Baja is our longest-standing region, with 10 homes serving over 350 kids. Special efforts include a focused caregiver training program with ESPERE, a literacy initiative with the Books, Libraries, Reading (BLR) program, mentorship and life skills training, and service trips to benefit both children and homes. Thrive and Certification efforts are conducted by three local Child’s Hope staff members who have over 20 collective years of experience in orphan and therapeutic care.
Before the Books, Libraries, Reading (BLR) program started at La Gloria, David, a 6-year-old at the orphanage, HATED reading. Lili, the orphanage teacher, said that David would only read if she had him read with her, but never on his own. He was 1-2 grade levels behind in his reading abilities. When the BLR program began, David noted on his reading survey that he was interested in planets of the solar system.
He was so excited when he found the books on planets that Brad (creator of BLR) brought to the first reading party. As David started to look through the books, he was yelling to the other kids, “mire, mire planetas (look, look the planets)”… “hey, el sol (hey, the sun)”… “wow, wow.” His energy was contagious. For the rest of the reading parties, he was totally invested in finding more books to read.
In the weeks following the reading parties, David voluntarily participated in regular reading sessions with Lili and started reading by himself. A week later, he began to read to the younger kids who did not know how to read.
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