Keely's Colombia Adventures

Physical therapist, Keely O'Dell, arrived in Medellin Colombia this week. She will spend two months in Medellin and two months in Cali providing caregiver training and rehabilitation to orphans with disabilities. Some of Keely's colleagues will be joining her throughout her stay. Check out her fabulous blog http://superninos.wordpress.com/

Check out these really Cute Baby Booties

Thanks Jae, for working so hard with the Kechene Women's Association!

Our wonderful intern, Jae, just returned from Ethiopia. She helped older teen and young adult orphans in Addis Ababa create these "super cute," baby booties!!! Superkids will sell them to raise money to support programs for teen orphans in need of employment.

The Kechene Women's Association, is an organization of young women who have "aged out," of the Kechene Children's Home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

There are few opportunities for these orphaned young women once they have been released from government care. Most seek low-level service industry work in Ethiopia and Middle Eastern countries, but pay is extremely low and such work is dangerous in countries with few women’s rights and no citizenship protection. Unfortunately, many fall back on prostitution to provide for themselves.

The young women of Kechene need life-skills to navigate the world, earn a living and use money wisely. They need to learn how to set goals based on safe choices, self-sufficiency, and self-esteem. They need a future that offers a chance for a long, productive, and happy life.

A Successful Summer!

Thank you to Liana, Tanya, Anita, Joan, Mark, Neeha, and Rhonda for making this summer Superkids' biggest success! Teams of physical, occupational, and play therapists provided caregiver training and direct medical intervention to orphaned children in Addis Ababa Ethiopia and Cali Colombia. Superkids started a successful read aloud program in Addis that exposes orphaned children to books and improves literacy and language development. The Superkids Colombia team provided therapy and an exercise program for pregnant women in crisis living in Cali. We also provided funding for school age orphans in Medellin, Colombia to receive English language classes for 1 year. Superkids will send more physical therapists to China this fall to continue caregiver training.

Superkids is Growing! Over the past 3 years, Superkids has conducted 8 humanitarian aid missions in China, Ethiopia, and Colombia. We have worked with 7 orphanages, 4 foster care homes, and 1 pregnant women in crisis center. We have trained more than 300 orphanage caregivers, provided medical consultation for 100 children and infants with severe medical conditions, delivered 3 wheelchairs to teen orphans with spinal cord injury, and delivered more than 300 therapeutic toys.

Summer Update

Tanya and Anita have been in Cali 3 weeks already! They have been busy training orphanage caregivers, treating disabled orphans, and working with pregnant women in crisis. Check out their blog http://superkidscali.blogspot.com/

Liana has been in Ethiopia almost 2 months now. Her reading project is going even better than expected and the Kechene Women are busy making braided wrap bracelets. http://lili188.blogspot.com/

Next week 3 more therapists arrive in Addis Ababa Ethiopia to provide caregiver training and treatment for orphans with medical conditions. Caregiver training will focus on feeding and exercise. stay tuned!

Anita and Tanya arrive in Cali!

Anita and Tanya arrive in Cali!

Hola! We made it to Cali, Colombia last night after a long day of traveling. Magnolia, who is an interpreter for Gladney, met us at the airport and took us back to her apartment where we will be staying for the next 8 weeks.

Today, she took us to the local shopping center across the street where she helped us purchase a cell phone. Tomorrow we meet with Julieta, the director of the Instituto de Oscar Scarpetta. This is one of the orphanages where we will be volunteering. We are really looking forward to getting to know the kids and the staff. Stay tuned for our adventures...

Check out their blog superkidscali.blogspot.com

Getting Ready for a Busy Summer

Superkids is preparing for a busy summer! Liana is back from Guatemala and will be leaving for Ethiopia in 3 weeks. Liana will be working with teen orphans.

Superkids is also sending teams of therapists to Colombia and Ethiopia this summer. Our Ethiopia team travels this June and includes an occupational therapist/feeding specialist, a physical therapist, and a clinical psychologist. Superkids will also send 2 graduates from Duke University's doctoral program in physical therapy to Cali, Colombia for 7 weeks this summer.

All our volunteers will blog about their experiences, so stay tuned!

Superkids in Guatemala, Liana is On Her Way!

Liana Moskowitz, a recent graduate of the University of New Hampshire, is spending the next 6 months volunteering for Superkids. She is on her way to Guatemala right now! Liana will be volunteering at Casa Bernabe for 3 months working with school-age orphans. She will then fly off to Addis Ababa Ethiopia to work with teen orphans aging out of the orphanage system. Liana will be blogging her journey, so stayed tuned. http://lili188.blogspot.com/