About the good and not so good on our most recent home visit day ~ Guest blog by CEF's Ms Kim Chi

Last Sunday we visited children and families to conduct our end of year assessments. There were positive changes with better health, higher living standards and some families who have been able to pay back some or all of their debt while bad luck seems to foll...ow some of the families around with failed crops, diseased animals and sickness among family members which keeps them living below the poverty line. What upset me most was when children were left with grandparents who are in poor health and unable to make ends meet.

Sisters of our children have dropped out of school, getting married and having a lot of children they can’t afford which they then have to leave with grandparents so they can go to work far away. They are often the same age as my daughter. I don’t know how the children feel when they have to live apart from their parents but being a mother, I couldn’t stand to leave my daughter. I feel so sorry for the children since they don’t receive enough love and care from their parents which they are obviously worthy of.

I hope the children in our education programs can stay in school for as long as possible. We always encourage them to go through high school and get into university if possible as we know the better educated they are, the less likely they will be to follow in their sister’s footsteps.

(The three young children in this photo have been left with elderly and ill grandparents. There is a toddler as well. Granny has liver cancer and the CEF student in this family has to spend some of her valuable study time to look after them each day which is affecting her school results).

Chances for Children International supporting CEF

We are very blessed to have Chances for Children International providing some greatly appreciated support to CEF. Ten children have been able to continue their education over the last year, and due to their continued support these children have help for this year too.

 One of the children we were especially thrilled to be able to support with their funds is T, as she has had a tragic life. University was her goal for some years and had kept her going through a long period of depression.

Their family is large and very poor, their home unfinished and almost empty. Dad has poor health and the only work he can manage is to support mum, who also has poor health, with selling fruit, corn and sweet potatoes at the market.

One of their many children was exceptionally bright and was placed in top classes by the school, requested to do advanced tuition and was put into many school, district and provincial competitions. Although the schools cover some of the costs related to the travel they don't cover all and they don't give the tuition free. Their family couldn't afford such costs and it all became too much and she committed suicide at home.

The family were devastated and shocked, and fell into depression, with this student I am referring to being affected the most. Once she was sponsored she was thrilled and smiled whenever we saw her, as she knew her dream of a university education was possible and she could get out of the poverty that she had known all her life.

So as you can imagine, we at CEF can't express our gratitude sufficiently to Chances for Children for making it possible to give such important support.