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Outstanding Change Child sponsorship through Budekwa Area Development Programme (ADP), Tanzania, has impacted Sophia’s life profoundly.
Although Sophia’s parents followed traditional religions, they took her to a Christian church instead of making the sacrifices. However, Sophia fell sick soon after. She also got sick after being enrolled in school. Her parents took her sickness as punishment from her ancestors and withdrew Sophia from school and church. They refused to seek medical treatment for her various illnesses, instead prescribing traditional herbs themselves. Her parents sought to appease the ancestors by training Sophia as a traditional healer. By the time she was 10 years old she was able to perform superstitious healing procedures perfectly. In 2001 Budekwa ADP held meetings in Sophia’s village stressing the importance of education. While most village parents began to send their children to school, Sophia’s parents were not at all interested. Not even the improved classrooms or the new desks could persuade them to make changes in their daughter’s education. The ADP devised a special strategy to change their minds. The head teacher, the ward education coordinator, village leaders and ADP staff visited the family home several times. They carefully explained the role of education and its contribution to development. Sophia’s parents asked many questions and through the discussion many misunderstandings were clarified. Eventually Sophia’s father stated, “From now our child will be allowed to go to school!” Hurriedly they prepared stationery and a school uniform so Sophia could start school the next morning. On Monday, February 23, 2004, at age 11, Sophia began standard one. Within the first week she had begun to count, solve simple maths problems and sing Swahili songs. |
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BUDEKWA STORY ARCHIVE 2008 Snippets Better harvest, healthy family 2007 Snippets HopeChild Healthy outlook Back to school 2006 Women power Making school better 2005 Seeing is believing Outstanding Change 2004 Snippets Well done! 2003 Then and now School is important! Evaluation follow-up
Bugabo: Clinic has water at last! Bukene: Snippets Dakama: Conserving the future Ibuga: Snippets Ibwera: Snippets Iselamagazi: Good News from Iselamagazi Magugu: Snippets Nkoma: Snippets Nshamba: Snippets
Chitalmari: Reaching out Kaliganj: Turning point Laudob: Tailor-made Sariakandi: No bride price Tarash: Extra tuition brings top results Cambodia show on map Koh Andaet: Savings scheme Oudong: Making water safe Samrong Tong: Better sanitation means better health Stong: Welcome to Stong Honduras show on map Concepcion: Changing for the better Nueva Vision: Mobilising youth Valle: Farewell to Valle India show on map Banswara: Snippets Dahod: A man with a vision Dumaria: Snippets Gajapati: Snippets Girideep: Good news from India Mayurbhanj: Snippets Mumbai West: Working woman Ratlam: Snippets Malawi show on map Blantyre Urban: Charity and Aisha Chata: Plenty to smile about Mikolongwe: Trying it out Mali show on map Koro: In their own words Togogana: Welcome to Togogana Yangasso: Time in the garden Myanmar show on map Myeik: Snippets Nicaragua show on map Aguas Azules: At the helm Tlilican: School gets new lease of life Niger show on map Chadakori: Welcome to Chadakori Goulbi N'Kaba: Successes Papua New Guinea show on map Port Moresby: Snippets Vadavada: Snippets Rwanda show on map Kabuga: Welcome to Kabuga Tubehoneza: Building a better world for children Uganda show on map Buyamba: Taking care of your own Ngogwe: Welcome to Ngogwe Pakwach: Farewell to Puvona Panyimur: Snippets Rakai-Kooki: Cool school Vanuatu show on map Tafea: Snippets Zambia show on map Mporokoso: Community leader Nakonde: Good news from Nakonde Siachitema: Time to know the truth |
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