self-sufficiency

How a university education changed my life!

Candace BarlowJoseph's House

Dear Friends, My grandparents and parents were migrant workers; they traveled between Colorado and Texas for work. My grandparents on both sides of the family have no higher than an early elementary education. While growing up, my Dad and his siblings went to school in Colorado for part of the year. When the work was done in Colorado, they went back to Texas with their family and went to school there for the other part of the year. When my Dad was in 8th grade, my grandparents decided they wanted something better for their kids. They wanted them to finish a full year of school at one location. My grandparents decided the way to achieve this goal was to move to Ohio to take factory jobs and raise their kids. For my grandparents, high school education was vital, and they pushed my father and his siblings to do great in school and achieve this goal. However, once my Dad received his high school diploma, he realized even that would not be enough and that he would need a university education to truly get ahead in life. My Dad held a full-time job, had a family, and went to night school […]

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From the Sewer to the Kitchen

kellyUncategorized

Before Clysa entered our program he was working a part time job cleaning up human and industrial sewage in Nairobi.  The job was a day labor job and often he would not be paid by the company after the work was finished.  Clysa initially started a small business selling clothes in the slums with a small business grant of $100 from Light Up Hope.  The business faced challenges of finding customers and at the same time harassment by the local tax collectors who would try to collect taxes even on days when he had made no sales.  After six  months of struggling he decided he wanted to return to school and was then able to apply for the Joseph’s House Program.  He is grateful for the help and is enjoying trade school this spring in food, beverage and catering. You can help support Clysa and other young adults with trade school or university education by donating today.  Monthly donations of $25 or more per month help stabilize the program and guarantee the resources are there to light a path out of poverty.  

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Meet One of Our Trade School Students

Diana MaysUncategorized

I am John Biboh from Kenya. I am 20 years old and in life I have quite a number of things to achieve. One of my biggest dream in life is to be one of the best engineers in mechanical engineering, I want be like an inventor of a kind. Also I would like to have a big garage so that I can also create employment for other mechanics and also function as a school for the youths who would like to join the mechanical engineering field.  About my schooling, I would like to thank Light Up Hope for paying my fee and for the support towards my school. All the dreams I have are useless if not sharpened. My going to school of mechanical engineering will really help a lot and act as a stepping stone for my journey to the brighter future. With my knowledge on mechanical engineering, it will be easier for me to open a garage that can serve people and also educate the young stars in the same field. When I am done with the schooling, it will be easier for me to get a job with the papers and at least have some money […]

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Alphonse shares about the progress at Hope Children's Home

KellyUncategorized

It is a joy to receive letters from the children! Recently we delighted in getting an update on Hope Children’s Home from Alphonse, one of the first year high school students whose high school education is paid for through empowerment programs. During the day Alphonse works hard at school and in the evenings he stays with the other children at Hope Children’s Home.   Dear Light Up Hope, How are you?  I hope you are fine.  Here in Kitale we are going on well as you left us when you were here last time.  The maize (corn) is now growing big and they have already removed the top head.  Other many things in the farm have grown big and we hope you will visit us one day and you will prove us right by seeing them with your eyes. Our animals are going on well.  At home we have the cows and they are becoming fat and fatter than they were previously, the sheep are also giving birth one after the other and that shows that they are totally healthy and receive the required amount of food. We also have some chickens which lay eggs and the eggs hatch.  Our […]

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Alphonse shares about the progress at Hope Children’s Home

kellyUncategorized

It is a joy to receive letters from the children! Recently we delighted in getting an update on Hope Children’s Home from Alphonse, one of the first year high school students whose high school education is paid for through empowerment programs. During the day Alphonse works hard at school and in the evenings he stays with the other children at Hope Children’s Home.   Dear Light Up Hope, How are you?  I hope you are fine.  Here in Kitale we are going on well as you left us when you were here last time.  The maize (corn) is now growing big and they have already removed the top head.  Other many things in the farm have grown big and we hope you will visit us one day and you will prove us right by seeing them with your eyes. Our animals are going on well.  At home we have the cows and they are becoming fat and fatter than they were previously, the sheep are also giving birth one after the other and that shows that they are totally healthy and receive the required amount of food. We also have some chickens which lay eggs and the eggs hatch.  Our […]

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