Dear Friends,
Since 2008, Moms Against Poverty (MAP) has positively impacted over 250,000 impoverished children in 14 countries across the globe by providing them with food and basic provisions, healthcare and education as a pathway to break the cycle of poverty.
MAP in the U.S.
This year alone, we have provided over 24,000 lbs of food, 3,000 personal hygiene kits, 2,500 toys, 1,100 warm blankets and 660 gift cards of $50 value to over 12,000 disadvantaged children and their families living in the U.S.
Additionally, we have supported early childhood learning as well as mental and emotional health programs at Peninsula Family Center, Bryant Center and Destiny Art Center in the San Francisco Bay Area.
MAP in Iran
Our team in Iran has been extremely busy this year, serving over 40,000 children and families living in poverty by building schools and providing them with basic provisions, disaster relief, healthcare and orphan care.
We started the year by purchasing and replacing 257 dangerous old heaters in 6 districts of Sistan Bluchestan with new units which are equipped with safety shutoff mechanisms.
Throughout the year as part of our Education Program, we have constructed 14 schools and five preschools/kindergartens in the Ardabil, Azarbaijan, Gilan, Golestan, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, Kurdistan, and Sistan & Baluchestan Provinces of Iran. Six of these schools are part of our flood reconstruction efforts in Loresan, Golestan and Khuzestan. We also continued our village preschool/kindergarten program bringing the total to 80 established Roostamahds.
Additionally, we continued the support of hundreds of orphaned and disadvantaged youth by providing much-needed equipment and renovation at orphanages and special needs centers, such as Omide-Farda and Avizeh in Tehran, our girls’ home in Kerman and the Cultural and Vocational Training Center in Bushehr and Kerman.
During the 2019 Persian New Year (Norooz), we distributed food baskets to 2,030 families in the Bushehr, Sistan & Baluchestan and Khuzestan Provinces of Iran. This undertaking was followed by providing emergency flood relief (food, water, hygiene products, clothing, wheelchairs and equipment for special needs children) to thousands of children and families, victims of the devastating floods in the provinces of Gilan, Golestan, Lorestan, Khuzestan and Fars in Iran.
Finally, we completed the reconstruction of two health clinics in Kermanshah and began the reconstruction of schools referred to above and a special needs center in the flood-stricken areas.
MAP in Cambodia
Thanks to your kindness and generosity, there are currently 110 children receiving free education and vocational training at MAP’s school in Cambodia. This school provides opportunity and pathway for impoverished children living in Prek Ta Kov Commune, Kandal Province and surrounding villages. Many of these children are at risk of being subject to forced labor, sex trade, domestic violence, substance abuse and so forth.
2019 was a successful year for MAP Cambodia. We focused on strengthening our Computer Learning Class where we have seen some improvement regarding the Java Eclipse coding class. The students have successfully created their own calculator and are in the process of finishing a software which will be used for taking attendance at the school. The English program has also seen a resurgence for 2019. One of the teenage students, Sakada, has had a one-off gig and worked as a tour guide.
We are also proud to report that the alumni of our Music Wellness Program (the Doch Chkae band) were invited to play in one of the biggest music festivals in Germany – Wacken. Experiencing such good results, we decided to expand our Music Wellness Program and introduced a new Media Academy which provides vocational training program opportunities, including graphic design, photography, music, and fashion design to the children.
We are also excited to report that one of our students – Thorn Minea – who received music training from MAP is now able to financially support himself by playing music. To add on, Vartey Ganiva, who is a music teacher and MAP-Cambodia’s bookkeeper, has also appeared on House Hunters and other national television programs.
MAP in Africa
Our work in Africa continued this year with the construction of our 5th school and provision of meals and school supplies at MAP’s four other schools located in Mbour, Senegal. This work is done in partnership with Natangue Senegal.
Additionally in Africa, we provided Solar Cell Power and repaired wells to provide clean water at ten impoverished village schools in Sierra Leone, in partnership with Families Without Borders.
MAP in Guatemala & India
Finally, this year we provided daily meals to 400 impoverished children in Guatemala and funded the establishment of a Computer Classroom and Program at a Mother Miracle School in India.
This work is done thanks to the compassion and generous giving of individuals such as yourself and our partners in philanthropy, sponsors and volunteers.
We are truly grateful to you.
Wish you and your loved ones a wonderful New Year.
~Delfarib Fanaie and the MAP Team
