Celebrating Mothers Around the Globe
For all Mothers, we wish you a Happy Mother’s Day. We celebrate you and thank you for all that you do to care for your family.Â
In rural Africa, the care that a Mother provides to her children is often at the expense of their own. When there is not enough food, the children eat, and Mothers often go hungry. When there is a shortage of medication, Mothers often go without. There are countless examples of the extraordinary challenges faced by Mothers in rural Africa, the following are two of their stories.
Kadama Narrates lives in Kayinogoga Village in Jinja, Uganda. She was married at the tender age of 15, not for love but because she had no other option. Her family did not have the money to pay for school and there was no future for her without even a rudimentary education. She and her husband had 5 children and then her husband abandoned her and her children. All alone, Kadama was left to try to support, feed, and care for Rema, Ida, Siraji, Yunussu, and Fatti. Each of the children suffers from Sickle Cell Anemia and as such are highly susceptible to any infections. Last year, Yunussa (6) fell sick due to infection, was malnourished, and ultimately starved to death. This is something that no child or mother should be forced to endure.
No Mother should watch her child starve to death.
Pastor Kasharu recently met Kadama and has been providing food and medication for her remaining children. Although it was too late for little Yunussa, it is not for his siblings.
Felecia lives in Liberia not far from our My Brother’s Keeper Orphanage (MBK). She was married at an early age, not for love but because she had no other options. She had 7 children with her husband before he abandoned her and their children. Felecia works hard to make some meager money and cares for her children. This includes tasks that we don’t normally think about. Tasks like fetching water, cutting firewood, washing clothes in the stream, and even building a house. Yes, while working and caring for 7 children, Felecia built a mud house to provide a place for her family to live.
There is no task too big for a Mother caring for her children.
Pastor Gelego at MBK recently met Felecia and now regularly provides food and clothing to Felecia and her children along with countless other struggling families in the area.
Update on Girls College
Kadama and Felecia married very young, not for love but because they had no other options. ICF is working with our local missions to create better options for young women in rural Africa by providing access to free or subsidized education. One of our largest projects is the construction of a Girls college in Monrovia, Liberia which will provide free or subsidized education and training for young women in programs ranging from nursing to computer science to business administration. Please visit our website for regular project updates on this exciting project which will change the lives of tens of thousands of young women in Liberia.
Together We Make A World of Difference
Regular giving helps us support struggling mothers and their children along with countless other programs promoting sustainable improvements in the lives of desperately poor children and their families. We call these donors Hope Ambassadors because they help ICF to provide hope to those who truly face life and death needs in Africa and India.
Every gift, no matter how large or small, is an answer to our prayers and an investment in the life of a child. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. Â
Thank you and God Bless, Dr. David Bruenning Founder/Int’l Director
Fund the forces helping meet the needs.