“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
– Nelson Mandela –
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Siméon’s Story
There once was a boy named Siméon whose only wish was to be wise. He lived with his mother and siblings in Burkina Faso, a land of colours and dreams. Siméon did not want much in life, but he had his eyes on a beautiful priceless thing, a thing more precious than gold: Education. He had just finished primary school and his mother could not afford to pay for more years of learning. His sisters had their eyes on the very same thing when they finished primary school, but their mother could not afford it for them either. You see, Siméon’s father passed away when the boy was 6 years old, and his mother became a widow. Widows do not get much help in the land of Burkina Faso, and she did not have education herself, so she had to support her family on farming. But the wonderful land of colours and dreams grew to grey and despair as the weather turned bad and killed all the crops. Thus, Siméon’s mother could only afford enough to ensure the survival of her children, but not education, so the boy knew his journey to wisdom would end there.
He would dream every night on what he would do if he were wise: he would make sure nobody would have to be rich to get education. But he would wake up every morning and sigh because his dream had not come true.
But one day, he was told that he would be able to get education for free. He did not know who this gift was from, but he was pleased.
Another day, his village received some very special guests: Kunle and Constantin, directors of a charity named the African Child Trust. Siméon was captivated by their stories. Kunle also gave the boy a New Testament, and the boy read words he would never forget:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right
paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, [a] I will
fear no evil, for you are with me. your rod and your staff, they comfort me”.
– Psalm 23: 1-4 NIV –
The last gift Siméon received before Kunle and Constantin left was the knowledge that they were responsible for him getting the greatest of them all: Education. This was a gift that was paid for by many faceless strangers that the young man has been grateful for ever since.
And so, Siméon got an Education, and used it every day, and has been using it every day since, and he grew up to be the wisest of all people.
He decided to go to the USA as he thought there would be more opportunities to use his education. When he arrived, he noticed that the streets were wider, the buildings were higher, and the possibilities were endless. Today, he is studying Accounting. He has his eyes on a new gift he would like, not for himself, but for his country and the entire world: Peace, Love, and Wisdom.
He is also part of a group of people who were, like him, gifted education by the doctors and thousands of faceless strangers. They are called the ACT Alumni. They all decided to turn around and gift Education to other children in their community in the hope that they could have a bright future like them. Siméon’s hope is that ACT will spread to all the countries of the world so everyone can be as lucky as he is.
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness”.
– Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV –
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Siméon told his story at the ACT Biennial Event 2020. Watch it here.
ACT is for the children otherwise forgotten
Every morning, countless disadvantaged children and orphans living in Africa living in poverty wake up and realise that their dreams are just fantasy. Like Siméon you can help to make their dreams a reality by sponsoring a child with ACT for £15 a month or make a donation to help the disadvantaged children by donating here today.