March 28th, 2011
As we look back on 2010, SICF is pleased to report to our friends, supporters, and stakeholders, what was accomplished in our mission to help the extremely vulnerable orphans of Iraq with the resources entrusted to us.
As we close only our second year as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity, we are so grateful for early supporters who have helped us build momentum in our “Surge of Love” for these precious children. We have big dreams for 2011 and hope that the initiatives we have taken to address trauma and basic humanitarian needs among these children will flourish!
- 310 warm winter jackets were purchased in Iraq and distributed to orphans in January
- 9 destitute homes with orphans got battery operated fans in July during extreme heat and electricity outages
- $3,000 of food and supplies were provided for several months to needy orphans living in the “City Dump”
- A widow with orphaned children, living at the City Dump, received a sewing machine from SICF which enabled her to move from dependency on SICF help to self sufficiency.
- 3 small $700 grants were awarded to trusted Iraqi organizations to care for orphans
- 2,600 pounds of school supplies, backpacks, toys and other items were collected to be delivered soon to Iraqi orphans
- 2 teams from SICF and the award-winning Children’s Village (CV) of New York met with Iraqi experts in Baghdad to lay the foundation for a new “Community Care Worker” training initiative to equip Iraqi NGOs in addressing trauma and PTSD in orphans
- 29 Iraqi NGOs – with more than 30,000 orphans registered to them – submitted profiles to SICF to help us identify community organizations that we can work with in training and humanitarian projects
- “7 strengths” – such as belonging, hope, compassion, etc. – are the themes of a new children’s story book to build resilience in orphans. The story, using friendly animals, has been developed under the auspices of LitWorld and written by Charles Alexander London, former director of curriculum for War Kids Relief and renown author of such books as One Day The Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War, and the Accidental Adventures series for young readers.
- 25 framed works of art drawn by Iraqi orphans and children were featured at a benefit auction at the Iraqi Cultural Center in Washington, DC. Iraqi Ambassador Sumaida’ie spoke and Iraqi television journalists broadcast news of the event.
For more information, contact: Cindy Fogleman, [email protected] or (703) 963-3832.
March 15th, 2011
The Honorable Samir Sumaida’ie , Ambassador of Iraq to the United States, spoke movingly about the plight of orphans and children in Iraq at a special benefit art auction held November, 4, 2010, at the Iraqi Cultural Center in Washington, DC. The event, which was covered by Iraqi television, featured a silent auction of drawings by Iraqi orphans and children, with proceeds going to fund a creative new “community care worker” initiative to help extremely vulnerable orphans with trauma and PTSD.
Dr. Jeremy Kohomban, President and CEO of the award winning Children’s Village of New York, outlined the vision of the community care worker initiative and how one tool – the LifeBook – has been used successfully in helping other children deal with the loss of parents. The Children’s Village is the lead partner with SICF in launching the community care worker training for Iraqi NGOs caring for orphans.
Professional framing for all of the children’s artwork was generously donated by Palm Gallery and Custom Framing , Palm Beach, FL. Palm Gallery is owned by the mother of SICF’s Vice President Jonathan Webb who served with the US Army in Iraq.
Ambassador and Mrs. Suamaida’ie with a framed drawing purchased at the auction.
Dr. Kohomban of the The Children’s Village casts vision for project to help Iraqi orphans.
SICF President Maxwell Quqa being interviewed by Iraqi television journalists.
Ambassador Sumaida’ie looks at artwork by Iraqi children
A garden of artistic signs featured the “7 strengths” in a special book being written just for Iraqi orphans.
