Testimonials from communities in sub-Saharan Africa

Sukamaere 2009: The recent visit I made to the area I took my time to visit other beneficiaries by randomly selection amongst the 6 households visited I was impressed by the 62 year old lady by the name Lucia Zuze.This old lady got K10, 000 to start a small scale of business to support her 5 orphans whose parents died 4 years ago. Lucia did boost up her liquor distilleries [kachaso] that has improved their living standards. She repaid the total loan in 4 months including the interest of k2000 total she paid k12, 000. Since then she has managed to buy a pig to rare at her house again she has bought a goat. The lives of the orphans has changed so far to better than before. For example, the household is able to feed for them, they are able to buy good clothes even their basic needs is not a problem to access than before. Lucia is very thankful to OSA for the project that has seen other grand children going back to school. Lucia is very disappointed to other loan beneficiaries who are not paying back because it is like barring other people not to access the similar money.

 

Mwala Oyera 5/29/08: “OSA has brought a very good process of community participation. Orphans are not for the organizations or the CBO. They are ours yet we wait for them to feed, dress and send them to school. What is our role? I think it’s high time to change our attitude. We are suffering in our community yet if we can sit down and discuss about our own problems, I don’t think we can fail to come up with our own solutions.”  Said an old lady who also participated in the discussion.


***Note: Nsambuzi is a CBO that was never actually funded by OSA. This quote was taken during an initial survey of the CBO.Nsambuzi 4/9/08: “Of all the many CBOs that I have in my area, this is the only CBO which I have trust in. they know what they are doing in this tasks of OVC care. The only problem is that it’s you the NGOs who frustrate them. You see, we have a MASAF Maize mill; it is incomplete because they didn’t finish giving us the money. So the project is just sitting idle. No benefit out of it yet and no funds to complete the project.” “But I will be failing my duty if I don’t thank OSA for the approach they are using. If all Donors such as MASAF, NAC etc can emulate what OSA advocates (community participation in monitoring and evaluation), we would have achieved tremendous impacts in our societies. Just imagine, donors started pumping in the resources many years ago, but we are remaining poorer and poorer. Community involvement is very crucial if we are to achieve our goal of improving the lives of our OVCs.”

 

Thundu 4/16/08: The following quote touches on the fact that Thundu has many different funders supporting different projects. Chiefs had been unable to take control of these projects for the communities, and individuals who had been benefitting from them did not want to give up the projects so that they could benefit OVC.

“We have attended several workshops and meetings, receiving huge allowances but nothing has improved in our communities. The problem is we feel the NGOs will provide everything to our communities yet we have the resources within.” “Thanks OSA for educating us. The OVCs are ours and not for the NGOs. We have to do something ourselves. If we can follow what OSA advocates, we don’t think we can fail to put together all what our OVC needs within 5 years from now.”

 

Testimonials from supporters in the US

 

I have always felt lucky for the life I have.  I had loving parents who provided for me and worked very hard (my dad always worked two jobs).  Both my parents came from broken homes without a lot of money and made a wonderful life for themselves.  They were always generous to those who had less and always believed in helping those who are in need. Through their church and privately, they did a lot for people.  They passed on to me these values and like them, I genuinely like to give and help.  Based on the fact that life is not always fair and that many people are victims of their circumstances I strongly believe it is our duty to help those who are in need.  I did a teaching stint in Mississippi while in college in a very poor community and have taught kids in inner city who

were disadvantaged and these experiences also helped shape my beliefs.  I do believe that helping people help themselves in their own communities is a vital part of making bigger changes in people’s lives and education is a big part of that.  That aspect is very appealing to me about OSA.
Over the years I have been an active participant in raising funds for Alzheimer’s Disease, community education, support and research. (Both of my parents died from that dreadful disease).  I lost a dear friend at age 35 to breast cancer and have been a supporter of raising awareness to cure that disease as well.  I’d like to donate either time or money to community based charities here locally (community Christmas/ Fr. Bill’s homeless shelter/ Marshfield food pantry) and I have made a point to involve my kids in many of these activities so they can work with and see the faces of people and realize  that poverty/misfortune/hunger etc. are a sad reality for too many.  When Tanya and Garry asked me and Andy to do this benefit we were more than happy to because we believe in the mission of OSA.  We have been friends for a long time and I have always admired their generosity and focus on the things in life that really matter.  Twenty years ago, at the end the first summer we owned our first restaurant, we were exhausted and went to Cape Cod for a few days to relax.  We happened to go on a fishing boat with a few other people (didn’t catch any fish).  One of the guys was priest from Connecticut that I would up talking to while we fished.  He ran a soup kitchen at his church and he said something to me that I think of often. He told me how he really encouraged people to come to the kitchen and help and serve and talk to the people who were there for meals.  He said he always appreciated monetary donations because they are needed.  But in the greater scope he said what he always wanted the volunteers/donators to understand was that the homeless and poor need us for survival – but we need them for salvation…

-Maryann Saporito-Boothroyd (Owner, Hola Restaurant)

 

While most of us feel helpless against the disease and disaster in the world, there is an organization putting good intentions into good work. Orphan Support Africa helps the most vulnerable, small, and helpless people on Earth in their daily battle against the reality of disease and disaster in everyday life. I’m proud to support the work of OSA in the belief that individuals joining together to support practical solutions to overwhelming problems will create a better world for all.

-Kathy O’Connell (WXPN’s Kids Corner)