Making a real change in our community.
Our Girls Home
For the past five years, Sight of Hope’s (SOH) Executive Director has managed one residential home at the Mission Station under the umbrella of another local NGO. This home was established to help girls who have been sexually exploited (trafficked, abused, in prostitution, or at risk). This home served as housing to 11 girls full-time, with one national house mother. These girls ages ranged from 12-21, and intake was primarily for young girls in Grades 6-12. As SOH branches out as its own NGO, the plan is to continue the work that was already established by SOH’s executive director and expand this work so that even more girls can receive protection and find hope for a brighter future.
Due to the extremely sensitive nature of each individual case we receive as well as safety concerns where girls’ lives are often threatened due to court cases, location is of utmost important. The Mission Station provides the ideal setting as it offers anonymity, obscurity, and safety for girls in our care due to its remote setting. In addition, it offers girls in our care the opportunity to integrate and be a part of a community again and receive community support in terms of attending local schools as well as the local church (Free Evangelical Christian Fellowship), all whom play a vital role in their overall success.
Preschool Feeding Program
In January 2014, a preschool and feeding program was started at the Mission Station under the direction of Alicia Mkhombe, Sight of Hope’s Executive Director. For the past seven years, this outreach initiative has existed to serve the youngest members of our community and aid in community development through education. Mrs. Mkhombe, who has earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Valley Forge and her master’s degree in Intercultural Ministries from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, has helped to train local teachers, and develop a curriculum specific to the educational needs of rural community. Since the opening of the preschool in 2014, the preschool has welcomed over 350+ students. Each new group of children is an opportunity to not only build a solid foundation academically for students as they prepare to begin their educational career, but also to build a solid foundation spiritually as students grow in their knowledge and experience of Jesus Christ through our program.
After School Activities
After-school activities have also been in full-swing at the Mission Station since 2014. Each year, after-school classes are offered from Monday-Thursday for students in grades 5, 6 and 7 where staff and volunteers assist students with homework help, test preparation, and just overall support to students in need of extra help with their academics. We have seen tremendous academic improvement in our students as a result of this program and have even seen students in our program receive Merits and First Class passes on their Grade 7 external exams. Each Friday afternoon, these same students are invited back to attend an afternoon filled with exciting activities as well as a Bible study at the mission, often bringing a friend along and attracting as many as 100 students on any given Friday.