Child sponsorship letter from Penonome
12/08/2007
Update from Summer 2007
Dear Sponsors:
On behalf of children, young people, mothers, aunt and collaborators we want to thank you for your generosity and support to the SOS Children’s Villages in PenonomĂ©.
Actually our population is 116 boys, girls, and young people. We feel especially proud because seven of our teenagers obtained the transfer from the SOS Children’s Village to the SOS young boy’s community; these young boys have been characterized by their good behaviour, their interest to study and their overcoming sense.
Summer time 2007 was full of recreational activities in which boys and girls enjoyed the trips to the river, beach, fairs, cinemas, museums, parks and swimming pools. Also some SOS mothers and their children went to the country side where they had great moments while enjoying nature. Another interesting summer-activity was the workshop of creating kite models, prepared by a group of volunteer teachers.
Also a group of 22 young people participated in a religious meeting organised by the youthful group of the church, in which they shared beautiful experiences of reflection and spiritual formation. About sport activities, 15 of our children are participating in the local soccer league. It’s important to mention, that Francisco Gomez and Oscar Cain participate in the league of district soccer. Also Valentin Jimenez and Jorge Luis Mena have an important participation in their schools soccer league.
On April 29th we celebrated our 16th anniversary of foundation. To celebrate so important event, children, young people, mothers, aunts and staff organised a family dinner in which everybody could share nice moments. As part of the celebration, a group of SOS mothers and SOS aunts gave an especial gift to the first baby that born in the public hospital of the province.
Regarding the qualifications of SOS mothers and SOS aunts, they have been participating in special courses for mothers organized by the SOS Training Centre; they also received seminars and workshop such as: nutrition and development, self care, professional risks, stress management and others.
Our boys and girls continued with the medical check and this first semester we have been focus in the odontology program, in which many children have been benefits and specifically three of them started to use a dental corrective treatment.
We hope that this letter with news from SOS Children Villages Penonome gave you an idea of the life in the village. Thank you very much to your unconditional support to SOS Children’s Villages, more children and young people
have opportunities of better quality of life.
Sincerely yours,
Dimas Montenegro, SOS Children’s Villages Penonome and Julio Arango, SOS Children’s Villages Panama
Sponsor's update from David
Dear Sponsors:
On behalf of children, young people, mothers, aunt and collaborators I want to thank you for your generosity and support to the SOS Children’s Villages David.
There is some good news to write you about the SOS Children’s Villages David, one of that good news is that we already have our first graduated young girl from the United World College in Costa Rica. Our beloved Claudia Villarreal finished high school with good grades and we all feel very happy of her success. Now she is planning ingress to the faculty of Laws at the National University in Panama.
Also the preliminary educational report of children in elementary school revels that most of the average grades are good at the first semester 2007. It is because mothers and aunts proposed better qualifications for their children this year, also as additional support, teachers from the community help in those subjects in which children cannot do by themselves, so the effort and team work is notable.
At the moment our population in SOS Children’s Villages David is 100 boys and girls. During first months of the year we have received the visits of independent young people whom have already formed their own family; and it is especially important to see how determinate do they are to break the cycle of the infantile abandonment, being their self responsible mothers and fathers with their children.
Some of the others departures have been children and young people that returned to live with their biological families, because their families have been able to surpass the difficulties and the reasons of separation. The SOS Children’s Village David has a continue supports to the processes with children’s biological families to assure that the reintegration will be successful. Without doubt the most beautiful moment is when children and their relatives return to visit the SOS Mothers that took care of them in the SOS Children’s Villages. We have obtained a harmonic relation between both families with the purpose to extend the network of adults that could take care of the children.
And the anniversary celebrationÂ… well, it has been simple this year, but keeping the essential of the date. The 8th anniversary was mainly used to strength our work in the local community, to meet new friends and to enjoy sport games with the children and to have a dinner in family. We were celebrating a memorable date, but every day there are small things to celebrate with joy here in SOS Children’s Village David. We give the right value to each new word of little boys and girls, every little step of the babies, every new goal achieved for the youngest people.
We hope that this letter with news of SOS Children Villages David gave you an idea of the life in the villages. Thanks to your unconditional support to SOS Children’s Villages, more children and young people have the opportunities of better quality of life.
Sincerely yours,
Arsinio Suira
SOS Children’s Villages David
Child sponsorship update from Panama
Update from July 2007
Dear Sponsors:
On behalf of children and young people, mothers, aunt and collaborators I want to thank you for your generosity and support to the SOS Children’s Villages Panama.
This year 2007, the increase of the infantile population in our program has been remarkable. Actually we count on a population of 150 boys, girls and young people with new entrances of 12 hearts full of hope with the opportunity of find better quality of life and to share a family.
We feel pleased to celebrate 25 years of foundation. On this important date we organised a great family fair with the support of local sponsors and the participation of the community. It was an amusing day in which young people, relatives and co-workers of the program were sharing nice moments and straightening their friendship. Also neighbours and members of the community joined us to the Parish of Santa Marta, where we all participated in a thanksgiving ceremony.
Regarding the qualifications of mothers and aunts, their participation in special courses, workshop and seminars continue as a prioritary activity in the SOS training centre; the courses designed for them are based in subjects that provided better tools to do their daily work as such as nutrition, self care, professional risks and stress management, tutorial support and many others. Definitively as a result of those educational activities the SOS mothers and SOS aunts feel more confident doing their beautiful job.
The special program of including the SOS family to the nearest community life has very good level of advance. Actually children are well adapted to the dynamic in their community from the public transport to go school, medical services, religious services, sport groups, access to internet to search for scholar works, public recreational centres etc. as a very positive way to prepare them for their future and independent life.
We hope that this letter with news of SOS Children Villages Panama gave you an idea of the life in the village. Thanks to your support to SOS Children’s Villages more children and young people have these opportunities of better quality of life.
Sincerely yours,
Omar De La Espada
SOS Children’s Villages Panama
Relevant Countries: Panama.