OUR PROJECTS: To date, we have completed 225 projects in 14 countries!!
Our MISSON is to fulfill the basic needs of children. We believe that by providing essential items to children, we have an impact on their childhood.
We PROVIDE essential items in five categories. These include:
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- Hygiene items, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, sanitary pads, diapers & baby wipes.
- School supplies, such as textbooks, notebooks, pencils, erasers, school bags
- Clothing, such as sweaters, undergarments
- Footwear, shoes, slippers
- Food, such as rice, flour, lentil, maize, cooking oil, baby formula
We BUY locally so that we “stretch every dollar.” For international projects, we partner with local vendors to acquire items in that country.
We are ECONOMICALLY and ENVIRONMENTALLY conscious. For eg., we do not use plastic bags in our distributions and we buy fewer & larger sizes.
We EDUCATE the children by showing them how the items should be used and how to minimize waste.
Join our grassroots, volunteer-based effort to FULFILL the BASIC NEEDS of UNDERSERVED CHILDREN by making a DONATION today!
100% OF YOUR DONATION WE RECEIVE SERVES THE CHILDREN.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS COVERS ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES. TRAVEL COSTS ARE PAID BY TRAVELERS.
Diapers provided
pounds of food provided
Hygiene packets provided
2022
We are continuing our work during the pandemic, with 33 projects planned this year.
Diaper distribution with 4C
Diaper distribution at 4C
Hygiene kit distribution at Ivey Lane Elementary
Hygiene kit distribution at West Oaks Elementary
Hygiene kit distribution at Ivey Lane Elementary
Hygiene kit distribution at West Oaks Elementary
OCA
Hygiene distribution at OCA
Donations by Lush
Hats by Pallavi Parikh
Ivey Lane Elementary, Orlando
Pallavi with her crocheted hats
2021
During a pandemic, it is a challenge to help children around the world, but YOU made it possible to serve almost 3,100 children, providing:
~ 32,000 diapers, 44,500 wipes, and 370 pounds of baby formula
~ 25,500 pounds of rice, flour, lentils, oatmeal, cooking oil….
~ over 1,440 items of clothing and 330 pairs of shoes
Nutre Hogar, Panama
Ivey Lane Elementary, Orlando
West Oaks Elementary, Orlando
Nutre Hogar, Panama
Nutre Hogar, Santiago
Sewa bal bharti, India
Baby Institute, Orlando
Seneca House, Bronx, NY
Taabar, India
Harbor House, Orlando
Baby Institute, Orlando
Taabar, India
Aashray India
Uma Bal Bharti, India
Travel with a Purpose: Climbing Kili for Kids, Tanzania, Sep. 2021
Our Climbing Kili for Kids campaign made it possible for us to serve over 700 children in Tanzania. Board members Radhika & John traveled to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and partnered with orphanages and schools to fulfill the basic needs of children, delivering:
- ~6,500 pounds of rice, beans, porridge
- ~5,000 notebooks, textbooks, and pencils
- 135 sweaters & 540 undergarments
- 30 mattresses, sheets, blankets
But it isn’t just about providing things, it is about spending time with the children and giving them all the love we can. Board member Radhika, says, “It takes a little time and effort to complete these projects, but the rewards are enormous! I always get choked up …in a good way…when I’m with the children…the amount of love and joy I receive is overwhelming!”
Travel with a Purpose……in Nepal, April 2021
Amidst the pandemic, Roshan & Jess, traveled to Nepal to trek the Anapurna range. While in Nepal, they took time to visit children at an Orphanage. This is what they told us about their experience.
“The kids were all extremely cute and very polite and while most were shy at first they quickly warmed up. Several of them were able to speak English and were happy to chat with us and most were happy to play. They were a real community and treated each other like siblings, all the older ones were taking care of the youngest. A couple of former orphans were now in their twenties and help manage and run errands. One named Sandeep came to the shop with us and helped organize the taxi and manage the supply list. Thank you for helping to organize such a rewarding experience for us.”
2020
2020 is a year none of us will soon forget! Not only did we complete our planned projects with our partner organizations in India, Panama, and the US, we expanded our outreach in our community, partnering with Central Florida Diaper Bank, Parramore KidZ Zone, and United Against Poverty.
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- In India, we provided hygiene, food, & school supplies to children at Aashray, Taabar, Sewa Bal Bharti, & Uma Bal Bharti.
- In Panama, we provided los niños with diapers, baby formula, & food.
- In the US, we supported the children at Ivey Lane & West Oaks elementary schools in Orlando and the children in family shelters in Freeman & Seneca Houses in New York.
- In Orlando, we distributed hundreds of diapers and wipes to families in our community…….a much needed relief, they told us.
Ivey Lane, Orlando
Ivey Lane, Orlando
Nutre Hogar, Panama
Jaipur, India
Central FLorida Diaper Bank
United Against Poverty
United Against Poverty
Parramore KidZ Zone
2019
In 2019, we completed twelve projects serving 3,113 children in India, Panama and the US (Orlando & New York)!
In May, we traveled to Santiago Panama with volunteers to spend a week with “los niños” at Nutre Hogar…feeding them, playing with them, and giving (& receiving) much love. Here are pictures from our week there.
2018
- Our Ambassador, Poonam, visited the children while on her vacation to India. She distributed much-needed supplies, but more importantly, Poonam & Preeti gave big hugs and a lot of love. Poonam joined in as the children showed off their dance moves.
- Thank you to Ivey Lane for being our Partner. We distributed hygiene packets to ~275 students, spending the day with the children, who asked us some excellent questions about our international work and our donor profile!!
- In April, we returned to Maison du Benedictine to bring comfort, love, fun, and much-needed items such as food, cooking oil, clothing, mosquito nets, mattresses, and hygiene care to the 25 mentally and physically challenged children at the Maison and 50 in the local community.
2017 (a busy december)
- Our Ambassador Rakesh Jobanputra and his family visited a home in Kenya for abandoned babies, spending the day with them and providing diapers, sheets, and cot mattresses. The feeling one gets in helping a child is hard to find anywhere else! We invite everyone to join us on a project or present an idea for one of your own like Rakesh.
- All of A Childhood for Children’s board members were on hand at Ivey Lane Elementary to distribute hygiene care items to all of the students.
- Preeti, our dear Ambassador in Jaipur, distributed hygiene care items, school supplies, and food to 700 children with lots of love and kindness.
- Ryan LLC sponsored the diaper event at Seneca House, providing dippers & wipes to little ones. They unpacked boxes, organized the diaper giveaway, colored with the children and spent time with the families. Great job Team Ryan!!
2017
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- A little boy at Uma bal bhart (Jaipur, India) with items Preeti distributed to the children.
- Esther (previously volunteered with us in Haiti), Rekha, & Richard traveled with us to Santiago, Panama. We focus on the most expensive nutritional needs, like Pediasure, since this isn’t generally donated. Esther, Richard, and Rekha, like us, fell in love with the children!
- Coloring with the children at Seneca House family shelter at the Diaper project for the families, who are so grateful for the savings.
- New Board member, Rose Mills, got a hands-on experience co-managing the Iver Lane project with John. She spoke to children about our other projects This is what it means to be part of a grassroots organization — you get to visit with children, see all the smiling faces…..and answer their questions!!
- Smiles from Ivey Lane student for her sweater.
Travel with a Purpose……in Cuba, April 2017
While on a brief vacation to Cuba, we walked through a neighborhood near a meat & vegetable market, going door-to-door to hand out school supplies to children. It was a different kind of project and the language barriers didn’t stop us from showing love & kindness.
It is something we have adopted that makes our travels more meaningful. We have done this program in places such as Ecuador, Sri Lanka, and Costa Rica. Contact us to make your next trip a Travel with a Purpose trip!!!
2016
- Top row left: Our volunteers at the Diaper project at Seneca House, Bronx, NY after disubuting diapers, coloring with children, & spending time with the families. (Dec. 2016)
- Top row right: Our ambassador, Preeti, was joined by our visiting American ambassador, Rakesh and his family. They visited the children at Aashray Care Home, providing food, hygiene care, towels, and school supplies. More than that, they spent time with the children… played with, and sang songs with the children, and even provided a special meal for the children. ~Jaipur, India (Dec. 2016)
- Middle row: On our second visit to Haiti, we served the children of Maison de Benediction, a facility that cares for mentally and physically challenged children, providing hygiene care items. It was a rewarding & emotional experience. ~Cap Haitien, Haiti (Oct. 2016)
- Bottom row: Our other 2016 projects… Nutre Hogar in Santiago, Panama; Jaipur, India; Ivey Lane Elementary shool in Orlando, FL; and the village of Bode me Limbe in Cap Haitien, Haiti.
Volunteers feeding the children at lunch time ~ Nutre Hogar, Santiago, Panama
Volunteers feeding the children at lunch time ~ Nutre Hogar, Santiago, Panama
Preeti talking to the children and distributing much needed supplies in Jaipur.
Our Ambassador, Preeti Agarwal, with children at Aashray Care Home in Jaipur, India
Children at Ivey Lane promise to work hard in school, take care of item received, and help others.
The kids at Ivey Lane hold up their NEW sweaters / sweatshirts!!
Esther, our hard core volunteer, traveled to the village of Bod me Limbe in Cap Haitien, Haiti.
Travel with a Purpose……in Costa Rica, April 2016
While on vacation in Costa Rica, we found an orphanage in La Fortuna and a rural school in the hills about 30 minutes outside La Fortuna. There were about 20 children at the orphanage between the ages of 6 and 14. Many were “deposited” there by families that couldn’t care for them. We played with them over the course of 2 days for several hours until exhausted. The rural school is located far out of town near a small cluster of homes, and the receipt of school supplies and hygiene care were greatly appreciated!
Volunteering in Panama (March 2016)
Our Ambassador, Ananya, a high school student from Houston, Texas, planned an event at her school, asked family and friends to champion her desire to support 23 malnourished children at Nutre Hogar in Santiago Panama!!! Ananya raised over $1,100 which provided 413 pounds of food & baby formula, 280 diapers, and other hygiene items!!
During her spring break, Ananya & her family spent time with the children, playing with them, feeding them, and putting them down for their naps at the end of their day.
The family told us that they were overwhelmed by the experience and the opportunity to see how some not-so-fortunate struggle just to stay alive and remain healthy.
GREAT JOB!
2015 – Travel with a Purpose: Our founder and President was in South Africa for her job. After her meetings, she, along with her colleague, Ana, visited the children at Sithembile House, a home for mentally & physically challenged children. There is always time to make a difference!
Condensed anatomy of a Travel with a Purpose in Columbo, Sri Lanka (Jan 2015)
Step 1: determine the need. This information comes from our own research, friends of the charity, or local sources we find that have useful knowledge. In the case of Sri Lanka, during our research online, we got help from the local Lions & Rotary club chapters. Once we arrived in Sri Lanka, we met and had discussions with the administrators regarding the state of their organization and assess the needs. They are the real heroes!
In this image, Radhika is seen in discussion with the director of Guanesekra, a home for girls.
Step 2: spend time with the children. We introduce ourselves, and ask them about themselves and listen to their stories – once they get past their acute shyness! Most of the the girls especially, speak in very hushed tones with a constant smile on their face and a fidgetiness conveying their uncertainty.
Some of that comes from English being their second language. While some boys are shy, there are greater numbers of them that speak right up and sometimes it’s almost impossible to get them to stop!
Step 3: tour the grounds either escorted or on our own, to evaluate the state of the facility and to note specific things we may be able to provide or do, to help.
All children lived in shared spaces, as the sheer number of children and available space dictate this. Some rooms are large with as many as 30 beds, while others are smaller allowing for only 4 beds. They are always gender specific rooms once they reach a certain age. Many beds were donated at this facility.
Step 4: The next step is shopping…literally shopping for the best price and availability of needed items can take a full day, or longer. Consider the time taken to gather information from locals on the best places and ways to buy the items we need in large numbers, and how to transport same items adds even more time to the entire process.
We have always run into availability issues when seeking to purchase 30 or more bottles of shampoo. Multiple places to purchase must be found constantly, as we rarely find everything we need at one location. All this with a language barrier. Also, we encourage the vendors to contribute something from their side for the children. Smaller vendors are almost always able to donate.
Step 5: transportation & distribution… Transport can involve a rickshaw, a tuk-tuk, a bus or a car generously donated by the hotel, the partnering organization, or a donor….or we use our funds to hire a car or driver.
The distribution is the best…the kids are all happy to be receive new items!! A lot of talking and spending time together. The atmosphere is always a festive one and the children are excited and have loads of fun! We always talk to them and play after the distribution.