My first Blog

Donating money to help another person is easily done nowadays. Coincidentally watching a commercial on television or being spoken to before entering the shopping mall, helps. After that it is a simple transfer of money and you can sit back on the couch knowing you saved someones life.

With big charity organisations you read that your money will be used for an abstract goal listed in a brochure, given by someone called Bob who happen to catch you before shopping for new socks. And maybe you will receive a mechanized postcard with a smiling photo of one of the 1000 children rescued by your and other donations. Off course you know that all of this is true and your money will be used properly to indeed save someones life. But don´t you miss the personality in this?

Well, I did. So when I left the Netherlands to enjoy time off in South-America, I saw this as a chance to visit some volunteering projects in person and to donate my money to them instead of the usual organisations. I chose not to visit just any project, but especially those aiming to improve the live of children. My visits would then hopefully give me back the idea of helping a child instead of a picture. Luckily some of you thought this was a good idea and offered your money to donate to one of these projects. During my traveling I would then try to determine which project was in need of money ánd showed the motivation and determination to improve the life of children. I would then try to inform you about the chosen project, to share as much as possible of my experience and confidence in this project.

So far, I have visited several organisation in Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina. Don Bosco Quito (Quito, Ecuador; my blog) is part of a worldwide organisation. They are specialised in finding children living on the streets and provides shelter, food and education. The Welch Family (Shell, Ecuador; my blog) is building a new shelter for orphanage Casa de Fe which hosts about 40 indigenous children with various physical and mental problems. They combine their daily family live in a small jungle village while providing orphans the possibility to live again. Vamos Juntos (La Paz, Bolivia) is a German run organisation which functions as a bank for shoe-shine boys. The volunteers visit the shoe-shine boys and ask if they want to save their earned money. When the organisation gained confidence among the boys, they educate them in their rights (identity, medical help, etc) and accompany them to the necessary offices. It is a small unique independent organisation, helping the children who are forgotten by the Bolivian government. Idealist.org is an web based organization that connects volunteers with volunteering organization.  During a meeting with some people of the organisation, they shared with me the fact that many people do not succeed in finding a volunteer match and because of this give to help children. The organisation provides information about 13.000 volunteer jobs, while also providing all the background info for working as a volunteer. Currently, they reach a group of 80.000 potential volunteers.

(a few children that are being helped by The Welch Family)

In the past months I was able to tell you about the work that these organisations are doing in South-America. Next to the ones I visited, there are many more organisation which help children living on the streets, all doing a fantastic job. But a choice has to be made. The way The Welch Family has shown their motivation, dedication and plans, gave me the confidence and personality I was looking for. By donation our money to their plans, I have no doubt that the money will be used to the full potential. Craig Welch was willing to inform us about the goals and plans of the organisation, see below.

¨Casa de Fe is an orphanage located on the edge of the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle. It was founded as a home for disabled and abandoned children. Currently, Casa de Fe houses about 45 children which are all living in a small rented building. Recently, we have been able to purchase three hectares of land just outside of town. Our project is to build a new, permanent orphanage on this site including homes for the children, roads, bridges, a guesthouse, etc. All funding for this project is from outside of the country.¨(Craig Welch, 2008)

(left, bought land; middle, first building; right, constructed bridge)

This might be the end of my personal goal, it is by no mean the end of the story. By keeping to support the project, you  let the Welch Family know that you have faith in them and their project. And don´t forget, support does not always have to be a donation, just writing a message can help them in their believe. Even reading their stories and telling it on will do good to their final goal, helping children in Ecuador to live again. For more information, look here or email.

For those that don´t have a voice outside Ecuador!