Over the last year we have been able to send 7 children to school through supporters like you. First there is a little girl living in my neighborhood who is the youngest of 3 children still in the home. The father is no longer a part of the family and does not help with support. Her mother takes odd jobs in the neighborhood to earn enough each day to pay for food for her and the children. Sydonie has been helped for the past 3 years. She is 7 years old and in the 1st grade. She was held back to improve to level last year. She is completely supported with school fees, books, backpack, clothes, shoes etc.
The next child is a little boy who lives outside the city in the country. He too is 7 years old. He is deft and mute. Because of his handicap he hasn't been able to attend school. One of my office workers knew of his need and a school in Antsirabe for deft children. Because it is a 4 hour drive from Tana he needed to live on the property. With help of supporters we were able to help him get the necessary clothes, soap, toothbrush and past, his own bowl and silverware. He need to get all his supplies to live there. We aslo paid the tuition for the school year for him.
While on the road with two friends going to the rain forest we saw some lovely looking plumbs and decided to stop at this stand (in the middle of many stands) to buy some plumbs and when we stopped the mother came up to us and said I am the mom of Heriniana. She ran to get him and explained he was home for Christmas holiday and would return to school the next Monday. She was very excited because the child was now communicating with her. She was very thankful for the change in him after just a couple of months. (He is the boy in the picture).
Next there was a friend who told me about a single mother that lost her job due to the crisis. She did not have the money to send her son Angelo to school this year. She was very sad and said she was trying to earn money by doing embroidery, but so far this just covered the living expenses. We were able to pay the school fees for this child and his mother provided his school supplies.
The next two started out to be just one, but through God the amount was enough to provide for two children. These children are orphans. Their mother died last year and the children's uncle took them (4 children) into his home because he didn't want them to go to the orphanage. He already had 4 children and with these he now has 8 children. He and his wife both work, but did not have the funds to pay for the 2 children school age to go to school. They planned to send the oldest to a public school, but there was a start up fee even at the public school. We were able to help with the fee for the one child. When the uncle came to work a few days later, he said the amount was enough for both the children to go to school. Praise God.
The last 2 children were referred to me by a friend who went to the north of the island and to teach the teachers new skills. This is when she talked to me about these two children in Nosy Be who's family was hit hard by the crisis and the children could not return to school. We were able to pay the fees and the school found a supporter to help with the supplies.
In total with support from you we donated 733,400 ariary (about $370.00) towards sending children to school. You are great. Without your support and prayers we would not have been able to accomplish this.
Thank You
