Lily is a bubbly thirteen-year-old girl from Mlango. The eldest child in a family of eight, she is very protective of her six younger siblings and her mother, who works hard doing odd jobs to provide for them all. Money is tight, and school was only a dream…until someone like you made it possible.
Because of your support, Lily received a scholarship to attend Open Arms Academy - including daily breakfast and lunch. Before her scholarship, there was never a guarantee that Lily or her siblings would get food to eat each day. When asked about life before she was in school, Lily said:
“Being hungry does something to you. Being hungry for a day is not the same as being hungry and not knowing what you will eat tomorrow, or the day after that. Even if someone gives you some food today, you think, what will happen tomorrow? Living like this can take away all your hope, and that is the worst feeling anyone can have.”
No child should go hungry or fear that any meal could be their last. Providing food for each student takes some strain off their family and equips them to engage in a day of focused learning at school.
Lily said, “I thank God that education has given me hope. I know that I am armed with something that can improve my life and the life of my family. I feel very fortunate to go to school and get an education. My life is not perfect, and my family still struggles to make ends meet. I know I must work hard, and I know that there are people who have gone to school who struggle to find work. However, being at school gives me something I have been struggling to believe in – HOPE.”
Lily is one of 93 children from the local community who attend Open Arms Academy. Because of you, all these children have the chance for a different future! They won’t go hungry, their families won’t have to go without to feed them, and they are receiving an amazing education that opens the door to a brighter future. But none of this can happen without your generosity. If Lily's story touched your heart, and you feel called to give a donation or become a monthly Champion of Hope, you can give a gift today. Thank you!