Child sponsorship letter from Penonomé, Panama

An example child sponsorship letter from Penonomé, Panama:

Dear Sponsor,

We want to send you a warm greeting from all children and youths and we thank you all the support given to the SOS Children's Villages Penonomé.

This year 2010, as every year began with great expectations, goals and plans that we hope to successfully meet thanks to the generosity and unconditional support given to us.

This year we have a population of 121 children and youths in the SOS Village. In the first months two siblings entered to the house No. 7 and a boy to the house No. 2. The children are very happy, they have adapted to their homes as they are the youngest of their houses. The SOS siblings are excited about the arrival of their new younger siblings.

This year we have increased the youth homes, where there are 25 young men in three youth homes houses and eight young ladies in the youth home for girls, making a total of 33 youths. This year, ten young people have left the children’s village and entered the youth homes for their good behaviour and interest in their studies. Two were reintegrated to live with their biological families.

The group of children attending primary schools is around 80%, going to school in the morning shift. They are getting up early, travelling on school buses as early as 5:30 a.m., since their schools are a little distant. Children are at different schools. For a 10% of these children the school is a little closer. The other 20% are in secondary school during the morning schedule and some take a school bus and the others take a regular route bus.

In the afternoons, children go to their playground hours from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. A group plays baseball in the green area and other plays football on the field. These days, children like to play baseball; they were playing with a wooden stick and caused much laughter because it was bigger than them. They already got a baseball bat. Younger children go with their SOS mothers and aunts to the sinsuanes (swings) and to the playground that is behind the village. Others go biking, or play hide-and-seek and tag games. To them those times are very recreational; few remain in their homes watching cartoons.

This summer was very fun for all SOS families of each of the houses. SOS mothers and aunts with their children enjoyed the summer: went to the river, to the beach of the Camp Cresta del Mar in Santa Clara, (at 45 minutes from the SOS village), to Albrook Mall in Panama City, went to the movies and rode in the amusement park. Also a group of children with their SOS mother went to: La Ciudad Mágica (the Magic City) amusement park: and had fun like a great family. And it could not be out of this summer, the plastics pools outside the front yard of the houses.

Fifteen children participated in football leagues organized by the local community and as every year a local teachers group organized a kites making workshop. Twenty children participated, where they made their own kites.

A group of 25 youths participated in religious youth get- together organized by Catholic youth groups in which they shared spiritual reflection and training. Also 30 young people from the SOS Village Panama and SOS Penonomé shared a sporting and sharing day, together with their youth leaders. They made games activities and had great snacks sharing.

On April 29, we celebrate the 19th founding anniversary of SOS Children's Village Penonomé. We did something very simple, just a thanksgiving mass attended by five SOS mothers with their children and youths from the youth homes. Also we brought a cake and candy bags that were distributed to children. This was simple, not to overlook the village foundation, because few days ago from that day, the SOS aunt Maritcela, who was in charge of the house No. 14, died.  (She had fallen ill and stopped working a few months before).

We said goodbye waiting that news about the life in the village as well as the children, are nice for you. They are the main target for our achievements and goals set during this year and are due to your unconditional support that allows us largely to the success of children and youths. May God bless you and your families.

Yours sincerely,

SOS Children’s Village Penonome