Sarah handing out backpacks
Here in America, stores are flooded with aisles and aisles of back-to-school supplies. Pens, pencils, binders, laptop cases, notebooks with speakers and plug-ins for mP3 players, locker mirrors—even back-to-school Kleenex in a convenient 3-pack. We spend hundreds of dollars to prepare our kids for school, to help them get a good education.
Yet, in Ethiopia, it only takes a few dollars to give children a chance at a future. A plain backpack with a few basic supplies is the difference between whether a child stays in school and gets an education…or is forced to leave school and denied an education. Children in Ethiopia do not have the privilege of staying in school if they don’t have a pen to use.
One of the highlights of the Ethiopia Trek was the distribution of 1500 backpacks filled with school supplies. They weren’t decked out with the latest fad or cartoon character; they didn’t light-up or play music. They did however contain the essentials that will give children in Ethiopia an opportunity…for an education, for a future. Inside those backpacks was their hope for survival.
Their list was simple:
· School paper & pens
· Toothpaste and a toothbrush
· A small bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap.
Even the basic hygiene items can make the difference between life and death to a child in Ethiopia. This simple act of kindness was our way of sharing the love of Jesus through real, human contact in a tangible way. More than just art and hygiene supplies—these items will allow the children to stay in school! Each backpack was an investment in their future…and in the future of Ethiopia.
worldchild/onegreenbracelet was able to personally distribute 1500 backpacks to three different schools. We may never know the total impact we had, but 1500 children are smiling now because of your generosity! Thank you for sending worldchild to reach Ethiopia and make a difference in these children’s lives.
