A Report from the Limon orphanage
By Janet Mahoney
I thank you for your interest in the Limón orphanage!
I spent
most of
my time there the last week of June.
We all fell in love with the children and the staff members. The orphanage, they
are in now, is a run down rented
building that holds only about 40 orphans with overcrowding and 2 toilets. We
helped fixed the roof
and screens for the windows and doors, and painted the interior while we were
there. We also bought them some
needed supplies. These are the lucky orphans even though there are lots of needs.
Leonarda, the
wonderful director, says there are probably another 100 orphans in the area that
need to be in the
orphanage, that have very little hope or anything else. Most of the orphans are
due to their parents
dying of AIDS, one of the reasons our nonprofit group, Limón Aid, worked
with AIDS education and helping
families with AIDS.
Leonarda has big dreams for a new orphanage and the determination to
make it
happen. She has been given
the land and permits to build. Her dream is to have about 16 small huts/homes
that would hold 8-9 orphans
and one staff with a bathroom and each orphan having storage area. They would
be arranged in 2 or 4 circles
with a play area in the middle. There would also be a large 2 story building
that would have kitchen, dining
room, rec room and laundry area on the bottom floor and a office, room for Leonarda,
guest room, and study
area with hopefully some computers on the second floor.
A small garage/storage area is also needed.
Leonarda has the workers and commitment to do the building, but needs the money for the materials and
plans. We found the people of Limón to be hard workers and with the right resources can really make
things happen. Limón Aid plans on helping build the orphanage by fund raising for the materials and
getting the information out to a lot of other groups to help. We don't have an estimated cost of what the
overall price of supplies for the orphanage would be yet but we're working on it.
We have ideas on fund raising and have lots of
pictures and an informational 20 min. video put
together. We on going to different local groups, such as churches, temples, rotary clubs, schools, etc.,
with a presentation to help get funding. Also making up calendars with the orphans pictures to sell and
doing donations where they would receive a small angel and card for helping. We are just getting started on
the fund raising and are trying to get as many people involved as possible.
We would love to have your ideas and help! I am sending you a flier we developed and if you would like
the copy of the DVD let me know. My phone number is 517-337-0257 or cell 517-896-8551.
God Bless,
Janet Mahoney
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