Help with Food
You might like to know how things look at our projects right now or more specifically how are the kids doing? Children and families at our projects experience life much differently than you might think.
The Covid pandemic has made things worse for those who have less. Just like in your neighborhood, people who have more have suffered less so it goes to reason that those who had less to start with have it much worse.
I have seen poverty and know what it means to live on a dollar a day. Not that I have but I have worked and liver in project countries entrenched with the very poor. Think for a moment who might happen if your dollar a day floats down to zero. If you have no job or allowed mobility you are in a tough place.
As Christmas approaches, we have come to grips that we will curb our standard extra Christmas giving and parties.
Our kids are hoping for a small Christmas gift and you can help, visit www.starofhope.us/shop and provide just one or more gifts to the extremely vulnerable.
Here is a short update on our project countries work and situation
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Argentina
There are a large number of infections and the people are being severely affected in many ways. Large parts of Argentina and Sáenz Peña are closed from time to time. Our vocational school is closed for the time being. At the preschool, distance-learning takes place. They receive homework that their parents pick up at school. This and food delivery is complicated due to many restrictions, but our team is trying. Thankfully, they can meet up to 70 families per day for such activities. Mattresses have also been distributed to the needy. After the spring campaign, we handed out winter clothes and shoes.
Belarus
Here we have relatively normal circumstances in some areas and lockdowns in others. Many meetings with parents groups and activities have been arranged normally. October’s Mother's Day was celebrated normally in Belarus, But some districts did activities for Mother's Day online.
Brazil
In Sao Paulo, our projects have been closed since last spring and have not opened back up yet. They have home activities where the teachers instruct parents via phone/videos.
In Montes Claros, the school has remained closed, but there have been some activities, such as Children's Day in mid-October.
The Philippines
School started in October, four months behind schedule. All teaching takes place remotely online. For children who do not have access to electronic equipment such as tablets or mobile phones, a "modular teaching strategy" is utilized. This means that parents can pick up the educational material at school, together with prepared worksheets. The parents can then help their children solve the tasks and return the forms to the school to have the teachers evaluate and grade them.
We arranged food distribution and homeschooling earlier in the pandemic.
On November 1, The Philippines was hit by tropical storm Goni. Thank God our schools and sponsor children were not affected. As a precautionary measure, our school in Infanta was used as a rescue center for the families who were worse off. Luckily we came away without any injuries.
A few days later, The Philippines was hit by a tropical storm Vamco. Both our schools in Taytay and Infanta were flooded. It was worse in Infanta about 50 families took refuge in our school for a few days.
Ghana
Schools are closed until January. They continue to homeschool in all projects.
We have done food distributions during the pandemic, and another one is planned before the end of the year.
Awana is planned to start up as soon as the government will allow.
Haiti
The academic year 2019-20 was significantly delayed and finally ended in October. The new school year began on November 9, about two months behind schedule.
We have accomplished food distribution a couple of times during the pandemic.
The lockdowns have hurt the more impoverished countryside people in Haiti. They have not been able to go to the markets to sell their harvest or livestock.
Awana is planned to start up as soon as the government will allow.
Kenya
Here public functions have been shut down now and then. This has created significant problems on many levels in the Mikindani slum where we work outside Mombasa. Hunger, unemployment, teenage pregnancies, and also sexual exploitation and prostitution among young girls are the greatest problems.
We have distributed food packages regularly. We have organized homeschooling.
The schools in the country have opened up gradually. First, it was higher education (high school, university, and vocational schools). Then we opened up our sewing school. After that, a couple of grades have started (grades 4 and 8 as they are the last years per educational level).
However, we have first adapted and renovated the schools.
We have also started a support group for vulnerable girls and their families in Mikindani and have distributed sanitary items to the girls.
Awana is planned to start up, but the training is delayed.
Latvia
There were shutdowns and a state of emergency at the beginning of the pandemic. The schools we support for children with disabilities were closed and the children have stayed at home.
On November 9, a new state of emergency was introduced with many more closures and restrictions. For our sponsor children, this means that the children in grades six and up stay at home.
Romania & Moldova
There have been lockdowns and restrictions, partly at the national level, somewhat at the municipal level. We have carried out home tuition and distributed food packages in our projects.
Our centers for children with various disabilities and resource centers for vulnerable children are open but with multiple restrictions.
A recent rule is that all children older than five years must wear masks at school, at our centers, and in the city. In Dimancheni, the women at our sewing school have learned to make masks that are used by the children in the project.
Russia
Here things are relatively normal. Career orientation for single mothers at Grace Center continues. Supplies have been distributed to the schools that the partner organization supports.
Trinidad
Our schools have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic. A couple of weeks ago activities and businesses have started to open up again, however, our schools are still closed.
The teachers have tried homeschooling online. However, this is very difficult because many families do not have the right equipment. We have distributed food and tried to raise the families’ morale.
Can you help with the work? https://www.starofhope.us/give
Can you give him or her a Christmas gift? https://www.starofhope.us/shop
M Presson
