Run 4 Africa

There is estimated to be 1.6 million orphans in Mozambique, Africa.  Saturday, November 16th, 2013 Durham, North Carolina is going to make a difference to those children!  There will be a benefit 5k Tail Run at 

Valley Springs Park: 3805 Valley Springs Rd, Durham 27712  

This is a beautiful 3.1 mile course starting at Valley Springs Park and then heading over to the historic Pump Station Trail.  Along the trail you can see the foundations of Durham's first water pumping station and enjoy the gorgeous view along the Eno River. This is a perfect family jog or walk.             

                                                                                                                

Registration: 8:30am (no online registration)

5K run/walk: 9:00am 

Fee: Suggested $8.00 donation per person*

 

All are welcome: sprinters, runners, joggers, walkers

 

Top finisher prizes!  Raffle drawings! Snacks & drinks!

 

* All proceeds from Run 4 Africa will be donated to Acenda. 

Acenda is a 501c3 charitable organization.  All donations to Acenda are tax deductible.

Acenda, a small non-profit organization, was created, with the specific goal of helping place orphans in Mozambique with caring Mozambican foster families.  However, while many families are willing to help, they cannot afford another child to feed, clothe, and pay the educational fees of books and uniforms on their own.  Acenda provides the necessary support for these families to make it possible for these orphans to continue to live in a loving home.   Acenda is a volunteer organization with 100% of its proceeds going directly to the children.

Henriqueta

I am thrilled to introduce Henriqueta Maluana. Henriqueta has been a dear friend since the first time I met her in 2000 on my first trip to Mozambique.  She has a natural ability with people and has a gift to  reach across cultures and become an instant friend. 

           
I remember marveling  at her ability and confidence.  We were the same age, but no matter where we went, everyone looked up to her and listened to her with respect.  She comes from a very humble background  but that has never stopped her from being so full of happiness.  The first time she saw a sleeping bag, she jumped right in and zipped herself up laughing all the while.  

She has a pure heart, a strong will, and a deep passion to help her country.  Over the years she has taught me many things, one of them being dedication and hard work.  Whether  it is learning English, building her own house from cinderblocks, teaching room after roomful the importance of abstinence until marriage, taking classes to get her GED, or calling to check up on our foster families, Henriqueta is dedicated and sees every job through to the end.  She is an essential part of the Acenda team and we are grateful for all her hard work.                              

-- Annie Lewis

 

"I am from Maputo, Mozambique. My family and I currently live in Rexburg, Idaho. I am married to Armando who is attending BYU-Idaho. We have three kids, Nathan, Alice and Jeff. Armando has been in the USA since December 2008. Armando came to the USA searching for the better education and he left me and our 2-month-old son Nathan in Mozambique. 

           
When he first came to the USA he did not know English, so he had to go through the English training program offered by Brigham Young University, English Language Center.  In June 2009, Armando move to St. George, UT where our family was reunited.  During our time in St. George, my husband attended Dixie State College and later he transferred to BYU-I. 

I am currently a full time mom. I spend my days playing with my three kids.  Our favorite thing to do is to pack lunches and spend the day at the splash park.  We also love to go to the library and read stories for kids.  I bring the books home and study the grammar with my friends from China and Korea.   

I have been volunteering for Acenda since 2008.  Before I came to the U.S. I was in charge of visiting and supervising the foster families. These visits would include training families on how to deal or interact with children who were in the transition stage from orphanages to a household.  I would also train foster families on how to manage donations received by Acenda. 

           
The most important moment to me when I did visits to foster families, was to see the joy and hope that radiated from the children because they knew that now had a future ahead of them as long as they continued doing what was right.  Being an orphan or homeless in Mozambique is comparable to an abandoned animal that does not have a roof to hide his head. Homeless children would eat rotten food from trash cans and would take shower on the sewage canals if there is one in the community. The only end or hope for those children was death because they assumed that it would take the pain away from them.

 

Now that I live in the U.S. I am the U.S. Coordinator for Acenda.  This means that I have the privilege of following up with the foster kids in the Acenda program over the phone.  I coordinate with the Mozambican Coordinator, Iris Domingos.  Together our job is to track the children's progress.  We communicate with the foster families and make sure the children's needs are being met.

 

I enjoy giving my time to Acenda because I know that I am helping my own people to change their own lives.  Acenda is a blessing not just for the children in our Acenda program, but for their foster families as well. I am convinced that an education and a loving family is the key to success for these foster children. I personally appreciate all the help provided for those kids."

Henriqueta Maluana

 

What can you do now?

 We need your help to continue to move forward with the mission of helping these children stay with their foster families!  Please help us spread the word to your own friends and family.  Any donation helps!  For $50 a month, you are able to sponsor a child and give them the gift of living in a loving home where they will continue their education and grow up with a brighter future!  You make Acenda possible.  Together we really are "lighting the way for the orphans of Mozambique!" 

Important Change:

In 2013 Acenda will continue to monitor the children's progress and continue to support the foster families, but we have just one change.  Circle of Support will be closing at the end of January.  For five wonderful years, Circle of Support has provided therapy for children with disabilities.  We are grateful for their service to our local community (Gilbert, Arizona) and their effort targeted at making lives better in the global community of Mozambique. 

To keep your donations tax deductable, we have partnered with another non-profit family-based advocacy group doing good work around the globe, Family Watch International (FWI).  You can find out more information about FWI by clicking here.

What does this mean for you?

This means that your donations will remain tax deductible.  As soon as possible, please contact your bank and let them know that a change will need to be made immediately. Please make out all checks to the following:  (whether they are drafts from banks or sent from your homes)

Family Watch International/Acenda

New Address 

Family Watch International/Acenda

C/O LaCinda Lewis

513 E. Campbell Ave.

Gilbert, AZ 85234

We understand that some checks, for January, have already been mailed and this is not a problem. However, if the new address and name change could be made as soon as possible, we would appreciate it.

Parabens!

We want to congratulate two of our Acenda children, Fina and Riquito for graduating from Primary school and going onto Secondary School (similar to High School)! In a country where this is not mandatory or common, we are so proud of them and all their hard work!!

Above:  Riquito with his foster family.

Below: Riquito and his sister Barbara proudly showing their school books! 

 Beautiful Fina! 

She is hard working, diligent and kind. 

Congratulations, or in Portuguese, "Parabens!" 

May 2012 Report

 Mussa Domingos Gala is 11 years old. He grew up living in an orphanage without a mother and a father.  Life in his orphanage was hard.  The facilities were in very poor shape.  While they had plenty of ringworm, lice and puddles breeding mosquitoes, they had very few caregivers and little nutritious food, and clothing.  When the orphanage was closed in 2009, Mussa was one of the children without any living relatives.  Acenda was able to help him find a wonderful foster family to live with. 

Ana Maria (second from the right wearing a green shirt) is a wonderful foster mother.  She is very energetic and happy.  She has a supportive husband and they are the parents of seven children including Mussa. When she is not busy taking care of her large family, she is serving the children at her local church as the Primary President!  Mussa was very challenging when he joined the family over two years ago.  It was not uncommon for him to run away from home but Ana Maria was patient and helped him understand the blessing of having a family and the responsibility that comes with being part of the Acenda Program. 

Today, Mussa has a great relationship with his new family.  He attends school every day and he is progressing in his academic studies.  His favorite subject is math and he looks forward to opportunities in higher education in this area of study.  His grades are good.  He loves to play and pray. 

October 2011 Report

There are 1.6 million orphaned children in Mozambique.  In the past, orphaned children were cared for by extended families.  However, the epidemic has placed too great a stress on this traditional safety net.  A recent government study revealed that only 12.5% of the households with orphaned children received any assistance; half of the families were female-lead; and school attendance among orphaned children was much lower.

Acenda sponsors are greatly helping those who cannot help themselves.  You are giving orphaned children hope for a better life now and in the future.  As always, we express our gratitude to each of you for the sacrifices that you make to help us keep this important program viable.

 Isabel Jonase Olante is a beautiful Mozambican woman who lost her husband to HIV/AIDS.  She now cares for not only her own children, but the children of her deceased sister.  When she was approached by our Project Coordinator, Iris Domingos, to care for Luizinah, she immediately said yes.  Luizinah's mother was Isabel's best friend. 

Isabel Jonase Olante, Acenda Foster Mother  

  Typical of most Mozambican households, there are 10 people living in a very small home.  She creates the kind of environment where her grown children come for frequent visits--it is a gathering place.  Her home, though simple, is well maintained and surrounded by vegetable gardens.

Isabel, her son, her daughter, and Luzinha

May 2011 Report

We are happy to report that the twenty-one foster children in Acenda are thriving with their families.  Our most recent report from Iris Domingos, our project coordinator, had many wonderful updates.  Suzanna,  who is hearing impaired, is finding joy in communicating as she learns sign language.  Melita, 14 years old, is doing much better in school this year.  Batista, a 10 year old boy with special needs, has received some new treatments. Several of our children have transferred schools and are achieving better grades. 

Baptista, 2011

 One of our foster care mothers, Clara Amelia Matsinhe, currently works for Mozambique's Social Action  (similar to USA's Child Protective Services).  She is an experienced social worker with her specialty being children. Clara Amelia has shared with us the reality of having Zinha, 14 years old, join her family.  She said, "In the beginning it was very hard  teaching Zinha the rules and expectations in our home.  Everyone would become easily frustrated."  She talked about the need to have a great deal of patience and persistence.  In time, they have succeeded in creating a peaceful and loving family. 

Zinha, Clara Amelia, Clara's daughter

 Zinha is in the 7th grade this year and is a bright student.  When she is not studying or helping around the house, her mom said she can always be found on the soccer field.