Dear Supporter,
We are reaching out to ask for your support for this year’s annual Hope for Orphans – Congo Walkathon. This year’s theme is “Walking for Education.”
Right now, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 328 children are attending school because of the donations of generous sponsors here in Canada. These kids would normally be barred from receiving an education because they and any surviving family they may have can’t afford the $12.50 per month it costs to pay their school tuition. They can’t afford the $20 a year for school supplies, $20 a year for school uniforms, or the $10 it would cost to buy themselves a pair of shoes. Amounts that seem trivial to us add up to an insurmountable obstacle for orphans in a country where the average yearly salary even for an adult is only $500-1000.
To understand why we here at Hope for Orphans - Congo are so passionate about our mission, look no further than the story of Serge Kambale. We began sponsoring Serge’s education when he was in secondary school (2014), then continued to support his university education as he pursued a degree in computer science which he finishes this year! The charity has also assisted him and his brothers in launching their own small business. They are currently self-sustaining for their basis needs, and Serge is now fostering a young man who is also an orphan. Change is gaining momentum for the next generation! You can read more about Serge’s story in his own words and see his picture attached to this e-mail. He is the second from the right, with the young man he now fosters standing beside him at the far right.
“Walking for Education!” We hope you will consider joining with us again this year through our annual Walkathon to enable us to continue to support the hundreds of orphans we currently sponsor in Congo. This is an important source of our annual funding, and we would truly appreciate your continued support, whether through participation or donation!
We have set an ambitious goal for this year’s walkathon: $25,000! Of this, $20,000 will fund children’s education and $5,000 will provide food to feed the displaced people in the IDP (internally displaced persons) camps in Congo. The $20,000 will cover the total education costs for 100 children, which is only 1/3 of the 328 children that the charity helped last year. We have 3 main fundraisers during the course of the school year, and if we exceed the goal set for the walkathon it will help ease the needs during the remainder of the year!
Note: We also have 6 orphans in university or trade school, with their school fees being covered through interest earned from the Perpetual Fund that some have donated to over the last 4 years.
“I want to walk!”
If you would like to participate as a walker in the Walkathon please contact us by replying to this e-mail. We will then send you a sheet for pledges as well as a short e-mail you can send out to people you would like to request to sponsor you.
As we said at the beginning, the Walkathon will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2023 starting at 10:00 from 162 Goldridge Drive, Kanata, and ending at the same location with a BBQ! (Maps will be provided.)
“I want to donate!”
If you would like to support our walkers in this cause, donations for the Walkathon can be made in three ways:
By credit cards or PayPal, please use the Canada Helps site at: canadahelps.org/en/charities/hope-for-orphans-congo/
By mailing a cheque to: Hope for Orphans-Congo 162 Goldridge Drive Kanata, Ontario K2T1J6
By emailing an E-transfer to: [email protected]
Students in Minova, DRC
Murhala Mudaka school- near Bukavu, DRC
Wema Nabinjo school - Nyantende, DRC