Mar 8 2013

Trip to Kenya: ‘Becoming an instrument of peace’

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

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“Bob’s notes” are reports from CFCA President Bob Hentzen, who regularly accompanies awareness trip participants. You can see Bob’s full update on his Facebook page.

Heartfelt greetings from Kenya.

I am very grateful to the Kansas City awareness trip team and the staff in Kenya for all of their preparation for this journey.

Photo credits for this report go to Regina Mburu, CFCA communications liaison for Africa. Regina was with the group for the entire trip. Don’t miss her latest blog post, which features her reflection about her visit to Madagascar.

The estimated 2012 population in Kenya topped 43 million, with more than 3 million living in Nairobi, the capital and largest city. Read more

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Mar 6 2013

Common boy, girl names from countries where CFCA works

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

From left are Gloria, Erika and Ana, children sponsored through CFCA in El Salvador.

You’ve probably heard the English idiom, “Every Tom, Dick and Harry,” to refer to the general population.

For many parts of the world, that wouldn’t make sense because those three names are relatively unusual.

In Madagascar, for example, the idiom might read more like, “Every Haja, Mamy and Andriniaina!”

Here are some common boy and girl names from some countries and regions where CFCA works:

El Salvador, Colombia and other Latin American countries

Names such as Juan, Jose, Ana and Maria abound in Latin American countries. Some common sources of inspiration come from close relatives, famous people, Biblical names and popular foreign names.

“Many years ago you could choose a foreign name without a problem, but nowadays you have to prove the meaning and the origin when you go to get the baby’s birth certificate in the city hall,” said Naresli Calito, a CFCA staffer in El Salvador. Read more

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Feb 25 2013

A CFCA staffer’s trip to exotic Madagascar

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Regina Mburu, our communications liaison for Africa, recently returned from a trip to Madagascar to cover the stories of sponsored friends and their families. Regina is from Kenya.

Recently I had the opportunity to visit our CFCA project in Madagascar. I was all packed up and excited at the thought of visiting this beautiful island country.

After a smooth flight, we landed in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar. CFCA staff members were already at the airport waiting for me, and in this land miles away from my motherland, I felt at home.

Our drive to Antsirabe, which is three hours from the capital city, was a bit scary. The road was very curvy with many turns and bends. However, the beautiful landscape and tracks of rice paddies made my fear fade away. Read more

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Jan 29 2013

Mother makes environmentally friendly charcoal in Madagascar

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Marie, mother of a CFCA sponsored child in Madagascar.

Meet Marie, mother of three children in Madagascar, who found a creative way to help her family through selling environmentally friendly charcoal made from soil, grass and charcoal powder!

One of her children, 11-year-old Safidison, is sponsored through CFCA.

My husband works in rice fields. I am a housewife.

Before our son was sponsored, we sometimes went hungry because we could not afford to buy food, especially when my husband could not find a job.

Paying school fees for all three children was really a challenge.

Life was not easy. Money was hard to come by since my husband does seasonal work, and the money he made was not enough for our needs. Read more of Marie’s story

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Jan 17 2013

Project coordinator in Uganda: ‘I am a true believer of change’

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA)

Teddy Naluwu, Kampala project coordinator in Uganda and former CFCA sponsored child.

I hope to transform others’ lives through my work with CFCA.

My name is Teddy Naluwu, and I am 31 years old. I have been a part of the CFCA family for more than 20 years, first as a sponsored child and later as an employee.

I have been working for CFCA for the past seven years, and I currently serve as Kampala project coordinator for Uganda, Africa.

Personally, I am a true believer of change. I have seen myself transform from a humble “country girl” to project coordinator of a sizeable project.

Because of CFCA sponsorship and the education I received, I am able to help break through the lines of poverty within my family.

The CFCA-Kampala project believes that we can make the world a better place through our collective efforts.

Engaging with the families in CFCA project activities is an important aspect of my work that shapes my attitude and performance, and boosts my self-worth. Read more

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Nov 13 2012

Uganda: ‘Pearl of Africa’

Posted on November 13, 2012 by admin

Join us as we celebrate Geography Awareness Week with National Geographic and friends. This year’s theme is “Geography: Declare Your Interdependence.”

Did you know that Winston Churchill once called Uganda the “Pearl of Africa?”

CFCA began working in this East African country, with an area slightly smaller than the state of Oregon, in 1993. Today Uganda’s population is estimated at more than 30 million people.

Our Hope for a Family sponsorship program is based in the capital city of Kampala, with outreach to families in Masaka, Busunju and Ssekanyonyi.

About 15 percent of the under-18 population in Uganda, or 2.7 million children, are orphans, according to a UNICEF report.

Most of these children were orphaned because of AIDS, the report explains, but deaths caused by armed conflict and war have added to the problem. Read more

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