September at YADA reminds me of a Christmas morning in the first world. Children walk in with trepidation, scouring the room, eyes full of questions, not sure whether to smile or not. Whispering to each other on the mat, ‘do you think we are going back?”, “have we got new bags?”, “do you see any shoes”? This is the day they find out if they will return to school, have they done well enough, have they been re sponsored? We talk first with the parents and children reminding the parents how important school is and what a difference its going to make to the future of their children. We plead with them as desperate as you may get please don’t send them to dig in the dump for food or send them on the streets to beg. 80% of them are getting it and encourage their kids education. Partnering with the parents is as important to us as working with the children.
We ask the children “Ni nde yifuza kuja kw’ishure?”(who wants to go to school), their arms fly up before I can finish the sentence. We begin to carry in the bags, shoes, uniforms, books and there it is, that Christmas morning experience…..screaming, laughing, jumping up and down. As we call out each name they cheer for each other and look at their parents proudly. This signals hope for them, hope of a future.
We have 61 children in our tuition program and 15 in pre school. That’s 76 children having access to education! So thankful.
Please do keep praying for these children and families. Also for YADA team as we seek to see Gods kingdom come and HIS will be done in this community and this country.
Thank you for your support!