In 2013, the Hope Focus team encountered a ten-year-old girl named Felister begging for food in town. A visit to Felister’s home revealed a difficult family situation: her mother had passed away when she was young, leaving her in the care of her elderly father. Her father’s illness prevented him from working, leaving the family unable to afford necessities like food and cover the school fees for Felister. Recognising the risk Felister faced, her father agreed to her moving into the Hope Focus home to safeguard her from potential trafficking. Tragically, Felister’s father has since passed away, and she has struggled with his loss. However, she was able to transition from the Hope Focus home back to the community and live with her sister. Felister’s sister provided her a loving and supportive home and Felister became an advocate for the younger girls in her community.
Despite the adversity Felister faced, she has always been dedicated to her studies, with the social workers who conducted her home visits reporting her prioritising self-led study. After their visits the social workers would report “Her performance at school is promising and we believe that she can make it”. In 2022, Felister finished her secondary school studies and joined a tertiary education course in Management. Felister continues to work hard and thrive and is currently in her second year, with the potential to continue her studies to complete a diploma. We are so proud of Felister and incredibly grateful to the generous donors and our international partners who have given this young girl this opportunity.
“I am happy and surprised for the love you have for me… It is written in the bible that many are called but few are chosen. I would like to appreciate your great love to me” – Felister
