These 5-year-old boys are about to embark on a two-hour walk home from school to the second hill you can see. They make the journey twice per day – that blows my mind!
It’s easy to take school for granted in the West, but for these kids, a decent education is their best hope of escaping the desperate poverty they have grown up in.
This coming week, Burundian kids will be due to return to school en masse for the new year, but not all of them will make it! You see, even though education is apparently free, families still have to pay for school uniform and stationery to learn. Without it, their children will be sent home, and many families simply cannot afford this. It’s common for parents to have to choose between their children, who gets to learn, and who has to stay at home.
I’ll never forget my friend and ministry leader Rachel coming to me in tears, explaining that often it’s kids of those serving God who miss out because they don’t have the money. That is so wrong! And that’s why I am writing to you – could you help us ensure that all of the children of everybody who works for our Partners can to get back to school for this year?
Pretty much all of us had the privilege of attending school and did not need to be concerned about books, stationery or uniforms – what a blessing! I’d love to give you the chance to share that blessing with a Burundian family this year. Could you help us provide £25 to over 800 families?