Posts by Diane Sanders
Her Story Continues – A Life That Changed the World Around Her
There are some children whose lives leave fingerprints on hearts across continents. Neema was one of those children. It is with deep sadness that we share that our dear Neema has passed away due to complications related to HIV-induced kidney disease. Yet even in grief, we know her story is not over. Her life became…
Read MoreFrom Chokora to Chosen
“Chokora,” they would say. When there is little chance for a meal, there is no chance for education, it is all about survival. And over time, he began to believe it. From a trauma-informed perspective, we understand that children like him are not choosing the streets—they are adapting to survive them. What may look like…
Read MoreWhat Began as a Moment of Obedience Became an Opportunity for Global Impact
Recently, while attending the Global Church Network Synergize Conference in Orlando, Alice Sweet, founder of Haven of Hope International (HOHI), shared a heartfelt appeal—one rooted in compassion, urgency, and unwavering faith. Among those listening was Mike Sherbino, host of the television program and podcast Perspective. Deeply moved by both the mission of HOHI and the…
Read MoreBack to School at Operation Smile Children’s Home: A Fresh Start in Poonah, Trinidad
There’s a special kind of holy chaos that comes with back-to-school—forms to fill out, uniforms to size, supplies to buy, and children to encourage. But at Operation Smile Children’s Home in Lower Poonah, Williamsville, this year carries an added weight of wonder: it’s the first new school year since the home reopened and began welcoming…
Read MoreBack to School at Matonyok Children’s Home: “Make the Effort” in Arusha, Tanzania
In the Maasai language, “Matonyok” means “make the effort.” That phrase becomes especially powerful at the start of a new school year, when pencils are sharpened, uniforms are straightened, and children line up—many of them carrying a story that could have easily kept them from ever sitting in a classroom. Haven of Hope International (HOHI)…
Read MoreBack to School at Watu Wa Maana: Education as a Lifeline in Ruiru, Kenya
Just outside Nairobi, in the industrial town of Ruiru, there is a place where children who once slept on the streets are learning to carry something new: a backpack filled with possibility. Watu Wa Maana—Swahili for “very important people”—is more than a children’s home. It is a daily declaration that every child, no matter where…
Read MoreBack to School at Kabagambe Children’s Foundation: Horizons Are Opening in Uganda
In the Kampala region of Uganda—near Mende—a new school term is more than a date on the calendar. For the children of Kabagambe Childcare Foundation (KCF), back to school is a celebration of something they once believed they would never have: a real chance. Not long ago, these children lived with the crushing weight of…
Read MoreBackpacks, Uniforms, and a Brand-New Beginning at Refugio de Vida (Peru)
The first day of school carries a special kind of hope. New notebooks still crisp. Uniforms neatly pressed. Shoes tied tight. For many children, it’s a normal rhythm of life. For the girls at Refugio de Vida (Refuge of Life) near Pucallpa, Peru, school is often something far more fragile—and far more sacred. Many arrive…
Read MoreBack to School at JEHO Safe Home: A Classroom Key in the Concrete Jungle of Nairobi
Back-to-school season looks different when a child’s “neighborhood” is a maze of high-rise concrete, narrow walkways, and relentless survival. In the Embakasi (Pipeline) area of Nairobi, many children grow up surrounded by hardship so intense that some live and die without ever leaving the slum. For the most vulnerable—children abandoned, neglected, or found alone—school is…
Read MoreBack to School, Back to Hope: How Education Is Changing Lives at Refugio de Esperanza
At Refugio de Esperanza in Bolivia, the start of a new school year feels like a fresh sunrise. Class schedules are posted, uniforms are pressed, and the house hums with the kind of anticipation only children can create—equal parts excitement, nerves, and big dreams. This year, Director “Mama Gladys” couldn’t stop smiling as she watched…
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