Helping students//laptop donation

Helping students further their studies in Nicaragua is something we’re passionate about and we were so excited to be able to be able to give a laptop to a hardworking university student named Claret. 

Claret is a straight A student in her first year of university and is studying medicine. She wants to become a pediatrician and help children in Nicaragua. Claret lives in a rural town an hour outside of the capital. Every morning, from Monday-Saturday, she wakes up at 4am to take the bus to school and doesn’t get home until late in the evening.

We’re ending off this year so thankful for all that we were able to accomplish with your support! These past few months we’ve had incredible support from our pre-orders and we were able to do three donations in just a few months.

In November we were able to team up with Nica-Home, a non-profit organization that helps give families the chance to own their own homes. The typical interest rate from a bank loan in Nicaragua is 12%. Not only are most families not approved for these loans because of their low income, but even if they are, the high interests rates and high payment plans make it impossible for most families to successfully pay them off. 

Nica-Home gifts 50% of the house and loans the other half at 0% interest. Families are able to pay off as much or as little as they can each month and the payments are re-invested into the donation aspect of the program. 

This November, we were able to team up with them and help cover the gifted portion of a new home for a young family.

We were also able to help another young family set up water and electricity to their home. We’ve mentioned this in the past, but one of our passions is helping young families. We can’t imagine what it must be like to have little ones to care for and not have access to basic needs. When we saw this young family raising their kids in a rural community without access to running water or electricity, we knew we had to help. 

We were able to install piping and all the electrical components needed to give them easy access to fresh water and power in their home. We hope to continue to help this family build a safe and comfortable home for their little ones. 

 And last but not least, this Christmas Eve my husband and I and our two oldest travelled into a rural community to give our gifts to so many precious kids! So many smiles were spread that day and so many kids who otherwise likely would have received nothing, had something to open on Christmas. While the toys themselves may not last long, the gift of making a child feel loved, thought of and treasured is priceless and we’re so thankful we were able to do that for so many kids that day.  

Thanks for helping us end this year on such a high note. When we look back on the year, we are thankful for the growth and success we’ve experienced but what really drives us and leaves our hearts full is this: being able to look back and see that this little business has been able to make an impact. We know our thank you’s must sound like a broken record by now, but we’d never be able to do this if you all didn’t team up with us to make a difference. Thank you for supporting our shop- your purchases really do have power!

Allison & Rachel, Xx

If you’ve recently purchased a hammock or have been eyeing one and have a few questions about them, we've included a detailed guide below that includes tips on hanging your hammock and other important safety information. If you have any questions after reading it over, just let us know and we’d be happy to help! 

Where to hang your hammock 

Swings can be hung outside or indoors. It is really important your swing is hung securely. If you are hanging it indoors, it needs to be hung on a secure beam or ceiling joist. You can locate a ceiling joist using a stud finder. 

Purchasing hardware to hang your hammock

You can go to your local hardware store with a picture of the hammock and they can recommend the supplies, but there are also some great kits available online to make things easy and that can give you an idea of what you need. If you search for example: “hammock chair hanging kit” on Amazon, there are a large variety of kits that come with all the hardware you need. 

Hanging your hammock at a safe height

It is also important to hang your hammock swing at a safe height, close to the ground. If you have high ceilings, you’ll need to extend the length of your hammock. You can do this using a securely tied rope or chain which you can purchase at your hardware store. Adjustable, secure ropes that don’t need tying are also available online as an option. 

Here is an example of one: https://www.amazon.com/Startostar-Adjustable-Extension-Conversion-Suspension/dp/B0739SR8P1/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1506961454&sr=8-5&keywords=tree+swing+extension+rope

Weight limits for swings:

 Single baby swing (50lbs) 

 Double baby swing (100lbs) 

Chair swing with wooden seat (180lbs) 

Other Important safety information:

These swings are not a safe place for your child to sleep 

Never leave your child unsupervised in the swing 

Babies must be able to sit up well and support their own weight in order to use  

If you notice any damage to your swing, discontinue use. 

Test that the swing is hung securely before each use.

Never hang your hammock near a open flame or heat source.

Use responsibly

Hammock care:

Clean stains and spots with a damp cloth and mild detergent

Store in a cool, dry place when not in use

If it is hung outside, be sure to bring it in when it rains to protect it's appearance

Thanks for taking the time to read this over! We hope this guide helps answer some of our most frequently asked questions about our swings, but as always, if you have any other questions that are not answered here, you can contact us at adelisaandco@outlook.com and we'd be happy to help!

Allison & Rachel, Xx

Photo courtesy of: Samantha at hellotinylove.com

One of the things I’ve been passionate about since first moving to Nicaragua 7 years ago is supporting education. While working closely with the people here, I’ve seen so many families pull their children out of school because of lack of funds for supplies, or the need for extra working hands in the house. Without an education, the average labourer makes less than $7 a day making it so hard for families to break out of this cycle of poverty.

Supporting education through scholarships is one way we can help make a difference and I'm so excited that this year Adelisa & Co. will officially be supporting a young university student named Aaron. You can read more below about where Aaron comes from and how he plans to use to education to help others!

...

We met Aaron earlier this year at an outreach for university students we run at our local church. Aaron is from the remote indigenous community of Amak in the north of Nicaragua and just finished up his first year of studies. In July, he invited my husband and 10 others to come and stay in the village where he’s from. They travelled for 8 hours in car and then rode upriver in a small canoe for 7 hours to reach the humble village of Amak.

The village of Amak is only accessible by boat and has a population of around 600 people.

While visiting with Aaron’s family there, we learned that most young people in Amak don’t finish school. The few that do and are lucky enough to receive scholarships are usually forced to return home after their first year because their families can’t afford their living costs. Aaron’s mom was working hard to support him but said that some months she had nothing to send and was doubtful he could continue on.

Children from the village enjoying a game of soccer in the rain

Aaron pictured on the left

Aaron’s dream is to use his business management degree to support the development of his village and to help other young people in their studies as well. With your continued support, we will be helping Aaron get all the resources he needs to be able to finish his degree and achieve this goal. 

So thank you all once again, we are continually humbled by your support and are honoured to witness firsthand how your purchases are helping change the lives of others. 

Allison & Rachel, Xx

        We just wanted to pop on here and share a little more about our most recent donation. You may have noticed that lately we've been doing a  lot of projects on houses. One reason for this is that we want to make sure our donations have a long term impact, benefitting families for years to come.

        We have known the Ruiz family for over 10 years. Jessica and I had our first baby girls within a year of each other and have been close friends ever since. She is an amazing mom who has fought for her baby girl since she the day she was born. With an undiagnosed disability and many health problems, they have spent so much time and precious resources on doctors and therapy appointments. 

        Because their little girl was getting sick so much, the doctors recommended they do everything they could to make sure her living conditions were the best they could be. They worked hard, saved up and built their own little two bedroom home last year, however, they weren't able to fully complete it.

        Jessica bakes cakes to support her family and up until this point she has had to do it in a family member's house because they still didn't have a proper cooking space. With donations from your purchases, we were able to help them add a kitchen to their home. This addition will allow her to work right from home while still being able to care for her toddler and newborn.

     The beginning stages               

A peek inside during construction

Almost finished!

        There are so many aspects of this business that we love, but this is our favourite. Having all you amazing moms supporting our shop makes us feel like we have the best team behind us and we love that we are moms teaming up together to help other moms, so thank you so much for your continued support!

Rachel & Allison, Xx