VOH Africa

VOH Bulale (Tanzania): Finishing our New Classroom Block!

At VOH Bulale, we are excited to begin the final touches on our newest classroom block. The basic structure went up early this year; however, due to the pandemic, all projects were put on hold temporarily. We’re grateful to be able to start again and get these classrooms ready. We are adding two new classrooms in anticipation of adding more students and an additional grade in January. We will have a preschool class, kindergarten, and grades one through three. Until the block is needed, we will be able to use it for a small library and infirmary. We have started on the final tasks, which include plastering, finishing the ceiling, and hanging windows and doors. This new building will help us continue to grow and serve even more vulnerable children in Bulale come 2021!

VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Thierry’s Amazing Story

Thierry lives in a children’s home at VOH Bwiza. When he was still a baby, Thierry was found in an empty house all alone and crying. He was abandoned by his mother but thankfully a neighbour rescued him and began to care for him. When VOH Bwiza opened in early 2010, this kind and generous lady who rescued him asked for support as she was struggling to continue to provide for his basic needs. We were happy to welcome Thierry into our program. Fast forward and this year Thierry has graduated from a tailoring program! Before he joined the tailoring school, Thierry was showing great interest in sewing. He used to pick up used cloth bags, tear them into pieces, and then sew them into beautiful clothes. We are confident Thierry will be an excellent tailor and will make a difference in the community. God’s plans are always amazing!

VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Discipleship Program

One of our programs at VOH Chongwe, which was pioneered by our Executive Director, is our discipleship program. Through this program, the children are developing a strong understanding of who God is and are strengthening their relationship with Him. The children are reading the Bible and taking part in a variety of activities, including reciting scripture, watching videos, and having group discussions. The kids meet with their groups and once each week they meet with Uncle Serge virtually on Zoom. They especially enjoy having kids from other VOH locations joining together during the zoom visits. We love seeing the kids get excited about the gospel and sharing that excitement with their friends!

VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Health Safety Check-Up

This week at VOH Kitwe, our Director, Everlyn Chitente, visited all our classrooms to ensure children and staff are adhering to all of our health guidelines. During her visits, she emphasized the importance of following all the guidelines all the time. Despite the outside community not always following all protocols, our children are being reminded to continue doing their part and spread the message of health and safety in their communities.

VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: Learning About Prayer

Prayer is one of the most important spiritual disciplines we teach our children at VOH Luongo because it nurtures their relationship with Jesus and produces faith that will last a lifetime. This week, the children had a lesson on the Prayer Covenant for Children. We are very thankful that the printing of these Prayer Covenant booklets was sponsored by a member of CLA Church in Langley, BC. In this study, the children are invited to experience prayer and cultivate a better relationship with God. The guide includes 10 themes, including love, grace, and authority. It’s designed with various activities that make learning fun and exciting. We are so grateful the children get to learn prayer this way!

VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: COVID-19 Safety

At VOH Maramvya we continue to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. We are continuing to keep our distance from each other and have washing stations for each classroom and high traffic area. Before starting the lessons or any program the staff and the children must wash their hands. We will continue to do all we can to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19.

VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: Drilling a Well

At VOH Mwanza, we recently had a company come and drill a well for the centre. We are grateful to have received funds for the project from ERDO, one of our partners. We have always relied on city water, but as our centre has grown our water needs have increased and we have been paying a lot of money for city water, which sometimes isn’t even reliable. Especially with the pandemic this year, and all the extra precaution and hand-washing, we needed a reliable source of water that was also more affordable. We are so grateful that we were able to move ahead with this project. They drilled down over 80 meters and found over 3000 litres of water per hour! The final steps will be adding a solar pump and water tanks. We know this water supply will be a blessing at our Village.

VOH Zimbabwe Update: Going Shopping!

It was all smiles for the boys and girls at VOH Zimbabwe this past week when the teens and their caregivers went shopping for clothes, shoes, and other items. They were happy to receive new clothes, but the most exciting part was actually doing the shopping for themselves. Due to COVID-19, shops have been closed for months, but now, with new protocols, places have begun opening up again. The older kids shopped for themselves and the caregivers shopped for the younger ones. They loved it a lot and can’t wait for more similar outings. We are so grateful to Rev and Mrs. Norrie who donated to make this special occasion possible!

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VOH Bulale (Tanzania): Meet Diana

VOH Bulale would like you to meet Diana. Diana is six years old and studies at our school together with her brother. The siblings lost both their parents at a young age and now live with their grandmother in the nearby community. Their grandmother struggles to provide basic needs for the family, and the support she receives through VOH is a huge help. Diana is a sweet girl who works hard at her studies and likes to read. She also likes to have fun with her friends, playing different games. Diana has already learned so much since joining VOH Bulale. We know her future is bright!

VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Feeding Program for Students

At VOH Bwiza we are grateful for the donations we get from those in our community to support our feeding program. The children receive breakfast before they head to school and lunch before they start their tutoring lessons. VOH Bwiza children attend school in the surrounding community and we provide any fees required. After school, we provide extra tutoring lessons to help them in any areas that they may be struggling. Through our feeding program, we provide a variety of meals including rice, beans, vegetables, ndagala (small fish), meat and maize. Our children are very thankful that VOH is taking care of their nutrition as most come from homes where there is little food available.

VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Prisca Joins the VOH Family

VOH Chongwe would like you to meet Prisca. Sadly, Prisca lost both her mother and father and was staying with her grandmother who recently passed away, leaving her on her own. After the funeral, some of Prisca’s extended family members took the few belongings that were left by Prisca’s grandma and left Prisca all alone, hungry and with no one to look after her. Thankfully the neighbours heard what happened and came to Prisca’s rescue. They reported the matter to the police, who later informed social welfare. Social welfare immediately brought Prisca to VOH Chongwe and she is living in one of our children’s home where she has joined a happy, loving family. Social welfare is trying to gather information and trace any living relatives who will be willing and able to care for her. In the meantime, Prisca is attending the VOH Chongwe school and is receiving medical care when needed from our clinic. Prisca is very happy to be part of the VOH family!

VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Returning to School

This week marks two weeks since the government reopened schools in Zambia. The teachers and the children at VOH Kitwe are both excited and eager to start the new term. We are ensuring everyone complies with the new norm of learning and adheres to COVID-19 safety measures.

VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: New Uniforms!

This week VOH Luongo children were excited to receive new school uniforms! The uniforms were made by the tailoring class instructor using material donated by our senior teacher, Fatuma, and her husband. The uniforms have our logo on them, which will help identify the children as being VOH students. Now the children are more excited than ever to be back in school!

VOH Malawi Update: Staff Party

This week at VOH Malawi we held a staff party to celebrate three very important things. First, we bid farewell to our Canadian volunteer Pastor Diana. She’s been with us for 14 months and we’ll miss her dearly. Second, we celebrated all the hard work the staff have put into the garden project we started during the pandemic. Third, we celebrated the reopening of schools across Malawi, which will take place in the middle of October. Our team has worked so hard to prepare the school and ensure it is safe for our students and themselves. What a wonderful day it was!

VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: Writing to Sponsors

Last week at VOH Maramvya the children wrote letters to their sponsors. Because of the pandemic, it’s been several months since the children have been able to write. The children were excited to write to their sponsors and let them know how they are doing. Writing to their sponsors also reminds them there is someone across the ocean who cares about them and prays for them. We are so grateful for each VOH sponsor! You can become a sponsor today by visiting vohafrica.com/child-sponsorship

VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Gifts from Sponsors!

The students are back here at VOH Mongu and we’re loving it! Now that they’re back, they are able to receive the letters and gifts they received from their sponsors during the lockdown. Many of these gifts were for birthdays, back-to-school, or “just because.” The kids received backpacks, books, school supplies, clothes, candy, toys, and even some soap and hygiene items to help keep them safe. We are so grateful for our amazing sponsors and how much they support our kids! You can become a VOH sponsor by visiting vohafrica.com/child-sponsorship

VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: National Exams

This week at VOH Mwanza, our grade seven students wrote their national exams. In Tanzania at the end of grade seven, all students must sit for one national exam, which determines if they will move onto secondary school. We have been praying for our grade seven students this week and have been encouraging them. We had 30 students take the exam this year. We are grateful everyone was calm and confident and no one was fearful or overwhelmed. Their teachers have worked very hard to prepare them this year, especially considering they missed several months of school in the spring because of the pandemic. We are praying that all our students will perform well and will be able to start secondary school in the new year!

VOH Zimbabwe Update: Examination Prep

Since schools closed in March in Zimbabwe, the children have been working on their lessons from home. Now that things are beginning to reopen, the government has directed all exam classes to return to school to prepare for their exams. It is a welcome move both for the children and the parents. With the exams fast approaching, everyone is working hard so the students can catch up on what was missed due to the pandemic. We wish them all the best as they prepare for their exams!

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VOH Africa: New Back to School Hope Packs!

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Back to School Hope Packs!

Back to school looks different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the ways we are keeping our students safe is by ensuring each student has their own school supplies, whether they will be learning in the classroom or at home. Students will also need to take additional safety measures like using hand sanitizer. 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!

Hope Packs: Back to School

Back to School Hope Packs ensure each VOH student has a safe and successful school year!

Hope Packs

Hope Packs provide VOH children and families with nutrition and health supplies.

VOH Bulale (Tanzania): Back to School Supplies!

At VOH Bulale, our children were excited to receive new school uniforms! The school year in Tanzania runs from January to December and we are making sure we have all the supplies needed for all current and new students to have a successful start in 2021. The kids love the new uniforms and were excited to take pictures! You can help our students access the supplies they need for school by donating our new Back to School Hope Packs!

VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Diane Teaches Preschool

Diane is one of our former youth from our Youth Homes at VOH Bwiza. Now, she is giving back by teaching her little sisters and brothers in our Preschool. Diane is caring and loving and knows first-hand what it means to be an orphan. She can understand them and make them feel comfortable. The children are enjoying her lessons and we are thankful she is part of our team!

VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: Returning to School

Schools have been closed in Zambia since late March, but recently the government announced the re-opening. The children here at VOH Luongo are excited they get to return to normal learning even if it’s just for a few hours. Teachers are more than ready to provide lessons and make sure that no child is left behind academically. Our staff is ensuring that all Covid-19 guidelines are being adhered to in order to keep everybody safe.

VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: Meet our New Preschool Class!

VOH Maramvya would like you to meet our new Preschool class! We had more than 300 parents apply to have their children join our school for the 2020-2021 school year. Each year we can only receive about thirty children for preschool. Our admittance committee prioritizes children who are the most vulnerable. Most have lost both of their parents. Some of these children never knew their parents, others were abandoned when they were still babies. When we accept their application, we do everything we can to care for them and let them know they are loved.

VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Save a Life Center Update

Currently, we have 38 children in our Save A Life feeding program at VOH Mongu! Our feeding program helps save the lives of extremely malnourished children within our community and works to empower their caregivers to be able to care for them after they leave our program. This week, we were able to graduate three children and their caregivers as we felt the children had grown enough, gained enough weight, and were on track with their development. We also saw that their caregivers had retained the lessons they were taught and the micro-businesses they were able to start were doing well enough for them to properly care for their children. It’s so exciting to see these children improve in such a short time and to see caregivers empowered with their new skills.

VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: Back to School Update

At VOH Mwanza we are very grateful that all of our children and staff are healthy and well. It’s been quite a year, but we strongly feel God has protected us and kept everyone well. Children have been back in school here in Tanzania for three months now, and while we’re still taking all the necessary safety precautions, we are very happy to report we have not had any kind of surge in illnesses and that generally all of our children across all of our sites are healthy! This is a huge blessing.

VOH Zimbabwe Update: Meet Rudo

Meet Rudo from VOH Zimbabwe. Rudo is 15 years old but is mature beyond her years. She is a positive and appreciative young lady. She is very responsible and our house mothers count on her to be a good example for the other children. Rudo doesn’t have any known relatives and joining the VOH family has changed her life. As a way to express gratitude to Rudo for all she does for us at VOH Zimbabwe, we gifted her with her own phone. The new device will assist with her education during COVID-19 by helping her stay connected with her school so she doesn’t miss any assignments. We are so proud of you, Rudo!

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VOH Africa: New Back to School Hope Packs!

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Back to School Hope Packs!

Back to school looks different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the ways we are keeping our students safe is by ensuring each student has their own school supplies, whether they will be learning in the classroom or at home. Students will also need to take additional safety measures like using hand sanitizer. 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!

Hope Packs: Back to School

Back to School Hope Packs ensure each VOH student has a safe and successful school year!

Hope Packs

Hope Packs provide VOH children and families with nutrition and health supplies.

VOH Bwiza (Burundi) Update: Trade School Graduates

At VOH Bwiza, we are celebrating three of our students who recently graduated from trade school!

Pierre and Kersy graduated this weekend from the Building Department (construction, electricity and plumbing) and Bonnet graduated from the Welding program. These young men have been working hard throughout the year to complete their programs.

We are so happy for them and we pray they will find jobs in their new fields.

VOH Chongwe (Zambia) Update: Computer Studies

This week at VOH Chongwe our grade 3 students had their first class in our computer lab. Computer Studies are a part of the government curriculum and the students are excited to learn!

In grade 3, the students will be learning the basics of using a computer and be familiarized with the digital world.

VOH Kitwe (Zambia) Update: Donation from Social Welfare

This week the Department of Social Welfare was distributing handwash kits to institutions that work with children to make sure children stay safe. VOH Kitwe was one of the beneficiaries because we have a track record of receiving and utilizing donated items for their intended purpose.

We received a peddle handwash station, hand soap, face masks, and laundry detergent.

Our senior housemother met with the members of Social Welfare to receive the items. We placed the handwash station near the children’s homes and distributed the other supplies as needed.

We are so grateful for the gesture shown to our children as we continue to care for them.

VOH Luongo (Zambia) Update: Christine and Beauty Receive Boxes of Love

Christine and Beauty are twins at VOH Luongo and they share the same sponsor. They were so happy to receive personalized Boxes of Love from their sponsor. Their boxes contained clothing and school supplies picked out just for them!

The girls’ mother came with them to collect their boxes and shared in their joy and excitement.

Thank you, everyone, who takes part in coordinating Boxes of Love each year!

VOH Maramvya (Burundi) Update: Staying Safe

VOH Maramvya continues to encourage and help the community and our VOH children to take all possible measures to be safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have taught our children the importance of washing their hands with soap, avoiding handshaking, and coughing or sneezing into a tissue that should be thrown away immediately.

The children are doing a great job following these new guidelines as we continue to do our best to keep our community safe and sound.

VOH Mongu (Zambia) Update: Income-Generating Projects

Everyone here is so excited about the progress and success we’re having with our income-generating projects here at VOH Mongu!

Recently we raised 400 chickens and were able to make a good profit. This time, we are increasing this number and raising 650. The chickens are all doing well and growing so quickly; we think they’ll be ready to sell in just a few short weeks.

The kids in our homes are loving the responsibility of taking care of them and are doing such a good job.

We are also excited to announce we are working to install fish ponds on our property where we will be raising fish and selling them as another income-generating project. This week, the ponds were dug and they are now being prepped to handle the water and fish. We are so excited about this project and can’t wait to keep you updated on the progress!

VOH Mwanza (Tanzania) Update: Writing to Sponsors

At VOH Mwanza we have not been able to send mail out to Canada during the pandemic. But over the last few weeks, we’ve tried to have all the children write letters to their sponsors and we will be scanning them and sending them digitally to our Canadian office.

This means if it’s been a while since you have heard from your sponsor child, letters are coming soon!

We truly appreciate the faithful support of all our sponsors, especially this year as it has helped sustain our programs.

You can sign up to sponsor a VOH child by visiting vohafrica.com/child-sponsorship

VOH Zimbabwe Update: Thank You, Sponsors!

During these difficult times, one thing we are very grateful for at VOH Zimbabwe is our sponsors. They have continued to support their sponsored children through their monthly support, prayers, and special gifts. These three recently received birthday presents from their sponsors!

We want to thank all of our sponsors for their ongoing love and support! If you would like to sponsor a VOH child, visit vohafrica.com/child-sponsorship

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