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TAITAKUNA
Our Sponsorship Program
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The Sponsorship program called TAITAKUNA (Godparents in Quechua) is helping to improve the living condition of the poorest children and to encourage them to continue studying after the primary school. Some years ago five of these children didnīt have any possibility to continue studying after primary and their future was only to be poor land workers. Today, after four years in the program, they are studying in the secondary school and are dreaming to be doctors, nurses or computers engineers. Next school year they will be nine.
With the help of sponsors, volunteers and friends families receives a monthly help in food packages, clothes, school expenses, a house has been constructed and eight other families has now an adequate bathroom in their homes. In response to the emergencies caused by the eruptions of Tungurahua volcano, small family projects has been promoted.An small health fund is serving these families in cases of an emergency
Children receives not only the help from sponsors, also letters, photos and gifts. Sponsors receives information, letters and photos from godchildren and the program. Many of the sponsors have visited their godchildren and the projects.
Next you can read the official report about the second semester 2009:
1.1 Numbers: During the semester there were 14 sponsored children, 10 in El Porvenir-Acapulco and 4 in Techo Propio. Eight sponsors are from the AFET group in England, five are former volunteers, relatives and friends in England, USA and Canada. A further 15 children, siblings of those sponsored received benefits and gifts. In addition, five more children in Techo Propio and two in El Porvenir-Acapulco received some help from VDO hoping to find full sponsorship next semester. There is therefore a total of 36 children receiving help from the programme.
1.2 Meetings: There was a monthly meeting with each one of the two groups usually with the children and at least one of their parents (usually the mother). The meetings of the El Porvenir-Acapulco group were at the office in Ambato and one in Acapulco when some sponsors visited in September. The Techo Propio group had four meetings in the room at the Computer Centre in the Cooperative house, two were in the house of a family (one during the sponsors visit) The food parcels was distributed at these meetings. Parents and children from the group ElPorvenir-Acapulco are very grateful for the additional help given to pay for their transport to meetings in Ambato.
1.3 Food : 105 parcels were distributed. These included rice, semolina flour, pasta, flour (bean, wheat & pea) and oats. Thanks to an additional contribution from the AFET fund every sponsored child received sardines and lentils (these two protein items were now too expensive to be covered by the normal sponsorship fee). This was again very well received by parents.
1.4 Clothes: Two sales were organized thanks to generous donations from John Potts (Happy Gringo) and from the sponsors visit. The first took place on November 21 for sponsored families. The second was on November 28 for the whole community. A fashion show was also organized and some singers entertained. The models were girls from the community and the clothes came from a donation of a big factory in Colombia. It was a great event.
1.5 Education: 9 children studied in secondary school, 25 in primary and two in the kindergarden.
All children received some help for school expenses, 5 secondary and 3 primary and kindergarten students for uniforms, 3 secondary and 9 primary school students received school supplies.
Five children in secondary school received extra English language classes. It is important to note that all this extra help was possible thanks to additional money sent by some sponsors. We are particularly grateful to those sponsors.
In general all had good performance at school and are happy to continue.
1.6 Health: The boy with pyelonephritis continues to need support. This comprises monitoring tests and a special diet with fruit and some medicines. He is now well but not completely healthy. He continue to be weak and every two months has some new health problem.
In Techo Propio the climate is very dry and dusty so three children, two or three years old had bronchitis and the fund paid for consultation and medicine.
The fund paid for glasses for a girl and her mother in Techo Propio, not from the sponsored group.
Fortunately all other children are healthy.
1.7 Improvement of living conditions: Thanks to the House Construction Fund a bathroom was completed in a house which is used by three families with their children. Nearly 15 people use the bathroom. Each family helped to pay for the materials and provided labor.
One of the poorest families is that of a widow with three young children. At present they live in the parents in law house. She is buying a piece of land in the neighborhood. She urgently needed to make the water and sanitary connections before the street was paved. The fund paid for the water and waste connections, labor and materials.
1.8 Correspondence: All presents, letters and packages sent by sponsors arrived as expected.
Conclusion: It was rewarding to see that three children started secondary school and we reminded them than four years ago parents usually said that it would not be possible because of lack of money.
We are pleased the group in ElPorvenir-Acapulco continues after five years of help and that the new group in Techo Propio have integrated very well into the programme.
The children, parents and ourselves are really grateful to all our supporters.
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Sponsors visit in September 2009
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