“Childhood, after all, is the first precious coin that poverty steals from a child.”
-Anthony Horowitz
When Pockets of Promise (PoP) first discovered Albert and his family, they had nearly lost all hope of their situation. Albert’s mother and children walked hours to cut down wood to sell. She barely made enough money to support Albert and three of his siblings. Life was so difficult for them that she had been forced to give up 2 of her children for adoption. They never had enough to eat. Albert’s mother would constantly worry about what she would feed her malnourished children. Their living conditions were no better. Their one-room shack was made of poor quality mud and could barely house the five of them, offering little protection from the uncompromising elements. They had no amenities like electricity or water supply. Albert and his siblings couldn’t even go to school to get an education – in fact, he had never been to school in his life.
In the midst of dark times, Albert’s story started to transform when a kind soul in their community reached out to PoP to help his family.
PoP’s first priority was to provide the family with food supplies so that the growing children had enough to eat. This already made a huge impact on their lives as Albert’s mother would no longer be constantly anxious about their food. PoP also provided Albert’s mother with seed money to start a trading business, helping her earn more money to support her family.
Soon, the donations and child sponsorships allowed Albert and his family to find a new home, instead of living in the one-bedroom shack. With PoP’s support, they are currently renting a spacious and safe house to live in comfort. In January 2021, Albert and his siblings started school for the first time. Prior to that, they participated in PoP’s after-school literacy program to prepare them for school. The first time Albert was able to recite all of his ABC, he shot up out of his chair grinning broadly, and started clapping for himself. He was so excited and said to the teacher that he never imagined that he too would be speaking English. Albert is finally receiving the education he never even dreamed of receiving. He is immensely excited about this opportunity and aims to be a dedicated student. He already has big plans for the future; he wants to be a teacher so he can help others in his situation receive an education.
Albert and his family are extremely grateful for all that Pockets of Promise has done for them so far. He continues to excel in the after-school program and is working hard to catch up with his peers.
Because of PoP’s intervention, Albert and his family gained a ray of hope in their lives. PoP’s focus on bringing the generosity of the international community to the doorsteps of the underprivileged is helping many families like Albert’s look forward to better lives. 