“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress , in every society, in every family.” -Kofi Annan, Ghanian diplomat

Quarterly Newsletter: January 2010

Afikiana Cikuru 

• Age: 8 years old
• Class: 2^nd year
• Family composition: 8 children
• Accepted as a student in 2006                                   

This broken family of eight children has only been held together through the help of Sowers of Hope. Afikiana has been with SOH, with three of his younger sisters, since 2006. Their father abandoned the family in April 2004 during the Laurent Nkunda and Mutebutsi war at Bukavu.  SOH Bukavu has been able to help his family with their devastating situation by providing his mother with the job of managing the mill at SOH. Afikiana was discovered selling the flour, “farin,” around the road with his mother. SOH has made it possible for Afikiana to now be in school and surrounded with other pupils in a safe academic environment.

Update from the Congo:

1. We thank God that our dear friend and finance colleague in Bukavu has been returned safely following his harrowing kidnapping and beating by rebel soldiers.
2. We have given another small loan to our dear friend and Program Secretary Denis, who joins David in what we hope to be a successful student loan program.

Update from the Provo:

1. Sowers of Hope has teamed up with the Tipping Bucket for two weeks during March on a project that will fundraise $2500 for solar panel technology to provide power to our auxiliary businesses during Bukavu’s frequent blackouts.
   
2. Maple Mountain High School was the first school to participate in Sowers’ community outreach program; they fundraised $2500 during their annual Care Week.  The student body leaders are working with us to implement the program in other local schools.