We want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who gave to our Christmas Gift Catalogue last year! Together, we raised over $250,000 for programs around the world. These gifts helped families escaping war, brought clean water to children and helped women and men earn a living.
All year long we’ve worked hard to distribute your gifts. Now, we want to share some of the stories made possible thanks to your Christmas giving!
Our top gift for the last two years in a row has been Food for Kids.
In Zimbabwe, we’ve been working for the last 14 years to feed children in schools. Working in 86 schools in the Tsholotsho region of Zimbabwe, we fed 41,600 primary school students lunch, 5 days a week, for the whole year! This was made possible, in part, through the gift in our Christmas Catalogue!
Not only have we been feeding so many students, we also gave extra nutrition to children under 5 and to kids between 13-17 who live with HIV/AIDS. Together, we made a huge impact on these vulnerable kids!
Now, the program will be passed into local hands! A factory is being built in Tsholotsho to produce the nutritious cereal these kids have been eating. This will reduce shipping costs, increase jobs in the area and keep children fed for many years to come!
Thank you for giving last Christmas to Food for Kids!
My name is Grandmother Mabizela, and I am over 70 years old. I care for my two grandchildren. Two years ago, their mother suffered a terrible accident when she fell into a fire and sustained severe burns. She has been unable to care for her children since.
The feeding program in Zimbabwe has been a tremendous blessing for us. It has provided my grandchildren with the nutrition they need to grow and thrive. Without this support, I would struggle to provide them with regular meals. The burden of caregiving at my age is heavy but knowing that my grandchildren are well-fed brings me great relief and peace of mind.
The feeding program has not only helped to nourish their bodies but has also brought stability and hope to our family. I am deeply grateful for the assistance we have received. It has made a significant difference in our lives during these challenging times.
With heartfelt thanks,
Grandmother Mabizela (pictured in the green sweater)
Mosillia lives in Zimbabwe with her three children and two grandchildren. She had many challenges throughout her life as a single mother. She always survived but now she is thriving.
Thanks to your Christmas gifts, we brought Mosillia baby chicks and supported her with training. Her chickens began laying an average of 26 eggs each per week, and now she is hatching new chicks! Selling her chickens brings income to her family. Her children now have eggs for breakfast, which is a rare treat in their community!
Thanks to the program she’s been able to buy books for her grandchildren for school. She bought a new thatched roof and put in a new cement floor in her kitchen, increasing the sanitation and safety of her home.
Her flock has grown from seven to sixty chickens, and the number is getting bigger all the time.
Thank you for empowering Mosillia to change her life and build a better future for her family!
Josepine lives in a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She and her 6 children found safety at the camp after escaping violence in their village. The nearest school to the refugee camp is too far away for the children to walk on an empty stomach. They each had to drop out of school.
Your Christmas giving brought emergency food packs, trauma counselling and education to Josepine and her children!
When we met Josepine’s family they were starving. Josepine says, “God sent you to save our lives. My family is in good health and we have now forgotten the famine.”
Thank you so much for providing food for families living in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Your Christmas gifts last year are saving lives, like Josepine’s!
Food and clean water are life to a family. In Yemen, food is a constant source of concern as high food costs keep families living in poverty. Many people spend their days trying to find their next meal.
Your Christmas gifts brought a monthly food package to a family in Yemen!
Samir is a teacher with a very small income. He and his wife live far from their nearest water source and Samir’s wife would carry heavy loads of water to their home daily. Eventually, she slipped a disc in her spine, causing an injury. Samir couldn’t afford to get her treatment.
When Samir’s family was brought monthly food packages, he was able to save the money he would normally spend on groceries. He paid for medical treatment for his injured wife and the family purchased two donkeys to carry their daily water.
Thank you for giving Yemen Food Packs to meet daily needs and provide financial freedom to people like Samir!
Thank you, again, for giving to last year’s Christmas Gift Catalogue! Your gifts made a huge difference in the everyday lives of families in need.
This year’s upcoming Christmas Gift Catalogue is full of brand-new gifts that will impact even more people! Thank you for your continuing support, and for giving us the opportunity to help families. You are a gift to us at ERDO and the communities we serve all year long!
