Are you hungry for change? Why not try Banqueting for a Street Child?

At Toybox, we believe that change begins with a full stomach! That’s why we’re encouraging you to hold a fundraising Banquet with your friends, family or fellows. Why not download our brand new fundraising pack – Banquet for a Street Child - and see how you can change lives!

This exciting pack contains all you need to have fun with friends, eat good food and help out children at the same time. What could be better than getting together with a bunch of your favourite people, enjoying a meal, and knowing that with every bite you are helping to make the world a better place for street children? Get stuck in!

The Bigger Picture – Bolivia faces long reform struggle…

“Here begins the new Bolivia. Here we begin to reach true equality,” said Bolivian President Evo Morales on the eve of the signing of a new constitution. He told them as exit polls showed voters had backed a new constitution that sets out greater rights for Bolivia’s indigenous majority and allows the president to run for re-election.

“I voted for change and I like the way Evo Morales works for us, the poor, not the rich,” said one woman in the crowd, who had come from neighbouring Argentina to take part in the referendum. Mr Morales is planning to stand for re-election in December. To read the full report from the BBC please click here.

We need YOU…for Events!

Toybox are going to be at many events this year as we raise awareness for the street children in Latin America. To do this we need You! If you’ve ever thought about giving your time to volunteer on the Toybox stand and help spread the word, now is the time! Our regular volunteers say that it is a great thing to be involved with – making friends, having fun, and helping street children all at the same time. Please do have a look at the list of events below. We would love for you to be involved.

• Spring Harvest – Minehead on 14th-19th April
• New Wine South – Shepton Mallet on Sat 25th-Fri 31st July & Sun 2nd – Sat 8th August
• New Wine – Newark on Sat 25th-Fri 31st July
• Clan Gathering – St. Andrews in Scotland on Sat 18th-Fri 24th July

If you are interested then please contact Justin Bloomfield on   01908 36007   or email justin.bloomfield@toybox.org It would be great to hear from you.

Thanks and pop by again soon!

The Toybox Team

Guatemala

In Guatemala City many families live on the rubbish dumps. Here they search for food and items that they could sell for money, while children search for toys to play with.  Children grow up exposed to sun, smoke, dust and the rotten smells of garbage and dead animals. All of this presents a high risk to the children’s health. They will often suffer cuts and injuries from the garbage and the risk of fatal infections is high. The gases that emanate from the garbage’s decomposition also provoke eye burn. Toybox supports a project here that works with those living in these terrible conditions.
- Please pray for the project workers as they offer help through providing food, clothes, health care, and support to the children.
- Give thanks for their dedication and commitment to their work.

Bolivia

The ‘Agua Viva’ project in Oruro, Bolivia is now reaching around 200 children and adolescents. These children may be orphans or living with just one parent. They range from age 6 to 15 and as the project says, they have a ‘need to know love, affection and protection’ to stop them leaving home to live on the streets.

Many of the families they are working with do not have access to water and have limited electricity. Agua Viva are not only helping the children but also their parents by offering them the chance to learn about the family and parenting at a monthly parents’ school. The hope is that this will improve the relationship with their children and prevent the children leaving home.

Agua Viva has asked that we pray for the following:

- That they may be able to increase practical security at the project to ensure the safety of the children whilst they are there.
- For a good number of long term volunteers to come to the project
- For a budgeted salary to be available for staff.
- For the health and welfare of each child that they work with.
- For the children’s parents as their relationship hopefully changes for the better and as they realize the responsibility and commitment they should have to their children.

Peru

A new project has joined the Red Alert network in Lima, Peru. It provides a home for 18 boys aged 12 – 18 who have either been abandoned by their parents or have been sent away from the family home as their families are unable to care for them. The project is located in an area of high pollution from the city traffic and the building structure is not very secure. There is no police protection in the area so delinquency and prostitution are high.

The new premises provide an opportunity for the boys to be safe and protected agiain, which Toybox are very happy about. All the boys are now enrolled in a school and have the chance of training with local organizations when they are older. We are very hopeful for their futures. We welcome each member of staff there as a new part of the Toybox team, and thank them for the love they are able to offer the children and the time they willingly give.

Thanks

When hearing of the difficult situations which affect so many millions of children in Latin America it is easy to become disheartened. Many are born into desperate living conditions and family structures which cannot support them or offer much opportunity for the future. However we remain thankful for each and every individual person that God has provided to help these children and their families. We focus on what can be done to help the children.

Hearing the children’s responses themselves helps to realize how much difference just a small act can make:

‘I love my center because here they teach me to read and to write, I like my teacher, how she treats me’.
‘Now I know how to read and write, each day I go through my lessons, I also play with my classmates, and we eat well, a delicious little meal.’
‘I feel happy here with my family because I have my brothers, because here is my home, it’s my house.’

Thank you for all your support.

Ever thought how you could make a difference to the lives of many street children? Are you looking for ideas to raise vital funds for our work in Latin America? Then look no further. We are launching two brand new Community Fundraising ideas at the end of January: Banquet for a Street Child & Toybox Brainbox! For more information on these two new ideas & how you can get involved keep your eye on our website. Do get in touch with us at the office on  0845 466 0010  or click here to visit our volunteering pages.

The Bigger Picture - Rise to the dollar challenge!

We (and many other charities across the UK) are facing a big challenge in our work at the moment. We fund our projects in dollars, and we are very concerned because the value of the pound has declined rapidly against the dollar since September last year. The stark fact is that in order to continue funding our projects as we have always done, we need an extra £265,000.
You can help. Please do keep this in your prayers. If you can, please do some fundraising or donate to our work so we can continue to offer more street children on the very edge of life the chance to build a future. Your money will be used where it is most needed. Every penny helps us make a difference – thank you!

Fundraiser of the Month – University student Natalia making a difference

Natalia Fricker is a Leeds University student and is this month’s fabulous fundraiser!
Natalia has been in action at her old school – St Mary’s, Calne in Wiltshire, where she has been running a tuck shop to raise money for Toybox. Thanks to all of the keen sweet buyers at St Marys, Natalia has managed to raise £1000! What an amazing amount to raise, and what an amazing amount of good such a sum of money can do out in Latin America!
Natalia knows a fair bit about Latin America – she went out to Guatemala in June last year, and was able to spend a day with the children out on the streets. Read more here. A big thank you to Natalia.

UK News – New Regional Director in Latin America

An exciting move is underway within Toybox for 2009. Andrew Gray, who has been part of Toybox since 2002 as Head of finance & IT, is moving to Costa Rica with his wife Jane and their two young children Beth & Micah. Andrew’s official title will be: Regional Director for Latin America.

This is exciting news for Toybox as Andrew will be working with the team at our partnership organization, Viva. Andrew will also be a key link between Toybox and our work in Latin America. Please do keep the Andrew and his family in your prayers as the family adjusts to a new culture and way of life, and for his role as Regional Director.
For more information on Toybox staff, please click here.

Have a happy week!