Sponsor update from Ibarra

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Ibarra, Winter 2007/2008

Dear sponsors

Receive many greetings from your SOS Children’s Village Ibarra. We are very happy to tell you about our news and the main activities of year 2007. Right now our 12 families are composed by 85 children and adolescents and by their 12 SOS moms. Two little kids more are going to arrive soon from a rural place called Guarangüicito. We’re getting everything ready and finishing the legal procedures to have them with us soon!!

Among the boys and girls recently welcomed we have a 5-sibling-group. They come from our neighbor nation of Colombia. They arrived in bad conditions but as the months passed we’ve seen how they’ve become healthy and happier. Now they’ve developed the sense of “being part of something” and they are adapted and happy with their siblings and with mom Oliva. Likewise, mom Alba had the chance to join Andrea (9) and Edison (6) as her children. They come from Ambato, a city in the center of Ecuador. They both get adapted easily to the village and to their family. Together with their 5 house siblings they feel good and happy to stay together. Andrea and Edison take care of each other because they’ve been together before they came to our village; they have a very close bond. Additionally, Alba helped in the physical and emotional therapies of one of her sons to improve his stability. Now he’s integrated to his family, he is a good student and very responsible. He has also developed a very close relationship with his SOS mom.

Mom Anabela, on the other hand, had the challenge to help her daughter Soraya (11) to get stabilised and to integrate her to her family. After several months of therapy and a lot of care and efforts, Soraya is adapted to her siblings and to her village life.

Our youth facilities have seen some of their members gone to make true their life plans. Now our facilities are composed by 6 boys and 4 young girls. In the economical situation of our country it’s very difficult to find a job for our youth, in particular because many people avoid hiring under ages. The village supports our youth to get a job through recommendation letters to acquire experience in business and companies of our SOS friends. We’ve found safe part time jobs for our youth and they are able to work and at the same time to continue with their studies.

Children's events through the year

As part of the support that our organizations offers the community, is still working inside our village the SOS Nursery School Yahuarcocha with 32 children, three of them (David, Darío and María José) are village children. Likewise, our social centre’s work continues with many good results. Right now the social centre assists 84 boys, girls and guide and helps about 50 adults (all of the parents of those children). Also, the two child minding programs, in the Amazonas market and the other in Azaya are working to support about 60 children and 52 fathers or mothers of these kids. The purpose of this work is to support the family strengthen both in the emotional and in the economical area, through specific guides and therapies which have also prevented that these boys and girls may be abandoned or suffer any kind of mistreatment.

Among the cultural events of our village, we want to tell you about the participation of our dance group in the inauguration of Ulises de la Cruz’s coliseum. He is the SOS Ambassador in Ecuador and is also part of the national soccer team. Our little ones, under aunt Jhajayra’s guide, performed a very beautiful folkloric dance which delighted the public. Another event that filled us up with a lot of happiness was the visit of the Austrian Climbing team which was taking part in the World Championship of this sport in Ibarra city. The team, composed by 20 people visited the village and participated with our children of some very funny traditional games of Ecuador. It was a very nice and interesting meeting both for our guests and for our boys and girls. We’ve had many other very nice visits through the year ad we want to thank in particular, Anthony, Christine and the Hubler family for their pleasant visits which have accompanied and cheered us up this year.

This year our kids participated with a lot of enthusiasm of several sports events. A great number of our children took part in the provincial championships of WhuShu and they obtained some medals. They also traveled to Quito to participate in the SOS Children’s Village Quito’s Olympiads. Our kids arrived full of good experiences and medals from this event.

Learning for the future

About our former villagers and their productive projects we are proud to tell you that Consuelo and José Luis opened this year their fast-food restaurant applying marketing strategies. To settle down their business they used their savings which were gathered from the money-gifts their sponsors so generously sent them along their life in the village. On the other hand, Jorge together with his girlfriend and using his savings too, opened a casual wear store in Ibarra. Also Byron, who obtained recently his range as soldier of the national army, has already leaded independent and is starting the formation in the army which is part of his plans and dreams for the future.

Other youth from our village are in the way towards their independence. This is the case of Luis and Manuel who after having finished their technical education in Agro industry, they decided to join the Ecuadorian army. Yomaira and Cecilia have already their technical diplomas in dressmaking and they’re ready to get professional training and experience and to trace a plan for their future. Nagwa finished high school and with her diploma in accounting she will start a career in Children’s development techniques and also the counseling stage. Verónica and Cecilia have started this stage some time ago and they already have found some good jobs in Ibarra city.

Sandrita, our 6-year-old blind girl, started basic school in a regular primary school together with María Rocío, her twin sister. Her SOS aunt Martha is helping her a lot since she got training in Braille. Sandrita is a very affective and sociable little girl and now is much more integrated. Her sister is a great support in her formation and in her social integration process.

In this last month we’re getting ready for the traditional festivities of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, which are moments to spend with the family with a lot of happiness and spirituality.

We hope that this news will please you and that we can continue having the big luck to count with your support and trust. On behalf of all the children, youth, mothers and aunts of our village, get the best wishes and a warm hug in these holidays!!

Sincerely,

Lilián Basantes, SOS Children’s Village Ibarra Directress & Cristina Padilla de Ontaneda, International Sponsorships Advisor