Save the Children Voices from the Field

The Words that Changed a Little Girl’s Life: “You Have a Bright Future”

The words that inspired Elizabeth to imagine a future beyond her family’s limited means and expectations, and empowered her to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor, were written by her sponsor. Save the Children’s Dr. Elizabeth Bocaletti was once a sponsored child. This is her story.

Elizabeth as a little girl in Guatemala (second from right)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth grew up in a large family of modest means in rural Guatemala. She was a good student, but opportunities were limited, especially for girls. And yet, Elizabeth dreamed of becoming a doctor. In fact, she was determined to do so. Elizabeth attributes her high aspirations to the letters she received from her sponsor.

Elizabeth leads a community children activity in El Alto, Bolivia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“These letters said things like, ‘You are a great girl, a good student. You will go far. You will have a bright future,’” Elizabeth remembers, “And I know that these words influenced my life – the way I understood my future. They opened my mind to new possibilities. They gave me a certain determination to make an impact on the world.”

Launching of the Neonatal Strategy at the Panamerican Health Organization with Charlie McCormack, former Save the Children President and CEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth did fulfill her dream, earning her MD in Pediatrics, and then a Master’s degree in Public Health. Today, Elizabeth works for Save the Children as an Advisor on our work helping children survive and thrive throughout Latin America, where she continues to make an impact on the world every day. The dream even lives on in her own children, both of whom are studying to become doctors.

Working with Save the Children staff in Dominican Republic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth will always treasure her sponsor’s words of inspiration and empowerment – and we thank her for sharing them, and her story, with all of us.

Introducing the Regional Neonatal Strategy in Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Never underestimate the power of your words

on the life of a child.”

 – Elizabeth Bocaletti, MD, MPH,

Save the Children Advisor, and former sponsored child

Visiting Save the Children programs in Sinaloa, Mexico

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brighten your sponsored child’s day – and future – by writing a letter today.

If you are not already a sponsor, become one today.

Cyclone Mahasen Moves Toward Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar Districts of Bangladesh

Khaza Uddin – Communications Manager, Save the Children

Bangladesh

May 16, 2013

Cyclone Mahasen hit the coast of Bangladesh near the southern district of Patulkhai early Thursday and is now situated 130 miles from the ports of Chittagong and Cow’s Bazar. Warning signals have risen to seven out of a possible 10 and one person has already been reported dead.

Damage from Tropical Storm Mahasen in Kalapara Sadar Upazila , Patuakhali district Thursday morning. Trees were uprooted and homes significantly damaged. Photo by Save the Children.Communication and transportation have been disrupted, cutting off several communities in the south of the country. At least 25 villages in Patuakhali District were flooded on Wednesday due to a storm surge that washed away the flood control dams built to protect the people behind them. This storm surge was reported to be at least five feet height damaging 500 houses in its wake. In another southern district, Jhalokathi, heavy rainfall is ongoing as water levels of most of the rivers continue to rise. Cyclone shelters are packed with vast numbers of people and it is feared current dry food supplies are insufficient to meet demand.  

The Government of Bangladesh has ordered 1 million people in a total of 15 coastal districts to take shelter in safe places including cyclone shelters. However, the number of shelters available is not believed to be adequate enough to accommodate all the evacuees.

It is predicted that at least 8 million people will be affected during the course of cyclone Mahasen, 4.1 million in Bangladesh. Save the Children have already initiated our response targeting the districts of Barisal, Patuakhai, Barguna, Khulna & Bagherhat, Satkhira, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar in partnership with 8 coastal based implementing partners. We have mobilized 1,500 ready to use food packs and 500 lifesaving non-food items, 5,000 Disaster Risk Reduction trained youth volunteers and 700 Village Disaster Management Committees who are all ready to respond. Damage assessment teams are also ready and will start work alongside national and international NGOs. Save the Children also has on standby four speedboats ready to respond to the needs of the communities - and particularly children  -in each sub-district affected by the storm surges and flooding.

 

How You Can Help

Children affected by Cyclone Mahasen need caring people to support our relief efforts. Please give generously to the Cyclone Mahasen Children in Emergency Fund. Donate now. 

 

Save the Children Supporters Draw Community Together in Annual Sale

Byron Kittle, Save the Children Intern

Westport, CT

May 14, 2013

Every inch of the Daum family’s lawn and driveway in Larchmont, N.Y., was stacked with a treasure-trove of clothes, electronics, furniture and books this past Sunday. At first glance, the tag sale may seem like any other large sale of its kind – well-stocked and well organized – but the numbers tell a different story, one of commitment and community.

The family has held the tag sale every year since 2000, and its proceeds, which were nearing $145,000 as of Sunday, have all gone to Save the Children. The family tradition stems from a bat mitzvah donation.

“We first became involved with Save the Children when my eldest daughter Carly chose to donate her bat mitzvah gifts to Save the Children’s education programming in rural Appalachia,” said Michelle Daum. “Afterward, Carly and my husband Fred traveled to Appalachia to visit the programs. They were both so moved by that trip and the work of Save the Children, that my husband suggested we find a way to keep giving. And the tag sale was born.”

Their first tag sale was held the next year, raising $3,000. And over the years, with the introduction of fundraising tools like an online donation page and silent auctions on more expensive items, the proceeds and involvement have gone up steadily.

This year, donations from around 800 families helped keep the sale stocked, and the combination of sales and donations were approaching $20,000 on Sunday, with all proceeds going to Save the Children’s emergency relief programming in the U.S.

Michelle Daum and her husband Fred, center, with daughters Carly, left, and Justine. Their charitable tag sale has become a community “institution” in Larchmont, N.Y., according to attendees.Photo by Byron Kittle.On Sunday, Michelle Daum took some time away from being manager of the day’s events, to talk about what makes her family’s tag sale such a resounding success year after year. The recipe for tag sale success, she indicated, is one of good sale items, community support and a good cause.

“It’s completely a community effort … you see this outpouring of both helpers and buyers,” Daum said. “Everyone loves looking around, and most everyone finds something they want. Donors like to know that their donated items will be cherished by others.”

The tag sale has a simple formula – the Larchmont community bands together to accumulate enough merchandise to draw a crowd, and the shoppers get to save money on an eclectic assortment of items and support Save the Child at the same time. That doesn’t mean the job is easy by any stretch.

“It’s a very difficult juggling act,” Daum said, to “move the merchandise” at bargain prices but also conduct an effective fundraising effort.

The tag sale also seems resilient to setbacks and delays, with this year’s rain date not putting a dent in attendance.

“This is the first year we had a rain date, and yet the turnout has been tremendous,” Daum said. “We had people here helping this morning at 6 o’clock, which I’m so grateful for. The buyers have clearly come back.”

Daum said some people come from as far away as Hudson, N.Y. (an almost 3 hour drive), to participate in the sale. One shopper, a woman named Chris, said she’s been coming to the sale since its inception because of Save the Children’s mission.

“I’m in education, and have been for 42 years,” she said. “And children are probably the most important resource we have in the world, so that’s why I’m here.”

That sentiment was echoed by a number of other attendees. Betty Comerford is a Larchmont native who has been helping the Daums and Save the Children for well over a decade.

Around 1400 families were asked to donate to the Daum family’s annual tag sale in Larchmont, N.Y. This year’s proceeds will go to Save the Children’s emergency relief programming in the U.S. Photo by Byron Kittle.“It’s such a great sale and such a great cause – it really rallies the community,” she said. “It’s like an institution in Larchmont now – ‘the Daum’s Save the Children Sale’ – so people keep coming back year after year because they know it’s going to a good cause.”

Another regular is Jennifer Hayward from White Plains, N.Y.

“I am thrilled to come here each year because, A, I get great things; and, B, [Save the Children] really helps,” she said. “They’re helping kids all over – I got a great price and I gave a few bucks extra because it’s going to a great cause.”

One of the sale’s first-time volunteers this year was Gina Cantelmo, who also works for Save the Children.

“It’s a well-oiled machine – the Daum family has this down to a science, and we’re thankful that they have chosen us to be the beneficiaries of this event every year,” Cantelmo said. “I’m so thankful that everyone is willing to give up part of their Mother’s Day to support this worthwhile cause.”

And the community plays a huge part in the sale’s success. According to Michelle Daum, around 18 volunteers arrived before dawn on Sunday to help her organize the merchandise and prepare for the day’s activities.

“All the goods you saw were in boxes and bags on our driveway until 6 a.m. Sunday morning,” she said. “It was a huge community effort to get all that out and displayed.”

 

A Mother Knows

Nastasia Paul-Gera, Save the Children Fellow

West Showa, Ethiopia

May 13, 2013

I visited West Showa, Ethiopia, in October 2012 as a Princeton in Africa Fellow for Gender for the Save the Children, Ethiopia Country Program. 

The Sponsorship program works extensively across West Showa, and adolescent mothers are among its beneficiaries. The program’s primary beneficiaries are children, but work with these young mothers acknowledges that girls and boys do not live in a vacuum. Children of adolescent parents are at higher risk of health complications, as well as academic failure. Interventions that target children can’t afford to ignore their mothers and fathers, who play a critical role in children’s physical and social development.

Ethiopia is one of seven countries that account for half of the 8 million children born to adolescents every year. Studies show that these mothers face a higher risk of physical and social disadvantages.  Moreover, they are frequently school drop-outs and are at higher risk of exploitation and abuse.

To help them, the Sponsorship program began an Adolescent Mothers’ Group in West Showa, with approximately 30 participants. The group is a forum for discussions about reproductive health, life skills, self esteem, family planning, and HIV/Aids, among other subjects. Participants in the group have studied up to 3rd grade – or not at all. The small room they work in is set up like a classroom and adolescent mothers, with their young children in their arms, sit together and, guided by a curriculum, discuss these issues.

One of the topics the mothers discussed during my visit was hygiene. They stated that hygiene and water management are the responsibility of women and girls. Interestingly, they mentioned that, once a girl is in school, her domestic responsibilities will lessen and she has a greater chance of staying in school. However, if she leaves, she is responsible for all household activities. The mothers also discussed reproductive health, a taboo topic prior to the formation of the group. Through the course of the curriculum, the women will explore family planning, sexually transmitted diseases and child spacing.

The two final topics discussed during my visit were female genital cutting (FGM/C) and abductions, both extremely common practices. The young mothers stated that girls are often cut without their parents’ consent, so practitioners of FGM/C are an important entry point for efforts to eradicate the practice. Abductions, they stated, are also extremely common. Girls are frequently abducted and raped on their way to and from school and, given the cultural taboo that forbids these young girls from returning to their parents’ home, they are forced to marry the men who raped them. Community leaders are an important entry point to challenging the practice.

The adolescent mothers I met were undoubtedly sensitive to the gender-related challenges in their community and to the actions needed to address the challenges. They are already playing a role in re-shaping harmful community practices, primarily through information-dissemination to community members. They recommended expanding child-to-child programming, as well as involving men in some of the discussions. Yes, these young women are a vulnerable, marginalized and frequently ignored group, but they are also a resource with the capacity to bring about great positive change within their communities. The Adolescent Mothers Group helps address their vulnerabilities, while capitalizing on their abilities.

According to one group member, “We are different from our mothers who were dominated by our fathers. We are also decision makers.”

Interested in joining our community of sponsors? Click here to learn more.

Keeping Expectant Mothers and Children Protected During California Wildfires

Jeanne-Aimee De Marrais, Advisor, Domestic Emergencies, Save the Children

Westport, CT

May 4, 2013

As wildfires continue to wreak havoc in California, Save the Children is releasing the following two-part guidance to protect those who are the most vulnerable. Follow this combination of tips, created by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and our own disaster preparedness experts, to help expectant mothers and families with young children stay safe and protected during the wildfires or any fire emergency.

Tips for expectant mothers and parents with young children facing evacuation

• Be prepared to evacuate quickly and have important items (such as copies of medical records and medications) ready to go— you may not have much time.
• When checking into a shelter or temporary housing, alert the staff if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.
• If pregnant, seek prenatal care even if it is not with your usual provider. 
• Make sure health care providers at the shelter know about any special needs or health problems that you or your child have, or any medicines you might be taking (both over the counter and prescription.)
• If you don't have your infant's medicine with you, ask health care providers at the shelter for assistance in getting it.
• Make sure your baby gets plenty of breast milk or formula, and you drink enough water.
• Pregnant women and children should stay indoors, if possible, to avoid breathing smoke or fumes. Rest often and stay inside if possible.
• If you’re pregnant, rest often and get plenty of water.

 (Guidelines derived from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. To see the complete guidance--Wildfires: Information for Pregnant Women and Parents of Young Infants--please visit http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Emergency/WildFires.htm)

For more information on how to keep you and your children safe during a wildfire, visit the website of the Center for Disease and Control Prevention.

General fire safety tips for families

Save the Children wishes to remind parents, teachers, and caregivers about the importance of child fire safety. About 80 percent of all fire-related deaths and injuries occur in the home, and young children are at a particularly high risk. They may not understand the danger or may not be able to escape. Children under the age of 5 account for almost half of all home fire victims. Children in the poorest homes face the greatest risk of death. Every family member should know exactly what to do in case of a fire emergency. Precious seconds can be lost when someone can’t find a way out in the dark or does not know how to release a window lock. Having a family fire safety plan and practicing it will save lives.

Here are some tips for keeping families safe. For further guidance specific to your community, contact your local fire department.

• Talk to children about fire safety. Children accidentally set many of the fires that harm them. Teach children not to play with matches and lighters. If they see matches or lighters within reach, teach them not to touch but go tell a grown up right away.
• Teach children the DON'T HIDE, GO OUTSIDE rule in the event of a fire. Fires are scary, but they should NEVER hide in closets or under beds when there is a fire.
• To escape during a fire, teach children to FALL & CRAWL. It is easier to breath in a fire if you stay low while getting out. Use the back of your hand to test if a door is hot before you open it. If it is hot, try to use another way out.
• Practice STOP, DROP and ROLL: If clothes catch on fire, don’t run.  Stop where you are, drop to the ground and roll your body back and forth until the fire is out.  Running makes the fire burn faster.
• Teach children to never go back into a burning building for any reason.  If someone is missing, tell a firefighter.
• Make a family fire plan and practice it. The plan should include identifying two exits from each room and marking an outside meeting place. Practice escaping by both exits to be sure windows are not stuck and screens can be quickly taken out.
• Make sure street signs and address numbers are easily visible so fire trucks and emergency responders can find where they need to be.
• Teach children what a fire alarm sounds like and make sure that it will effectively wake them in the middle of the night.
• Ensure smoke detectors are installed on every floor and in the sleeping areas of your home, and that batteries are changed twice per year. Carbon Monoxide detectors are also recommended. Test these alarms to make sure they can effectively wake family members.
• If there are security bars or locks on doors, make sure all family members know how to release them.  All family members should be able to escape from the second floor.
• Know your local emergency number. Put stickers and magnets with emergency numbers on your refrigerator and every telephone in the house.

Parents should also take steps to learn about their child’s school or child care fire safety plan, as part of an overall emergency plan. They should also ensure that any family friends have evacuation plans in case a child spends the night elsewhere.