Pauline Sheds Light

Meet Doreen

Love is patient

Since the beginning of the school term in January I’ve noticed monumental change in the girls’ study habits and excitement for school. Yesterday I was chatting with them and asked if they could describe what caused the great change.

Juliet shared with me that the reality of hope is responsible for the transformation. She explained that over the course of their first year at the Total Impact House, she and the other girls spent a lot of time thinking about the past and had a difficult time believing that there was any real hope for their future.

Now, she told me, they know that God has a plan for them. They have experienced love and support and encouragement and know that there are people all over the world who believe in them and want them to succeed. They believe that they will have lives full of meaning and won’t ever have to go back to the way life was before.

Juliet and the others are now giving school their all. Some have even been chosen for leadership positions in their classes. To me, this story is a lesson on love. Love must be patient. We can’t expect change to happen over night, but must understand that change takes time, and a great amount of love.

Our First Graduate

Today was a monumental day in Purse of Hope history. Eva, one of Purse of Hope’s very first girls, received the results of her Senior 6 exams. This exam is taken at the end of a student’s high school year and the results determine whether or not a student will attend University and which area of study they’ll receive.

Though she finished almost 5 months ago, Eva has been waiting anxiously to hear the news that will set the course of her future. The results are in (drum roll please…) And she passed!!!! With tears in her eyes and wild excitement, Eva sobbed that years ago, she had no hope of ever completing Secondary School, and absolutely no clue that she would ever attend University. She never dreamed such a thing could happen to her. Now, her dream has come true and Eva has a bright future ahead of her.

We’re so proud of our first daughter to graduate Senior 6. She is now a role model for the other girls to look up to. Eva shared with us, “Now I can encourage the other girls to work even harder than I did. If I can pass, all of the Purse of Hope girls can. We all have a bright future.”

Congratulations Eva!

Life Skills Training

Last week Purse of Hope introduced "Life Skills Training" to our list of programs in Bwaise. This awesome new initiative is taught to drop-in center beneficiaries by our trained staff.

The girls are learning valuable life skills that will help them continue to lead healthy lives after graduating from the drop-in center courses.

We're excited to watch this program develop and will keep you updated on all the great things these girls are learning.