolivia, the first week of February brings with it the start of a new school year. This year, 35 of our 38 boys and girls are attending classes, most in new schools as we have adjusted our routines to provide better academic support in the afternoons. A month in, they are making new friends and getting into the groove of their new schedules. The teachers that are coming in the afternoons have started tutoring in areas where the kids are struggling, so we are anticipating a successful year for all!
A huge thanks to Laura Crowell, a photographer with Photographers Without Borders, who spent two weeks sharing in the daily lives of our children. The photos in this section were taken by her - and get set for some incredible images next month, when we dedicate our newsletter to our kids' daily lives as seen through Laura's lense :) |
Victoria and Nohemi at their new school.
Manolo talking with Victoria. This is the first year we have been able to bring together our boys and girls in the same schools, which is awesome!
Clara and Karina posing for a photo after being let out of school.
The kids arriving home from school - we really pack them in!
Our teens, back from high school
Some of our girls in the study room starting on their homework.
Agustina - that is a lot of information!
Our teens receiving tutoring from a teacher we hired to help with mathematics.
Mariela, earbuds in, looks pretty happy with her progress.
Jhoselin researching in our computer lab.
Above and below, our girls using their incredible creativity.
Clara and Alandra working on their own project, having finished up their homework.
Mariela working on an art project.
Tia Paty helping Eneas and Timoteo with their work in the afternoon.
Tio Tyson re-learning some high school math to help out Fabiola with her homework.
Volunteer Marion helping out Alarico with his homework.
And here she is helping out the girls.
Paulina, who attends night school so she can spend more time caring for Cristina and fast track in her studies, working on her homework.
Looking a little exhausted.
The boys, who never stop moving, often do their homework wherever it's most comfortable :)
The boys checking out their chore list, to see what they need to do around the house when their homework is done.
Karina, concentrating hard.
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| Welcome: Ramiro and Fabiola |
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While Ramiro actually arrived back in November, we haven’t formally introduced him in a newsletter yet. Just 16 months old, Ramiro came to us from La Paz, so that he could receive the quality attention and health care provided in NCV homes. He was far behind developmentally, unable to crawl, roll or communicate. Today, just 4 months later, he is starting to walk, loves to engage with the other boys and the staff, and provides a constant smile in the home.
Fabiola joined us in January from a temporary shelter here in Cochabamba. As a 14-year-old, the transition has been much more difficult that when a child arrives at a younger age. Thankfully, she is adjusting well, and is grateful for the opportunities she has in Corazón del Pastor. We are working with family to explore the possibility of her going to live with a relative, while providing her with the best alternative we can. She is making new friends, and enjoying her new school. |
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| Sponsorship Spotlight |
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| Johana |
Johana joined the CDP family nearly 10 years ago, when she was only 6-years-old, along with her twin sister, Jhoselin. She also has two younger sisters, Karina and Nohemi, who arrived separately. Johana is now a teen, full of confidence and become more and more independent. One of her main struggles is focusing on developing her Life Plan; with only two and a half years remaining before she turns 18, we are working with her on the process of transition to adulthood. Currently, Johana is attending high school, taking ballet and piano classes, and jogging at night with her closest friend in the home - Evelyn.
If you would like to sponsor one of our children, and help them on their own journey to transformation, please visit our sponsorship page to learn how you can do so!
Johana shortly after she arrived.
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| Mariela |
Mariela has been with us since shortly after we first opened Corazón del Pastor. From the beginning, she demonstrated her talent for entertaining those around her. In all our family events, she always manages to bring laughter to her audience, and the fact that many of her acts she works out herself is a testimony to her incredible creativity. Throughout the past ten years, Mariela has struggled with behavioral issues, yet as she has gotten older, she is demonstrating a greater ability to manage her impulses and build healthy relationships. Currently, she is taking taekwondo and piano, and is looking forward to swimming classes later on this year.
If you would like to sponsor one of our children, and help them on their own journey to transformation, please visit our sponsorship page to learn how you can do so!
Mariela shortly after she arrived.
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| All of our programs seek to provide holistic care, as well as integrate children and families living with various physical and mental health issues, including HIV/AIDS. |
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| Our home that provides care for up to 24 girls who have been orphaned, abandoned or removed from high-risk situations. |
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| Our home that provides care for up to 14 boys who have been orphaned, abandoned or removed from high-risk situations. |
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| We also host volunteers, who fulfill important roles within our programs. Click here to learn more. |
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| Our transitional program, helping prepare teens for independent living once they leave our residential homes. |
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