When I was six years old, my parents didn’t have enough money to feed me, so they sold me to a restaurant in Nigeria to work. When I arrived at the restaurant, I became the owner’s property. I was a slave, and I was told every day that this was my destiny. I was always hungry, and they beat me …
Viviane’s Story
When I was 15, my father accepted a marriage offer from a much older man that was visiting our village. I was immediately married, and left my home to be his wife. When I arrived at his home, I found an unpleasant surprise: that there were 8 other women who already lived there. My new husband was not kind to …
Teddy: Bright Future Ahead
When I was eight years old, I was homeless on the streets of Monrovia, Liberia. My parents were killed during the 14-year civil war. I remember a childhood of incredible suffering and constant hunger. I slept under street market tables at night and dodging bullets by day. Those memories are not easy for me to talk about. Because of the …
Jestina: Overcomer
When I was a very little girl, civil war raged around my home in Liberia. My parents were killed in the war, leaving my brother and I orphaned and alone. I remember the day we were found and rescued by a new momma who took us into her home, as her own children. Our new momma had such a heart …
Sylvester’s Rescue Mission
Abandoned by his mother, beaten by many in his community, left to fend for himself in the garbage piles– this is Sylvester’s story. Sylvester is maybe seven years old, very small, developmentally delayed, non-verbal, not potty trained and suffers from seizures. The popular Liberian belief is that he is ‘not correct in his mind,’ and thus less than human, not …
Poem by Mary Fiona Rudolph
I sit and wait a lot. Will I ever be remembered or always be forgot. My face lights up to the sound of a voice; the others say I have no choice. All I want is to be held in loving warm arms. I try to work some baby charms, but nobody listens, nobody cares, nobody helps, nobody shares. Will …
Emma: Every life Matters
Captivated by her bright smile, I asked Emma, “Why do you love living in your new big home?” “Because no one beats me and because I have plenty of food to eat everyday,” she replied. “Emma, can you tell me how your life was in the village and who beat you?” I asked, knowing the woman and man she lived …
End It: Today and Every Day
By Genae Lako, Donor Relations and Communications Yesterday some of you may have noticed the red X plastered across your Facebook and Twitter news feed with a #EnditMovement hash tag. Or perhaps some of you may have sported your own X for the day. Vibrantly painted on the back of your hand, the X was a symbol that represented your …
Small Beginnings
By Stefan Lako, Programs Director Few things start off big. Most often something begins small and experiences growth throughout a gradual process. The process is often slow, painful, unpredictable, yet beautifully unique. The air was hot and my shirt stuck to my back as we walked down the dirt road through a village. I was visiting Benin as a part …
Radical Transformations
By Rebecca Pratt, President and Co-Founder Holding a starving baby girl weighing only 4.4 lbs as a five month old was heart wrenching. As I held this little one, named Lucresse, in my arms she was panting fast and quick shallow breaths as if at any minute she would take her last. I honestly did not know what to do. I …
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