Welcome to our weekly news roundup! Here we share stories from each of our Villages about our Programs, celebrations, children, and staff. If you’d like to receive these updates via email, please subscribe to our newsletter.
Happy New Year!
We hope you had a wonderful holiday season! We can’t believe it’s 2018 already, and we are so looking forward to the year ahead. We’ve been up to a lot since our last blog in December, and our villages are excited to share it with you…
Burundi: Planning for 2018
At the end of 2017, VOH Burundi held lead team and local board meetings. The goal was to review our 2018 Strategic initiatives and budgets for our Village.
We are very thankful for each person who helps make this work possible. We are looking forward to 2018 and are thankful that we are able to continue bringing hope to orphans and vulnerable children by providing them with love and care!
Chongwe: Library Storytime!
At VOH Chongwe upon completion of exams, the last weeks of the year were spent preparing our students for their new grade. This included introducing our young ones to our library where they spent their time reading storybooks with the help of their teachers.
Stories play a vital role in the growth and development of children. The books they read and the characters they get to know can become like friends. It’s also good for children to understand that books are a useful source of information and that good reading skills are important for success in their future lives. Reading also helps children with their confidence levels, coping with feelings and language and learning.
We thank our donors and faithful partners for helping us to deliver quality education to our children!
Kitwe: Live Dance Event
Just before Christmas, VOH Kitwe was very excited to take part in a live Skype event with friends in Edmonton, Alberta. Our children dressed up and performed cultural dances while our overseas friends watched us live during a Christmas banquet. In turn, those at the banquet sang a Christmas Carol for our children to say thank you for the great performance. It was a wonderful way to celebrate together the birth of Jesus and the friendships that we have even with those far away!
Malawi: Visiting Children in their Homes
This week at VOH Malawi our team traveled to the city of Blantyre to do follow-ups with several of the children who have been reintegrated and now live with a member or their biological family.
The team visited every school in the area where a VOH Malawi child now attends. We met with each child as well as their teachers and principals. Our team also checked their performance in class to ensure the children are thriving since their transition and addressed any concerns that may have arisen.
The children were so happy that VOH took the time to come and visit them at their school!
Mongu: Presents from Sponsors!
Here at VOH Mongu, we always love seeing the look on the children’s faces when they receive a present from their sponsor. Here, Ireen (Grade 5), Bumba (Kindergarten), and Mwabafu (Grade 3) were just a few of the children who recently received gifts! The gifts included clothes, school supplies, fun accessories, some sweets, and a few books. We are so blessed by the generosity of so many from across the world!
Mwanza: Our Chaplin Got Married!
At VOH Mwanza we were very happy to celebrate the wedding of Baraka (our Chaplin and youth worker) and his new wife Lydia! Since they were married very far away, the Village decided to do another wedding on-site that all the children and staff could be a part of.
Everyone enjoyed the event so much! Some of the children had never been to a wedding. We are very happy for the new couple and wish them a happy, healthy marriage!
Zimbabwe: Annual Fundraiser
A few weeks ago, VOH Zimbabwe held its annual fundraising dinner and we were thrilled to have over 150 people attend! It was a very colorful event, which allowed us to share stories about what is happening at the village. Our recent graduate Pamela attended and told her story to the guests.
It is very important to keep connecting with our supporters so they can see that their investment in the ministry is making a difference!
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