Aura’s Tuition Project, India Tuition Project, Income Generating Projects, and Kristen’s New Baby Lukas

Hello there Aura’s House Community,

I’m typing to you using only one hand as I hold my new baby boy, Lukas. No doubt it’s been a year full of changes, and as hectic as it can be sometimes, we wouldn’t have it any other way. This past year we launched the new site and took on a gaggle of new projects. Thanks to our donors we were able to help families in Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Zambia, India, Colombia, and The Philippines. Check out our latest project that will help send 100 children to school in India. Just a small gift of $24.50 will send one child to school for a year. By helping give a needy child an education, you help them help themselves to end the cycle of poverty.

Read below to see our other current projects as well as view updates on completed past projects. We’ve had a successful year thanks to our supporters. Here’s to a happy holiday season and even more good work ahead of us in 2010!

Kristen, along with Ana, Mike, Christina, Heather, Courtenay, and the Aura’s House Team

Tuition Project For Aura Hernandez of Guatemala

Our goal is to provide Aura Hernandez (16) of Guatemala with tuition for her second year of secondary school so she may have the opportunity to become a teacher in her community. In Aura’s first year of school, which was funded by Aura’s House donors, she excelled in her classes and appreciates how fortunate she has been to receive an education from your donations. Read more about Aura’s progress here.

Update: Fund raising for Aura’s second year of school was recently completed and now we are working on her third and final year. Read all about this project here.

Current Projects

There are so many great projects going on that we couldn’t highlight just one.  We have several projects active at the moment.

Please, take a look at Maria Antonia’s Income Generating Project. Your donations would fund a tortilla business for Maria Antonia (17) and her family of Guatemala.

Diego Armando of Columbia needs help right away to help with medical issues and has limited income as his parents are deceased. We hope to bring peace and comfort to Diego and his caretaker, his aunt.

Update: Gema’s Household Needs Project. was recently completed. Thank you! Your donations will give Gema Luna (8) and her family of Guatemala the following gifts: baby furniture, an adult bed, and 2 wooden wardrobes. Stay tuned for updates and photos for this project.

Past Projects – Much Progress Made and Photos

Over the past couple of months, Aura’s House completed several projects.  Pictured below are three of the children featured in these projects who have already received gifts from your donations.

Ana and her father, Mr. Lema, have been enjoying the benefits of their new income generating business, made possible by Aura’s House donations.  See photos of the family in his successful new repair shop.

Perhaps one of the most delightful photos we have received is of Nyslin surrounded by her new chicks for the family’s income generating project, a chicken farm.  Her face exudes pure joy and it was made possible by your donations.

Zoila, also, was given the materials and supplies to begin a chicken coop.  Check out photos of her chicken coop. The family looks so excited to be given the opportunity to generate income.

iGive For the Holiday Season

How can you make searching and shopping for that perfect gift this holiday season even more perfect? Use iGive, where with every transaction a portion goes to benefit Aura’s House. Raise a penny (or more) per search and generate donations from any of the 730+ stores listed with iGive, ranging up to 26%. Also, check out the new searchable coupons and deals, where you will find all available, up to the minute offers and specials.

Two items of note:

1. New Membership Challenge Recruiting Campaign
   Recruit new members (the more the merrier!) and iGive will send your cause a $5 bonus for those members who shop within 45 days. We are also doubling all search donations to $.02 a search for all members. (Ends 11/15/09)
2. For your iGive members:
   Send them regular CHIRP updates throughout the season giving them extra encouragement.

Partner’s Corner: Welcome Baby Lukas

Please, join site founder Kristen Palana and Michael Hemling in welcoming their new baby boy into the world.

Kristen writes:
“Our son, Lukas Michael Hemling was born on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 9:10 AM (Rome time.)  He weighed 6.2 pounds (2.8kg) and is 18 inches long. He is by far our favorite German/American baby born in Italy and he is doing extremely well in his new home.  Michael and I are sleepy but euphoric.”

Congratulations to Kristen and Michael on their new bundle of joy!