Dear Sponsors, Supporters and Friends Happy Easter! March 11, 2024.
We are praying this letter finds you well. Our kids have been back in school since the middle of January. We are optimistic about their future as we approach Easter break. God has demonstrated His faithfulness repeatedly to our organization and the children we serve. As we prepare for the Easter Season, we are providing our year-end report.
FY 2023 in review: To be very honest, we were fearful that we would end last year with a significant deficit. During the year some sponsors dropped for economic reasons. Several of our children in college and secondary school were not fully funded. General fund giving was down significantly from the prior year. We cut where we could and kept the faith. We kept all our kids in school, in spite of challenges and projected deficits. We put out an appeal to you, asked that you pray, and we prayed that God would provide.
God was faithful and those prayers were fully answered. In December we took in $14,609 in general fund giving, the most of any month in recent years. Some of our sponsors asked to take on children that were dropped. Thanks to you we finished the year with income exceeding expenses by $285. A miracle!!!!!!.
Your funds have provided education, medical insurance, special medical needs, helped with food insecurity, and provided extra care when needed. You have kept the primary school open in Ngozi Burundi providing a quality education a hot meal every day, and access to Bible teaching. Thanks to you we have kids completing college and trade school preparing for a better future for themselves and their families. Your gifts have provided livestock, food, clothing, home repair, and even some business opportunities.
Country Sponsorships Children Served Income Expense
Burundi 77 Approx 360* $32,095 $40,575
Rwanda 91** 83 $60,360 $66,420
Kenya 3 4 $2,437 $1,885
Uganda 2 4 $1387 $2,460
Total income by country was $96,279 and total expenses were $111,340 leaving a total shortfall of -$15,061. This entire project shortfall was covered by General Fund donations, most of which came in at Christmas. What a blessing.
*Child sponsorships in Burundi help to fund the primary school in Ngozi which serves approximately 320 students. The remaining 40 children are in secondary school with eight kids in college in Burundi and nine now in trade school.
**. In Rwanda it takes up to two sponsors to support one child in secondary school and up to three sponsorships to support one child in college.
US Administrative Expenses: Total expense on US operations was $5140. This included insurance and banking fees $1870, credit card postage and money wire fees $1370, all technical support and bookkeeping fees $1900.
African Administrative Expenses: Administrative costs on the African side were reduced this year from 15% to 10% as a cost cutting measure. African administrative costs include transport, office supplies, rent, fuel and wage stipends for those who deliver services. Project Burundi expenses also cover all the costs to run the school in Ngozi.
General Fund: General fund giving was $20,147. These funds covered project shortages and all administrative costs on the US side. 100% of sponsorship funds went directly to Africa to support kids in school and the primary school in Burundi.
Year End Total expense $116,662 Total income $116,947 Net income $285
Significant Accomplishments: Though we had some sponsors drop and many of our secondary and college students are underfunded, we kept all our kids in school. We reduced administrative costs on the African side and kept them at a minimum on the US side. Other than book keeping, all of our work on the US side is accomplished by volunteers. We have 11 young adults in college in Rwanda, one has just graduated, one more has completed all requirements. Five will graduate this year with one moving on to law school . We have eight in college in Burundi and nine in trade (technical studies. We have two in college in Uganda, with one just graduating from trade school in Uganda. We have one girl preparing to go to college in Kenya. Most of these kids had little hope in completing high school, let alone college.
In Uganda, our partner organization Siyabonga, has been absorbed by a larger organization called Youth Consult. We have entered into a MOU with Youth Consult to ensure the three remaining kids we support there are able to complete their education.
Prayer Requests: Pray for the children in each of our project countries, as inflation has taken a significant toll. This especially true in Burundi, which remains one of the poorest nations on earth. Pray for our board for strength, good health, faith, and wisdom. Pray for 20 new sponsors in Burundi, which would fully fund the primary school and improve ongoing support for the kids who have moved on to secondary school and college. Pray for 2 replacement sponsors in Uganda to get one child through nursing school and another through high school. Pray for clarity as we evaluate a request from Rwanda to provide support for completing a school there and for Kenya as they ask us to help a few more families. Pray about possibly joining our board and helping with our efforts to help the poorest of the poor.
On behalf of the children we serve we wish you all a very HAPPY EASTER!! He is Risen Indeed.
Sincerely, your very grateful Board of Directors.
Neil Church, Arden Lites, Jerry Lites, Theresa O’Connor and Patrick Parks