Mother Bear Project

This week we were able to distribute 100 teddy bears to some of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in my village. There is an incredible organization called the Mother Bear Project that is based in the US, that sews teddy bears for OVCs and sends them around the world, completely free of charge. I finally received these wonderful gifts, each of which is hand sewn with a special note from the person who made it, on Monday and we gave them out on Thursday. Since my organization does not have any program devoted to OVCs, I asked the teachers of the preschool and primary school to identify those who needed and would benefit the most from a gift like this. I recognized most of the children that showed up to our small event on Thursday, in which we played games with the kids and gave short speeches about friendship, sharing, and love. These children are the poorest of those in the village, who have been orphaned by HIV/Aids or whose families can barely afford money for school uniforms or food. It is difficult to see the pain and suffering masked behind the beautiful smiles and innocent curiosity of these children, but after living here for over a year I have really come to understand what daily life is like for many of these children--and it can be anything but pleasant. The aim of the project is to provide a small gift of love to those children who may not be able to find it anywhere else. After we distributed the bears to these special children, I walked home to find small groups of kids playing soccer and a few clutching their teddy bears tight to their chests and they dribbled the ball, one girl chasing after me telling me that she named her bear Sbongile, and parents/family members coming up to me continuously to thank me and tell me how happy it had made their child. I knew right away that these bears had brought the message of love to these children, and I hope and pray that it will stick long after I am gone.