Category: Uncategorised

Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana

The Challenge

Rapid population growth in Africa means that the number of people living in poverty keeps growing. At least two out of every five adults in Africa cannot read or write. Health outcomes and food security are worse in Africa than almost anywhere else in the world.

Among the many challenges facing the African population, one of the most difficult to address is inadequate investment in sustainable agriculture. The weather has also adversely affected many countries in Africa and compromised the ability to feed the people.

The Change

Chalice, with the help of our dedicated supporters, has taken on the challenge of improving food security through sustainable farming projects in Africa. 

+ a brief description of successfully completed projects and/or current project(s) that need to be funded

                          

SPONSORSHIP SUCCESS STORY FROM AFRICA

 

SPONSOR A CHILD IN:   GHANA        KENYA       TANZANIA       ZAMBIA

Category: Uncategorised

The Challenge in Africa

Increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and poor soil conditions cause food insecurity to millions who rely on subsistence farming throughout the African continent. School fees, as well as the expense of books, supplies and uniforms, make receiving a quality education unattainable for many. In rural areas it's also difficult to attract and retain qualified teachers.

Little government funding for roads, hospitals and schools are also major barriers. Other ongoing problems include regions with high HIV/AIDS infection rates, orphaned or abandoned children being raised by grandparents, extended family, orphanages or other care institutions; men leaving to find work (sometimes sending money back, sometimes not), leaving women to manage the household expenses and child rearing responsibilities alone.

The Change in Africa

The love of our supporters and the dedicated staff at our sponsor sites have improved the quality of life for families in our sites. 

Chalice's family funding sponsorship distribution puts money directly into caregivers' bank accounts to buy the items their children need to succeed. From school fees, to uniforms, school supplies and nutritious food.

Projects and programs make a significant impact in the communities where we work. Water projects deliver a reliable source of clean water for consumption, farming, and sanitation and school, housing and community center repairs and new builds improve day-to-day life.

School farms and lunch programs keep children nourished and energetic. Skills training, family enrichment and support for small business start-ups give people critical life skills to build a sustainable future. Chalice programs are intended to work together to create lasting change over time.

Countries

Chalice has been serving children in Ghana since 1997 in three sites in rural communities in the far northern region of the country, which is highly under-developed when compared to the southern regions. Communities in the rural north have little to no access to schools, transportation, or public services, which contributes to an existing feeling of disenfranchisement among the rural populations. The erratic climate consistently threatens agricultural output and leads to food insecurity. The majority of young adults move to the prospering southern regions, leaving behind communities that are disproportionately elderly and vulnerable.

Learn more about our work in Ghana
Sponsor a child in Ghana

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Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Kenya  since 1996 in nine sites in both rural and urban communities. Primary education is free in Kenya; however that does not include mandatory items such as books and uniforms. School infrastructure is poor and there is little investment in other public infrastructure, including hospitals and road networks. Agricultural output is poor because the country relies on rain-fed agriculture, despite increasingly arid climates, which leads to widespread food insecurity. The country struggles with tensions among ethnic groups, which can lead to violence and displacement.

Learm more about our work in Kenya
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Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Tanzania since 1998 in two sites in rural communities. The average rural Tanzanian family is quite large, and parents often struggle to afford school fees for all of their children. Children are at high risk of dropping out, which increases high rates of unemployment and out-migration of men to urban mining centres. Women are left to run their smallholder farms for food and livelihood; they have no access to modern techniques and information, and yields are poor. As a result, more nutritious foods are prioritized to sell for profit and nutrient-poor foods (eg cassava) are kept for families to eat. Malnourishment and stunting is endemic among the children.

Learm more about our work in Tanzania
Sponsor a child in Tanzania

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Chalice has been serving children in Zambia since 1997 in two sites in very rural communities. Chalice has built schools and continues to run them in areas where there are no other educational opportunities. Schools in Zambia are located in major cities, but there are very few in rural communities, forcing children to travel long distances to attend any kind of formal education. In the communities where Chalice works, there is very little access to any health care because most doctors are unwilling to work outside of urban centres. Chalice works with primarily female-headed households, because men travel for mining work. Domestic responsibilities keep women from pursuing education, creating a cycle of under-education with their children.

Learn more about our work in Zambia

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Category: Uncategorised

The Challenge in Latin America

A high risk of school dropout, with children as young as eight needing to work to help support their families, high unemployment, domestic violence and lack of access to services such as water, electricity, and transportation, are some of the challenges facing families in Latin America.

The pandemic has amplified the plight of the needy and toppled families who were barely scraping by. Since the initial outbreak of COVID-19, 22 million people have joined the ranks of the poor, unable to meet their basic needs. The region has been hard-hit due to the intensity of the pandemic and the steepness of its recession, the worst in 200 years. The economy has contracted 7% since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Change in Latin America

The love of our supporters and the dedicated staff at our sponsor sites has improved the quality of life for families in our sites. First and foremost, our family funding sponsorship model puts funds directly into families' bank accounts every quarter. Having a steady source of funding allows families to budget and plan necesssary purchases, while enrolment in a Chalice family circle provides a base of support, education, and encouragement for anything from basic financial literacy to family problems or how to start a small business.

Many sponsor sites also offer after-school programs that help children with their homework and give them a safe haven in which to spend their after-school hours. Daily lunch programs and soup kitchens provide nutrient-rich meals for children, families, and the elderly. Other programs include workshops on health and hygiene, nutrition and livelihood training to help parents learn skills that enable them to find meaningful employment to better care for their families.

So far, Chalice's COVID-19 Disaster Fund has made two allocations to our Latin American sites to help families cope with the hardships they are currently facing because of the pandemic. The first allocation was made in June of 2020 in the amount of $190,565.23; the second was made in January 2021 in the amount of $99,526.55.

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Countries

Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Paraguay since 2012 in four sites in primarily urban communities. There are very few international NGOs working in Paraguay. Our family circle-based sponsorship program is highly distinctive in this country. 
Learn more about our work in Paraguay 
Sponsor a child in Paraguay 

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Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Bolivia since 2004 in seven sites, both in rural and urban communities. Our local partners tell us that Chalice is unique in the regions we serve because we dedicate more resources to supporting families at every level.
Learn more about our work in Bolivia 
Sponsor a child in Bolivia

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Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Peru since 2004 in three sites in primarily urban communities.  Our Peruvian sites are exceptional in their ability to support and learn from each other, constantly sharing best practices and creating cohesive programming.
Learn more about our work in Peru
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Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Chile since 1996 in two sites in urban communities.  Chalice is a somewhat unique non-profit in Chile because we have been able to retain our Catholic identity through our partnerships with local religious organizations.

Learn more about our work in Chile

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Chalice has been serving children and seniors in Guatemala since 2001 in the small town of Champerico. Children in Guatemala are vulnerable to high dropout rates in favour of finding work. Malnutrition is common  because the most affordable meals are filling but nutrient-poor carbohydrates.
Learn more about our work in Guatemala
Sponsor a child in Guatemala