Our psychosocial support (PSS) team works every day on the front lines, supporting the orphans and vulnerable children in our program. Their work is to bring counselling, medical help, and hope. Recently, our team has met several children who are facing severe challenges, not from strangers, but within their own homes.

We ask you to read their stories and join us in prayer and support.

The Fight for a Future

For many of the children we serve, just getting to school is a daily battle.

Our counsellors recently supported one young boy who was forced to drop out. His uniform was destroyed, and his mother refused to provide him with books. Worse, he lives with a chronic illness and was being blocked from attending his regular hospital appointments to get his life-saving medicine. He was facing constant verbal abuse at home, being told he was “hopeless” and “would be of no use.”

Our team was able to intervene. We immediately had his health checked (including a viral load test) and got his medications refilled. We are so proud of him for promising to restart his schooling and take his medicine properly.

We found another young girl in a similar situation. She also had to drop out of school. When her mother drinks, she refuses to give her daughter food, medicine, or the chance to read. She was told that “studying is of no use.” For her own safety, this brave girl has decided to move in with her grandmother and has agreed to restart school in a new village.

Health, Hope, and a Simple Meal

The challenges are often complex. One child our team found was suffering from painful headaches and stomach aches. We learned she was taking strong medicine without any food or even porridge. It was a clear sign of food insecurity at home. Our team advised her and referred her to the hospital for screening, but this shows how poverty and health are deeply linked. A child cannot heal, or study, on an empty stomach.

Our Plan and How You Can Help

Our team is not giving up. Our counsellor and a peer leader have scheduled a difficult home visit to speak with the mothers of the first two children. This is a brave and necessary step to try and change the home environment.

These stories are hard to read, but the children are showing amazing courage. They want to be healthy. They want to be in school. They just need our help to get there.

We cannot do this work alone. We ask you to partner with us in two important ways:

1. Pray With Us

Please pray for this work.

• Pray for our counsellors and peer leaders. Ask for wisdom, courage, and safety as they conduct the home visits.
• Pray for the children. Pray for their protection, health, and for their hope to be restored.
• Pray for the mothers and caregivers. Pray for a change of heart, for freedom from addiction, and for them to see the incredible value of their children.

2. Give Your Financial Support

These interventions have real costs. Your financial gift can directly address the challenges these children face. Your support can provide:

• New school uniforms and books to replace the ones that are lost or destroyed.
• Emergency medical funds for hospital visits, check-ups, and screenings.
• Nutritional support, like porridge, so children can take their medicine safely.
• Transport costs for our counsellors to conduct home visits and oversee children’s hospital visits.

Our Plan and How You Can Help

Our team is not giving up. Our counsellor and a peer leader have scheduled a difficult home visit to speak with the mothers of the first two children. This is a brave and necessary step to try and change the home environment.

These stories are hard to read, but the children are showing amazing courage. They want to be healthy. They want to be in school. They just need our help to get there.

We cannot do this work alone. We ask you to partner with us in these three important ways:

1. Pray With Us

Please pray for this work.

• Pray for our counsellors and peer leaders. Ask for wisdom, courage, and safety as they conduct the home visits.
• Pray for the children. Pray for their protection, health, and for their hope to be restored.
• Pray for the mothers and caregivers. Pray for a change of heart, for freedom from addiction, and for them to see the incredible value of their children.

2. Give Your Financial Support

These interventions have real costs. Your financial gift can directly address the challenges these children face. Your support can provide:

• New school uniforms and books to replace the ones that are lost or destroyed.
• Emergency medical funds for hospital visits, check-ups, and screenings.
• Nutritional support, like porridge, so children can take their medicine safely.
• Transport costs for our counsellors to conduct home visits and oversee children’s hospital visits.

3. Share This Story

Another powerful way to help is to raise awareness. Please like, comment, and share this article on your social media. Reposting this helps us reach new people who may be able to support our work. Your voice can help us find more partners to join our cause.