VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Lunchtime!
At VOH Bwiza we are thankful we can still provide lunch to our children. Life has been harder these days because of the additional challenges caused by Covid-19. Here in Burundi, living conditions have become even more difficult. Many of the children in our care no longer receive a meal at home, but before attending their extra lessons, they receive the blessing of a full lunch. They are so happy to receive this meal. This would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and donors–thank you for your ongoing support!
VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: COVID-19 Safety
At VOH Chongwe we have continued working and ensuring we are meeting all COVID-19 safety requirements at our center. We are disinfecting regularly and have increased the number of handwashing stations. Our nurse is at the entrance checking each student’s temperature and reminding them to follow our on-site guidelines. The Zambia Ministry of Mother and Child through the department of Social Welfare have appreciated how seriously we are taking the safety of our students. To show their support, they have donated a hands-free washing point and a non-contact thermometer for checking the temperature of the kids and staff. We appreciate them for the donation and encouragement they provide to all of us!
VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Priest’s Story
It’s such a joy to see how grateful children are for the support they receive. This week at VOH Kitwe we want to share the story of a young man named Priest. When Priest was a small boy, he really wanted to be in school but his family could not afford to send him. Thanks to VOH Kitwe, in 2007, he was given a place in our pre-school class. Over the years, he has done very well with his studies and he is now in grade 12 and will be graduating in December! He is studying hard and is very confident that he will pass with good grades so he can study medicine and fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor. Priest’s desire is to serve his community and the nation at large. He is grateful for all VOH Kitwe is doing for him. We are so proud of Priest!
VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: A Happy Update
We are excited to share a happy update about a woman from our VOH Luongo community. She is a widow who lives alone and a few months ago, she had a problem with her health that resulted in her not being able to walk. She felt that it was a hopeless situation. A few months ago we shared a story of how we came to her aid and offered medical assistance, which gave her hope that her situation may not last forever. This week, we are so glad to share that she is getting better every day! She’s now able to walk with the help of a walking stick and she is also able to do a few chores around the house by herself. We are happy that we were able to help her in her situation and be an example of love in the community. We also blessed her with some clothing that was recently donated. We thank all of our supporters for your love and faithfulness, it is because of you that we are able to support members of our community.
VOH Africa: New Back to School Hope Packs!
Our new Back to School Hope Packs will ensure each student has access to all the things they need for a safe and successful school year!
Each Back to School Hope Pack costs $30 and contains:
- Exercise Books
- Pencils
- Pens
- An Eraser
- A Ruler
- A Pencil Case
- Soap and/or Hand Sanitizer
Support our Work During COVID-19 by Giving Hope Packs!
VOH Malawi Update: A Successful Harvest!
At VOH Malawi, we’ve begun bringing in the harvest and it’s a bountiful one! Our cabbages, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes have all grown so well this season. We will have hundreds of vegetables to distribute. We are so proud of our staff who have worked in the garden diligently over the last several months to ensure this beautiful harvest. We are grateful to God for the success of this project; it will bring much-needed nutrition to the VOH children and their families!
VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: Thank You, Aunties!
At VOH Maramvya the aunties in charge of preparing daily meals are doing an exceptional job. They are the first to arrive each day, coming early in the morning to prepare breakfast for the children. We respect and love them for their care and dedication. Every day when it’s time to serve the children, they work together with the teachers to distribute the meal to the children. We love how our aunties and teachers work together to care for the students. We have a great team here at VOH Maramvya!
VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Reopening our Therapy
We love that our therapy department at VOH Mongu has been allowed to welcome children back for occupational therapy again! When schools were re-opened, we were given the all-clear to have our therapy kiddos and their caregivers return. We know that receiving therapy makes such a difference in the lives of the children and their caregivers. Through the therapy process, the children improve their ability to do daily tasks and their caregivers become better equipped to care for them and help them in ways they need help. The children are always improving and showing progress in daily tasks such as sitting up straight, pushing a ball, and even eating in a chair. These sessions also help our caregivers meet with other mothers of children with disabilities. We are so glad we’ve been able to develop a support group amongst these amazing moms. We love our therapy department and all the work they do for the kids and their families.
VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: Reuniting Zawadi
At VOH Mwanza we are celebrating as Zawadi officially is reunited with her family. Zawadi is 13 years old and has been in our shelter program for about 10 years. She was abandoned as a toddler not far from the centre. There was a good samaritan who cared for her for 2 months, but ultimately it was too much for them at that time to keep her. She was then brought to VOH Mwanza Center. 10 years later our amazing social work team located this good samaritan again, and through many meetings and follow-ups, this lady expressed interest in being reunited with Zawadi. She still lives nearby so Zawadi has been going for short visits while still being able to come to school at the Village. Zawadi just graduated grade 7 and so will now be permanently reunited with her forever family. While we will miss Zawadi, we are so happy for her and what this means for her future. Thankfully she lives close enough that we will see her often and of course, will conduct follow-up visits to make sure she settles in well.
VOH Zimbabwe Update: Donation from the Ministry of Education
With the second phase of school opening this week, the Ministry of Education donated some items for us to use at our VOH Zimbabwe school to help prevent the spread of the pandemic amongst children when they are attending classes. The exam classes opened first to prepare for the 2020 exams that are starting in December. The next phase of reopening is targeting children who are writing their national exams in 2021. These are grades 6, 10, and 12. The donation is a welcome sign that Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Education is taking the safety of children seriously and will do all possible to keep children safe. We are grateful for the donation!