Boys

In many communities around the world girls don't have the same access to quality education that boys do. They are held back by poverty and the pervasive belief that girls aren't worth educating. Studies have shown the benefits of educating females and Her Star Scholars developed with the idea of breaking down barriers and helping girls and women achieve that access to school.

Los Ninos Con Bendicion has recently become a project of Her Star Scholars and it has joined with an equal number of boys and girls. Our decision has been to continue the sponsorship of these boys because as indigenous Maya children they face both desperate poverty and racism. 

Her Star Scholars will continue to focus on the education of girls, but there are boys who face exceptional circumstances and when possible we will reach out to them as well.

Lunch Time in the Philippines

3 days a week all of children of the Her Star Scholars in the Philippines gather together for a full and nutritious lunch with soup, rice, fruits, meats, and vegetables. When possible we add vitamin enriched milk or fruit juice to the menu. Many of the children bring siblings with them or bring boxes or bags to take left-overs home to them.

Filipinos are very generous. Part of their culture is too share food with family, friends, and neighbors in need, even if they don't have enough food for themselves. We make sure that there is more than enough food for the Little Star Scholars with some to take home.

We had hoped to spread the budget far enough to feed the children daily, but the decision was made that 3 highly nourishing meals were ultimately better than 5 filling, but less nutritious meals. Weight and height of the children are taken on the first day of each month to help us judge whether or not the daily meals are making an impact. So far they seem to be!

For $400 dollars a month, which is $10 per child, we can continue with the 3 day a week lunches. Imagine,  just $5 will provide 6 nourishing meals!  If we can increase the monthly budget to $550 a month, we will be able to provide daily meals. Please consider making a donation to the Philippines Lunch Fund. You can designate on PayPal or on your check.

Parent Participation

It's important to remember that Her Star Scholars works hard to promote self-esteem among all recipients. One way we do this is by asking that the parents be active participants in the program. In the Philippines parents attend educational workshops, volunteer time to help at the school for several hours each month, and see that their children are arriving on time at school with homework completed.  In Guatemala parents are asked to attend quarterly meetings, encourage the children in their school work, and this past year the mothers made small weavings for donors.  Because the program in Burkina Faso is so new Her Star is evaluating the best way to include parents as active participants. Currently parents are being asked to allow their children to attend daily school and have them complete their homework.

We want families to know they play a central role in the success of the programs which we offer.

Learning Doesn't End In Childhood

The first week of September was the first parent's educational program of the year in the Philippines.  Edgardo, who is a volunteer with Her Star Scholars, as well as being a social worker, gave the presentation.

There was a period of letting parents get to know one another. Then Edgardo talked about effective approaches to disciplining children followed by time for the parents talk and ask questions.

In the afternoon the discussion turned to the topic of domestic abuse. Many of the mothers were surprised to learn that there were laws saying that their husbands could not hit them or the children. He provided women in crisis with options for help and free counseling.

It costs $50 to hold a parents meeting. That provides money for lunch for all of the participants, plus  rental of a screen, projector, and computer. The mothers so appreciated this meeting that they are asking Edgardo to lead as many classes as possible. We're hoping he can lead monthly meetings.

Although this meeting had primarily mothers attending, they women left assuring Edgardo that next time the fathers would attend as well.

Can you help support the parents' educational sessions? Consider giving $50 which can provide vital education for families and provide safer, more enriching home environments for the children.

Wooden and Nipa Houses in the Philippines

Most houses in the Philippines are raised on posts or otherwise raised off the ground to help air circulate and cool the houses, to protect from flooding in the rainy season, and to keep animals from wandering in the the doors which are normally left open.

Several families from the Her Star Scholars program kindly let us take pictures of their homes so you can learn more about their community. 

This is a typical house made from pieces of wood. It will have a wooden floor and a roof made of nipa leaves.
There is a small space under the house by the ladder where the ducks an chickens are housed at night.

This is a typical nipa hut with woven walls, nipa leaf roof, and usually a bamboo or wooden floor. 

Babies often sleep in hammocks such as this one. Older children and parents most often sleep on blankets or mats on the floor.

This is the cooking area outside of the home. Food is cooked over a wood fire.

Children can help with building a nipa house. 

Our Program in the Philippines - Butuan

Butuan City in the northern region of Agusan del Norte, on Mindanao island in the Philippines. It is one of the poorest 20 regions in a poor country. We are working in the two poorest communities in Butuan where each and every family lives beneath the poverty threshold. In the Philippines the poverty line for a family of 6 is US$ 179 per month. The majority of our families make less than a third of that. 

For these families it is a challenge to feed their children every day. Many of these children are malnourished and it is not unusual for some children to receive only one small meal a day. One mother talks about how she encourages her children to drink a lot of water so that their stomachs will feel filled. 

There is universal public education in the Philippines so it would seem that scholarship help wouldn’t be necessary. However, there are costs associated with the “free” public education. There are registration costs, required uniforms, a need for shoes, transportation, and school supplies like pencils and notebooks. 

Additionally meals aren’t provided in school. It is not unusual for children to miss school because they are too hungry to attend. Teachers will also tell you that children with empty stomachs find it very hard to pay attention and succeed at their lessons. 

Sponsorship in Guatemala

Fundraising

The children continue to put on group and private folk dance performances to cover marimba and dance lessons, computer lessons, English tutors and other associated costs.

We also have our 2012 calendars for sale ( http://www.supportlosninos.net).  Existing sponsors should have received your complimentary calendar by now.  If not, please let me know, as there was a special added gift enclosed from your child’s family!  

A girl in the background works on the computer while a visitor learns how to prepare food.

Sponsorships

We hope all of the children from our 2011 program will return this year, pending their final grades.  If we have enough sponsors, there are several children on the waiting list who would start in kindergarten or 1^st grade with the desire to complete their education as part of our program. 

We know the economy is not great and appreciate your sponsorship.  As such, we are keeping the costs for this school year the same as 2011:
Primaria $300/year ($25./month)
Basico $450/year ($38./month) 

For 2012 we hope to match each child with two sponsors. We have found that $300 is not enough to cover both school costs and the yearly ancillary expenses, and does not cover the cost of living increases. This double sponsorship will not only cover each child’s basic school fees, but will also help defray the costs of their daily hot meal, medical services when needed, extra clothing, school supplies, haircuts, internet access, dance expenses and the many miscellaneous daily living expenses that occur with 17+ children !

Please email as soon as possible to let me know if you plan to return as a sponsor, if you would like to be a new sponsor or know of someone or a group who would like to sponsor.  

30 people in your Church or Synagogue can each pay $10. per year and sponsor 1 child !  

The school year in Guatemala runs from January to October.  As the children should be pre-registered in November, we are asking for your sponsorship to be received by November 1st.

I need to confirm which children still have sponsorship and which ones need sponsorship to be able to continue their education.   We can accept sponsors until mid January (after that, it would be a generous and appreciated donation!), but I need to know as soon as possible to get an idea if we can keep all the existing children in the group, need to cut or can add more.   I will send payment options with your confirmation and in another email.   

Below is a list of the current children in the program, their birth dates and the grade they will enter in the 2012 school year:

	Linda Zuzely (Linda) 23 Aug 2004 2nd grade
Elder Daniel (Daniel) 29 Oct 2004 1st grade	Yasmin Raquel (Yasmin) 14 Sept 2002 3rd grade
Jose Jeronimo (Jeronimo) 12 Apr 1997 7th grade (1st "Basico")	Julio Cesar (Julio) 13 Oct 1999 5th grade
Edson Alexis (Alex) 24 Jan 2005 1st grade	Joe Juventino (Joe) 24 Dec 2004 2nd grade
Nirma Banessa (Banessa) 26 Oct 2000 5th grade	Kehily Judith (Keily) 28 Dec 2001 4th grade
Ana Rosilda (Rosilda) 19 Dec 1999 6th grade	Sergio Armando (Sergio) 31 Oct 1998 5th grade
Brenda Melissa (Melissa) 01 Oct 1997 9th grade (3rd "Basico")	Carlos Leonardo (Carlos) 5 April 1999 7th grade (1st "Basico")
Jaqueline Yasenia  (Jaqueline) 16 Sept 2002 3rd grade	Wendi Liseth (Wendi) 17 April 1998 8th grade (2nd "Basico")
Marvin Augusto (Marvin) 22 Dec 1999 5th grade	Beyda Fabiola (Fabiola) 27 Oct 1997 8th grade (2nd "Basico")

Notes from Guatemala

Play area behind Lesbi's Home

The most recent newsletter for Los Ninos Con Bendicion has been released. We'll share it with you here in smaller pieces. Remember that to receive regular newsletters from Her Star Scholars you can go to our website, herstarscholars.org, and sign up:

Los Ninos con Bendicion - by Nancy Hoffmann

We currently have 17 children ranging in age from 6-13 years old. Three of our children are in “Basico”, comparable to middle or junior high school in the U.S.  Two more children have now graduated "Primaria" and will start "Basico" in the upcoming 2012 school year.

As Basico is more costly than Primaria, our original idea was to offer the children the opportunity to have their Primaria or first 6 years of school paid for with sponsorship.  We did not anticipate the motivation of the children to continue their education.  The older children are already talking about going to university (which is subsidized in Guatemala).

This year we involved the children’s families in the program to a greater extent, as we have come to learn that the children’s success depends on support from their families. We have extended the types of support the children and families receive. We now meet quarterly with the parents to discuss the children's progress in school and whether there is anything going on at home that may affect their studies. For a child to continue in our program for the 2012 school year, the parents are required to participate in three out of the four quarterly meetings, as well as to touch base periodically with their child’s teacher(s).  In addition, the children need to have an average of 70 points or more in each class at the end of the school year.

The family also receives support. We have assumed the provision of ancillary services for the children (taking them for medical appointments and purchasing medicines, buying clothing and the many school supplies constantly requested), as well as purchasing thread for the mothers' weavings (which are for purchase upon request). We also donate extra items to the families and their other children when we have extra donations.  As in the past, Lesbi continues to cook and serve a hot meal for the children every day after school so at minimum, they receive a hot meal and some nutrition.

Her Star Scholars in Guatemala

Classes start in October for the children of Guatemala and this year Her Star Scholars will be sending 17 children between the ages of 6-13 to school. These young ones are participants in a program that sends them to school, provides them with a daily meal, helps them with their study habits and teaches them to embrace their heritage by teaching them traditional and Guatemalan folk dances and songs. These children speak Spanish, but at home they hear Kaqchikel and they can speak it to some degree.

Sponsoring a child for a year will cost $300 by check or money order or $310 through PayPal. This program does allow individuals or groups to support individual children, exchange emails or letters, and photos.

Extra donations will go to purchase items such as medicines, clothes, additional school supplies, fruits and vegetables, and to meet the many other needs of these children. Donations are needed year round.

You can see one of the dances performed by the children -  Celebration of Corn