#GFA-Supported Children’s Ministry

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How Is GFA World Promoting Girls’ Education?

GFA World is promoting girls’ education through their child sponsorship program. This program helps thousands of girls and boys through community-wide solutions like opportunities for education, medical care, protection against malnutrition, clean water and more.

GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program helped Sumana and her family.1

Sumana is one of the oldest girls in her family of 7 children. In their village, Sumana’s family experienced discrimination because of their ethnicity. So, they moved to the larger city looking for a better life.

In the city, Sumana’s parents began working at a carpet factory, washing, dying and weaving wool in looms. They worked long hours to boost their income, but their earnings were still insufficient. The minimum wage for daily laborers at the factories was $1.60 per day; this is not a livable wage.1 To help her family, Sumana quit school and went to work at the carpet factory with her parents.

Even with Sumana working alongside her parents, their family struggled financially. Sumana’s parents decided to move back to their village and leave Sumana and her younger sister, Sai, behind in the city. Sumana and Sai continued to work in the carpet factory and send money home to their family to help with rent, food, school tuition and other expenses.

This new reality was lonely and difficult for both girls. Sumana shouldered the responsibility of working and taking care of her younger sister. Sumana went to the local school and enrolled her sister; she was determined for Sai to have an education, even if she could not. Sai began attending school, but she struggled to understand the materials and complete her homework because Sumana could not help her.

Sumana shared her situation with a coworker. Sumana’s coworker told her about GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program. Sumana enrolled Sai in the program; GFA World paid for Sai’s school tuition and supplies and offered tutoring to help with her school work. Sai’s grades and excitement for school grew.

Sumana and Sai’s situation is not unique; hundreds of thousands of girls worldwide leave school to work to help their families survive poverty.

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BJU Missionary Unit has 38 Workers in Four Continents

Not only is Bob Jones University called the "World's Most Unusual University," but its call-letters also could stand for "Worldwide Ministry Unto Unevangelized." The embodiment of this aspect of the university's international influence is found in Gospel Fellowship Missions, the foreign mission society whose office and headquarters are on the campus.

GFM is one of the more recent ministries begun by the university. This independent faith mission completed its fifth year of organized missionary activity. It has grown yearly and now has 38 workers in 11 fields scattered around the world in four continents.

Including two fields established this summer in Korea and Mexico, GFM missionaries are to be found in the Far East -- Japan and Korea; South America -- Chile and Brazil; North America -- Barbados, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Hawaii; Northern Europe -- Sweden and West Germany; and the Middle East --  Lebanon.

Administratively, the mission operates separately from the university and is a part of the Gospel Fellowship Association, chartered as a nonprofit organization in 1940. Through the years GFA has sponsored many kinds of evangelistic ministries through literature, radio, newspaper evangelism, films and evangelistic crusades.

A faith mission board like Gospel Fellowship Missions operates differently from a nominational mission society. The faith mission does not manipulate or salary its workers from a central board and treasury. However, it provides a source of counsel and finances for the missionary. The co-ordination of the total field program as well as the direction of personal ministries can be administered only through the board.

The missionary on the field needs a representative with the United States government as well as with the government of the country in which he is laboring. The board maintains the tie of fellowship between the missionaries on the field and the supporting churches in the homeland.

BECKER IS HEAD

The mission office, located in the Administration Building at BJU, is staffed by two full-time employees, Rev. Kenneth D. Becker, the executive secretary, and Mrs. Corban Tabler, office secretary. Board policy and decision is executed by a seven-member executive committee, consisting of executives and deans of the university. This is backed up by a board of trustees composed of 35 Christians around the country, among whom are pastors, evangelists, educators and laymen.

The nerve center of the worldwide work is in the home office. Donations from over 1,200 supporting churches and friends in 47 states and several foreign countries are received by the home office for the missionaries and their ministries. Each donation is acknowledged with a personal letter describing the current news of the missionary supported. At the end of the month, all missionary accounts are totaled and checks mailed around the world.

In order to maintain the personal touch and keep up with the load of correspondence, data processing equipment and a high-speed typewriter are leased. Because of this personal touch, donors are not only sup. porters, but also enthusiasts of the mission and missionaries, as they have frequently noted in correspondence. The mission office staff keeps a steady stream of information flowing to those who support the work through gifts and prayers.

The oldest GFM field is in Japan. Six missionaries there are working in tent evangelism, founding churches, training national pastors, Bible correspondence courses, literature and street evangelism, and children's and youth work.

Gospel Fellowship Mission's most recent field is in Mexico. It was founded by a Mexican national, Jose Lara, in his home area in Central Mexico. His father was one of the earliest converts to Christianity in the whole region, and Mr. Lara had the distinction of being reared in an evangelical home.

There are six national evangelists and as many as 75 little churches -- some having only one or two families -- in the mountains who look to Mr. Lara and his ministry. He intends to establish a Christian trade school, along with the evangelistic effort in the villages, to train the Mexican Christians in skills so that they can support their families and the church.

The precarious international situation was impressed upon the mission by the recent Middle East war. Lebanon was one of the mission's early fields, and the missionary family was on furlough when hostilities broke out. There may be a delay before the ministry will be re-established, and even then it may take a long time to overcome anti-American hostilities and the damage which has befallen many friends and converts of the missionary.

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How Can We Help Educate Girls Globally?

Education is invaluable—it empowers girls and gives them hope, opportunity and confidence. Education also improves women’s careers and income.1 Literate women can run businesses, sign contracts and navigate new jobs rather than toiling for low pay in fields and factories. Girls need to attend and complete school, so there are ongoing efforts to educate girls globally.

A great example of the power of education is Ashima’s story. Young Ashima infrequently attended school; instead, she opted to play with her friends. Like many children in her village: her family lived in poverty, so they often could not afford books or supplies for school.

A GFA-sponsored worker built relationships with adults in Ashima’s village and heard about children like Ashima leaving school because of insufficient finances. After many months, GFA World set up a child sponsorship program in Ashima’s village. Through the program, Ashima received school books and supplies and tutoring. GFA’s support renewed Ashima’s interest in school and dedication to her studies. She later reflected,

“My future ambition is that I want to become a medical doctor.”

“Especially, I want to serve the poor from our society because … once we were very poor, and because we were poor, we were not able to buy so many things. It affected us very badly. And now, because [GFA World] is here, this is helping the poor and needy people like us; I also want to help and serve all the poor children and poor people who are suffering.”2

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How Do We Fight for Girls’ Education?

The fight for girls’ education is ongoing. UNICEF estimates that 129 million girls worldwide are not in school.1 Some girls leave school to work alongside their family, others to become wives and mothers or simply because their families do not have the resources to send them to school. However, education is vital for development and future opportunities.

Education builds confidence in girls and offers them opportunities to learn, grow and hope. If girls can graduate from secondary school, that increases their chances of working jobs with better pay than their parents and even looking for greater opportunities.

Here are a few solutions we provide to help educate girls in Asia and Africa that you can be a part of:

Child sponsorship — For $35/month, you can sponsor a girl in Asia or Africa. Your contribution can help girls, their families and their communities break the cycle of poverty through community-wide solutions, including opportunities for education, medical care, protection against malnutrition, clean water and more. Through these opportunities, girls feel loved, wanted, hopeful, and have the opportunity to experience God’s love firsthand. Learn more about this program here: https://www.gfa.org/sponsorachild/

Literacy classes — GFA missionaries hold free literacy classes for women to teach them reading, writing and basic math skills. In 2018, GFA missionaries taught 61,880 women to read and write.2 Mothers who can read are better able to help their girls succeed in school. See how your contribution can help provide literacy classes to women in Asia: https://www.gfa.org/women/literacy/

Vocational training class — For $75, provide a vocational training class for a woman in Asia to build skills necessary for an occupation like candle making or tailoring. These new skills often allow women to create new income for themselves, which in turn helps provide for their children, girls included, to go to school. Learn more here: https://www.gfa.org/gift/browse/gifts-for-the-poor/

Animals — A one-time donation can provide animals to a family in need. Chickens, goats and cows, among other animals, all offer families new sources of income that can help them buy necessities for their families. When animals help relieve the financial burden of food, medicine and housing expenses, families can afford to send their children to school. Give the gift of an animal to a family here: https://www.gfa.org/donation/browse/items/from-the-stable/

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Girls’ Education

Why is educating girls important?

Education builds confidence in girls and offers them opportunities to learn, grow and hope. If girls can graduate from secondary school, that increases their chances of working jobs with better pay than their parents and even looking for greater opportunities. Girls’ education increases their future income, prevents child marriage and decreases their mortality rate.1

Room to Read is a nonprofit that focuses on literacy and girls’ education. They argue in their annual report that “when children are educated, they are healthier. Their job opportunities improve. For every year that they stay in school, their earnings increase by 10 percent. They are more civically engaged and less dependent on social welfare. They are more likely to educate their children and break the cycle of generational poverty.”2 Education empowers children, especially girls.

However, millions of girls worldwide irregularly attend school or even drop out. Without education, many girls remain in cycles of generational poverty. A lack of education impacts girls and their future families.

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Why Are Children Living in Poverty Less Likely to Attend School?

UNICEF estimates that 1 in 6 children live in extreme poverty; millions of children do not have access to nutritious food, clean water or other life-saving resources.1 Children living in poverty are at risk for illness, injury, child labor, violence and much more. Poverty is a global crisis that disproportionately affects children.

Lack of resources

Children living in poverty often do not have the resources to attend school. Many families must choose between using their money to send their children to school or using it for rent, food or even medical care.

Parents Saelig and Dalora worked hard to provide for their family of five.2 Despite long hours of tiring work, Saelig and Dalora could not afford to send their son, Sven, to school. One day, GFA child sponsorship program staff visited Saelig and Dalora’s home to meet the family. The staff shared about GFA’s child sponsorship program; Saelig and Dalora enrolled Sven shortly afterward.

Staff at the child sponsorship program provided Sven and his family with any supplies they needed but could not afford, like books, uniforms and tutoring. They also taught Sven about germs, hygiene and hand-washing practices to prevent disease. GFA’s child sponsorship program gave Sven crucial support so he could attend school.

Prior to his enrollment in the GFA child sponsorship program, Sven’s story echoed many others; millions of children living in poverty do not have the financial or physical resources to attend school or complete their education.

Lack of consistency

Many children living in poverty experience homelessness or frequent moves that prevent them from attending school regularly; others may do work in fields, factories or mines during the day.

Children who do not attend school regularly fall behind on coursework because they do not complete homework or understand the material. Inconsistent school attendance lowers children’s grades and understanding of school materials; infrequent attendance also lowers their motivation to attend classes.

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What Do Studies Show about How Poverty Affects Children in Asia?

Many studies demonstrate how poverty affects children. UNICEF indicates that 1 in 6 children live in extreme poverty, most of them living in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.1 Every child experiences poverty differently.

Education

Poverty and education go hand-in-hand because children experiencing poverty are less likely to attend school or complete their education, and without an education, they will most likely continue in poverty.

According to UNICEF,

“South Asia is home to the largest numbers of out-of-school children and youths at 31.8 million, with 8.2 million at primary level (6 to 9 years) and 23.6 million at the secondary level (10 to 14 years).”2

Children who are not in school lose opportunities to learn and grow alongside their peers. Education helps children build reading, writing and math skills, as well as relationships, and it is a gateway to better-paying jobs in the future.

Education also helps children develop confidence, self-esteem and hope for their lives. Education empowers children.

Child labor

Many impoverished families struggle to feed and house their families; sending their children to school feels like a luxury. Parents often need their children to work alongside them to bring in additional income to pay for food, housing, transportation or medical care. Children are often forcibly employed in agriculture, mining or factories, working long, labor-intensive hours with no breaks for minimal pay. Child labor exposes children to hazardous chemicals and materials, crowded workspaces and abuse. Employers can deprive children of food, sleep and even medical care to motivate them to work. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that 374 million child laborers experience work-related illness or injury, and 2.78 million child laborers die annually.3

Regardless of the work environment, this labor deprives children of opportunities to go to school, play with friends and develop as they should. ILO studies demonstrate that there are “30 million children in employment, almost 17 million in child labour and 50 million children out of school” throughout South Asia.4

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How Does Poverty Affect Children?

In order to help, we need to understand poverty and ask questions about poverty. How does poverty affect adults and their families? How does poverty affect children and their futures? Every child has a unique story about how poverty has affected their life; however, there are many common consequences of poverty.

Lack of food — Families experiencing poverty often do not have access to sufficient food or nutritious food. Children living in poverty may experience malnutrition, which can lead to physical development delays and other health concerns.

Lack of shelter — Many families living in poverty experience homelessness, evictions or regular moves. Insecure housing can cause stress; children experiencing poverty may not feel settled or safe in their homes.

Lack of health — Unsafe drinking water, child labor and other aspects of poverty expose children to illnesses, diseases and injuries that can cause pain, discomfort or other disruptive symptoms. If injuries and illnesses are left untreated, many children may be sick for extended periods or develop chronic conditions. Many impoverished families do not have access to appropriate medical care or the resources to seek medical help.

Lack of education — Poverty robs families of opportunities and options. Many families must choose between feeding their families and sending their children to school. According to UNESCO, 258 million children worldwide are not in school, and the main reason is poverty.1

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How Poverty Affects Education

The World Bank estimates that 689 million people (roughly 9.2% of the world) experience dire poverty.1 Poverty is an extensive, global concern that affects all aspects of a person’s life. Among other things, it limits children’s opportunities for safety and security and exposes them to illness, injury and violence.

There is a strong link between poverty and education. Poverty can cause undereducation, and undereducation often contributes to poverty. How poverty affects education touches children, their families and their whole communities. Poverty and undereducation is a vicious cycle.

So how does poverty affect children? Here are some of the ways:

Housing – Many children in poverty are homeless or regularly relocate because they do not have a consistent or safe home. Children without housing security may not consistently attend school; they may also fall behind on their school work.

Nutrition – Many impoverished people do not regularly eat enough nutritious food to build their immune system and general health; others do not have enough food to survive. Malnutrition reduces muscle mass, weakens muscles, inhibits brain function, halts physical development, and causes other health concerns.3

Medical care – Many communities experiencing extreme poverty also do not have access to clean water, so they cannot safely wash their hands or food. Visibly or invisibly contaminated water contains waterborne diseases like dysentery, which can lead to death if not treated properly. Medical clinics are often few and far between, based on financial resources and available doctors or medical professionals. Many families experiencing poverty will not have easy access to such facilities; others will often not have the money to seek treatment.

Untreated waterborne diseases, routine illnesses, malnutrition and childhood injuries can prevent children from attending school for extended periods or permanently. Simple conditions like poor eyesight can limit a child’s success in school if their family cannot afford glasses.

Violence – Children experiencing poverty are seven times more likely to harm themselves or experience violence in their homes, work or schools.2 Violence is a factor in how poverty affects education; children experiencing violence are less likely to attend school.

Poverty creates dire situations for families worldwide. Many families do not have options; they need their children to work to survive. According to the International Labour Organization, 32% of child laborers no longer attend school.4 Some families sell their children into slavery to make money; others need their children to work alongside them to supplement their income. Child labor exposes children to extreme temperatures, pollutants, hazardous situations and even abuse. Employers may deprive child workers of food and care or beat them when they are less productive.

Support – Many children living in poverty do not have the necessary resources and support to succeed in school. Impoverished families may not have computers, high-speed internet, calculators or quiet spaces so children can complete homework. Many children benefit from tutoring or homework help, but families experiencing poverty do not have the resources to provide those services.

Many impoverished parents are undereducated themselves. Parents who did not receive an education are less likely to put their children in school and encourage them in their education. Uneducated parents also do not have the skills or the time to help their children complete homework. Parents may work long, back-breaking hours that keep them away from home and from and seeing their children; they may also lack the reading, writing and math skills necessary to help. Lack of parental support is a part of how poverty affects education for children.

Preparedness – Many families experiencing poverty do not have the time, capacity or money to prepare their children for school. Affluent families have the resources to help their children begin reading and even writing before they attend school. Impoverished children often do not have reading practice; they may start school behind their peers. Children experiencing poverty may have low self-esteem and low motivation in school.

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What Are the Effects of Poverty on Society and the Community as a Whole?

The effects of poverty on society are far reaching. Poverty impacts 659 million people worldwide in nearly every country on earth.[1] These people live in both large cities and rural communities. No matter the size of the community, poverty negatively impacts society.

Poverty impacts a community in a variety of ways

Poverty impacts education. When parents are not educated, they are less likely to stress the importance of education for their children. In these situations, it quickly becomes the norm not to send children to school. In countries with severe poverty, children are used to fetch water, earn money through child labor, help around the house or simply left to roam the streets. Poverty also impacts child development due to malnutrition or lack of resources.[2]

Poverty impacts the economy. Over time, poverty results in several generations of people who are uneducated or under-educated, unhealthy due to malnutrition and often unable to be productive members of their community. Around the world, many people work long, hard days in unskilled labor positions that never bring in enough money to meet their needs. They want very much to provide for their families but simply cannot reach that next step of employment. A country’s economic health is dependent on skilled labor to build profitable businesses and a solid economy.

Severe poverty leads to a lack of clean water access in a community.[3] In some areas with severe poverty, there are no wells, and the only water source may be a distant, polluted pond. This causes health problems due to waterborne illnesses.

Severe poverty leads to lack of sanitation facilities. In communities across South Asia and Africa, open defecation is still practiced due to a lack of toilets. This impacts a community’s health and wellness.

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What Are the Effects of Poverty on Education?

For many people who live inside the cycle of poverty, the effects of poverty on education are quite tangible. Parents may not have received an education, so they place very little value on learning. Chances are good they don’t understand the way education can break the cycle their family has been in for generations. They may feel that the jobs available to locals do not require an education.

What keeps less fortunate children away from school?

Cost of education – In some countries, education is free for children. However, even in these countries, the cost of supplies, uniforms and other needs can be more than a family can afford. This leaves a family unable to give their children access to education.

Water poverty – Lack of water also has a negative effect on education. When children must walk miles each day to find water for their family, they are unable to attend school. There simply isn’t time for both fetching water and education.

Period poverty – When girls don’t have access to menstruation supplies, they are forced to stay home from school. They simply don’t have the items they need to manage their periods safely and hygienically in order to be free from embarrassment and shame.

Lack of transportation – Sometimes transportation is a barrier to education. Kids often need to travel great distances to get to school, and when transportation methods are expensive or difficult to find, that makes education inaccessible.

Child labor – In some areas, child labor is a barrier to education. Parents feel forced to send their children away to work so they can feed their younger children. Sometimes children are abducted without their parents’ permission and forced into child labor.

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What Are the Physical Effects of Poverty on Children?

The physical effects of poverty on children are vast and have lasting impacts. Starting before a baby is even born, there are impacts from the womb. “Malnutrition during pregnancy has the potential to lead to later health disparities in children, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Furthermore, mothers experiencing poverty tend to have a diet lacking fruits and vegetables, which provide necessary micronutrients for fetal development.”, says Madison Doser from the American Public Human Services Association.[1] In the poorest of countries, women are often denied medical care and prenatal education.[2]

Starting in the youngest years of a child’s life, poverty can harm a child’s brain and other body systems.[3] Vital nutrients are not always available to children in areas of extreme poverty, causing physical delays and other health issues.

At GFA World, we’re committed to helping alleviate these physical effects of poverty. One of the benefits of our child sponsorship program is that children receive vital assistance such as nutritious food and health checkups. They learn how to wash their hands, brush their teeth and care for their basic health. Parents are educated, too, so they can reinforce these ideas in their homes.

Another way GFA World combats the physical effects on poverty is through helping communities that don’t have sanitation facilities or clean water to drink.

We understand that clean water wells, water filters and toilets help increase the health and well-being of an entire community. When a family has access to these basic necessities, it helps keep the family healthier. For example, when children have clean water readily accessible, they are less likely to get waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio.[4] When water is not readily available, people also go without washing their hands, which increases the likelihood of spreading diseases. GFA provides clean water sources and sanitation facilities for entire communities.

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Effects of Poverty on Child Development

Many organizations study the effects of poverty on child development, and in recent years there have been tremendous advancements to counter these impacts. According to UNICEF, “Children represent half of those struggling to survive on less than $1.90 a day.” About 1 billion children are multidimensionally poor, meaning they don’t have access to necessities like adequate food and clean water. Around the world, 356 million kids live in extreme poverty.[1]

The effects of poverty on child development are dire:

First, the effects of poverty on children impact their physical growth.

Starting in the womb, malnutrition of the mother can impact a baby’s development and health.[2] Once outside the womb, poverty continues to impact the child through hunger, lack of medical care, poor sanitation facilities and more. Children’s Bureau reports, “Poverty itself can negatively affect how the body and mind develop, and economic hardship can actually alter the fundamental structure of the child’s brain. Children who directly or indirectly experience risk factors associated with poverty have higher odds of experiencing poor health problems as adults, such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, obesity, certain cancers, and even a shorter life expectancy.”[3]

Second, there are effects of poverty on education. It is very difficult for many parents to pay for education.

In some impoverished countries, public schools require tuition, making education unreachable for many. When school is offered for free, a family may not be able to afford required supplies, uniforms and other expenses, so they opt out of sending their children to be educated.

When children are able to attend school, there is a 90% chance that a child living in poverty will have one or more problems with speech, learning or emotional development.[4] This may be caused by malnutrition, lack of resources or other factors.

Another hindrance to education is that many children living in poverty are busy meeting the needs of the family. In areas where clean water is not accessible, children are often tasked with walking long distances during the day to collect water for their family. This makes it difficult to attend school. Another factor is child labor. Children are sometimes pulled from school and sent to work when a family cannot meet its financial obligations.

Third, poverty impacts mental health.

When a child’s situation seems hopeless, it affects them mentally.[5] Counseling or mental health assistance is rarely available since those around them are stuck in the same situations. Hopelessness is the norm.

Fourth, poverty impacts child mortality rates.

UNICEF reports, “Children from poor households die at twice the rate of their better-off peers.”[6]

Fifth, poverty impacts child development through the effects of poverty on society.

In countries with severe poverty, the cycle of poverty advances through generations. This impacts society and the economy in a variety of negative ways, resulting in, for instance, the lack of sanitation services, clean water and resources to help those in need.[7]

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Partner with GFA World to Sponsor a Child in Africa

Africa is home to one-fifth of the world’s population—about 1.2 billion people—and half of the African populace is under the age of 15. With the presence of significant poverty in many of the nations on the continent, there is also great need and opportunity to sponsor a child in Africa.[1]

Mortality rates among all ages in Africa have been dropping over the decades, but In 2017, more than half of the 5.4 million deaths of children under the age of five worldwide occurred in Africa.[2] Many of these deaths were caused by preventable diseases, like pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea. If current trends persist, millions more unnecessary under-five deaths will occur throughout Africa in the coming decade.

However, not all the difficulties African children face come from death; new life also creates challenges. Sub-Saharan Africa has had the highest birth rates of any region since 2017, and this trend is projected to persist for the remainder of the century. With such a large and growing population of children, Africa will need to raise up millions more healthcare workers and primary school teachers to meet the demands of these shifting demographics.[3] It is difficult to provide so many personnel, so many organizations are working to be a part of solving the problem.

GFA World has faithfully served the needy in dozens of countries across Asia for more than 40 years, and our ministry has now expanded into Africa. One of the first initiaties our ministry began was establishing a branch of our Child Sponsorship Program in Kigali, Rwanda. As the capital city in one of the most densely populated African nations, Kigali is home to many kids in desperate circumstances. Believers from all over the world can now sponsor a child in Rwanda to help meet their tangible needs and bring them the Good News.[4]

Where extreme poverty is present, education is often set aside due the requirements of daily survival. Children are often made to work alongside their parents to afford food to survive. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 100.1 million children—mostly girls—are not in school.[5] The vicious cycle then continues because education is one of the most important keys to breaking free from poverty’s grip. Thus, to sponsor a child in Africa to go to school opens an amazing opportunity of a brighter future for them they may never receive anywhere else.

Through sponsorship, our program looks at the roadblocks to education and seeks to remove them through developmental activities and assistance according to the needs of the community. This aide can be distributing school supplies, providing clean water, medical care, tuition assistance, tutoring help, preventing malnutrition and more. More than 1,000 children in Rwanda have already been enrolled in the program, and we are in the process of enrolling many more. The kids will be taught valuable skills, like language and math, that will lead to better employment opportunities in the future.[6]

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How Can I Sponsor a Child in Africa?

With GFA World, the question, “How can I sponsor a child in Africa?” is easy to answer. You can visit GFA’s website and click on the “Sponsoring Children” icon. On that page, you will see the kids who are awaiting sponsorship. You can then select which child you would like to sponsor. The $35/month donations are tax deductible and can be made monthly or annually through various channels. After that, you are connected to a child to write to and pray for. You receive a picture of them, and, using an online portal or the mail, you can send them pictures and letters too.[1]

GFA’s Child Sponsorship Program provides education support to kids who would otherwise struggle to attend school. Education is often the most important key to breaking the generational cycle of poverty, but in sub-Saharan Africa, 32 million children are not in school. Thus, the program is incredibly important here. When kids go to school and become educated, their futures change as new opportunities for higher-paying jobs open up. GFA has already enrolled more than 1,000 children in Rwanda, and we are in the process of enrolling hundreds more as time goes on.[2]

Your sponsorship also provides help and hope that transforms entire communities. To expand the reach and impact of sponsorship, GFA embraces a community development model where sponsored children, their families and their communities receive the benefits and blessings of the program. Of course, the child is the priority, but the child is best provided for through the community. By providing clean water, hygiene training, sanitation facilities and healthcare, GFA improves the whole neighborhood. We even offer free vocational training and other awareness activities for community members to improve the prospects of everyone, giving the child a more nurturing environment that is conducive to their success.[3]

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Why Should I Sponsor a Child in Rwanda?

Since our work began in the capital city of Kigali in 2021, GFA World has opened the door to sponsor a child in Rwanda and help the needy who live there.[1] Rwanda is the fourth smallest country in Africa by land area, and lush hills and valleys make up most of the landscape, so it is also known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”[2] Kigali is the cleanest city in Africa and among the top ten cleanest cities in the world. However, Rwanda is largely rural, and about 90 percent of the population is involved in agricultural, agro-processing and mineral work. Tea and coffee are the major cash crops, but there is a lot of subsistence farming too because a high population density in a small area leaves little acreage for large-scale farming. The country has come a long way and has greatly healed from the deep scars of genocide, but there is still ministry work to be done in Rwanda.[3]

GFA World has started to help needy children and communities in the impoverished areas of Kigali. Kigali serves as the base for GFA’s entire ministry across Africa since we have established a good relationship with the authorities there. From Rwanda, GFA will move into additional African countries in the coming years. For now, though, we are working hard in Rwanda, drawing from over 40 years of experience in meeting tangible needs and displaying God’s love. Healthcare, clean water and education are just some of the needs we are helping to meet through our ministry in Africa.[4]

Our Child Sponsorship Program is a major part of these efforts. More than 1,000 children have already been enrolled, with thousands more to be added in the coming months and years.[5]This ministry helps ensure that children in underserved areas receive assistance according to the needs of that particular community. This assistance can be tutoring help, nutritious food, clean water, healthcare, hygiene training and even community service opportunities. With this vital help, children can succeed in school and gain the confidence they will need to succeed in the future, helping them escape the cycle of poverty. Through it all, they see how much God cares for them.[6]

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