Tuesday, we had a wonderful meeting with Project Hope and talked for nearly 3 hours about  A Call to Mercy’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s Program.  We discussed what worked the past two years, what was learned for improvement, and the future of the program, all with sustainability and empowerment of the people in mind.

Today, we worked at the HIV clinic .  All of the HIV positive children who come to the clinic for their monthly medicines and lab work are in A Call to Mercy’s program.  They come over the course of 3 days…today ages 0-9, about 40 kids.  It is a very long day for the children, many are there for 8-10 hrs. They come hours early to get in the front of the line, first come, first served. Some are brought by caretakers or older siblings, but most are brought by single parent mothers who are also HIV positive.  The mother’s also have their monthly lab work and collect their meds which adds to the time there but saves two visits.  A Call to Mercy pays for the clinic visits (about 500 cfa’s, just less than $1) for each of the children as well as any health needs that arise.  HIV positive children have increased vulnerability to many types of infections and illnesses so A Call to Mercy is  honored to provide 100% health care for them through the program.  Project Hope does a wonderful job of providing a day for the children that includes activities, health lessons, dancing, playing and a hot meal. It was truly wonderful to see many of the children that we met in their homes two years ago when the program was first implemented.

Greeting the children, Mimi style.

The children are so brave.

Care and tenderness, Project Hope Staff.

After a health lesson, dancing…and these kids LOVE to dance!

Helping to serve the meal.

Maybe the best part of the day for the kids. Children eat with their hands, very efficient.

Fufu (ground corn meal), Jamma jamma (a bitter green) and fish with sauce.

Never a bit wasted.

Clearing up.

Washing after the meal.