At Open Arms, sustainability is help that creates forward movement. It's a hand up, not a handout.
Here's what that looks like for Mama Mercy:
Because of your generous support, Mama Mercy is able to send her children Open Arms Academy. But that support isn't just opening a classroom door for her children - it's changing the trajectory of her entire family.
Mama Mercy had her first baby when she was only 13 years old. She had to drop out of school before finishing eighth grade.
Life was tough, and her family struggled to make ends meet. Wherever she looked for work, she was turned away because of her lack of education.
Then her daughter received a sponsorship at Open Arms Academy. Mama Mercy was ecstatic! At that moment, she resolved to set an example for her children.
First, she went back to school and finished eighth grade. Then she went to high school and excelled in her final exams.
Mama Mercy now walks into her job at a mobile banking company every day with new-found confidence, knowing that she's setting an example for her daughter, now a thriving seventh grader at Open Arms Academy.
Mama Mercy told us, "[Open Arms] helped me by educating my child, and I decided that I would show my gratitude by working hard to improve my life. We cannot just sit back and receive help. We also need to work hard to improve. It is thanks to you that I am who I am today."
For Mama Mercy and many others, their encounter with Open Arms is the first step towards a brighter future. They use the opportunity as a catalyst for change...and that kind of change is truly sustainable.
This is what your dollars do! By giving today, you spark hope and change for people like Mama Mercy and her family. They work hard to sustain that change and spread it to others in their community.