A 2008-2009 Progress Report on Oggie!It has been an honor that I’ve had the chance to be a part of World Vision’s sponsorship program over the past year and a half. On December 25, 2007, I became a sponsor of a seven year old boy named Oggie Kayivwa. This young boy is now nine years old and has a much better chance of survival, due to the efforts of World Vision and it's sponsors. 
Recently, after clearing a pile of scrap sheetrock pieces, and taking them and the trash to the end of the road for pickup I checked my mail. I was elated to find out I had received a 2008-2009 progress report on my sponsored child Oggie, from Zambia. This year Oggie is in the first Grade. His favorite sport is football, and his best hobby is chopping wood. It was interesting to learn that Oggie’s favorite color is red and that his best friend is Benady Kalmba.
The sponsorship of Oggie was a Christmas gift to myself. I’ve always had a strong desire to help others, to please God, and to bring hope to others through poetry and through various ways unrelated to written verse. I have to say that the gift of sponsorship has been one that is helping me achieve just this, and is impacting me in multiple ways. Sponsorship is a way for me to please God and it is and continues to be nourishment to my soul. World Vision has given me an outlet by which I can help others through something other than words. I am humbled to witness how small efforts can and are improving the lives and well being of others who are less fortunate than we here in America. Numerous children like Oggie cannot read, so poetry really isn’t an effective way of bringing hope to their world. However, by monthly donations, Oggie and his fellow Zambians have a chance of education and health. Education has been a concentration of World Vision’s for years. Oggie’s progress report revealed that the ADP has this year constructed a dormitory for the boys at Jiwundu High School, and that A 1X2 classroom block was constructed at Musanda School where before children used to learn from make shift structures. There are many other projects underway. World Vision’s efforts are aimed at improving the environment in which children in the community learn from, so as to increase enrolment levels for their schools. World Vision continues working to help more children have access to basic education. Clean water has been one of the most critical areas where Oggie’s community has been affected. Oggie’s progress report stated that in an effort to address this problem the ADP has drilled eighty boreholes to provide safe and clean drinking water to more than fifteen thousand Musele community members. Before these boreholes were drilled many Zambians would drink from mud holes. These holes were often miles away from the villages and would often cause diarrhea and diseases. Not only is education and clean water areas of focus for World Vision, but also is the fight of malnutrition. Oggie’s progress report revealed that the ADP has introduced smallholder dairy and fish farming. The dairy is one of the exciting activities which saw ten female farmers and three extension workers get specialized training in smallholder dairy management. These women will oversee a project which is expected to be rolled to women groups in order to empower more households in the community. It brings joy to know that Oggie and his community are progressing, and that World Vision is faithfully doing their part to help so many children like him. The photo and drawing you see is new from Oggie. Every time I look at these I’m reminded of how much God loves everyone, how his love yearns to shine through each of us, and what his endless love does when we all join together with Him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . An original drawing by Oggie is below
|
