VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Preparing for the New School Year!
At VOH Bwiza, the Lead Team has held special meetings for the last two weeks before the new school year begins. The purpose of the meetings is to prepare for the new school year just around the corner. Some of the items that we talked about include required school materials, risk assessments, feeding programs, and ensuring the VOH children who attend older grades at schools nearby are set up for success. We are all looking forward to welcoming our children back to Bwiza Centre after a two-month school break, and we feel well-equipped and ready to go!
VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Emmanuel’s Story
VOH Chongwe would like you to meet Emmanuel, who lives in one of the children’s homes at our VOH Centre. Emmanuel came to our Centre ten years ago when his grandmother was no longer able to care for him. Today Emmanuel is thriving, and he is doing exceptionally well academically. He is in grade 12, and his favourite subjects are biology and mathematics. His dream is to become a doctor. He is so happy to be at VOH, and he loves his VOH family. We celebrate Emmanuel and the hope he has found!
VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Gardening Season!
Here in Zambia, gardens are full of fresh vegetables this time of year! It’s satisfying to pick fresh vegetables grown from the seeds you planted. This week at VOH Kitwe, our senior housemother was busy in the garden with some of the older girls. The girls were removing weeds, and mom was watering. There are tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and giant rape in the gardens planted by the children’s homes. After watering, they picked some veggies to prepare for dinner. The children enjoy working in the garden with the moms, and they are learning how to grow different types of vegetables in different seasons. Developing these gardening skills will help our children become self-sufficient adults.
VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: Strategic Planning
This week at VOH Luongo, the staff sat down together to work on the strategic plan initiatives. We prepare the strategic plan in 3-year intervals. Having a plan in place helps us as staff build on what we are doing well, minimize risks, and take the greatest possible advantage of all of the opportunities for success. The staff had a chance to learn how to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis with the help of the VOH Kitwe Director. The exercise was interesting, and the staff participated fully. All of the team appreciated the opportunity to learn and grow as a Centre!
VOH Malawi Update: Alfred Starts University!
Dreams come true! A few months ago, VOH Malawi shared Alfred’s story. After Alfred graduated from our education program, he began working as an intern at our Centre. Alfred had shared that his dream was to further his studies and get a Bachelor of Business Administration. We are so happy to share with you that he has now been enrolled at Exploits University and has just begun his first year of University! Alfred wrote VOH Malawi a proposal to start school at Exploits University and attend weekend classes so he can continue working at VOH and support himself. It was a well-laid-out plan and was approved by our team. Alfred is a very focused young man who is willing to work extra hard to achieve his dreams, and we know he will do well and succeed. He is living his dream of attending University, and we are all happy to help him achieve it. Stories like Alfred’s are what VOH is all about: “bringing hope to children in need”!
VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: Women Working to Support Their Families
This week we are happy to tell you about two exceptional women whose children are under our care at VOH Maramvya: Mama Vania and Mama Salima. They are hard-working women who have been helping with the new construction at our Centre for the last three weeks. They don’t believe these jobs are for men only! From the day that construction of the new classrooms started, the zeal, effort, and dedication these two ladies have put into the work show that they are capable and willing to work hard to earn an income and support their children. They say that staying home does not solve any of their problems and that they are very thankful for the opportunity to work. We, in turn, are very grateful to have them as part of our team!
VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Youth Braai!
It is always special to take time to celebrate and have fun together! This week at VOH Mongu, we loved seeing girls from our youth discipleship group have a great time with one another. They made their own braai (barbecue) and enjoyed a meal together. After the meal, they played games together. This special gathering is thanks to the help of Musialike, one of our staff members who leads the discipleship group. Musialike has been such a huge blessing in equipping our girls with life skills that will help them in the future. Thank you, Musialike!
VOH Zimbabwe Update: Bible Distribution
This week at VOH Zimbabwe, we gave Bibles to pastors from nearby churches to distribute within their communities. The Bibles are in Shona (a vernacular language) for ease of reading and understanding. At VOH Africa, we ensure that the children we care for hear about God’s love for them and receive opportunities to grow in their faith. We also provide the communities we work with the opportunity to hear about God’s love for them, and these Bibles will help facilitate this mission. We will keep doing the best we can to spread the good news!