Introducing Marcela
Marcela is a bright seven year old who lives in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. She lives with both of her parents, brother and sister in a two bedroom home. A home with dirt floors, a metal roof, and mud walls. Marcela is in the third grade and her favorite subject is grammar. When she's not in school Marcela enjoys time with her friends, playing with dolls, and singing songs.
But Marcela is not as fortunate as most of us
Unfortunately, like many people who live in Marcela's community, her and her family live in poverty. For kids like Marcela, living in poverty can be incredibly difficult. Life doesn't come with guarantees like medical treatment for illnesses, having shoes to wear to school or getting an education. Their futures are uncertain, and it can seem like the world has forgotten them.
Health
Poverty and health are strongly linked. Health problems can plunge people into poverty or keep them from escaping it, and those in poverty are more likely to suffer disease because of lack of treatment.
Education
Children who finish secondary education are in a much better position to take advantage of opportunity and find employment in the future.
Empowerment
Imagine how hard it would be to motivate yourself to make a change if you were faced with seemingly impossible circumstances. In many of the communities where kids like Marcela live, it’s easy to see why they might succumb to hopelessness, feeling like their choices can’t make a difference.
Employment
To have any hope of escaping poverty, income from stable work is essential. That means kids need to grow up to have the skills that employers require.
Good News! There is a solution
While Marcela and her family may live in poverty, she is fortunate to be enrolled in the sponsorship program at Children International (CI). CI is a Kansas City based humanitarian organization whose focus is making a long-term impact by helping kids who live in poverty. They have a bold vision of graduating healthy, educated, empowered, and employed young adults, so they can achieve the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty.
- CI provides safe community centers where kids like Marcela have access to medical and dental care, libraries, computer labs, tutoring, and playgrounds.
- CI has a caring team of local doctors, dentists, coaches, staff, and volunteers who inspire, encourage, and support Marcela and thousands of children like her.
- CI provides a clear path out of poverty that focuses on health, education, empowerment, and employment through country-relevant and age-specific programs and services.
Here’s how we're going to help Marcela
Children International works on a sponsorship model. For example, a philanthropic individual can make a commitment to sponsor a child through CI's program for about $32 a month. This sponsorship fee provides the great benefits outlined above to Marcela and children like her.
We love this program, but he want to take it to the next level. Rather than contributing month to month, we want to ensure Marcela's benefits are paid in full through the duration of her time in the program. Marcela will graduate from the program when she is 19 years old, so we need to raise enough money to pre-pay her sponsorship until the end of the program.
We understand that money is a challenge for many, and when times are tough charitable contributions are typically the first ones to go. This campaign will guarantee that Marcela will have the same sponsor (you and me!) through the life of her sponsorship, with no risk of the contributions ending.
Here's how YOU can help Marcela!
Plain and simple, we need to raise $3,350 to achieve this goal.
The money raised will provide Marcela the critical benefits needed to ensure she grows up safe and healthy. Marcela will also acquire the education and skills needed to be an empowered young woman ready to succeed in the working world as she transitions into young adulthood.
Marcela may only be an adorable seven year old living in Honduras today, but with your help she can break free from the cycle of poverty and have endless opportunities in the future.
Give the gift of hope to Marcela. You will change her life forever.
(100% of your donation goes directly to Children International)
What do you get out of it?
The pure joy of helping a child achieve their dreams!
Visit the Freshcassette Giving Foundation at freshcassette.com.
Learn more about Children International at children.org.
