Half the Sky
Half the Sky is an organization that works to help children in orphanages in China. They have four programs that they put into orphanages - a baby sisters program, a little sisters program, a big sisters program, and a foster village program. You can read about some of their programs at their website, but I want to talk about the Baby Sisters program today.
The Baby Sisters program is for, well, babies. It is an infant nurture program that provides play time for the baby almost every day. Each HTS nanny is assigned 3 to 5 babies. The babies are carried to the playroom once a day to play with their HTS nanny - she plays with them, interacts with them, talks to them, and watches over them as they explore their world and play. My friend adopted a child from an orphanage with a Baby Sisters program and she was told that her child spent about two hours a day in the playroom with her HTS nanny (I understand that many HTS orphanages offer more than two hours per day per child). My friend’s 14 month old daughter was very close to where you would expect a child to be developmentally, her gross and fine motor skills were both in the normal range and she learned English very quickly. My friend also has pictures that were taken of her daughter about once a month for her entire stay at the orphanage. What a wonderful wonderful gift.
The infant nurture centers (playrooms) are painted in soft colors. The floors are carpeted and half the room is padded with play mats. There are rocking chairs and mirrors and pull-up bars and lots of developmental toys. But the core of the program is the one-on-one nurture that the babies receive.
Why am I talking about Half the Sky? When I upgraded to a bigger package with my hosting company several people offered to send me money. I declined that offer, but then someone offered to send money to my favorite charity. Half the Sky is my favorite charity.
If you would like to show your appreciation for what you get out of the ChinaAdoptTalk.com site, please consider sending a donation to Half the Sky. I thought it would be nice if we tried to help a specific cause, and HTS suggested that we could work towards paying the salaries for the nannies at the center in Nanning, Guangxi. The cost for the salaries for 18 nannies is $17,300 per year. This is not the total cost for running the center, it is just the cost for the salaries.
If you would like to donate you can download this pdf form to fill out and either fax in with a credit card number or mail in with a check. Our own CWS added the blurb at the top that will credit your donation toward our total. HTS will let us know about once a month how much they’ve received in donations that were credited to us. I will create a page where I can post updates, and, of course, when I get the monthly email from HTS I’ll post it on the blog for all to see.
I never imagined my little blog would get so big, but I really love the little community we’ve formed. The thought that people are asking what my favorite charity is so they can donate to it warmed my heart so much I cried (though I should admit that with my adoption hormones it really doesn’t take much to make me cry). I talked to my husband about it because I felt self conscious asking anyone to send money in my name, but he said that if people are asking to do it then I should provide a way to do it. So, I am. And I’m really excited about the prospect that we could pay the yearly salaries for some or maybe even all of the nannies at an orphanage. Imagine how excited we will all be if one of our very own is referred a child from this orphanage!
September 12th, 2006 at 11:40 am
I love HTS – my little one, Molly, is from a HTS facility in Beihai City. Molly is so happy and when I got her at 8 ½ months, she was crawling, pulling up, and cruising - 100% on target. She was also very healthy! I have HTS to thank for that because she was in the Baby Sisters Program. I also have the precious gift of monthly photos while she was at Beihai City SWI. She is smiling and playing in all the photos (and getting hugs from her nanny!) I had her accessed at 18 months by a local Early Intervention Group just to make sure there were no delays. At 18 months, she tested at the cognitive level of 31 months – HTS gets credit for a lot of that! As well as caring for my loving and happy little girl for her first 8 ½ months. Thank you RQ for recognizing this wonderful organization. I have made several donations throughout the year (Christmas, birthday, and Referral Day) and will always remember and honor them on Molly’s Gotcha Day (next week will be our one year anniversary)! I’ll add an extra donation for RQ – thank you!
September 12th, 2006 at 11:45 am
Wow, I’ve got goosebumps reading that! Thanks CWS and RQ, my check is on the way!
:o)
September 12th, 2006 at 11:50 am
Mine too!!!! ;) I’m crying and don’t know why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want my baby. July 25 LID
September 12th, 2006 at 11:52 am
RQ-this is such a great idea. You can count on me. Even though I have a Sept. 06 LID, you are keeping me sane by providing such a wonderful support group and also sharing information that we may otherwise be in left in the dark.
Cheers!
September 12th, 2006 at 11:58 am
My form is filled out and in the mail box! I love HTS and would be forever grateful if our little one is fortunate enough to benefit from this wonderful foundation. But even if my child doesn’t directly benefit, it’s still gratifying to play a part in helping improve the lives of children who’ve had such a rough start.
Karyn
September 12th, 2006 at 12:16 pm
We received our referral on 8/29 and our daughter is in a HTS SWI in Beihai. Through the HTS website we have seeen photos of our daughter’s SWI and it is just as Rumor Queen described.
Her referral information kept talking about how healthy she is and when my pediatrician reviewed it, he certainly agreed. Believe me, the fact that my daughter is in a HTS program has brought my family much peace of mind while we endure this last stretch waiting for our TA and finally going to meet our daughter.
September 12th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
RQ~ Thank you for this chance to make a difference in the little ones lives before we have a chance to meet our own child. THe wait is terribly hard, but to feel like we are making an impact for someone if a way to help manage these “emotions”. You have helped us and if turn, in your name, we can help others. What a gift you have given to parents and now the children. I am proud to be a part of this and I will make monthly donations.
I also cried when I read this post today. I am having a very hard day (my sister who started the adoption process with us has since gotten pregnant and is having her baby today) With the mix of bitter-sweet today, I really needed this.
Thank you for being there and creating a real communtiy of others that really can relate. You are the Queen in my book!
Here’s to all of those nanies and babies who will be better of because of this group!!!!
September 12th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
My husband and I took a long time deciding how to honor the lost of our first child Sophia, she was born just a few weeks shy of full term and did not survive, we ended our fertility ‘battles’ that day, once and for all.
When I came upon Half the Sky earlier this year we immediately enrolled in the “support a Nanny” program. It was our way of honoring our Sophia by having her memory make a difference in the life of another family. We sponsor one Nanny each year and the 3 children she currently supports.
I’ve posted about the program a few times on my blog and I’ve been fortunate to have a few friends honor Sophia that way too. so all told we, as a group, sponsor yearly 4 nannies, it’s not much but that’s 8-16 children, and 8-16 families that could benefit from the memory of daughter Sophia.
I cannot express enough how wonderful it feels to make a difference, to support such a worthy cause. the reports for our nanny and the children she cares for come monthly, one child has been adopted already and a new child entered the care of Mai YuLing, our sponsored Nanny.
Keep in mind, if the company you work for does matching donations, this is eligible for that. You can make twice the difference.
September 12th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
egh - I have some more photos of the facility in Beihai if you would like copies, I can email to you. Please let me know! Is it okay for me to post my email address so that you can contact me directly?
September 12th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
If you are both on the forum then you can PM each other your email addresses. If you want to post your email address that is fine, but beware that this is the open internet and you run the risk of the spambots finding it.
September 12th, 2006 at 12:38 pm
RQ-
Longtime reader, my first post!
HTS is an amazing organization!
They sponser my oldests CWI.
Our orphanage group has made a calendar to help support our CWI. If anyone would like to see or purchase an adorable calendar with about 170 pictures of little cuties pies please check out the website!
http://www.yiyangfund.org
Thanks for being here and offering all that you do!!
You are truely an awesome person!! :)
HUGS to you and yours,
Jeff S.
September 12th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
You can definitely count me in for a contribution. My wife and I are still not even sure that we will adopt from China as we are about halfway through our homestudy (going as fast as we can!!) and are considering at least one other country as a result of the slowdown. Thus we will be on the edge of our seat to see how many LIDs CCAA makes it through in the next batch. But I am so grateful to you RQ for taking the time and energy to run this site that I will eagerly send my check ASAP. This sounds like a terrific charity and hopefully our contributions can help Half the Sky to expand their important work. Thank you again RQ for everything!!!
September 12th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I love this idea so much. We get to help the children and we get to show our appreciation for RQ too. I’m in!
Buster
September 12th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
I am so happy to see this happening! I LEAVE FOR CHINA IN THE MORNING (yes- I am yelling!!) and I am thrilled to get my check in the mail before I leave. RQ- your site was an amazing help to me during the wait and my donation is a ‘thank you’ for all your hard work-
now- off to bring my daughter home
LID 7/8
DOR 7/31
travel 9/13!!!!!
September 12th, 2006 at 1:07 pm
Count me in, this site is keeping me from totally losing my mind during this rollercoaster ride. 2littleroses, CONGRATULATIONS and have a wonderful trip!
September 12th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
Great Choice! And thanks to cws for setting it up. Our 1st daughter also came from an HFS sponsored SWI and other than some sniffles she came to us in very good health, and very much developmentally appropriate. As did 6 girls of the 10 other girls we travelled with (4 were from another province). Generally we can not afford to sponsor a nanny (especially while waiting for #2), but we try and contribute to HFS a couple times a year because we are so happy with their work. Like others, we received some extra photos and quarterly reports after we returned home. When I think of the mental health services I have avoided as a result of this site, I must say “all hail the good Dr. RQ!”
September 12th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Thanks, RQ and CWS. That’s team work, wonderful idea.
2littleroses, congratulations. Enjoy your exciting journey. I would be yelling, too. Yell all you want !!!
lid-08-08-05
September 12th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
RQ - Thanks for the HalfTheSky info.
It’s the perfect way for us to help…
and say “thanks” for your efforts!!
You absolutely deserve the warm fuzzies.
2littleroses - have a great trip!
We look forward to your news when you return.
Would appreciate a leaky faucet any day now.
Next batch, where are you????
Wishing and hoping for well into August!
LID 26JUL05
September 12th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
magpies mom, I would love to see your blog, I can
relate to your sharing, I have been through the same
thing.
September 12th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
2littleroses, Have a safe trip, and Best of wishes to
you & your family on this amazing journey.
September 12th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
A wonderful idea RQ! Better than giving you a cyber shower because it will be a gift that changes lives for the better, and that sounds more like you…
LID 8-9-05
September 12th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
HI RQ
What an absolutely great idea. When we started this journey my husband had for many years already sponsored a little boy in Zambia. Now we also sponsor a baby in the Little Sisters Programme at HTS - and our daughter loves reading the letters from him and the nanny’s reports on the baby. Sponsoring is truly an amazing way to help others and also to remind ourselves that for only a relatively minor sacrifice you can make a real difference in someone’s lives.
AS one of those who has emailed you asking to know how to thank you, I cannot think of any single better way of saying thanks. So thanks AGAIN! Your site has (and continues to) save my total sanity.
LID Nov 7 05
September 12th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Awesome idea, may I also suggest that those of you out there that might get Corporate Matching $’s from your employer submit that form as well?
I work on my employer’s annual employee giving campaign & am amazed at the $$’s that go unclaimed every year that could go to worthy causes such as these.
Thanks RQ!!
September 12th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Great idea! I sent a check off today. Thank you for all you do RQ!
LID 4/17/06
September 12th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
RQ -
My heart is so full right now. What a wonderful privilege to be part of this community and to give to such an amazing organization. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us through this crazy time. You are royalty in our book and my dh and I are forever grateful for all you do. This gesture is just the icing on the cake!! My donation is going on the fax, right now!!
September 12th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
What an awesome idea! I’ve printed off the form and I pay bills tonight (Fun, fun, fun!) so I’ll add that to the stack!
September 12th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
We are part of this program through a sub-group our agency. At the Christmas party we pass around a basket and everyone puts in a donation. We raise enough money to sponser a child this way. We take it a step further and have families volunteer to send our foster baby a package of goodies each month. One of our fostered babies was adopted and sadly, one of our adopted babies died but we are hopefully making a difference in these children’s lives.
September 12th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Just wanted to let you know that my 6th grade son had an econmonics project last schoolyear and won the cash award. They had to start a business, do a businees plan, take out a venture loan and then pay for all overhead and materials from the loan. They had to interview staff and pay them. Then they actually made the product (baked goods). His group had the highest profit margin and he got to pick a charity to donate $341.00. I was so proud that he wanted to pick a charity to help the babies in China. He chose Half the Sky. I was so proud of him and his classmates. What a great project and a great kis
September 12th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Mollysmommy - Thanks for the offer. I would love to take you up on it! I’ve never PM’ed in the forum, but I will jump over and give it a try.
September 12th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
bklmwood, oh my, what a fun and great kid. Congratulations, children are a reflection of their parents. Pat yourself on the back, way-cool !!
lid-08-08-05
September 12th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
Oh my goodness-this is fantastic. I will send the check in tonight. At last I am feeling like I am doing SOMETHING!
Thanks for all you do RQ!
September 12th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
RQ- THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO! I will get the info to hubby tonight and get a check in asap. Thanks for your concern for us all and for sacrificing your time to help others. You are the Queen!
September 12th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
I’m in too. I know that without RQ and the folks I’ve met through her and her forums … I wouldn’t have lost my mind by now! Thanks RQ, from the very bottom of my heart. You, my dear, are one in a million!
LID: Nov 23, 2005
September 12th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
ladybuginnebraska, my blog address is listed below. This is actually my first time posting today… wondering as I do it if I’m breaking some rules, LOL!
http://www.thebryantbunch.blogspot.com
I haven’t posted much in a while on HTS or Sophia, but nearly monthly, sometimes weekly one or both make a post. It’s hard not to post about them.
RQ, glad you mentioned the HTS thing here, this is our favorite charity too and you have way more pull than I do on my blog. Thanks from the bottom of my heart for making a difference for all of us with HTS. i do believe that one of the readers on your blog will in fact benefit!
LID 5/8/06… counting the months, can’t wait to be able to count the weeks, then the days…
September 12th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
I can’t wait to write my check!! I don’t say that very much anymore. I love being able to support such a wonderful cause. But I love being able to do it in RQ’s name makes it all the better. This site really does provides some sanity for me during this wait-it is my daily indulgence. So thank you to all of you for providing such a nice community to belong to, and THANK YOU RQ for what you do-I don’t know how you do it, or how you get anything else done-but thank you for doing it. To Zoe’s mommy-we are all getting excited for you-why?? BECAUSE YOU’RE NEXT BABY!!! Finally to: TWO Roses-happy trip, have fun, and we can’t wait to see some pictures.
September 12th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
I too cant speak highly enough of HTS. Our daughter was sponsored through a HTS programme in Hefei. Our Paediatrician was most impressed that for her age (20months at adoption) that her fine and gross motor skills and general development were normal to advanced on our standards.
We could see the benefits our daughter had through the HTS programme so we decided to sponsor a child through HTS and hopefully give another child the start to life that our daughter had through this programme.
Thank you RQ for choosing Half the Sky. They do a fantastic job.
LID 26th October for our 2nd child
September 12th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
RQ - fabulous idea! You are amazing. We’ll be putting a check in the mail tomorrow! Thank you for all you do!
LID 10/21/05
September 12th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
I haven’t had a chance to read all your posts today until now and I am sitting here completely moved by what I am reading. Thank you all for publicly sharing your gratitude and heartfelt thoughts. And RQ, thank you for creating such a community that goes sooooo far beyond seeking the latest scoop. I am glad HTS was chosen as a way to “do something” as it is such a wonderul organization. I’ll write my check tonight.
September 12th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
What an honour to be part of such a great group of people. Thanks RQ for providing an RX of hope and sanity while we wait. And wait.
HTS sounds like an amazing organization. My chq is in the mail.
I think I’d go bonkers without this site. LOL
Snick
Oct 31
September 12th, 2006 at 9:26 pm
Ditto on the check in the mail. I hope to start my blog next week, and I will add hts as my “charity of choice”. Also, looking forward to making another donation in honor of my referral (soon I hope!!!!).
Thanks for all you do RQ.
: ) WFP lid 8/24/05
September 12th, 2006 at 10:48 pm
Thanks RQ (0:
Check will be in the mail first thing tomorrow morning!
September 12th, 2006 at 11:34 pm
I could not think of a better way of showing RQ how much I appreciate and love your hard work in keeping the globe linked in one anonymous place, while we all wait for our precious children. This site is my sanity.
HTS is a well deserving charity, and my heart goes out to all those nannies who care for our children, but mostly our children…which ever orphanage they are in.
Which is the best way for out of US people to get this to you RQ. I am afraid that if I send a cheque it will cost you at your end to change out. What is the correct O/Seas fax number for Australia - US?
September 13th, 2006 at 7:49 am
RQ…first post just to let you know we sent a check in the mail too! Thanks for all that you do. We love this site.
September 13th, 2006 at 8:27 am
I want to be in too!!! But how, how? Can this Dutchie somehow wire some euro’s in ‘the Queens’ name to HTS?
September 13th, 2006 at 8:44 am
Dearest RQ, It was our sincere pleasure to make a donation in your honor to this wonderful organization. I wish you had been around in 2001 when we adopted our first daughter. You alone have made this wait for daughter #2 bearable. You are our hero. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!!
September 13th, 2006 at 9:00 am
bornfromtheheart, I just found the following info. on timeanddate.com:
0011 is the international prefix to dial outside of Australia.
1 is the international code to dial USA
The fax number for HTS is 510-525-3611.
So the following number should get you to the HTS fax:
0011-1-510-525-3611
September 13th, 2006 at 9:01 am
lies1976, I just found the following info. on timeanddate.com:
00 is the international prefix to dial outside of the Netherlands
1 is the international code to dial USA
The fax number for HTS is 510-525-3611
So the following number should get you to the HTS fax:
00-1-510-525-3611
Hope this helps!
September 13th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
I was so happy when I found out that HTS had been in our referred little girl’s orphanage in 2004, when she was 2! We’ll be getting her next month (come on TA!) and I know a difference has been made in her life because of their program. So glad that you are doing this RQ - yay for you!
September 13th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Answers to some questions - HTS expects to have their website back up so that they can accept donations online by late next week, so those of you in other countries can either fax the form in now or wait until then and do it online.
I asked about the http://www.yiyangfund.org site that someone mentioned in the comments to make sure it is legit and is working with HTS. They had wonderful things to say about this group of parents who have apparently worked very hard to get HTS into the two orphanages in this city. They have a calendar that is apparently very well done that is their major fundraiser.
And, to everyone who responded and who is sending money in to HTS, thank you so much. I should probably admit that I sat and cried again. Ya’ll are the best.