Recent program updates from Holt-supported family strengthening and orphan care programs around the world!
India
Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra (BSSK), Holt’s partner organization in the city of Pune, threw a Christmas party last December for children living at all four of its Holt-supported care centers and for those in impoverished communities in and around Pune. During the celebration, children and staff participated in interactive games that promoted creativity and teamwork, sang Christmas carols and ate delicious snacks. The children also received gifts that were carefully selected for them, filling them with joy. Children in Holt programs rarely receive anything extra, so this Christmas celebration was a special treat. As one BSSK program manager said, “The event was a beautiful expression of togetherness, leaving everyone with lasting memories of love and happiness during this special time of year.”

Mongolia
Nearly a third of Mongolians live in poverty, and the nation has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in all of Asia. Roughly 47% of children and 1 in 3 women have experienced violence in the home. Holt sponsors and donors directly support three domestic violence shelters for mothers and children in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, where they receive temporary housing and support until they can safely rebuild their lives.
Recently, three women and seven children were brought into one of the shelters, seeking safety and support. In addition to housing, the center offered the families vitamins and nutritious food, in an effort to prevent nutrient deficiencies in the children and help support their healthy growth and development. The shelter also opened case files for all the mothers and children and created long-term service plans to ensure their health and safety.
Philippines

Kaisahang Buhay Foundation (KBF), Holt’s long-standing partner in the Philippines, recently celebrated its 49th year of operation. In 1976, Holt helped establish KBF in Manila, and through the years, KBF has grown to become a recognized leader in child welfare services. Through KBF, Holt sponsors and donors have also supported thousands of children in the Philippines through a broad range of family strengthening, foster care and parenting education programs.
One such program is the Independent Living and Educational Assistance (ILEA) program, which supports teens and young adults who have aged out of institutional care in the Philippines. Through the ILEA program, a group of 13-15 teens and young adults live together in a house or dorm-like setting. They receive support and funding to help them complete their high school or college education. They also have a house parent who teaches them skills like cooking, cleaning and paying bills, so they can eventually transition to independent living.
This past December, sponsors and donors supported a Christmas party for children, teens and young adults in KBF programs, including those in the ILEA program. Christmas is an important holiday in the Philippines, and during the party, everyone received gifts and enjoyed festive activities!
Thailand
Thailand recently experienced its most severe flooding in the past 50 years, due to continuous heavy rains that caused significant damage to the country’s farmlands and disruption to daily life. In response, Holt’s local partner, Holt Sahathai Foundation (HSF), provided emergency relief kits and financial aid to help families overcome immediate hardships. HSF also helped families apply for emergency flood assistance from the Thai government.

Uganda
Many children in Uganda have lost one or both parents to armed fighting among ethnic groups or HIV/AIDS. Some of them live with their grandparents or other extended family members. Others are truly orphaned and growing up without a family. While Holt does not facilitate international adoptions from Uganda, the Uganda Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development is now working to make domestic adoption more accessible for Ugandan families.
Holt Uganda recently worked with Home Free, a local child advocacy group, to provide social workers with technical training in adoption documentation, case management, and the legal process and requirements for domestic adoption. In addition, the groups held information sessions for 37 prospective adoptive parents, offering them a deeper understanding of adoption and the legal process.
Recently, five domestic adoption cases were approved by Uganda’s Alternative Care Panel and district court, allowing these children to join their forever families. The chief magistrate commended the Holt and Home Free teams for their work in compiling detailed case records and conducting thorough family tracing, and for the evident bonding between the children and their prospective adoptive parents.

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