Thursday, July 19, 2007
Orphanage update
I offered to go last Monday to help by giving an English class and offer some games for the kids, but actually there is a team of new volunteers, the ones we saw last Saturday who were cleaning the place from top to bottom.
Well they are continuing throughout this week. Fumigating and all. So the situation is improving every day in terms of improving their living environment.
Next week we are meeting with the volunteers to share ideas and make a plan of action.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I suppose a good place to start would be to get organized: with the volunteers, start a committee with specific tasks - fundraising, public relations, social activities, etc. Very important to have: cashflow. We used to do these activities as a community project:
1) Fundraising: go door-to-door, collect old clothes, books, newspapers, bottles. Then, sell the clothes & books at flea markets; newspapers & bottles to those people who buy them back.
2) Public relations: Make a list of businesses you'd like to approach, make simple flyers and hand these to people to get more volunteers/donations. The kids at the orphanage can even get in on this - handpainting or write a word or two. Don't forget you've got a videocam, so you can create a mini-video of sorts. You can also approach stationery shop owners & get them to donate old stock of school supplies. Some bakeries are forced to throw out food, not because it's stale, but because it is past the shelf life the law allows (I used to work in a coffee shop & we'd take these pastries home to eat!).
3) Social activities: once you have a little bit of cashflow, no problems in creating activities. You can teach them english, math, french, mandarin, music. Find the 'artists' in the group and get them to draw murals on the orphanage walls. Then, get these artists to manage a group of 'painters'. All kids love to get involved in this mural art project. The simplest form of art (which is really touching) is to have handpaints all over the orphanage walls with a message scrawled in it.
I think it's great that you're doing this. If I figure out more ideas, I'll email you. The possibilities are endless, but it takes time of course, and a committed set of volunteers who are going to be there for a while (at least, for the 'committee').
Good luck!
Post a Comment