By Cherry | Project Coordinator
New Hope Centre has become more than just an orphanage. It is a home for 50 extraordinary children who are making a difference in Swaziland. Your donations go toward the infrastructure of making it all possible: education, training, enrichment, clothing, caretaking, food and housing. But those serve as a secure foundation from which the leaders of our country are being formed. It is our desire to begin that leadership skill at a very young age. For that reason, we take even the youngest children out into the countryside to meet with other orphans who do not have the advantages our kids do.
Recently, on one of our forays we came across a heartbreaking family of six children. Their father died and their mother was overwhelmed with responsibility and left them to move away with a man who offered to take care of her. The children were left to fend for themselves in a falling-down mud structure with no running water and no way to provide food or clothing. Our children knew that many of them had come from the same circumstances and their hearts were touched. They took their own birthday and Christmas money and used it to buy clothing for the children. They shared food with them and have been giving them hope and encouragement.
In another activity to help develop our children’s’ leadership skills we helped them to train and prepare for this year’s All Africa student Convention held at Bloemfontein University. Fourteen students entered the competitions in the areas of drama, speech, music (both instrumental and vocal), chess, checkers, art and science projects as well as dress making (formal attire). They all did very well, earning honors in several categories. Three of the girls qualified to go to USA for the International Student Convention in Atlanta Georgia to compete with students from all over the world. These three are the first Swazi's ever to be nominated to attend and we are so proud of their accomplishment.
We hope these insights into the activities of the children of New Hope Centre will also give you pride since you are the ones making it all possible. We are humbled and grateful that we are just about to go over the $100,000 mark with your donations. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support and wish you a bright and hopeful New Year.
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