World Orphans’ Day
The sun had just squeezed between the hills of Ngara when a little smile in the bushes was discovered. A little human had been left in a nest of nettles and thorns and sorrow. Fighting for life with soft kicks and fists. The smallest thing in the universe, with eyes as big as hope itself, reflecting the sunlight bouncing off of the Angels Orphanage.
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The Angels Orphanage was good to the little human. They fed her, clothed her, sheltered her. She always enjoyed visiting her non-human housemates. They made her feel at peace, their soft eyes staring into her soul, reaching her heart, and rocking it to a steady beat. And yet, as she grew up, she felt lonely. She was scared of the dark. Scared of being abandoned. The question of why she was left in the bushes that day bullied her brain for years and she felt she wasn’t worthy of anything. One day, she got the chance to go to school, and a sweet angel descended from the skies and kissed her forehead, filling her brain with knowledge and hope. This made her happy and strong.
The little human became a young adult as the age of 18 was creeping up on her. She was going to be asked to leave the orphanage to leave space for another little human. Where would she go? What would she do? She lost all hope again. But then, the angel who had visited her years before came back and blessed her with the same kindness, and she was able to go to university and earn a living and get the happiness all humans, little or big, deserve.
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This fictional story is based on real facts. ACT is lucky to have the wonderful Angels Orphanage as a partner. This orphanage feels like home rather than an institution, like so many others. Thus, not all orphans have a positive experience: many are emotionally scarred for life by the trauma of losing a parent, the feeling of abandonment, loneliness, PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition caused by a traumatic experience) and so on. Some get adopted and are not all treated well; others never get adopted and are asked to leave the orphanage aged 18. They must fend for themselves as adults, and, often uneducated, have low paying jobs or join gangs or illegal businesses to survive.
ACT believes that by giving an education to these children, they have a chance to have a happy and fulfilling future. They get a chance to gain knowledge and develop their creativity. They get the chance to be children.
ACT is for children otherwise forgotten
Jephthah is one of the children that life has dealt an early blow. He is now 3 months old and was just 8 weeks when he lost his mother, who also was an orphan supported by ACT.
Jephthah’s life does not have to be a tragedy, with your help and support his life can be turned around for good. Read his story and help us to ensure his future is full of learning, help us to ensure his future is full of learning, laughter, and love by donating to the ACT Jephthah Fund here.