Report from Humble Hearts

Below you will find a letter from the Director of the Humble Hearts School, sumerizing the 2011 school year. Enjoy!

To Our dearest Sponsors:

I wish to take this time to highlight the 2011 events as I appreciate you all, our work wouldn’t be possible without you our sponsor who have a variety of backgrounds and skills you all bring something different and special to HH. No appreciation is enough for your great kindness and generosity, may the Almighty God richly reward you all.

As you all know our aims are simple and straight from the heart.
To create a safe, loving and nurturing environment for needy children.
To give them a healthy diet and a good education.
To release them back into the community as healthy, educated, and well adjusted adults so they better the lively of their families and the future the Kenyan nation.

HIGHLIGHTS

All of you have helped in ensuring that our aims become a success , in 2011 we came up with the ideas of farming which we implemented successful, with this we now have enough maize in our store to run us four to five months.
We also build a permanent class which we now use as hall during parents meeting and other gatherings
Our furniture has greatly improved at secondary level we have one child per desk.
Not forgetting the addition of new beds and texts books which has boosted the performance in the school over all we can now boost of two children sharing a book unlike when it used to be six to ten children per book.
All work and no play makes Jack and dull boy, yes we have been able to kick dullness out of HH by having an equipped colorful playing ground which the kids love with a passion.
The HH children who graduated from primary class were all able to get a grade above the pass grade this gives us great joy as parents, sponsors and educators, we have surely seen the fruit of our labour.
HH has continued to work hard in reducing the statistic that over 90% of deaf people in developing countries have no access to education, our doors are opened to admit needy deaf children who need an education, we have gone ahead to create smaller classes in which the teacher can have a one on one session with children with multiple needs.
So much has been accomplished in 2011; it’s been exciting times as we continue to pursue an agenda of change that will transform HH to an even better living and learning place.
See, we could not have come this far without your support.

The Future

Entering 2012, our focus has been honed as you all know we will be putting more effort in ensuring that the children are granted of meals each day, we will therefore be running a poultry and green house project in which we believe will generate food and generate income for sustainability.
We look forward to having more children being sponsored, constructing standard classrooms for both secondary and primary constructing more bathrooms for girls and boys and putting up a computer laboratory.
We believe that together we will be able to accomplish this step by step.
We thank you for letting Kari and Ida visit HH in 2011 it was great having them round, for together we were able to do a lot of work and brain storm on the future, we look forward to at least each of our loving sponsors visiting HH and meeting the children that they support.
Thank you for believing in all of us as we look forward to keeping intouch throughout 2012

With lots of love

Beatrice Anunda
Director
For Humble Hearts School and Angel Cottage, Kenya.

Yak Sustainability Program Update

The Yak Program is a self-sustaining project that provides yaks to rural boarding schools for orphaned and destitute children in some of the most remote locations in western China. These schools are very poor boarding schools with few resources and large numbers of children. Located at high altitudes, these schools and the children who attend them must live and learn in harsh conditions.

Whereas few animals are able to survive in the extreme conditions of such high elevation, yaks are uniquely able to live comfortably outside in these harsh conditions where vegetation is virtually nonexistent. Yaks are able to live by eating the little grass that grows at such high altitudes. Additionally, they are uniquely able to live outside without shelter during the harsh winters. Yaks also produce enough milk for the schools to make butter, cheese, and yogurt, and still allow the children milk to drink.

We rounded out the last quarter of 2011 with the final purchases of yaks from funding received from Alternative Gift International. We were very fortunate to have such generous donations making this program a huge success. Due to the remote location of the majority of these schools purchasing yaks and gathering reports has taken longer than planned, although I’m happy to announce that this program was able to provide over 100 yaks in the past 3 years! These yaks have dramatically affected the lives of over 10,000 orphans between 14 different schools. Schools are reporting that they able to provide milk anywhere from 3-7 times per week and 40-80 kg (roughly 88-176 pounds) of butter and cheese annually. Equally good news is the report of decrease in common disease. With food in their bellies, these children are facing their day and education with one less thing to worry about and the nutrition needed to help power their bodies and mind. Click here to browse through our photo albums of relevant photos or here to help expand this project to the 14 identified schools in need.

Misty Gillham- Nutrition Director

December Newsletter

The holidays can be a time of abundance of food and fabulous feasts for many people. We, at Angel Covers, ask that you please keep the less fortunate in mind during this giving season. It’s easy to overlook or forget how far these programs have come have and what provisions are being made possible through donations. Your support means that many impoverished children won’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from or of what quality it will be. Please keep us, and the children we serve, in mind when considering your year-end charitable donations.

Huaibei

As you already may know, the formula for Huaibei we were previously purchasing from Nestle has been discontinued. We took advantage of the price before having to pay more when we begin buying the new Nestle formula, and purchased 40 cases in July instead of the usual 20. Because of the extra formula on hand at the orphanage, they were able to provide it to the older children with disabilities who need additional nutrition which meant that 35 of the 40 children were able to benefit from this last shipment. The supply has almost run out and we will be reordering formula in the next few weeks. The new formula is Nestlé’s Nespray and is of high quality, just like all Nestle formula, and will be well received by the children of Huaibei. This program has allowed the children of Huaibei to be stronger, healthier, and often times ready for needed surgeries. Will you please consider a donation?

Humble Hearts

Nutrition at Humble Hearts is gradually improving! Daily nourishment for the children includes clean water, brought in by truck each week, beans, rice, and maize. Kale is also frequently served to the children but it’s not necessarily a staple. On some occasions the children are fed meat and fruit as well. Vitamins have now become a daily supplement, since our bringing them from a generous donor and are expected to last 3 to 4 months. This is great example of how the children could benefit from additional sponsors or even one-time donations. Learn more about how you can help here.

Humble Hearts harvested their crops in Western Kenya this fall, which produced 75 bags of maize once it was all processed and dried, and one month’s supply of beans. Forty two bags of the maize will be sold to help pay for next year’s crop and the remaining 33 were kept to feed the children. The thirty three bags of maize are expected to feed the school for 4 months.

Another tidbit of good news is that the local price of maize has dropped due to market fluctuations. This is extremely beneficial when it comes to purchasing additional maize when the harvested supply runs out. This frees up funds to pay for other things that are much needed at the Humble Hearts School.

Donation Matching

We’re extremely grateful to have a donor that has agreed to do a 50% donation match, up to $5,000.00 of the total donations received, to benefit Humble Hearts School from now until the end of 2011. If you are thinking about donating please do it now while we have this great opportunity. Since Angel Covers is completely volunteer run, you can rest assured that your money is making the biggest impact possible on the lives of these children. Click here to donate.

Gift Cards

We all know what it’s like to shop for the person who has it all, our child’s teacher who doesn’t need another gift basket, or a friend who is extremely hard to shop for. We have the answer. Angel Covers Gift Cards!!! Make a donation in honor of a loved and we will send a card to them with a personal message from you, explain that you have made a donation in their name, and include a photo or photos showing the nutritional impact that Angel Covers is making with the help of donors just like you. Gift cards to support our nutrition programs include proving fruit to Humble Hearts and formula to Huaibei. To send a gift card to someone on your holiday list follow this link.

The Ultimate Gift

One of the best gifts you could give this holiday season is the gift of sponsorship. It’s a meaningful gift that will help to supply an impoverished child with the essentials that he or she needs to thrive such as basic foods, clean water, education, shelter, and/or medical care. By providing this foundation you offer a child the opportunity to escape the slums of poverty, stop the cycle from perpetuating, and create hope for a better tomorrow.

Our website is up to date with names and photos of children who are in need of your ongoing support. As a sponsor, you or the gift recipient will receive reports on the child and details about how your monthly sponsorship is improving your child’s life. Give the ultimate gift.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." –Winston Churchill

More ways to support Angel Covers

Angel Covers is always in need of additional monetary support in order to continue providing and expanding current programs, and this is no different for our nutrition programs. We are frequently asked for creative ways to support children around the world, especially when making a direct donation isn’t always in the family budget.

• One of the easiest ways to contribute more is through employer matching gifts programs. Many employers will match any charitable donations made by their employees. We encourage you to check with your human resources office to see if your employer participates in gift matching. This would essentially double your monthly contribution.

• Have an old car that you want to get rid of? A lot of companies will pay cash for used vehicles, often times regardless of whether or not they run. I have personally done this. The company came to my home, evaluated the vehicle, made me an offer, towed the vehicle and supplied all of the DMV forms. In my case, it was $750.00. That would buy a lot of formula for Huaibei or quite a few nutritional staples for Humble Hearts!

• Have a yard sale to benefit Angel Covers. With the winter approaching and inevitably locking us indoors it is a great time to go through the attic, garage, and closets and set aside all of the items that you no longer want to keep. By spring you will likely have a large enough pile to make a yard sale worth your while. You’d be amazed at how quickly the bucks add up.

• Are you athletic? Whether it’s a run/walk 5k or a full marathon you can collect pledges from family, friends, or even local businesses in support of your efforts that can be donated to Angel Covers upon completion. To go a step farther you can talk to the charity coordinator at most major events and ask if you can form a team to benefit Angel Covers instead of the select charities that they normally offer. We’ll be there to support you all the way with a Team Angel Covers t-shirt and any promotional materials you might need.

• Is your company willing to make a donation of goods or services? A lot of our employers might be willing to make a one-time monetary donation or a donation of goods that can be used in our annual auction or supplied directly to one of our programs.

• Tax season is almost upon us. For those of you who are fortunate enough to get tax refunds next year it is a great opportunity to donate money you don’t regularly rely on. Don’t want to give it all up? Consider donating a portion of the return.

• Be creative! What interests you? Hold an event at your home or in your community. Ideas include a community tennis tournament with entry fees, dinner parties or a game night with friends and family and charge for tickets, hold a painting contest for children and charge an entrance fee, the possibilities are endless. Events like this not only help to raise money for Angel Covers but also increase the likelihood that those who participate will learn more about our organization through you and become sponsors as well.

Thanks! As 2011 comes to an end, we would like to give a very special thank you to our sponsors for their generous contributions. Your donations have improved the lives of thousands of children around the world and we thank you for helping to make it possible for yet another year. We’re energized about the possibilities that 2012 will bring and honored to have your continued support.

Misty Gllham
Angel Covers, Nutrition Director

Gifts From The World Auction

Every year, Angel Covers hosts our annual Gifts From The World on-line auction. We are thrilled to say this year is no different. Beginning December 1, Angel Covers will have beautiful items from around the world for auction on eBay. Items such as a banana leaf Santa and sleigh, books signed by the author, Chinese yo-yo's, children's clothing, and eggs stands from Europe will be auctioned with 100% of the proceeds going to the Humble Hearts School for the Deaf in Kenya. Making the auction even more beneficial to the school, again this year we have 50% a matching donation of all of the proceeds raised.

Admittedly, we are behind at getting the word out this year about the auction. Please spread the word about this great opportunity to provide unique gifts to your family and friends, as well has helping desperate children in Kenya. Desks, additional land for a garden, and new beds are just some of the things this years proceeds will be used for.

A link to the auction will be on our website as soon as its live. Check back often to be sure you haven't been outbid!

Thank you as always for your support!

Kari

Angel Covers' New Website

I am thrilled to announce that Angel Covers has a brand new website!! Please check it out at http://www.angelcovers.org/ We are sure you'll find it easy to maneuver and full of wondering information about our work.

With the holiday's fast approaching, please consider shopping with Angel Covers. Our holiday cards are beautiful! Drawn by the children of Humble Hearts, these cards not only provide a great way to connect with friends and family, but also support the Humble Hearts School.

Other products such as shoes, blankets, hooded bath towels and craft aprons can be found on our products pages. The profits from the sale of these products support children around the world.

Not sure about a gift? Consider our gift cards! Make a donation in honor of a loved one and we'll send a card with a personal message. Or, consider the numerous children on our website who need sponsors and give the gift of sponsorship to both a child in need and your loved one. We'll happily send a card to the recipient.

Once again Angel Covers has a very generous donor willing to match by 50% all donations to the Humble Hearts School up to $5,000. When considering your year-end charitable donations, please think of Angel Covers and the children we serve. With no paid staff and very little administrative costs, you can rest assured your donation is making the biggest impact possible. We can't thank Kristen Kent with i2k Communications and Sheri Wahl with Trowen Communications enough. Their hard work made this website happen!

Thank you all for your continued support!

Holiday Cards from Angel Covers

During our recent trip to Kenya, the children of Humble Hearts created beautiful sketches of a variety of different scenes. We are thrilled to announce that we have taken 10 of these sketches, added some color, & turned them into beautiful holiday These cards benefit the children of Humble Hearts & all proceeds are being matched by 50%. Order yours today! Quantities are limited.

http://www.angelcovers.org/angel-covers-store/greeting-cards/holiday-cards/

My Last Day in Kenya

Today is my last day in Kenya, and I assume my last blog. Yesterday was very interesting, we went to Dagoretti to drop some supplies off at the school. Dagoretti is a much larger school than Humble Hearts, yet in more need than Humble Hearts. We toured the school, and ate some roasted peanuts, hot chocolate, and bananas. Roasted peanuts in the United States are roasted and then packaged; but in Kenya, they are roasted and served warm. They are the best.

After leaving Dagoretti, we went to the Java Cafe and had some lunch. We then went over to the enormous Nakumatt (Kenyan Walmart, with way more in it: Appliances, furniture, etc.) and looked at mattresses for Humble Hearts. We bought 10 mattresses and packed them in the back of Beatrice's car. We had to fold down the back seat and sit on the back of the back seat with the mattresses in our backs.

We left the store at 5:00. This is very important to know about the car ride home. We got stuck in traffic on the way back. We finally got back to the house, and it was 8:01. This was the biggest traffic jam I had ever seen. People ran out of gas because they were just burning fuel when stopped behind cars.

Today, we went to another store and bought some more mattresses, seven to be exact. This was not quite enough to have to fold down the back seat, but the trunk was packed. The kids were so happy to have the new mattresses at the school. Along with mattresses, we also ordered four, triple bunk beds, so that all the kids would be off the floor.

We leave at around 10:30 Kenya time tonight, and I have learned a lot. I am really excited to get home to my friends and family.

-Jacob Fillmore