VOH Bulale (Tanzania): Meet Aron
We are excited to reopen school here at VOH Bulale after a two-week break. Typically, just before school breaks, our teachers give the students a study package that includes questions from different subjects, so the children have something academic to do at home during their time off. Aron is one of our kindergarten students. He is seven years old and has three brothers and one sister. His mother sells anchovies to help support the family, and his father is a farmer. Aron’s parents are so thankful he is in school, and they always encourage him to do his very best. Aron was so happy to be back at school this week; he wanted to show his teacher right away that he had completed all of his holiday school work. Well done, Aron!
VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Visiting with Family
During the school break at VOH Bwiza, children living in our two onsite children’s homes were allowed to visit their relatives living in nearby communities. We do our best to keep the children connected with their relatives and arrange visits whenever we can. We know it’s important for them not to lose touch with their extended families. The kids returned with good reports about their time away, and they were thrilled to be reunited with their housemother and their VOH brothers and sisters!
VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Successful Harvest!
It’s harvest time again at VOH Chongwe! We are so happy to see our children acquiring knowledge and skills in growing various types of vegetables. They have been learning and successfully growing vegetables for quite some time, and now they are learning how to raise chickens. We are so happy that our children will be graduating with academic qualifications and life skills to help them support themselves. Thanks to our greenhouses and chicken coop, we have a huge harvest of good healthy vegetables and chickens! The kids, gardeners, and teachers are all happy to see the continued success of their hard work! We are now able to sell the chickens, cabbage, green beans, and other green vegetables to the VOH staff and the neighbouring community.
VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Donation from the Lions Club
This past week VOH Kitwe was delighted to have the Lions Club come for another visit! Previously the group came for a visit, donated educational books, and connected us to a donor who helped us extend the school library. We are so happy to share that they came with a donation of groceries and cleaning supplies this week. The cleaning materials could not come at a better time; due to COVID-19, we are working extra hard to ensure that everything is clean and safe. The visitors told us they want their visits to help both the physical and spiritual needs of children. The president was happy to see how we care for VOH children and mentioned that each donation is crucial to their mission of being involved in global humanitarian service. We are grateful for their kindness and support!
VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: End of Term Results
VOH Luongo takes a keen interest in assessing how much knowledge the students have acquired and retained throughout each school term. This week, the children were writing their end-of-term tests. It is a busy week for the teachers as they mark the test papers then enter the marks in the report book. This exercise enables both the students and the teachers to evaluate what has been taught and learnt throughout the term. The teachers are excited because they get the opportunity to share and discuss the children’s performance with their parents. This process also helps the teachers plan and prepare for the next term. The dream of being in school that the children and their caregivers thought would never happen has now been realized. We are so grateful to our donors and friends for making education at VOH Luongo School possible!
VOH Malawi Update: Safe Return to Learning
AT VOH Malawi, we continue to provide a safe learning environment for our students. Our teachers have been working extra hard to ensure the protection of their learners. All classes have been split into two groups. Some students come in the morning, and some come in the afternoon. This allows us to reduce class sizes in half to provide more space for social distancing and maintain the government COVID-19 protocols regarding the number of students allowed inside at a time. This change requires our teachers to teach twice as much. We are so proud of their tenacity and determination as they continue to work tirelessly on the front lines here in Malawi!
VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: School Bags!
This week at VOH Maramvya, we tidied up the children’s school materials and prepared supplies packs for all students to prepare for the new school year. Each student will receive a bag containing all the materials they’ll need for success. The bags include school uniforms, notebooks, pens, shoes, and other supplies. Our children will be thrilled when they come to school and receive their bags!
VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Creating Memories
At VOH Mongu, we believe in having fun, and we know that sharing playful times is an important part of building relationships that will last a lifetime! It is a real blessing to witness the children’s joy as they play together and create new, lasting memories. We are very grateful to our dedicated and loving house moms for creating such a positive environment. We thank God for each of these special kids and pray they will grow into young adults who are a positive influence in their community!
VOH Zimbabwe Update: New Roof Sheets!
The school break has allowed us at VOH Zimbabwe to do some touch-ups to our buildings. Some of our roofs have been leaking for some time now, risking damage to the ceilings and school furnishings. We are grateful that we can replace the leaking roof sheets with high-quality steel sheets. These roofing sheets are not only light but also durable and environmentally recommended. When the rainy season comes, we will be in good shape. We are so happy that we were able to do this much-needed maintenance. With schools back in session, the children are delighted to see the shiny new roofs!