Stepping Stone

Yesterday was a very special day for me. My brother recently became a sponsor to a little Gambian girl and I got to visit her. She lives just outside of Serekunda with her mother and grandmother and she is almost 4 years old.

Why did he decide to do it? Sponsorships enable a safe and stable childhood for unprivileged children because it provides them with access to health care, food and quality education. The project provides direct support to the children and their families. They get a chance at a better future with the monthly donation of 17 Euros and school fees, 45 Euros once a year. Meeting a couple of families in the past few weeks, I was amazed at the difference such a seemingly small amount of money can make in a child's life. They would be unable to attend school, have access to medical care and eat lunch at school if it wasn't for their sponsors. The families live in difficult situations due to various circumstances and the parents are more often than not illiterate.

I didn't quite know what to expect when we entered the compound, wondering if our little girl will be shy or scared or cry at the sight of a toubab. Almost immediately I saw a little face peeking at me through the fence, approaching me at the urging of her grandmother. I was told that she is a very smart and stubborn girl who is not afraid of anything. Soon she was sitting in my lap, smiling and playing with her new hair accessories. We didn't get to talk directly because she doesn't speak any English yet but she said that she liked me. Her mother also told me that her daughter was very excited about this visit and wanted to look nice, saying: "My toubab is coming to visit me!" I was beyond touched.

 It's difficult to put these feelings into words. It's one thing when you're looking at a picture on the computer and something completely different when you're sitting in the family living room with the child on your lap chatting to their family. Seeing that a child will be able to go to school, her biggest wish, gain an education and create a better future for herself, is a very humbling yet happy feeling. I would say this is proof that one person can make a difference in the world. An immediate connection was created that day and her family now considers us her family and this is a strong bond.  We arranged to meet again before my departure so we get to spend more time together. Soaking up the African sun on the drive back, I was the happiest person in the world.

Sponsor a child: http://zaotrokesveta.com/postani-boter/kako-postanes-boter/