In the communities where we serve, many families live in extreme poverty, with high population density and widespread unemployment. Putting food on the table is a daily struggle, and government-required school fees and uniforms often put education out of reach. Many of the parents we meet are single mothers, working tirelessly to provide for their children.
We support families in multiple ways, thanks to the generosity of donors. Sometimes that means helping cover school fees so children can attend class. Other times it means helping parents start small businesses, providing a sustainable source of income to care for their families. We also step in when urgent medical needs arise, or when families face emergencies like floods that destroy their homes and belongings.
One example brings this all to life. A sister and her younger brother came to our program for children who were not in school. The sister was clearly older than the other students, yet she already had strong reading skills and a quiet determination to learn. Her family couldn’t afford school fees, and their home had recently been wiped out by a flood. Their mother, a single parent, had no work.
With the support of generous donors, we were able to enroll the children in school, covering fees and uniforms. Today, the sister is thriving in her appropriate grade and participates in the worship team, while her brother has made new friends and enjoys playing soccer. Donor support also helped the family move to a new home, replace lost household items, and support the mother in starting a small business selling charcoal. When medical needs arose, donor generosity made it possible to provide care and coverage.
Stories like this are not unique—they reflect the experiences of many families we walk alongside. Whether it’s helping children attend school, supporting a parent to start a business, or covering urgent medical needs, all of this is possible because donors step in to show up for families living in communities of extreme poverty. This is what “going near” looks like—close, personal, and made possible by people who care.
