Stories of Hope: Seraphine

The death of both parents is an unimaginable loss to a child.  The losses can continue to mount as the children ZOE Ministry encounters descend into poverty.  Children can end up separated from their siblings as hunger drives them into the cities looking for work, and into the streets begging for food. In their communities, these children must also face the stigma of having no parents, and for those who lose their parents to HIV/AIDS, it is even worse. Fears and other misunderstandings about the disease are still prevalent in Africa, and effectively condemn these children to lives of begging, exploitation and abuse.

At age 17, Seraphine found herself in this very situation after losing both parents to HIV/AIDS when she was just 12.  Her only remaining family were her three nieces, Josiane, 14, Marie, 12, and Rachel, 10. Hungry and homeless, they were forced to separate, relying on strangers for handouts and shelter. Occasionally, Seraphine would find work in neighbors’ fields, only to be mistreated because she was too young and weak for manual labor.

When Seraphine joined ZOE’s Orphan Empowerment Program, she and her nieces had been separated for three years, and suffered from mental and physical illness from years of abuse. ZOE brought her together with fellow orphans in her community in a Working Group of 60-80 children. Soon, Seraphine found herself in the midst of a blossoming new family while working to reunite with what remained of her old one.

With ZOE’s support, she found her niece Marie, and together they participated in a trauma recovery program, learning to cope with their difficult past. With a micro-grant, Seraphine started a small business selling food items. She used her profits to buy a piece of land, and on it, built a home with help from her Working Group.

After a number of initially tearful visits, ZOE staff finally saw her smile.  Seraphine, now reunited with two of her nieces, was in her new home, sharing the first meal cooked from their garden. She spoke joyously about soon being able to welcome her third niece home.

Building a supportive community for otherwise isolated orphans is an essential component of ZOE’s Orphan Empowerment Program. Each Working Group provides not only friendship and acceptance for its members, but also shared knowledge, mutual help, and improved status in the community. Your gifts help ZOE provide orphans with a healthy, mutually-beneficial network of support as they journey towards a brighter future.