Updates from the field

As mentioned in the previous post, I have just finished a call from the Club Anbesa boys and manager.

Some current updates for those invested in the lives of the boys:

They were SO excited to see us (Zeru and I) and were in good spirits.

Not all were present, but the 5 boys involved in the business start up were present as well as a handful of others.

I was told about a pay it forward plan they come up with as a team to pay back their loans to directly influence the rest of the team.

One boy reported that the boys were continuing to be involved in the football (soccer) training and matches.

I was informed by one boy (with several of the team members present) that before they receive uniforms they would like soccer cleats, as this would greatly benefit their training and play.

(This is timely information as I have been raising funds for the uniforms)

the boys who are selling products for their small business have already begun using their money to re-stock their businesses! (re-investing in their business!)

The Club sounds motivated, encouraged, and growing in character day by day. I could not be prouder of Club Anbesa!

(Before making a final decision on the soccer cleats vs. uniform purchase decision I will need to be sure the rest of team agrees to this- or at least the majority- as those who mentioned it have already received a uniform, but I know of at least one boy who has not who may not agree)

The pay it forward plan

There has been a recent update on the small business start ups which have just begun this week!

Originally the boys were to pay back 90% of the cost of their start up within a time frame, and that money would be used to benefit the next boy. I had the privilege to video chat with the boys today (though the video part was black and fuzzy) to speak to the boys ways a joy and to hear the excitement in their voices proved the success of the business start up so far anyway.

But the idea that they came up with was this: (Much credit was given to  the volunteer coach) That each boy set aside 5 bir each day for 7 weeks (which would be approximately what they would owe) and that 175 bir would go directly to help the next boy in line. This would be 5 new business start ups after only 7 weeks! (A portion would be added to that from the donation fund we have)

I was so excited to hear that the team discussed and came up with this plan! This shows that they are THINKING in general, THINKING for each other, and PLANNING in a responsible way.

It shows good character and suture sustainability.

NOW before I get too excited, this is all new to them, and honestly ANYTHING can happen in the days, weeks, and months to come, but I am hopeful at their eager pursuit and trust that God will help them.

Thank you for your prayers and donations which are truly making a visible immediate impact on the future lives of these boys.

New buisness, new opportunity for change!

In April a generous supporter donated $200 to be used however was best.

After discussing with the boys, with the manager in contact with the boys, and evaluating all our previous work, it was unanimously agreed the best way to use the money was for business start ups for the boys.

Everything we do in Club Anbesa is designed to enable sustainability, responsibility, courage, faith, hope, and character. Unfortunately many "aid programs" enable begging, laziness, and dependence. We want to do things different, so a lot of thought and prayer went into this business growing initiative.

First off, a training was given by a volunteer local business man who taught the boys about entrepreneurship, looking at their new business as an opportunity to grow, not a hand out, and from the reports the training went well and was received eagerly by the participants. This is a HUGE success!

Before I agreed to the training I made sure the business man understood to treat the boys with respect- a problem found often among society is that they are looked down upon. And the boys generally become shy in society.

(Thanks to the housing initiative, this is slowly becoming less of a problem)

Part of the training was about loans. The business start up is NOT a hand out, but a LOAN! The boys have agreed to pay back 90% of the micro loan within a time frame.

Since this is a pilot run, we only chose the boys who are now in houses and paying rent, and the loans were limited to 200 bir.

A thorough financial report is being made up of the cost of each product purchased for the boys with receipts which will be posted when I post the April and May financial reports.

This is an EXCITING new endeavor for our boys and for us involved with them! We will keep updates on how it is working out!

Meet Abene

Meet Abene. When I first met this young man on the streets of Hawassa he was feisty and bright eyed. He always jumped at the opportunity to play ball with the boys.

But after just a couple weeks he started to sit out. Finally I would show up in the mornings and he would still be sleeping out on the grass on the meadow we played.

Of all the boys he was the only one who had shoes (albeit old and worn). He wore them while he slept and covered his head with whatever he could find.
One day the ball got kicked into him while he slept and it woke him. He began crying- I thought because he got hit, but after some investigating realized he had been robbed in his sleep. He awoke to realize all his money (15 Bir, about $1.50) had been stolen from him and he was left again with nothing.

This went on for many weeks on end. He never seemed to get up.

Eventually he also had no shoes.

After quite a few weeks there was a morning when the nearby "road" was getting grated and ready for stone to be laid. The huge machine barely fit in the road. There were, lined along the side of the meadow and road downed poles- very large like utility poles- and as the grater moved along it pushed the poles out of the way.

Amazingly Abene slept right though the loud roar of the machine. Then out of no where it seemed, as the grater pushed a utility pole, it went right at the sleeping boy.



There is Abene sleeping in his shoes

As it approached his feet I ran towards the driver shouting so stop and waving my arms. The man couldn't hear me. The other bystanders from the community tried, half heart idly- to shout at Abene to wake him. As every attempt failed I watched as the pole miraculously lifted up off the ground about a centimeter above his feet then glide up over his legs, body then past his head- all the way JUST HOVERING above his body- then SLAM about half an inch past his head.

I ran over and lifted him up off the ground with some help and drug him further away. The neighbors were angry that he were sleeping there- I was confused that he could sleep through all the commotion. I told them all it was only by the hand of God that he was still alive!

He went right back to sleep.

One day I saw another boy try to get him up, gave him some water, and had to hake him around a bit. They were trying to take care of him.

Finally I stepped in. I don't know why, but of all the boys he really made an impression on me. He was so hopeless in his state.

I grabbed him by the collar one day as he slept and pulled him up; shook him around a bit, and shouted at him.

"Abene, Abene. Get up!"
"What do you want? Do you want to play football? Do you want a uniform? Do you want work, a home? What do you want? GET UP!"

I told him I expected him to get up and play with us from then on.

To my amazement- he got up, washed up, and watched the game. The next day- and from that day on he happily participated and worked. I had not seen him asleep again when I arrived.



Legessa with Abene in a recent photo

 

Several weeks later he got his uniform, and some weeks after that he was among the first 3 boys to get a home rented. (He did however decide he preferred to live on the street, but continues to participate in the Club eagerly).

Meet Abene: I never figured out what made him feel so hopeless, but I know that playing football and being a member of Club Anbesa gives him hope.