Our Blog: Pandemic

Teacher Yu Qian's Kung Fu

Yu Qian, a teacher from Suzhou, Anhui Province, is an one of the pioneer volunteer teachers in the Support A Volunteer Teacher Program that we have in China. This is her fourth serving term. Teacher Yu is affectionately called "Goddess" because of her wisdom and good communication.

Teacher Yu is responsible for math teaching in grade four and music teaching in grades two, three and four this semester, and also serves as the head teacher of grade four.

In teaching, Ms. Yu has a set of "kungfu". She is good at guiding students to solve problems independently. The class is full of interest, and students are more active in thinking under her guidance.

She is just one of the volunteer teachers we support in China.

We are currently partnering with five remote mountainous Sichuan schools where our volunteer teachers will be located. These volunteer teachers don’t receive a salary, but live off the support from this program to meet their food, accommodation and transport expenses. Access to these schools is difficult, and these schools struggle to get teachers because of the harsh weather and isolation so your support means a lot to the students.

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Tubi Ermo: Reaching for the Stars

I am Tubi Ermo, a Grade 10 student sponsored by you. Last semester was difficult as I was still adjusting to high school. I found out that my favorite subject is English. But I realized that a junior high school level would not be enough for the exams, so I am now focusing on building up my vocabulary.

This semester has been rewarding despite the difficulties. I have made friends and learned a lot. My teachers and classmates have been very supportive and helpful when I’m frustrated, especially in mathematics. I also have an inspirational role model to look up to, the actress Zhao Jinmai, as a source of determination and courage. Through her hard work, she became a well-known actress. Her spirit of striving and fighting for herself keeps inspiring me.

I am deeply grateful for your support and kindness that has helped me mentally and materially. Your generosity will leave a lasting impression in my heart. I believe ‘the star never questions the walkers, and the time never betrays the determined ones.’ Every one of us who swims upstream against the river will be the unique rainbow after a storm. I also believe that such virtue will engrave in people’s hearts. Thank you for your support, and hoping for your good fortune and a bright future!

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Saraswoti Secured 2nd Position

Saraswoti is from Ramauli village. Her family lives in squatter settlements and works as sand Sievers and fish throughout the day for living. Although they worked hard, they hardly made any savings and could not afford school fees for her. Saraswoti left her studies and got engaged in her family work at the riverside. 

When she was assessed, her passion for study was found to be high; so was her risk of being trafficked and abused at the riverbank. She was enrolled back to school under the Captivating Village Project's scholarship program. 

She is talented and had secured second position in the recent interschool quiz competition and expressed her joyfulness and was thankful for support.

HELP US CREATE MORE IMPACT

If you wish to know more or be a part of this project, click on the buttons below or contact us directly at info@captivating.org.

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School Principal Praises Hamro Abhiyan Program

Last March 15, the Hamro Abhiyan team of 3 Angels Nepal traveled from Pokhara to Chitwan to Manahari to conduct two education and awareness events. Fully funded by Captivating International, Hamro Abhiyan is a school-based awareness and prevention strategy rolling out across schools located in trafficking hot spots due to the poverty of their communities. With a complete set of Hamro Abhiyan materials, one of the events was conducted at Shree Bharmakali Secondary School in Ramuli Village area. 83 students actively participated.

The principal of Shree Bharmakali Secondary School came to praise our Hamro Abhiyan team for including each student in every Hamro Abhiyan activity. According to the principal, to continue the campaign, he will have every student and other social and health teachers work on the human trafficking issue to raise awareness among others since they have learned a lot from Hamro Abhiyan.

After completing the first event, the team traveled to the next school. 94 students participated from Shree Rastriya Rotary Secondary School located in the countryside.

One of the new teachers in Shree Bharmakali secondary school class came out of her class to observe the activities of Hamro Abhiyan.  She said the program was the best way to make people aware with their maximum involvement. She thanked the organization for coming to their school to conduct a program that was related to society and teenagers.

This year alone, over 5,000 students from 70 schools in at-risk locations will participate in this education and awareness program. Fully funded by Captivating, this program results in students relaying their learning to the whole school body, and taking the messages of warning home to their families.

HELP US CREATE MORE IMPACT

If you would like to know more or be a part of this project, click on the buttons below or contact us directly at info@captivating.org.

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An Attempt to Traffic Cielo

Cielo's (name changed for privacy) family worked on farmlands owned by others and were very poor, so her parents sent her to her aunt in Hetauda where she completed high school. Her family is from Dhading and now she is 23 years old.

As soon as she finished graduation, she began looking for work in other districts, which her aunt did not like. Her aunt urged her to return, but she never returned and was in contact with people offering jobs to her. A man who claimed to take her to Japan through India easily fooled her into thinking she was going to Japan.

The reality is that going to Japan is very difficult because it requires fluency in the Japanese language, a passport, and a visa, which she did not have. He told her that he would take her easily from India, which is impossible, and this was a clear indication that he was trying to traffic her.

Her aunt discovered that Cielo was on the way to India with a man who was trafficking her, so she contacted the Lothar help desk and reported the incident. With the help of 3 Angels Nepal, she was tracked through a telephone call. In coordination with the police, she was received and brought to the Women Safe Haven for safety.

In the process of being counseled, she realized that although she had a dream of getting to Japan, she had neglected to consider the requirements.

As she learned about the traffickers, she became aware of how easily she fell for their tricks. She was advised to go to Japan through an official consultation service that provides legal assistance. She was reunited with her family.

 

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From Streets to Schools

Dolores is one of the families we help in the Manila Slum Project, our back to school program in the Philippines. This project aims to assist 200 underprivileged children in Manila slum communities.

When we visited Dolores' home, she was preparing the flowers she would sell in the streets that morning. She warmly welcomed us and shared her story. Dolores and her children used to live in a wooden cart under a flyover. Her children experienced being drenched by the rain and due to the dangers of living in the street, she lost one of her children. She was helped by a friend to get a small place in the slum and she built her house from materials they got from the junkshop.

Though they have that place to sleep in at night, Dolores and her children would still stay in the streets during the day to sell and beg. Dolores hopes for a better future for her children and that is why she is grateful that they are part of HONOR’s program in helping children from the slum attend and thrive in school.

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Farming Her Way to Financial Independence

Gomali is on her way toward financial independence. The example she has set as a single woman when it comes to handling her finances has become an inspiration to other women.

Gomali B.K. became a member of the MBMF group three years ago. MBMF, or My Business My Freedom is a microfinance program launched by Captivating and 3 Angels Nepal. Gomali lives in the village of Sonari, Rapti with her family of six. She did not own cultivable land, so she worked on the farms of others and had less income because good harvest usually goes to their owners. Even though her children are all grown up and have their own families, she still had a hard time making ends meet.

This is when MBMF entered the picture. She applied and successfully received a loan of Rs 30,000 (estimated A$ 540) from the program, which she used to take the land on the lease and start her own chicken farm.

It was an uphill climb at the beginning, and she remembered only earning Rs 5,000 (estimated A$ 90) from the first batch of chickens. So after she repaid her first loan, she took out two additional loans of Rs 60,000 (estimated A$ 1080) and Rs 70,000 (estimated A$ 1260).

She expanded the leased land and began cultivating more vegetables. Amidst ups and downs, economic hardships during the pandemic, and other challenges posed by climatic changes, Gomali remained relentless and dedicated to her work. Although the past three years were not easy for her, they were the best of her life as she experienced the transition toward financial independence. Here she is, beaming with pride to show her onion and tomatoes.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

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Teacher Cheng's Hope for Her Students

Hello everyone, I'm Cheng Manyu from Huanggang, Hubei.

This is my third semester volunteering at Yire Elementary School. Why did I choose to volunteer here?

During my university days, I watched a TV program called "Top 10 Most Touching People in China," which featured an interview with Teacher Zhang Guimei. At that time, I couldn't believe that this teacher used her frail body to help countless girls have a different kind of life. She visited her students' families with bandages on her hands and gave everything to her students. I was deeply moved, and her story further solidified my determination to "volunteer teach".

From the beginning, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to teach the students well, but later I encouraged them to participate in various extracurricular activities. Now I hope that they can have a strong inner self and be able to face problems calmly.

I teach the boys in my class to respect and protect girls and teach the girls to protect themselves when they encounter threatening situations.

I love my students very much. If Teacher Zhang Guimei is a lighthouse in the deep mountains, then I hope I can be a little star in the sky, shining a dim light to illuminate the direction for them.

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