|
In Zambia, the government schools charge for students to attend and receive an education. Due to the extreme poverty brought on by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, most families cannot afford the government schools, and in many instances children have been orphaned with no one to provide for them, let alone pay for their education. African Vision of Hope (AVOH) provides an education at no cost to the children in the area we serve. Your sponsorship helps cover the cost for items such as the construction of school buildings, teacher’s curriculum, books, desks, chalkboards, school uniforms, and the teacher salaries.
On average, those living in these impoverished conditions in Zambia only eat few meals a week. The lack of nutrition makes it impossible for the children to fight off even the simplest of infections. A cut on the foot could mean death without the proper nutrition to help keep their immune system healthy. At the AVOH Schools, children and widows in the community are served over 20,000 meals every month! Often times, these are the only meals they will eat for that day. The AVOH meal program helps fight malnutrition and enables the children and widows to stay healthy.
AVOH has received farmland within close proximity to the schools to teach agricultural skills as well as provide nutritious vegetables to the children as part of the food program.
The main staple is Nshima or Nsima (pronounced Shima). It is a cornmeal product cooked into porridge, stirred by paddles to the perfect consistency. It is typically served with a protein such as chicken, soya products, or beans. Another side dish typically served is a “relish” of cabbage cooked with onions and tomatoes. Also native to the area around Kabulonga, you will avocados and bananas. Of course, different regions of Zambia have their own traditional meals as well.
AVOH has a nurse on staff. The nurse keeps records for all of the students, including weight and physical progress, and administers medications as needed. If a child requires more urgent care, AVOH has contracted a clinic in nearby Lusaka to tend to the children. If the situation is beyond the abilities of clinic, AVOH enlists the services available at one of the hospitals in Lusaka.
The children are also taught basic hygiene, especially hand washing, bathing, the importance of water to our bodies, and HIV/AIDS education.
With many families torn apart by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the children in Zambia have been orphaned by one or both parents. When the family loses one parent, often times the surviving parent can no longer afford to send their children to school. Therefore, the child is often forced to drop out of school to help find some way to help provide food for the rest of the family. Without an education, the children will never be able to break this cycle of poverty. Nevertheless, through AVOH, you bring HOPE to the hopeless by sharing God’s love and the HOPE brought through His Son Jesus Christ. You bring HOPE of breaking the cycle of poverty by continuing the children’s education through high school. You bring HOPE to your sponsored child through your sponsorship alone, as it speaks volumes of encouragement, and is a demonstration of God’s love even though you are thousands of miles away. Your sponsored child covets your prayers, letters, and photos and their faces light up when they know there is someone out there to help them stay strong in God’s HOPE.
We understand your desire to send packages to your sponsored child, however, we have a policy not to allow separate packages for the following reasons:
-
Complexity of international postal regulations
-
Slow delivery
-
Possibility of loss, theft, or damage
-
Possibility of tension among the children if one child receives more gifts than another child
You will have several opportunities throughout the year to provide a special package for your child. African Vision of Hope will send you information regarding how to send your sponsored child a special gift, so all children will receive the same gift at the same time.
The length of sponsorship will be different for each child dependent on a number of factors: child’s age, family circumstances, health of a child, progress of a child, and so on. Please understand that a sponsored child’s circumstances may change too. For example, sometimes families move beyond the reach of our program. We will inform you as quickly as possible if any such circumstances affect the child you sponsor, and will offer you the opportunity to support another child in need of your help.
You will be sent a yearly progress report of your sponsored child. You will also receive an updated photograph and particular information once a year.
|
