Ivy really enjoys singing and dancing - she's very much a natural performer! When two members of the Givology team visited the Peace School as volunteers, they took this video on Christmas Eve. (Ivy is the girl on the left in the orange and white dress.)

Ivy is truly a very sweet and outgoing girl. She loves to play games and to make innovative creations from the refuse that other members of the household had thrown away.

The detailed Givology blog account about the experiences at the Peace School, highlight some of the stories of Ivy. Even though she is HIV-positive and lost her parents at a young age (it's hard for a 10 year old to understand why she needs to take medicine all the time), Ivy is extremely friendly and optimistic.




Ivy wrote the following message to all of you!

Below is an interview we conducted with Kitiibwa, while in Uganda. We'll be posting a scanned letter from Kitiibwa soon!

One of Benson's supporters kindly pointed out that we forgot to attach the photo of Benson with his puppies, mentioned in the most recent update from Flying Kites. Here it is!

Apologies for the delay! Below is a translation of Shangui's latest letter. Please message him to show your continued support!

Also, as you can see from this letter, Shangui seems a bit confused about the role of Givology in funding his education. We will be sure to explain to him that Givology is an organization made up of many individual donors located around the world.

Thanks,

The Givology Translation Team

--

Dear friends from Givology,

How are you?

I’m very excited to have received your letter, and very grateful for your support.

Givology, I would like to tell you something. Now I’m doing better at school overall, except for chemistry I suppose. I’m also reading books outside from school (For example, <Qing Nian Bo Wen>). As for daily life, I try to spend as little as possible that I don't usually go home except for during holidays that last longer than 4 days.

Also, I wish I could write an email, but I’m sorry I don't know how and I also don’t seem to have enough time to learn it from my classmates, so I hope you can forgive me! I also have a question for you, since you have sent me a letter, I was wondering who or what exactly Givology is. Is it a person? I’m really sorry, but I really don’t know what it means. Sometimes I wonder if it’s an “uncle” or an “auntie”, or a corporation? writing to me!

Wishing you good work and health!
Shangui Yan

After a short delay, we have an English translation of Kelin's latest update. Please message him to show your continued support!

Sincerely,

The Givology Translation Team

--

Dear Givology,


Hello!


I am very happy to receive your letter, and your warm-hearted greetings. Every time I receive your letters, I am always very happy. You are always encouraging me, showing me your faith in me! You frequently say: if someone works hard, even if they fail, they are still a winner. Because I have worked hard, I will always remember your words.


I am very lucky to have received your financial aid, and it is you who allowed me to attend high school without having to worry about financial obstructions in life. You have given me your faith, I will work hard to fight my obstacles.


I am currently attending Sichuan Province, Dechang County’s “Zhíyè G?ojí Zh?ngxué” (Vocational Middle School). My life here is pretty decent. In the past year, I diligently studied, and I obtained a spot as one of the top three students of the school. I will persevere. In school, all the teachers are nice to me. Classmates help each other, and everyone gets along well. Even though sometimes there are conflicts between classmates, they will never hold grudges. At times, everyone will talk and laugh together. At certain times, the school will host some Literature and Art activities, which are very entertaining. Many students are excited to participate. Some dance, and some sing. However, I don’t know how to do either. I can only encourage and support the others below the stage. I am the only student who has received your financial support at this school. Even though there are students and teachers here, I still cannot forget the students, teachers, brothers, sisters, aunties and uncles who had participated in the Peach Foundation summer camp with me. As of now, I still have not yet received any letters from the uncles, aunties, and sisters, but I won't forget them. I called my aunts and older brothers, and it's good to know they still care a lot about me.

At home, in addition to my two parents, I also have a younger brother who is in seventh grade. My mother stays at home because she is always sick. My father is the one who carries all the burdens of life. I study abroad and I can only go home during vacations so I cannot alleviate any of my father’s burdens. I really hope to be able to carry more of my family’s responsibilities, but vacations are short. The only way to make my parents happy is to study hard in school and get good grades so I do not add to the burdens they already carry. I believe this is also their greatest wish.



I wish you success in your work and I hope that everything is going smoothly.



Sincerely,

Kelin Tang



2009/11/05

After a short delay, we now have a translation of our most recent update from Yang Yaoqin! Please message her to show your continued support.

Thanks,

The Givology Translation Team

--


Dear Givology,


How are you! How has your health been? I hope your work has been going smoothly! How is your studying going?


I am very happy to have received your letters, and I am thankful for your selfless concern and care.


At the blink of an eye, a year has slipped by, and with your help and support, I have been able to successfully complete the first year of high school with my classmates and friends. Here, I thank you for your continuous care and support, and thank you for continuously giving me monetary aid towards my living expenses, allowing me to live happily like the other students at my school. I do not have to worry about living expenses and do not have to worry about whether or not I would go hungry. Your help was able to alleviate many of my and my parents’ burdens. Because of this, please allow me to wholeheartedly tell you thank you. Thank you for your continuous support.


Now I am a sophomore in high school, approaching college entrance exams. However, I don’t know why my studying and my exam grades are slipping. Every time the teacher lectures, I always earnestly pay attention and feel that I understand everything, however, whenever we have to solve problems, I don’t know where to begin, especially in math and English class. Truthfully, these two are my favorite subjects. Regardless of whether I am in class or outside of class, I have never given up on these two subjects. Even if I received a 40 or 50 on my exam, I will not waver but continue to do my best and study hard. But I don’t know if it is because my method of studying is wrong or is it because I am not working hard enough, I still cannot pull my grades up. Whenever I am upset after finding out that I have done poorly on an exam, my classmates and my good friends would always comfort me. Sometimes they would help me solve problems. Every time I encounter questions that I do not understand and seek help from them, they would teach me, causing me to feel that it is not too dull or boring. With the help from my teachers and them, I have more faith in my studies. With their help, I feel that my life at the school has been warm and happy.


Thank you for your concern towards my parents. This whole time, because you have sent me financial aid, many of my parents’ burdens have been lifted. My parents do not have to worry about what to do every day in order to gather enough money to pay the living expenses for my brother and me. Because of this, their minds have been able to relax. Mother has not been getting sick like the other years, just occasionally. Father is well, he doesn’t want our family to face other people’s mockery one day. Father thinks our family's humble lifestyle cannot compare with others, but our ability to provide is stronger than that of others. He does whatever it takes to rise early and return late and work in the fields. He wholeheartedly works for my brother and me, so that we can finish our education well, find a good job, and in the future, live a good life. He wishes for these things with all of his heart, and nothing else is important to him. Even if others mock that my family is poor, he doesn’t care, and doesn’t mind other people’s gossip.


For the purpose of getting admitted to college, for the purpose of obtaining a good life in the future, and with the hopes that my parents entrusted, I am studying very hard in school. I’m able to identify with my classmates and respect my teachers. I believe that with your support and help, I can make my dreams come true, and satisfactorily walk away from this school.


Lastly, I believe that before Christmas, you will receive this letter. I want to wish you Merry Christmas in advance!


Merry Christmas

Best Wishes!

After a short delay, we now have a translation of Ma Guijun's latest letter. Please message him to show your continued support!

Best,

The Givology Translation Team

--

Dear Givology,

I am very happy to receive your letter. I feel thankful and fortunate. I am incredibly thankful for your consistent support and care. We are very fortunate to have your support and care in our times of great need. Thank you!

Now that I have entered junior year of high school, I feel the stress of school and the limited time we have, but these should all be within expectations. After all the classes move at a faster pace and the material becomes more challenging. “Learning is like going against the current, if you don’t move forward you will be swept back.” I know that only through hard work can I improve myself. Even though in this short time, I have not yet seen significant change, I still have a lot of room to grow. I don’t have any reasons to slow down my steps. I firmly believe that with hard work and persistence, we can achieve our dreams no matter how far away they may seem.

In the final exams of freshman year, my literature score received the highest grade out of all of my peers; I see that “interest is the best teacher.” I like literature the most. My physics score improved even though it is not as evident, but I see that I did not waste my efforts.

Thank you for your concern. My elder sister is fine, she’s a senior now! Perhaps, she feels the shortage of time; they [all the seniors] are all making the final preparations for college exams. My parents are fine as well, only the passage of time does not forget anyone and they toil so hard for us, making them appear much older before their time, the love of parents in the world! They work so hard in order for us to continue our education.

No matter how dismal it appears today, I believe that the sun will be shining brightly tomorrow. I believe that poverty is only temporary; as long as we work hard, adapt ourselves, life will become better. Next year I will be a senior! The results of the college entrance exams will shape the rest of my life, only the college entrance exams can reflect the hard work we’ve done for the past ten years. I feel slightly nervous, I am always thinking, what if……, how would the people around me who care about me react to this result? Ah! What if the worst possible scenario becomes reality, how should I face and accept it?

“Year by year the flowers appears the same, age by age people change.” It’s almost New Years. I wish every donor a Happy New Year. I will study hard, thank you for your support.



I wish you success in your work and great health.



Sincerely,

Ma Gui Jun

2009/11/28