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NCLO In the News
Fenton Charity's Goal: Better Life for
Poorest Kids
FENTON - If
Santa left a new laptop computer or a digital camera under the tree today,
the old models can make a world of difference to an orphan a half a world
away in Cambodia.
The Fenton
charity, No Child Left Out, uses the laptops to teach English to Cambodian
orphans. The cameras open their eyes. "It helps kids capture their world and
gives them a sense of pride," said Elizabeth Mallory, 38, of Tyrone
Township. "We'll take digital (cameras) too, and film."
She and her
husband, John, adopted two children from Cambodia. She founded the
all-volunteer non-profit charity about four years ago. It supports
established orphanages, six regularly and another 25 as needed.
NCLO will
open its first orphanage in February.
Mallory said
little is known of the need and little help makes it to Cambodia.
"They are in very dire straits," she said. "We hear about Africa and Haiti -
Cambodia is just as horrible. It's filled with tuberculosis, AIDS, malaria,
all the nasties."
When she
first learned of the need, her plan was to help, not lead. "I just wanted to
help somebody that was already doing this," Mallory said. "I could not turn
my back on it.
"I know my
purpose is definitely this organization and helping these kids. It's a great
feeling to know. At times it can be overwhelming. I do rely on God to guide
me with the organization."
She said help
is welcomed with donations or one of the programs such as sponsoring a child
for a year. "They get so little," Mallory said. "We provide for these kids,
meet their basic needs, give them a sense of family and love. In my mind a
lot of organizations get them out of the desperate situation but there isn't
that personal touch of actually loving these kids."
Ellen Mettler
adopted two daughters from Cambodia and when she heard about NCLO, became a
volunteer. She made her third trip there last July to help for two weeks.
Mettler was able to visit the brother and sister she is sponsoring. It was
hard to say goodbye.
"They tell us
they are happy there," said Mettler of Fenton. She and a friend are
committed to sending those siblings to college. "We want them to have a
different life," she said.
Politics have
put a ban on adoptions, she said, and orphanages have been cut out of the
World Food Program, which used to send rice. "They need money to buy rice
and soy milk, that's their main food. It's insane what we take for granted
over here. I never look at anything the same when I come back."
She said the
worst sight was seeing the barefoot children scouring the garbage dump for
something to sell. "There were rats the size of cats in broad daylight. It
was just heartbreaking," she said.
NCLO is
making a difference there, too. Mallory said the charity recently added a
new program to remove the need for families to scour the dump.
"We relocate them, we put the kids in school, give sustenance," she said.
'We basically give them a new life."
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The Flint Journal, www.flintjournal.com
In Touch, In Depth, Involved
200 E. First St. Flint Mi 48502-1925
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