All orphanages who have had HHI’s support have demonstrated improvements – some dramatic and some more modest. The outcomes are heavily dependent on the quality of management and support that the caregivers have and thus that they can pass along to the children. Yesterday I visited at an orphanage that whose caregivers received HHI’s training in July of 2006. The management and all of the caregivers have fully embraced HHI’s practices and the improvements in child health were amazing. The Director reported that even after eight months, the caregivers are still using HHI’s techniques to nurture the 36 children in their care.
The outcomes she reported for the children were that their improved health has remained consistent and they still have significantly less trips to the hospital, this has meant that children are able to be adopted (in country) much faster and are spending less time in the orphanage. The children are now singing, laughing, smiling, making eye contact, and they now respond to their names being called. The caregivers carry the children tenderly, not “like logs of wood”, they respond immediately when children cry and consistently give the children more attention. They show greater empathy and are bonding with the children, calling them by their names, singing to them as they spend time together and overall they are happier and take greater pride in their jobs.
Today our trainer conducted a follow-up visit at another orphanage that received HHI’s training a few months ago. This orphanage is in a very difficult situation, today they only had 3 women caring for 57 children! They are not able to apply many of HHI’s recommendations, as they can barely feed and diaper all of these children. However, what was interesting to note was that even in this compromised state the women reported that they felt more confident in how they provided for the children, each child now had their own crib and the sanitary conditions showed improvements.
I never cease to be amazed in the tenacity of people’s will and their ability to overcome seemingly unbearable odds to make a difference in the life of another. HHI is not a panacea, it is a tool, an extremely simple yet powerful tool, that when applied can make monumental changes in the lives of orphaned children and low-income women.
I am about to return to the US and HHI’s accounts are almost empty. This provides me no end of frustration, but as much as I grumble, struggle and fuss to about having to raise money from people/foundations/companies, I recognize that what I do in an honor. My creation has touched the lives of thousands, in ways that I can see and ways that I will never know of. I cannot compare the challenges I face with those of the people HHI serves. I am continually inspired by their compassion, courage, hard work and dedication.
