Hope restored

MISSIONER NEWSLETTER – Spring 2025

Rich Tarro, Kenya

Hannan, who was orphaned and raised by her aunt, expresses deep gratitude for the HOPE Project’s life-changing impact on her and her family.

The Catholic Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025. This has special meaning to me given the name of my ministry, the HOPE Project, and the fact that its mission is to bring hope to orphans and vulnerable children on the margins of society. Even our website address reflects this purpose (https://hopegiveshope.com).

In the papal document proclaiming the Jubilee year, Pope Francis talks about how many young people today are without hope. They face an uncertain and unpromising future and lack employment and job security. With their dreams and aspirations frustrated, many escape into drugs, risk-taking and the pursuit of momentary pleasure, leading to depression and self-destructive actions.

The HOPE Project ensures that children get an education and develop job skills, keeping them off the street and helping them to create a better future for themselves. We also provide our children and their families with basic necessities, like food, beds, and other home goods. After they finished their courses of study, we help our students to get jobs or start their own small businesses. We strive to provide each child with the best chance of success in life, that is, give them hope in their future.

Hannan is 19 years old and loves to sing. Her father died when she was a toddler, and her mother passed away when Hannan was only seven years old.

Hannan’s aunt, Rehema, took Hannan in after her mother died. Rehema began supporting Hannan in school, but Rehema’s husband died soon after and it became difficult for her to continue to pay for Hannan’s education, accumulating a large school fee debt, which the HOPE Project eventually cleared. The HOPE Project began supporting Hannan when she was in fourth grade.

I’ve known Hannan for almost six years now. During that time, she has struggled with numerous illnesses and has constantly been in and out of hospitals. The HOPE Project paid most of Hannan’s hospital expenses, or I’m not sure what would have happened to her.  Hannan would sometimes come to tutorial sessions or visit the office, when she felt up to it, but would look as if she weighed almost nothing. We would always buy her food, but it was a struggle for her to eat. We also provided Hannan with a new bed and mattress.

Due to her being sick so often, Hannan ended up missing many days of school. Eventually, two years ago, Hannan was forced to drop out of her third year of high school. She could no longer keep up with her classes.

Not once, in the whole time I’ve known her, have I ever heard Hannan complain about her life, her illnesses, or anything else for that matter. I wish I could be more like her as I tend to complain about the smallest inconvenience. She is an inspiration.

Hannan, once forced to leave school due to illness, is now pursuing her dream in cosmetology, thanks to the unwavering support of the HOPE Project.

Through the medical assistance we provided and the help of many prayers, Hannan has been doing much better lately. So much so, that we just sent her back to school to study cosmetology (hairdressing and beauty). We are providing for Hannan to board at the school, which we do in certain special cases like this. We had wanted to send Hannan back to school for the past two years, but it was just not possible until now.

Hannan is so happy to be back in school after a long time of staying home due to her illnesses. I look forward to the day when Hannan has a job as a hairdresser. Perhaps we will help her to start her own beauty salon, as we have done for other students.

Rehema, Hannan’s aunt, who is such a loving and caring woman, is so grateful to the HOPE Project for everything we do for them. Besides Hannan, Rehema also cares for two other orphaned children of her siblings. Both of these children were also supported by the HOPE Project. Rehema calls Hannan every day to check on her. When we delivered Hannan’s new bed, Rehema insisted on cooking lunch for us.

In the papal announcement of the Jubilee Year of HOPE, Pope Francis calls the young the embodiment of hope and exhorts us with renewed passion to demonstrate care and concern for adolescents and students, which he terms the rising generation. “Let us draw close to the young, for they are the joy and hope of the Church and of the world!” Your generous support enables us to meet this challenge.

God is good.

Please consider financially supporting our work at HOPE Project. You can make a donation through the link below.

I invite you to walk with me as a “COMPANION IN MISSION.” Companions in Mission are friends and generous donors who give financial gifts on a regular (usually monthly) basis. For more information, visit Become a Companion in Mission. Thank you so much for your generosity!