Archive for the ‘Child Sponsorship’ Category

Leaving an Impact

Posted: March 21, 2023 by Patrice Miles in African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Core Values, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Empowerment, Fundraising, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Orphans, People of Egbe, Sponsorship
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There are many ways we can impact lives across the globe and truly make a difference. DonorSee is one of those platforms and what a blessing it has been to the ministry. A couple of months ago, I did a blog on how DonorSee emerged as a platform and eventually upscaled to impact hundreds of lives in 38 different countries, see Why DonorSee?

It has been two years since C.A.R.E. Africa came on board the platform, and now we have a community that is familiar with the ministry and has given us the opportunity to impact the lives of our children, staff, and the community at large!

You truly get to see lives transformed and improved on DonorSee. We have been able to empower some of our caretakers through the community from DonorSee, maintain our ministry vehicles, send our children to computer camp, and even assist with several community needs. I have included pictures of some of those funded projects below.

Ever since C.A.R.E. joined the platform, we have been able to raise $81,093, of which many of you reading this have contributed to that number. We are thankful that we can utilize a platform such as DonorSee to positively impact so many lives.

Would you like to see more of what God has been doing at C.A.R.E Africa through DonorSee? I have included links to some of the projects that are currently still waiting to be funded on DonorSee.

Check out these new videos on DonorSee

Do join us in this journey of impacting the lives of families in Egbe Nigeria and beyond!

Do You Pray For Us?

Posted: March 7, 2023 by Patrice Miles in African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Core Values, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Orphans, People of Egbe, Prayer, Sponsorship
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We hope that you do! Prayer transforms us as we seek our father’s face and plead for his will. At C.A.R.E., we recognize that the ministry entirely relies on the prayers and support of believers across the globe. We are a family preservation ministry, which means that at our core we are constantly working to undo the enemy’s influence in the lives of our children and the community at large.
This is why the newest addition to the CA.R.E. team is so crucial to the entire ministry. Alison Douma is our prayer advocate, and she will be working closely with the Nigerian staff as well as the American team to communicate situations and needs to the prayer group in a bi-weekly prayer letter. Alison will also be sharing our prayer requests regularly with churches and others to have as many people praying for C.A.R.E. Africa as possible. We currently have 230 prayer warriors, and we would like to continue to grow that number. We are excited to have Alison join the team because we know with this addition, we are well on our way to achieving our goal. Here is the link to our most recent Prayer Letter. The past few months have been quite busy for the ministry and we are very thankful that God has continued to direct and provide for the team in Nigeria and America. If you would like to subscribe to our prayer group and advocate for us with your prayers, please click on this link and join us as God continues to do tremendous things through C.A.R.E Africa! Prayer Warriors!

C.A.R.E. Africa Core Values, Empower

Posted: August 18, 2022 by Patrice Miles in African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Core Values, Egbe Nigeria, Empowerment, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, People of Egbe, Seamstresses
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By Jolene Eicher,

Over the next few weeks, we want to share C.A.R.E. Africa’s core values with you. We hope it will resonate with similar values you use in your own life and that of your family/friends.

EMPOWER
Empower describes the process of change wherein an individual with a prior inability to choose has the access and freedom to make choices (Kabeer, 2005).

The solution to slowing poverty isn’t about how much money you can give or about inserting western interventions. It’s about providing people with the tools to build their own better future.

Here are some empowering tools C.A.R.E. Africa is providing:

EDUCATION
Over the past 7 years, we have provided orphaned and impoverished children with an education that gives them opportunities to become future leaders in their country and across the world. We equip them with biblical values and basic skillsets needed to become strong, independent young adults.

The SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
This allows some of C.A.R.E. Africa’s most promising students to continue their education through the post-secondary level. This higher education provides them with skills needed for life-altering employment so they can lift themselves and their family from the depths of poverty. Once selected, scholarship students receive full financial support including tuition, books, room and board, clothing, requirements, and health care.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING and MICRO-FINANCE
The empowerment of vocational training such as tailoring, barbering, and computer/information technology provides success in a challenging economy. It is ideal for those students who are looking for a way to become gainfully employed in a small business.

Bank loans are almost impossible to obtain. C.A.R.E. Africa provides micro-finance loans to young adults and the women of C.A.R.E. Africa. We become “the bank” and provide the loan to start and grow small businesses. Small businesses are the lifeblood of African economies and a significant way to empower those looking for a way out of poverty.

Hopefully, you can now understand why EMPOWER is the first of the four core values in the mission objectives of C.A.R.E. How we are empowering the children and women of C.A.R.E. is not much different than what we do with our own children, family and friends to help them secure a successful future.

View all empowerment programs at https://donate.icareafrica.org/projects

Fill the bags

Posted: May 19, 2022 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Miles In Missions, Orphans, Outreach, Volunteers
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We are so excited to announce that we have the opportunity to send items to our kids, caregivers and staff at C.A.R.E. Africa again. We have several bags that can be filled with needed items. We do our best to buy everything in country to support the local economy and Nigerian business owners. The items on our list are either hard to find our the quality is very poor and we end up having to replace the items several times throughout the year.

If you would like to help fill the bags, visit our Amazon list here. https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/37CK4SE2YMS3Q/guest-view

Send a package to your sponsored child! Email diana@icareafrica.org for the address to send your package.

 God, please don’t ever make me go to Africa.

Posted: March 15, 2022 by dbeville in African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Mission Trips, Missionaries, Nigeria, Sponsorship, Volunteers
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I remember sitting in church as a kid in the early 90s, listening to a missionary discuss their life in Africa while flipping through a slide reel of pictures. I don’t remember anything they said, just the feeling of fear and dread that God wanted to punish me enough that one day I would have to go to Africa. That night and for years to follow, I begged God to never make me go to Africa. I’d do anything else.

Then in the spring of 2014, I felt the wind blow in a different direction. The Miles had sold all their stuff and moved to Nigeria six months prior. I felt my curiosity suddenly outweighing my fear. It now seemed as if maybe God had a gift waiting for me rather than a punishment. I wanted to visit friends. But I also felt a new and unfamiliar tug. An exciting invitation. A “just you wait and see…”

Since that first trip with Stephen in 2014, I’ve traveled back to Nigeria 3 more times, with another trip scheduled for later this year. I am now eager for each next chance to go to Africa.

When C.A.R.E. Africa first began, Patrice asked if I would attempt to sell some jewelry participants had made. Having no experience in sales, marketing, promotion, or distribution, I said, “Sure!” We bought a tent and tables. Stephen’s sister used sharpies to draw a poster board sign, and we began vending at farmer’s markets in Louisville, KY.

C.A.R.E. grew into a full-blown ministry in Nigeria with many facets, including a seamstress training program that creates numerous products including clothing, handbags, jewelry, and aprons. Our garage transformed into an “Amazon Fulfillment Center,” stocked with shelves of sorted boxes of products, market display items (many built by Patrice’s stepdad), and shipping supplies.

Miraculously those early days of stumbling through the unknowns have grown into a vibrant display, a band of faithful volunteers, return-shoppers at markets, a requested presence in missions conferences, an Etsy store, and $20k in sales for 2021.

I found my passion and purpose in that vendor booth. I could not sell just anything. But I have the incredible luck to showcase vibrant products which tell a beautiful story that I believe in with my whole heart. And I love the human element of a market: crowds of unique characters with personalities as varied as the fabric prints. It helps open my heart to the patchwork of people required to build a solid community.

As if my life managing product sales wasn’t charmed enough, in 2021 I was offered employment with C.A.R.E. as the Sponsorship Coordinator. I am having so much fun getting to know the kids and sponsors more. It is an honor to facilitate communication and relationship internationally! Sponsors are partnering with C.A.R.E. to educate, disciple, and nurture more than 70 kids in Nigeria. I update sponsors on life in Egbe including new pictures, report cards, home life, plans for college, and achievements. I also relay communication from sponsors back to Egbe staff and students.

Other facets of this role include advocating for sponsorship and monitoring financial transactions. After an end-of-year audit, we verified that 99% of child sponsorship donor dollars go directly to care and supplies for the children and their families!! Around every turn, I continue to find the efficacy and integrity of this organization are top tier.

What a thrill ride I’m on. I’d like to go back to tell little Diana she doesn’t need to be afraid; there’s so much to look forward to.

ADVOCATE * INVEST * EMPOWER * SERVE

Why can’t I go to school?

Posted: March 8, 2022 by Patrice Miles in African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Orphans, Prayer
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Millions of Nigerian students are disappointed every year because they cannot attend university.  Not because they didn’t study hard enough for entrance exams, but because there isn’t enough room for all of them and it’s not affordable for most. 

74% of Nigerians that apply for higher education will be denied. Only 1 out of 4 will have the opportunity to go. WHY?

The US has over 5,000 higher education institutions to service a population of roughly 319 million.  Compare that to Nigeria who has around 150 universities to service a population of 180 million people, 62% of them 24 or younger.  There is simply not enough universities  in Nigeria to accommodate the growing student population. 

If a student is accepted, the school fees can range from $1,000 to $6,000 per year, for federal, state, or private university.  For a country with an approximate minimum wage of $57 a month (about $2 a day) it is clearly impossible for most families to to send their children to university.  

Michael studying Business Administrative Ekiti State University
Miriam studying Office Management Kwara State Polytechnic
Toyin studying Engineering
Kwara State Polytechnic
Titi studying Social Work in USA
Lancaster Bible College
Folornsho studying Office Management
Kwara State Polytechnic
Samson studying Accounting
Federal State University in Lakoja

We are fortunate to have six students in higher institutions in Nigeria and one in the United States.  These children are blessed to have sponsors who invest in their lives. We work very hard to obtain admittance for our children. For those who are able to gain admission we rely on our sponsors for tuition fees. A higher education gives them the opportunity to break free from the cycle of poverty. God’s kingdom is growing, and generations will be transformed because when you educate a child, you educate a nation. 

Please consider giving to our scholarship fund to enable more children to continue their education at https://give.icareafrica.org/careafrica/scholarship

Christmas @ C.A.R.E. Africa

Posted: December 21, 2021 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Orphans, People of Egbe, Prayer
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Today is #GivingTuesday

Posted: November 30, 2021 by Patrice Miles in #GivingTuesday, African School, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Egbe Nigeria, Fundraising, Miles In Missions, Orphans, Patrice Miles, People of Egbe, Sponsorship
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Today is the day! Educate a child, Educate a Nation! Help us educate a child by donating to Phase 1 of our school building project in Egbe, Nigeria on this day of generosity.

Click below to donate any amount so we can build our school for our kids at C.A.R.E. Africa.

10.5 million children in Nigeria are not in school per Unicef statistics. This is the highest population of out of school children in the world. Help us build a school in Egbe, Nigeria so our 78 vulnerable children can go to school in a safe and secure environment.

We currently rent a space and have outgrown it. 152 children attend our school and 78 of these children are on scholarships. We want each child to receive a quality education and in order to do that, we feel the child to teacher ratio needs to be low. We pride ourselves in the fact that our teacher to child ratio is 15 pupils per class. This means we cannot take as many children as we would like and so we have a waiting list of children begging to get an education. With the new school we will have more classrooms and can take more children.

We have the land we just need the buildings. The total building project cost is $250,000 of which Phase 1 is $25,000. This will allow us to start clearing the land, building the wall and digging the footers. Donate any amount to help us educate more children in Egbe, Nigeria! Click DONATE

What’s Been Going on at C.A.R.E. Africa?

Posted: October 11, 2021 by Patrice Miles in African School, AWANA, Board of Directors, C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Fundraising, Miles In Missions, Missionaries, Nigeria, Orphans, People of Egbe, Prayer, Seamstresses
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From Canada to the U.S. to Egbe…..here a some beautiful pictures to illustrate what has been going on at C.A.R.E. Africa! Enjoy!

Guess Who Quit Her Job?

Posted: October 5, 2021 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Child Sponsorship, Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, Etsy, Nigeria, Orphans, Prayer, Sponsorship
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We are pleased to announce that Diana Beville has accepted a staff position at C.A.R.E. Africa.  She will be assuming the role of Child Sponsorship Coordinator.  

In 2014 Diana and her husband,Stephen, made their first visit to C.A.R.E. Africa in Egbe Nigeria. It was to be a turning point in Diana’s life. She left Egbe knowing it had captured her heart and she would be back. Immediately on returning from Nigeria, she wanted to know how she could help. 

Diana did a one table booth at a local farmer’s market selling jewelry the women in our ministry had handcrafted. Seven years later she has grown into a full, online Etsy store (http://www.CareAfricaStore.com in the US and Canada http://www.CareAfricaStore.ca ).  Diana has expanded from a one table booth into huge exhibitor events at GMHC (Global Missions Health Conference), CAFO (Christian Alliance for Orphans), M3/Mobilizing Medical Missions Conference, and Paristown Flea off Markets. Her dedication and love for this ministry is evident and she has already returned to Nigeria three more times since her initial visit. 

Diana is married and the mother of two beautiful girls,  Kaitlyn and Charlotte.  She graduated from University of Louisville.  Diana previously worked at Shultz Career Consulting as an employment specialist for people with disabilities.  In taking on the Child Sponsorship role, Diana’s goal is to deepen the relationships with our sponsors and their children in Egbe, while also finding new sponsors for more children. We are excited to see how Diana will take our sponsorship experience to a whole new level.

Diana’s first task is collecting letters and/or items for sponsored children to fill suitcases that are going to Nigeria in the month of October. If you sponsor a C.A.R.E. Africa child and would like to send a letter or an item, please email Diana at mailto:diana@icareafrica.org

If you do not currently sponsor a child please take a moment to visit our giving page at http://www.icareafrica.org to see the two beautiful children that are in need of sponsors. 

Also feel free to visit our Amazon Wish List for items needed to fill suitcases for October at https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/36KCX0BCJG62W/guest-view

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