Delivering food, shelter, and hope to the poorest of the poor
One of our project officers, Jim Kline, recently returned from a several-week trip to Africa to visit some of the projects we support. In Mozambique, he spent some time at the Reencontro orphan project, which provides care to about 7,000 orphans and vulnerable children in Maputo. That’s where he met Zeinabo, a 15-year-old double AIDS orphan who overcame some pretty difficult circumstances and started her own successful sewing business with the help of Reencontro.
Zeinabo, who moved in with her aunt after her parents died, split her day between a vocational tailoring program at Reencontro and her many chores at home. Her aunt became angry that she was spending so much time at the training program — time she could have spend doing chores. One day in a rage, she poured hot water on Zeinabo’s feet, thinking it would prevent her from making the long walk to Reencontro. But what was intended for evil, God turned to good!
Zeinabo, a 15-year-old double AIDS orphan, started her own sewing business with training and equipment she received from Reencontro, a ministry we support in Maputo, Mozambique.
Social workers from Reencontro came and spoke to Zeinabo’s aunt, and convinced her to let her niece finish the tailoring program. They also gave Zeinabo a sewing machine so she could start a business once she graduated. Now in 10th grade, Zeinabo is able to make a comfortable living from her sewing business and still attend school.
“What is really neat about this story is that Zeinabo’s feet [which her aunt tried to hurt to keep her from going to the vocational training] now power her manual sewing machine and in essence her career,” Jim said. “That’s definitely a God thing.”
Zeinabo uses her feet to power her manual sewing machine and, in essence, her business.
Our mission is to mobilize the global Catholic Church to transform the poor and their communities materially and spiritually for the glory of Jesus Christ. Your gift empowers us to serve the poorest of the poor by channeling life-changing aid through an international network of dioceses, parishes and Catholic missionaries. This cost-effective approach helps break the cycle of poverty and advance Catholic evangelization.