Partners With Ethiopia supports two sponsorship programs. The Dale and Shanto Centers of H.O.P.E. each have 150 children. Between them there are around 75 kids who are still unsponsored. Sponsorship covers the cost of all the school supplies and uniforms the sponsored kids need for school, but because the unsponsored kids are not receiving services, their families must purchase supplies for them. For families living in severe poverty this is a tremendous hardship. Many of these unsponsored children would not be able to attend school.
There is a third village, Boricha, where FOVC hopes to expand its sponsorship program in the future. 150 children have already been profiled in Boricha, but are not currently receiving any assistance. This year Boricha was hit incredibly hard by famine. Not only do families not have enough money to purchase school supplies, they are struggling to provide their children with the most basic necessities. FOVC recognized the need and approached us to help send the 150 Boricha children to school this year.
All this translates to around 225 children who do not have the support of sponsorship to help them get an education. In early August, when we began fundraising, raising enough money to purchase scholastic materials and uniforms for 225 kids seemed like an almost unattainable goal. We did a LOT of praying! So many of you helped by sharing our fundraiser with your friends, and a $1,500 matching donation really got the ball rolling. Within 24 hours, ALL the matching funds had been matched, and just a few days after that our goal was met! It was amazing (and a lot of fun!) to see how quickly the need was met. God is so good, and our donors are amazing – because of you, 450 kids are now in school!
Yesterday we received photos of some of the children with their new school supplies, which were all purchased locally in Ethiopia. They are so happy and proud, and so are we! Thank you so much for all the ways in which you helped: donating, helping to spread the word, and praying. You have made a huge difference in the lives of so many children. Thank you!
Interested in sponsoring one of our waiting children? Please visit www.pwesponsorship.org – your sponsored child will receive services such as a hot meal six days a week, hygiene care, medical care, and after school tutoring.
