Your Support Renews Hope for Families and Keeps Them Together to Thrive!

​​Meet Cathleen and her Family:

​The CRC enrolled them into its program in 2018 following the untimely death of the father.  As a suddenly single mom, Cathleen had not been engaged in any type of work when she lost her husband, and she struggled to find enough money to care for her three children on her own.

Although school in Sierra Leone is “free,” families are responsible for providing uniforms and school supplies and faced with the choice between these expenses and feeding her family, she was forced to focus on food.  However, when she heard about the program at the CRC, she decided to pay a visit to find out if her family could qualify to receive some support to help her get her family on their feet. 

​Quickly, the family was assessed, and their immediate needs addressed; all three children were outfitted and enrolled in school, and over the years, the family’s medical needs have been addressed by Mercy Hospital, through referrals made by their CRC Case Manager.

​In a follow up inerview with Cathleen, she expressed how supporters like you changed her family for good.

​"The support from the CRC came in at the time we needed it the most. It changes everything. Looking at the way my family was struggling, I thought those days of joy would never come back. Honestly, my hope was getting weaker every day until you came along. My family got a fresh start.
​Our hope was renewed. I'm forever grateful.”

Thanks to the support of the CRC, and the care provided by their case Manager, Abie Ruth, Cathleen’s children are all in school and thriving.  Memunatu is the leader of her  8th grade class.  Umaru has just completed his Technical Diploma in Accounting, and Juhanatu is currently in her second year of Nursing school at Njala University.  But the CRC did much more than just step into the gap where Cathleen couldn’t provide, they worked to empower Cathleen to be able to provide for her own family. 

This year, she attended the CRC’s microfinance training program, where she learned how to manage a simple household budget. She completed the course and was awarded a microloan, which she used to start a business selling shoes in the Bo market, and she’s doing quite well.  Abie Ruth is working with Cathleen, helping her to make plans to continue to grow stronger both personally and financially so that soon she will be able to provide for herself and her family without CRC support.
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The CRC program and its focus on family strengthening seeks not only to step into dire situations where people are literally struggling to get enough food to eat, but to build the capacity of the family to become independent and self-sufficient; bringing dignity and hope not only to them, but to others in their community as well.

Thank you for keeping the joy flowing for more vulnerable families and children. Your gift today, no matter the size, will equip families, renew their hope, and help them stay together and thrive.

Will you give a gift of change today?

Yes, I can help!