Happy April! We hope this newsletter finds you well and filled with optimism for the days ahead. As we reflect on the first quarter of the year, we are thrilled to share some exciting updates with you.
As we embark on another chapter of our journey, we want to express our sincere appreciation to each of you for taking the time to read our newsletter and for your unwavering support of our cause. Your dedication means the world to us.
As we continue our mission to make a positive impact on the lives of children in Peru, Uganda, and beyond, we humbly ask for your help in spreading the word. By sharing our news and social media posts, you play a crucial role in helping us expand our reach and achieve our ambitious goals.
Your generosity, whether through donations, support, or connecting us with potential donors, is truly invaluable. We are deeply grateful for your contributions to our journey.
Thank you for being a part of our mission. Together, we can create lasting change and make a meaningful difference in the lives of children around the world.
Team Dear Future Ops Grows
Our mission to Peru was accompanied by unmeasurable help. No more 3 am preparation for 6 am departures!! woo hoo!! In this latest trip to Peru Dear Future moved with two members as Pam Baird, our Director of Finance and board member participated in the entire process of pickup, organize, inventory, prepare, travel, take the dangerous roads of the andes and delivery to each and every child! Thank you Pam!!
Successful Deliveries in Peru and Uganda
We're delighted to announce the completion of our first and busiest quarter of the year, marked by successful deliveries to the communities of Peru and Uganda. In total, we distributed 13,793 material units in Peru and 16,246 units in Uganda. Yes, we're counting!
Doubling Our Impact
Among these deliveries, 6,327 were notebooks of various kinds, including squared ruled, lined, triple line, large squares for kinder, exercise books, graph books, art books, and more. In total, we were able to support 895 children in 8 schools in Peru and children in the Eastern, Central and Western regions of Uganda, more than doubling last year's numbers (373).
A Life Changing Experience at Casa Hovde
This 2024 we begun helping a wonderful organization in Huanuco, Peru named Casa del Buen Trato Hovde. This home is there to provide housing and support to 24 wonderful girls that have been placed there by court orders. They have suffered incredible trauma in their life at the hands who should've been their closest allies. Casa Hovde as we call it, provides these girls with all the life needs, including first and foremost love, but also housing, food, education and education support via tutors, emotional support via psychologists and activities to build and rebuild their self esteem, childhood and trust.
Dear Future was there to begin a relationship of support by providing them with school supplies for the upcoming year and delivered their first batch of postcards from the wonderful students in Mckamy Middle School in Texas.
We had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a celebration for International day of Women and were accepted to judge a Dance Competition, which we performed in the fairest manner possible... Impossible!! they were all so good. To learn more about Casa Hovde, visit their facebook: here.
Expansion of Hygienic Pad Program
In February, we distributed the first batch of hygienic pads for the year to 300 girls in Uganda. Additionally, we left over 200 packs to be distributed to girls who had not yet registered. This year, our hygienic pad program is growing, and we're transitioning to reusable pads made by a local manufacturer. This move not only allows us to provide each of the 300 girls we support with a set of pads lasting 12-18 months but also emphasizes environmental sustainability by reducing waste.
Fundraiser for Immediate Growth
In March, we launched a fundraiser to boost immediate growth and support more children in Uganda. After visiting the schools we support and realizing that 3,000 children were left without materials, we knew we needed to do more. Our goal is to raise $20k in this fundraiser to return to Uganda and ensure no child is left without the resources they need to finish the school year and prepare for future giveaways in 2025.
Fundraiser: UnLeashing Hope: Education Materials for Every Child
Emergency Relief Efforts in Peru
Unfortunately, one of our schools in Peru was struck by torrents, resulting in the loss of all their school supplies in a flood. This unfortunate event has provided us with the opportunity to help rebuild and get the school in Yanayacu, District of Huanuco, back to teaching as soon as possible.
While we may not be fully prepared to react to emergencies like this yet, it's essential that we take action.
Dear Future is preparing to provide Yanayaku-K as we call it with a full set of materials for all the students, to replace the lost set. Additionally, we are studying how much more we can help with in the classroom to get this school back on its feet.
If you'd like to contribute for this specific mission, visit our website www.dear-future.org to make a donation and drop us a note to indicate your wishes.
Exciting things happening in our penpal program
A complete set of postcards was delivered and received during our recent journeys to Peru and Uganda. Additionally, Dear Future has expanded its pen pal program to include two new locations:
Casa Hovde, as previously mentioned, and
Our friends at Squash Dreamers in Jordan.
Squash Dreamers (https://www.squashdreamers.org/) is a US nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational support and teaching the game of Squash to economically and geographically displaced children in Jordan. These children, who come from countries such as Iraq, Palestine, Syria, South Sudan, and others, are welcomed as refugees but often face significant educational inequalities in their host countries. Squash Dreamers aims to boost their confidence and self-esteem through the game of Squash while also providing educational support by teaching English and assisting with other subjects.
Call to Action
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of you for reading our newsletter and supporting our cause. We kindly ask you to share our news and social media posts as we strive to grow our audience this year to reach our ambitious goals. Your donations, support, and assistance in connecting us with potential donors are immensely appreciated.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children in Peru, Uganda, and beyond.
Comments