Dear Brethren in Christ,

In 1999 at the end of my first short-term mission trip with the Coptic Orthodox Church, a 16 year old boy came to me and said, “I want to go to school, but my father has no money to send me. Can you find me a sponsor?” My missions team pooled together some of our money and paid for one year of schooling for the young man. This young man laid the foundation for what is now Seeds for Hope, a Christian non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the needs of Africa’s poorest. Seeds for Hope exists to provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills and build their capacity to break the cycle of poverty. The most effective way to do this is through Education.

Economic research has proven that one additional year of education raises an individual’s productive output by 7%. But, that is not all, the opportunity to go to school literally transforms a child’s life and future. Education also:

• Build’s a child’s confidence and self-esteem
• Prevents idleness that translates directly into reduced teen-pregnancies, child prostitution, criminal activity drug abuse and sexual abuse
• Prevents the spread of HIV/AIDS by equipping young people with the greatest weapon: information
• Provides the knowledge and skills to live healthier lives through better sanitation and health practices.
• Lowers death rates and an increases life expectancy by as much as 10 years, particularly in girls.
• Develops thinking and analytical skills and open’s their minds to understand the world outside their community.
• Restores hope and allows them to dream for something better.

More than 50% of Kenyans live in poverty. For them, struggling to find food each day makes attending school something far beyond their reach. However, education remains the gatekeeper to opportunity. An alarming 56% of the population that start academic programs in Kenya do not complete it to term, as education is a financial burden which cannot be sustained. We are committed to changing these statistics by sponsoring the education of children and youth. The Jeremiah Scholarship Fund is SFH’s program to educate the next generation of Kenya. SFH works to identify children in need and enroll them in school for the rest of their academic years. Although costs for education vary depending on school and class level, For 45$ a month or an annual gift of 540$, you can send a child to school until completion.

Since we started this program in 2001, we have supported 12 youth to go to high school or college. We have seen 6 of those youth graduate and are now working. By God’s grace and your support we can reach much more. We are committing our efforts to child/youth education by making the Jeremiah Scholarship Fund our primary activity. Join us in transforming the lives of kenya’s young people, and the future of the country as a whole by supporting the Jeremiah Scholarship Fund. You can read more about the stories of the youth we have sponsored by visiting our testimonial page. Thank you and God bless you.

Nadia Kist
Founder and Director
Seeds For Hope, Inc.