IMPACT
may 2015
Rosita outside her family’s home in Lima, Peru.
connections
healed by letters I
She got involved with Unbound after
t’s a long, steep trek up to Rosita’s house
a neighbor told her about the program.
on the side of a mountain in Lima, Peru.
The humble home where Rosita lives with
Since then, she’s been part of the mothers
her husband and two children overlooks the
group in the area. Unbound social workers coached Rosita
Manchay region below.
and other mothers on getting the spon-
Rosita is a leader in the local mothers group. She works with the Unbound social
sored children to open up about their lives.
workers and other mothers of sponsored
The mothers came up with an idea for a
children to help families in her community.
special letter-writing activity in which the
Her 7-year-old son, Alexis, is sponsored by
children would write letters to their moms.
Rocio from Las Vegas.
These letters would give the children a way to share about any issues at home or
“I’ve learned we need to support each other as women,” Rosita said. “If we talk about our problems, we can help each other.”
Rosita’s son, Alexis, shows off a drawing he made of his family.
school that needed to be addressed.
empowered moms
You spoke, we listened
According to an Unbound survey, 70 percent of mothers of sponsored children speak up about their ideas and opinions, and 59 percent see themselves as leaders in their communities. Way to go, moms!
“Unbound has been a source of great encouragement and support to me. Through Unbound, I have been able to believe in myself. I have discovered the talent in me, and Unbound has helped me grow it.” — Florence, mother of a sponsored child in Kenya, jewelry maker and all-around awesome human being. Check out her video story at unbound.org/Florence.
(continued)
(continued from front) “We have learned we can read and see what’s going on in the children’s lives,” Rosita said. What they found in the letters, however, was not what they had expected. The children wrote heartfelt letters of gratitude to their mothers. Some drew
Rosita reads letters the children wrote to their mothers.
pictures of their families or homes, and some just wrote short notes. But when the mothers gathered the children’s creations they discovered pages full of love. “Dear Mom: Thank you for food and for washing my clothes. I love you very much. With all my love ...” In this neighborhood, where instability and struggle seem constant, what the children reflected was love.
P.S. I love you
I t was an emotional moment. For many,
Reading words of love written by little hands inspired the mothers to
it was the first time they told their
write back. Each one told her child, “I love you,” and gave words of
children, “I love you.”
encouragement. It was an emotional moment. For many, it was the first time they told their children, “I love you.” Love may be shown through putting food on the table or long hours spent working for the next meal. When fighting against poverty on a daily basis, trying to meet a child’s basic needs always comes first. That’s how these parents expressed their love. But when they received the children’s letters, something inside them transformed. The moms discovered that when a child hears those three words, especially from a parent, it can send that child’s confidence soaring and provide a sense of security. What started as a way to discover the unknown, quickly turned into a way of discovering the good. Many sponsors have begun sponsorship with the intent to help a person challenged by poverty.
Rosita (right) with her husband, Evir, and their two children, Alexis and Milagros.
Somewhere along the way, though, a connection is made and both lives are changed. And what emerges is a beautiful discovery for everyone.
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©Unbound 2015