Earlier this year we told you about the way your support enabled the development of our new EMERGE program. The program aims to address the changing emotional and physical needs of sponsored children as they transition into adulthood.
We’re now excited to share with you that last month the first-ever EMERGE camp was held.
Bringing together teenagers from different centres and towns, it was an unforgettable experience filled with sports, workshops, devotion, games and lasting friendships.
Everyone who attended left feeling inspired, and hopeful for the future. Many of the children couldn’t wait to tell their sponsors how much the camp meant to them. Like Farai who said, “Thank you for everything especially the holiday camp … an amazing and beautiful Garden of Eden. I learned more about myself, and it will help me in the future.”
Tadiwanashe wrote about the joy of playing football at camp, and learning about the importance of exercise. He expressed how grateful he was to his sponsors for the opportunity to attend.
In keeping with VANA Ministries Christian identity, each child was also given their own personalised Bible. These Bibles are a beautiful memento of their time at the camp, and will help guide them spiritually in the years to come.
The generous support of people like you, enables us to provide strong foundations for these young people to prepare for the next stage of their lives.
With your ongoing support, the next EMERGE camp will be held towards the end of the year, but in the meantime our passionate team will be keeping in touch with the children who attended, to provide them with further encouragement and get feedback on how they are progressing.
Events like these play an important role in the EMERGE program, allowing our teens to come together in a safe environment to learn the skills they need to bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood.
With a focus on team building, our teens not only learn from the camp facilitators but also from each other, and the friendships they make will continue to provide them with a support network for the years to come.
After such an inspirational experience, we’re so excited to watch these young adults as they reach for the stars in ways many never would have dreamed possible. We can’t wait to share more of their stories with you over the coming months.
EMERGE is just one of the many initiatives made possible with the support of people just like you. Your generosity helps Zimbabwean children at all stages of life to reach for their potential, giving them the building blocks for a brighter future.