Back to School in a Changing World
The start of the school year in 2020 looked very different. Instead of new backpacks and clothes, the focus shifted to virtual learning, engagement, and safe social interaction. Yet no matter the format, education remains critically important for the well-being and future of our children.
15 Million Children Will Never Attend School
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 61 million children will never achieve even a primary education. Of those, 15 million will never attend school at all. Girls are almost twice as likely as boys to be excluded. Without education, these children face severely limited opportunities.
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” – Proverbs 19:17
Education That Transforms Communities
ICF is committed to making sustainable improvements through education at all our missions. This includes primary and secondary schooling, as well as technical and job training for adults.
In Kibera, Kenya—the world’s largest slum—Pastor Sila founded the Open Gate of Hope School. With sheet-metal classrooms, the school provides not just education, but also feeding programs. For children here, education is a lifeline out of poverty. 
In Togo, Pastor Geoffrey began by drilling a well for water, then building fishponds for food, and finally constructing classrooms—simple thatched huts where children now receive their first education.
Beyond children’s schooling, ICF also supports adult vocational training in sewing, tailoring, and leather-crafts. A single sewing machine in the hands of a trained, motivated person becomes both a livelihood and a way to support their family.
Regular giving allows us to support these educational programs and promote sustainable improvements in the lives of desperately poor children and their families. We call these donors Hope Ambassadors.
Please know that every gift—large or small—is an answer to prayer and an investment in a child’s life.
Thank you and God Bless,
Dr. David Bruenning
Founder / Int’l Director