This week we had Loren O’Sullivan, an associate member of Rotary Newmarket and Director of NPH New Zealand, speak to our club. 
NPH (Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos – Our Little Brothers and Sisters) helps vulnerable children and families in Latin America.
Loren’s background is in teaching. As soon as she finished study, she spent 2 years volunteering in Honduras with NPH. Honduras has a corrupt government and is characterized by a high degree of violence, poverty and inequality. NPH has made a decision to stay out of politics given that it can make the volunteers targets for retaliation.
NPH has 3,159 children that live in its care facilities. Additionally, 2500 kids get help from NPH or go to schools that they run.
Loren showed the children in Honduras the NZ film “Boy” and they were amazed by how much stuff a “poor” kiwi has – a house, a microwave, a car - as they had almost nothing.
Loren’s role in NZ in now in fundraising and she runs a number of events around NZ including a Latin American Market day.
Also, she has vastly expanded the child sponsorship program in the past year. She showed us the lovely notes that the children write to the sponsor families and the difference that it makes in their lives.