MYSMALLHELP PERU NEWSLETTER 2

MYSMALLHELP PERU NEWSLETTER 2

Just by forwarding this newsletter to your friend you can be part of MySmallHelp

www.mysmallhelp.org

 19^th , JULY 2011 

Update from MySmallHelp Peru President, Leander Hollings

I can´t believe it is nearly 2 years since I arrived in Peru. My initial plan was to be here for just 3 months! So much has happened over the past 2 months since I sent out the first newsletter. I am so pleased we have managed to find the perfect volunteer house manager, Elena,  who is planning to be based in the volunteer house in Ollantaytambo until the end of the year. Elena is receiving volunteers for MySmallHelp and from the Sacred Valley Dormitory project where she also works. I have been busy setting up the volunteer programme and am looking for volunteers to accompany disabled children on their journey to and from the Arco Iris Special school as well as accompanying the children .during their school day

I was working up in Trujillo in June  and have now moved out of the volunteer house and am based in Cusco where we are also helping 2 disabled   people and I am concentrating on building links with local businesses and organizing events to raise funds here in Peru.

  

MySmallHelp is working with the Arco Iris special school in Urubamba

   

We are delighted to announce that Lourdes is now attending the Arco Iris special school in Urubamba and is slowly learning to read and write. MySmallHelp enrolled Lourdes and 5 other chidren from Ollantaytambo at Arco Iris in May. MySmallHelp paid for the daily school transportation for 10 disabled children from Ollantaytambo to Urubamba in May and June.  Unfortunately due to lack of funding the school bus is not currently running..  Lourdes is currently travelling to school each day with MySmallHelp volunteer Sofia.

Lourdes and Leander appealed to the mayor of Ollantaytambo for support and he 

agreed to provide funding for 50% of the school transportation in May and we are still waiting!

A big thank you to MySmallHelp volunteers Jenny and Alex for all of their help with the children in the Disabled Outreach Campaign and especially for setting up the Just Giving campaign. For more information about the Arco Iris school project and to make a donation please click here.. http://www.justgiving.com/arcoirisschool

 

LOURDES is selling her jewellery internationally

A big thank you also to Jenny Lewent for ordering jewellery from Lourdes to sell through her school with  the help of 8 year old Teodora and her friends. Their first jewellery fundraising event resulted in sales of £152 which will go directly back to Lourdes. A big thank you also to Mrs Whittaker for purchasing a handmade silver necklace from Lourdes and once again thank you to Jenny and Alex for delivering it back to the UK. If anyone would like to order jewellery from Lourdes, please do get in touch!

MARCO

Marco is a 7 year old boy that volunteer Helen Osborn, found in Trujillo in February this year. Marco suffered second degree burns following an incident where another child through a flammable liquid at his leg and set it on fired. MySmallHelp has provided medical assistance to Marco and arranged for Marco to be moved to a special hospital in Lima. Thanks to MySmallHelp Marco is now walking again and is hoping to be back at school within the next month. Thank you also to volunteer Mayra and her brother for organizing the hospital trips in Lima and for visiting Marco and cheering him up with games and books!

16 children from El Milagro, Trujillo, on the north coast of Peru, could go to school in 2011.

Thanks to a kind donation from Jayden Grundy (MySmallHelp Canada), MySmallHelp Peru was able to employ a school teacher (Deisy)  to manage the El Milagro project. She embarked upon finding schools for children whose

families were not able to send them to school without the support of MySmallHelp.  Deisy visited the schools with the children’s mothers to register the children, and purchased uniforms, school books and stationary.

Thanks to donation from Knightsbridge School, 9 of the 16 children are being sponsored for one year and you can  read more about the children still urgently in need of sponsorship here http://www.mysmallhelp.org/sponsor-a-child-peru.php

The sponsorship from Knightsbridge School has also enabled MySmallHelp to organize the first art workshop in El Milagro where 6 mothers learned to make hand-made book covers and helped produce hand printed items of clothing designed by the art teacher Abel Torres, an independent designer from Lima. The first workshop was  originally scheduled for 8 afternoons but the mothers decided to work an extra afternoon because of the excellent results obtained.

Abel Torres has volunteered for MySmallHelp Peru providing designs and teaching the necessary techniques with the aim of selling the products through the MySmallHelp network. The mothers can now produce the book covers independently and will work in the afternoons every Tuesday and Thursday when there are orders and materials available.

MySmallHelp is delighted with the success of the first art workshop which has produced 88 notebooks and 140 items of clothing of excellent quality. MySmallHelp aims to sell the products and generate new orders for the mothers in El Milagro so that they can continue working.

MySmallHelp will receive 50% of the sales revenues of all products designed by Abel Torres and produced with the help of the mothers at the “Casa Milagro” art factory. The mothers will receive 25 nuevos soles for each afternoon that they work (minimum 4 hours) and the money will be saved in a fund to pay the school fees for their children in 2012.

 WHEELCHAIRS

Lourdes travelled to Arequipa with MySmallHelp member Cristian and Sunny, a volunteer from Awamaki, to pick up a wheelchair donated by Kid International through an agreement with the Clinic of San Juan de Dios in Cusco. On the same occasion a wheelchair was obtained for José, aged 20, who has cerebral palsy. José lives with his mother and 3 younger siblings. The mother works to deal with the costs of maintaining her family.

MySmallHelp would like to say a big thank you for the support of the Argentinian psychologist Gabriela Scarafioca who has been working with children and the families that MySmallHelp are supporting in Ollantaytambo. Guiding and assisting in the situations of vulnerability in which the great majority find themselves.

Gaby also accompanied 5 children who attend the CEBE in Urubamba to the Clinic of San Juan de Dios in Cusco so that they could take their medical examinations (each according to his/her needs). Leander took steps to secure the necessary funds for transportation and payment of the medical examinations for these children.

COMMUNICATION COURSE

On the 20^th of June MySmallHelp organized a communication course was directed by Jorge Paricoto at the Arco Iris school and 27 people attended, including teachers, physiotherapists, psychologists and volunteers from various organizations. The work day began at 9am and finished at 6pm. The participants of the course expressed their satisfaction through the contributions received.

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE POINT HOSTELS FOR THEIR FIRST DONATION of 380 SOLES FOR 380 NEW FACEBOOK LIKES

Please click on LIKE on this page (it won´t cost you a penny)

http://www.facebook.com/ThePoi​ntHostels


MySmallHelp Peru will receive 1 Peruvian sol (approximately 22p) for every new like on The Point Hostels page.

Thanks to The Point hostels for their first donation of 380 soles which is being used to provide school transportation for disabled children that would otherwise not be able to go to school.

Join us now facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/MySmallHelp-Peru/183568661692788

Thank you for all your support to date and for the future.  I hope that through MySmallHelp more and more people will realise that being generous is fun, that helping others helps yourself and that everything is interconnected. As individuals become more compassionate everything living on earth including the earth itself will become more balanced.

If you would like to give your small help by purchasing MySmallHelp products, making a donation or volunteering please do contact me directly onleander.hollings@mysmallhelp.org

  

UK Registered Charity No 1123830

Peruvian registered charity RUC 20490472313
Nepal Registered Charity No 2656/381/562

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MYSMALLHELP NEPAL CONGRATULATES ANITA GURUNG

CONGRATULATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!  TO ANITA GURUNG





Anita Gurung is the first girl who successfully passed SLC (School Leaving Certificate) among the children being supported by MySmallHelp, Nepal. She was successful to secure first division with 75%. So she is very happy these days and excited about her future study.  MySmallHelp team is also very happy about her and congratulate her with best wishes for her bright future.

Anita has been shifted to new apartment as she had to leave her previous place where she had completed her school level. As she is a grown up child she has decided to study sociology in one of the private college.She aims to help poor and orphan people as she can feel their pains closely. Understanding her feelings and condition MySmallHelp, Nepal is  supporting her with full effort for her bright future.Anita is also very much thankful to MySmallHelp, Nepal for being her guardian and taking take care of her.

Third blood donation event of MSH Nepal

Third Blood Donation Camp organized by MSH, Nepal

1st July, 2011

Seeing the importance and shortage of blood in the blood bank, MSH Nepal has set its objective to organize the blood donation camps four times a year. So, last Friday on 1^st July 2011, MSH Nepal has conducted the third successful event of blood donation Camp at Quest International College at Gwarko, Lalitpur. More than 30 students at Quest International College rolled up their sleeves and donated blood as part of a joint venture between Red Cross Nepal and Mysmall Help, Nepal.

In spite of the rainy day, it was lovely to see the students and MSH members get so excited about being able to make a donation. About 43 pints of blood was collected during the event. Due to rainy weather, some of the candidates were disqualified to donate as their pressure goes down the normal point.

The students were so happy to do something so worthwhile and thanked Red Cross and Mysmall help to come to the college and make it so much easier to donate in a comfortable and accessible environment. Similarly, Kolin Shrestha, Director of Quest International College said: “It is very rewarding to see these young people motivated enough to make these donations. This is the third time that we have run the blood campaign at the college and we will always be happy to be involved in this type of programme, and to help our students to become more socially aware and responsible.”

The MSH staff worked steadily to encourage students to make their donation, to give them some support whilst doing so, taking photographs, and assisting students to fill out their consultation form. Other three interns of MSH Nepal were busy in arranging refreshment suite where apples were cored and chopped, bananas, biscuits and boiled eggs plated up, and cartons of juice issued to the donors after they had donated. As a reward, and what turned out to be a somewhat surreal experience, the MSH team was escorted to the top floor of the college where students run a mock restaurant as part of their training. The students who had moments before been jovial and carefree were now immaculately suited and booted and on their best behavior as they served up delicious chicken soup and hakka noodles and tended to our every need as a diner.  Overall it was a very satisfying day with many students promising to encourage their friends to donate next time.

My feelings during visit to Nepal.

By Joanna Young

Namaste, namaste; it feels like my hello and goodbye to Nepal was just as quick as that! I have spent the last six months in the land of Never Ending Peace and Love and was privilieged enough to be visiting Mysmallhelp. It's with a heavy heart that I have to say my farewells to lots of beautiful children and wonderful people who have made my stay so enjoyable. Watching the children mature and grow in confidence is priceless, and seeing their faces when they receive letters from their sponsors, or unexpected parcels from Brownie groups in England is really special.

Most recently they've been given some new toys with funds raised through justgiving.com and they were trying to teach me some Nepali dancing (which was perhaps a highlight for me but less so for them!). More funds will be put towards buying them new shoes and clothes for those who are growing the fastest! A visit from two kind hearted trekkers, Jim Andrews and Matt Rai (London & Derby) led to a one off generous donation and a new sponsor; it also led to a rapid and enthusiastic football game that went so fast I have no idea who won!

Just a week or so later was my final night visiting Marybert School and Orphanage where I found the children drawing me lots of beautiful farewell cards, and supplying me with a a multitude of hugs. We enjoyed singing, eating, and then a final powercut together (which I was quite thankful for as it hid my quivering bottom lip). Visiting the children at Marybert is a humbling and beautiful experience; at times it can feel like you're in the presence of angels whilst at other times it's clear to see there is mischief to be had! They're a beautiful bunch of puppies bumping into each other, falling over each other and ultimately always seeking warmth, love and nourishment. That's easy for us in the UK, a bit harder to pull off in Nepal. So, if you fancy doing your bit... log onto www.justgiving.com/childreninnepal or get in touch with Mysmallhelp and commit to being a sponsor, safe in the knowledge that your funds go to helping the children we know who need it most. With love. Jo x

Our last few days

Our month with MSH in Peru has gone so quickly and I cannot belive that we will soon be packing our bags and leaving Ollantaytambo. We have had such a busy last couple of weeks securing places at a nearby specialist school for disabled children for several of the children MSH and Awamaki have contacted during the disabled outreach campaign.

The four children who were to be the guinea pigs for the scheme last week were Sayury,Luis Alberto, Lourdes and Jasmira. None of the children were attending school because their families did not have the money or resources necessary to send them. All four of the children arrived promptly to meet us to set off for school. When we arrived I was blown away by how lovely the school was, it is set behind a wall, with gardens and the classrooms are idyllic looking thatched huts. There is play equipment and even a cow and chickens! The school was set up by a British NGO and is the only one in the area for disabled children. It provides lessons in life skills as well as more traditional skills such as maths and reading and provides vital services such as physiotherapy. It also provides milk and lunch free of charge for each child, every day.

It is hard to over emphasise the difference the school makes to the children’s lives by giving them a place to socialize and play, gain confidence and independence and learn. Without this school, the children would spend their days at home or at their parent’s work place.

The manager of the school kindly accepted Alex and I to volunteer at the school. We have each been assigned a classroom and have really enjoyed helping the teachers in any small way we can. The school day starts with games for all the children like passing a ball round a circle or a game that involves a cat that even after several goes still remains a mystery to me! The children certainly enjoy it though! In the class that I have been helping in, the children have been learning letters and numbers and doing practical things like drawing pictures for mothers day.

Apart from helping out at the school we have been frantically trying to help Leander with the administrative tasks she needs help with before we leave. We have also taken over the home visit schedule for Alex, a little boy with cerebral palsy, from the Awamkai volunteers. Alex is 13 and is so bright and responsive but spends his days lying in bed because he does not yet have a wheelchair and his mother is often out at work. One of the things the partnership is working towards is getting him a wheelchair which is a prospect I find so exciting as he might then be able to go to school which I know he would benefit from immensely. Awamaki have also arranged for him to have a special chair made for him in the mean time which will allow him to sit up and engage more with his environment.

I have enjoyed so much working with the disabled children out here, learning about the way their illnesses affect them and getting to know them all. I have had great fun playing with them and being able to engage with them. Most of all a lot of them have a great sense of fun and playfulness, as children do, which is a very rewarding and fun environment to be around.

Our first day at school

Another early start today to meet Julio the bus driver and three disabled kids; Lourdes, Juan Alberto and Jasmera in Ollantaytambo square and picking up Sayury in the next town along. It was to be their second day at the amazing Rainbow school run by a charity called ’Kiya Survivors’ in Urubamba which was especially set up for disabled children.

It was Alex and my first day today and we were amazed by how lovely the school was; like a little oasis in the middle of the town with classrooms for different activities and a garden. We started the day with games and introductions which were followed by ‘work’ sessions and lots of play. The children then have lunch before home time at half past one.

Alex helped in the ‘life skills’ class who were making pretty pen pots to give as mother’s day presents this weekend. I helped Sayuri to do colouring and the other members of her class with their letters and learning. The children at the school vary in age from 3 to 20 and all have different disabilities but they are all catered for by the teachers. Sayury ,who has cerebral palsy, had a brilliant day, managing to get herself onto the slide and making firm friends with a little girl of a similar age who can’t speak or hear.

We are looking forward to another day at school tomorrow, it was such a rewarding and fun day.

Sports Day with Anita

Last Wednesday we had an early start so that we

could get to Cusco for half 9 in the morning. After hitch-hiking in a luxury tourist bus on its way back to Cusco, we met Nelly, the MSH Social Worker outside Uriel Garcia school. We followed her inside the school stadium where the entire school were assembled all dressed in their sport teams' gear and decorated with face paints and fancy hair-dos.

Anita is a ten year old girl who is in a wheelchair due to cerebral disabilities. She loves drama and last time we met her at her home she did a confident performance of a poem for us finishing with a bow. She and her little sister were there to take part in the parade and her parents were there too to watch them. We spent several enjoyable hours in gorgeous sunshine with Anita and her family watching the various dances and performances including a rather accurate rendition of Thriller and several rounds of fireworks.

Then it was our turn! Alex and I went onto the sports field with Anita and her team mates and walked the lap of the parade. I held a volleyball and flowers and Alex pushed Anita trying to stay in time with the shouts of the coordinators which resulted in some abrupt halts and several spurts of sprinting. Anita’s family were so welcoming and generous; her little sister ran off to put my jelly carton in the bin and her Dad disappeared and returned with a hat for Alex when the sun was at its hottest.

Anita’s Dad works really hard as a mechanic but they can’t afford the 20 pounds a month it would cost to get Anita to physiotherapy three times a week. Nelly has also recommended that Anita needs a laptop to help her at school because although she is just as quick at learning as any of her classmates, she struggles to write quickly. I really hope MSH can help her with these small things that would really make a difference.