Giving in ACTion

Last year we did a series at Church called ‘Run The World’ which was all about empowering women. As a Church we heard African Child Trust Director Kunle Onabolu talk about the issues facing women in Africa, specifically needy widows and their daughters as well as orphans.

We knew we had to take ACTion and we decided to sponsor two girls. It is with great pleasure for me to introduce Josephine & Maryirene who are both Tanzania…

[Josephine is on the left and Maryirene the right…]

Both of the girls live in the Kagera region, which is one of Tanzania’s 30 administrative regions. Kagera is the worst effected region of the HIV/AIDs virus in Tanzania. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world, yet also one of the most beautiful because of its natural wildlife and landscape. The economy is mainly subsistence agriculture and the vast majority of the population are small peasant farmers. The country has very few industries. The per capita income is about $210 and life expectancy is below 50.

Josephine is a delightful 7 year old girl who lives in Ruziba a small village in the Kagera region of Tanzania. Her father died due to liver failure just last year. Josephine has one brother who is five years old. They both live with their mother who farms to try and provide for her children. Josephine attends Ruziba Primary School and is now in Class 2.

Maryirene is a 11 year old girl who also lives in Ruziba. Maryirene‘s father died in 2010 from TB. Maryirene has an older brother who is fourteen years old, they both live with their grandmother who sells Bananas and does other forms of casual labour to try to make ends meet. They are very poor.

Maryirene attends Ruziba Primary School and is now in Class 5 and her performance at school is very good. While at school she enjoys reading and writing. She helps her grandmother by fetching water and helping to farm.

Sponsorship from ACT is making a great difference to both Maryirene and Josephine, as well as both their families.

As a Church we have paid for this years sponsorship, your giving to CityHill has made this possible. It is essential that we do not just give money but make sure we pray for them both. When we looked at Esther as part of the series, we saw that God used an orphan girl to change a nation. Who is to say God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever will not do the same through Josephine and Maryirene. We MUST pray for them!