Orphanages can conjure up imagery of unhappy children stuck in a dismal space. That is exactly what A Child’s Hope Foundation strives to end. Our goal has always been to lift kids from surviving to thriving. With our recent expansion into new parts of the globe, we were eager to see how our Child Advancement Programs, or CAP, would work in these new locations. The main goal of CAP is to provide each child with the following:
- Dedicated Caregivers who are able to provide daily care and attention.
- Therapists and medical experts to help children heal from past trauma.
- Tutors to ensure kids are receiving a quality education.
- Mentors to teach valuable life skills and guide kids towards a happy life.
Each child needs caregivers who have enough availability to provide for the child and ensure that their needs are being met. One story from Kenya highlights the importance of this. The teenage girls at one home had gained a bad reputation in the orphanage. This changed after they got the opportunity to go to group counseling. At counseling they were able to express that they weren’t getting the attention that they needed from their caregiver. After learning this, the director put new policies in place to ensure that each child was getting the attention that he or she needs. Everyone at the home is much happier now that proper care is being provided.
When a child enters an orphanage, they often carry a lot of emotional and physical trauma with them, but meeting with a therapist and other medical experts can help them heal. One story from our partner One Heart Bulgaria illustrates this:
Two Sisters in Sofia, Bulgaria were recently placed in a home. They were only six and seven years old but had come with a lot of emotional pain. Thanks to A Child’s Hope Foundation, a therapist was hired to meet with them twice a week. As a result, they have both improved their communication skills and mental health. They are now free to grow in their hobbies of singing and dancing.
It’s essential that kids get to explore their interests. They also need to gain knowledge that will help them later in life. Thanks to a combined effort with our partner 92Hands, thirteen kids in Uganda recently got the opportunity to start attending school! Getting to see these children go to school was a powerful experience for everyone involved. Now these kids are in an environment where they can learn, feel safe, and make progress.
None of these stories would have been possible without the support provided by so many generous donors. These programs help break the cycle of poverty and trauma that has plagued many of the families that these children come from. If you would like to make a difference in the lives of these children and join us in lifting orphans from surviving to thriving, visit this link to learn more about our Child Advancement Programs and make a donation!
