VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Alain’s Story
VOH Bwiza would like you to meet Alain. Alain lives in one of our children’s homes at the Centre. In 2008, Alain’s mother was sick and unable to care for him, so he began spending a lot of time on his own, looking for any generous person willing to help him. There were times when Alain couldn’t find anyone to provide him with something to eat, and so he would look for whatever food he could find on the streets of the city. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before a special lady in the community saw Alain and told him he and his siblings should come to her home for lunch every day from then on. They built a special relationship, and not long after, Alain’s mother passed away despite many medical interventions. The generous lady invited Alain and his siblings to come and live with her in her tiny rented one-room house, and they stayed there for two years until someone connected them to VOH. Today Alain is healthy and happy and thankful to have joined the VOH family. Alain has just completed grade 7, and he says he would like to become a medical doctor when he graduates!
VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Shelly’s Story
VOH Chongwe would like you to meet Shelly. In 2012 Shelly was brought to our Centre when she was only nine years old because her family could not care for her. Not long after Shelly’s arrival, her sister Mildred also came to live at the Centre, and the two of them have grown up together and been a positive example for the other children. Shelly is now in grade 11 and is excelling in school. She is part of our discipleship program, and she loves to share her experiences with others. She loves to tell others about God’s love and how he has cared for her. Shelly’s dream is to become a journalist. She is so happy to be at VOH, and she loves her VOH family. We are excited to see the amazing young woman Shelly has become!
VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Preparing for School Reopening
The Zambian government has instructed schools to reopen next week. Here at VOH Kitwe, as we prepare to reopen, we are ensuring that everything is in place for safe and effective teaching and learning. We are also ensuring that all COVID safety protocols are followed. The teachers have been busy cleaning and sanitizing all of the classrooms. We sprayed the classes with disinfectant and sanitized the bowls that the children will use for handwashing. The government sent inspectors, and they were pleased with what they saw and gave us the green light to go ahead with the mandated reopening. The teachers are so excited to know they can get back to class and teach the children again and prepare them for final exams. A big thank you to our entire VOH Kitwe staff for working together so hard to make things safe and ready for our student’s return!
VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: Planting Cabbages!
This week VOH Luongo would like to share how the garden is doing at our Centre. Luongo is an agricultural-based community, and teaching our children about food production has been one of our focuses. Learning how to garden prepares the children for adulthood and even opens up the possibility of a career in agriculture. Recently, we planted vegetables in sack bags. This time, we have made use of the available land and have cultivated it to grow cabbages. Our goal is to have lasting food security at our Centre. The children are so excited to be part of this garden project!
VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Welcome to Save a Life!
In the month of July, we admitted five new children into our Save A Life feeding program at VOH Mongu. Please help us welcome Mbaita, Munalula, Emmanuel, Chipango, and Isaac! Our Save A Life program helps treat extremely malnourished or undernourished children in our community, helping their families with food and milk formula. Most children are in the program for six months. While in the program, caregivers learn proper nutrition, basic healthcare, hygiene principles, and so much more. We also assist them in starting micro-businesses that will help them provide for their families. Once children regain their health and leave the program, we make regular, scheduled visits to their homes to ensure they are continuing to do well and that everything is going well.
VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: Meet Jeremiah
After school is done for the day at VOH Mwanza, if you take a look outside the office window at the jungle gym, Jeremiah will always be there. Jeremiah is a ten-year-old boy who joyfully calls VOH Mwanza his home. He attends school at our Centre and is in grade four. He has four close friends who are from the surrounding community and also attend our VOH school. Jeremiah’s favourite subject is math and his favourite after-school activity is playing the drums. He uses every chance he can with any material to make music and practice creating a rhythm and beat. Jeremiah is a caring and giving boy who invites other children to play and even sing with him. We are so happy to see Jeremiah explore his passions and do all the things he enjoys in the safety and comfort of his VOH home!
If you would like to sponsor a child like Jeremiah, visit our Child Sponsorship page!
VOH Zimbabwe Update: Staff Appreciation
Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the last year has been difficult for all of us. At VOH Zimbabwe, our staff have remained dedicated to ensuring the VOH children are well taken care of, throughout the ever-challenging circumstances. We appreciate their hard work and commitment to our kids, which is why whenever possible, we give them a special gift of appreciation. Knowing they are appreciated really boosts their morale, especially during these difficult times. We are so thankful that our staff never loses their passion and continues to stay focused on our goal of equipping children in every area of life so that when they are older, they will become strong, independent members of society!