For the past couple years, thanks to your help, we've been able to send nearly a dozen children to school! I started the school sponsorship program in 2012 after meeting a single mom who asked to put her three boys in a children's home run by a friend of mine. When I pressed further into the issue of her not feeling able to care for her children, the bottom line was that she wanted her kids to have an education... something she couldn't afford to provide for them.

In Haiti most schools are "private" schools and charge an annual fee. The fee ranges from $65-300 depending on the school and grade level. When you consider that the average Haitian makes $1-2 a day and many families have multiple children—well, you do the math and you can see that sending your children to school is an extreme hardship. Because of this financial burden, only about half of primary school age children are enrolled in school. Many of those will drop out before sixth grade. Despite these statistics, education in Haiti is highly valued. Parents are so proud to be able to send their children to school and children beam with pride to put on their school uniform.

For those of us who were blessed with an education that was essentially just a part of growing up, it's hard for us to understand what it's like for children who have to sit at home and watch the privileged school kids pass them by in their bright uniforms. But one thing that is clear, we can help make a huge difference not only in the lives of these individual children but also for his or her entire family. Receiving an education could mean that one day they have an opportunity to find a job to help support their family. 

I've used this quote before on the importance of education from the book Zealous Love, and it's so good I'll use it again:

Education is not just about passing exams, getting good grades, or improving comparative national averages. It is about teaching people to think and equipping them with the tools necessary to improve their quality of life globally, nationally, regionally, and personally. A lack of quality education keeps people entrenched in poverty. Poverty is immensely complex, though. A pupil's education depends on more than just their desire for an education. Factors beyond a child's control—such as nutrition, the teacher's ability, and the teacher to pupil ratio—largely determine the outcome of the child's education. If we want to combat poverty—if we hope to see long-term, sustainable development improving the lives of those in need—then we must note the lack of education in our world.

This year the cost to help send a child to school for one year is $200. This amount increased some from last year after I visited with each family and learned that many of the schools are charging more. This sponsorship amount also includes the uniform, shoes, and supplies each child will need for the year. We have twelve children this year who are in need of a sponsor for the 2014-2015 school year.

If you're able to sponsor a child for the year you can mail a check for $200 to the following address or click here to give via Paypal:

Hannah Sterling
P.O. Box 4878

Maryville, TN 37802-4878

Email me if you have any questions or would like more information, hannahsterling@live.com. Once all the children have been sponsored I will send out an email with more information about and a photo of your sponsored child. For those of you who sponsored a child last year, let me know if you would like to sponsor the same child again this year. I hope that along with your financial support you will also commit to praying for your sponsored child and his or her family. Thank you for considering giving the special gift of education to a child in Haiti!

Here are the faces of a few of the kids needing sponsors this year...