30 Years: The Miracle Behind Abdi Academy
When we came across many children living in desperate poverty in a town close to the Sudanese border in 2010, opening a care centre was the best way we could help at the time, by clothing them, feeding them and providing a basic education. But very soon, the building we were renting for the centre was bursting at the seams.
Aware of hundreds more children in the town living without support, it was evident that we needed to do more. Our vision was to buy land and build a four-classroom school for the cost of £80,000. This would provide children with more than just an education, it would also be a place where they would receive family support, medical care, nutritious meals, an HIV Food Programme and could grow in acceptance and love.
After nearly eight months, despite our best endeavours, we were stuck in a bureaucratic process that seemed to be going nowhere. It seemed that we would never be able to provide the school the children needed.
Then, in September 2013, we found out why - a ready built private school in the area went to auction. This building comprised of 24 classrooms, nine acres of land, running water and an electrical supply. But it was worth more than £330,000, far more than we could ever have afforded. Yet miraculously our bid was accepted, and we were able to buy it for the unbelievable price of £74,000, exactly the amount our supporters had donated for us to build the original school. God’s intervention had come just at the right time.
The opening day saw 240 joyful children eagerly arriving at school. The ribbon was cut and the Abdi (Hope) Academy was named as the happy students excitedly ran into the school ground for their first day at school. One of those children was Sara.
At just 14-years-old, Sara was orphaned, malnourished and living in a small one roomed mud hut with her three siblings and aunt. Her family’s extreme poverty meant that Sara was trapped in a cycle of illiteracy with little hope of receiving an education or chasing her dreams.
When we heard about Sara’s situation we knew she needed our support. She joined our care centre and was one of the first students when the Abdi Academy opened. Over the years, Sara received quality education, nutritious meals and access to medical care that meant she could thrive.
Last year Sara made history at our Abdi Academy by becoming the first girl to graduate from university. Now holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture, Sara is hoping to find work, a chance for her to create a better life for herself.
“If Stand by Me would not have been on my side, I know I would have been left illiterate. As a father and a mother, as a big brother and a relative, Stand by Me has done everything and I’m the result t o day.” - Sara, age 28
In celebration of her amazing achievement, Sara was invited back to our Abdi Academy to speak to our students in further education. As she addressed them, sharing her experience in university, she encouraged them to continue working hard. Her story serves as inspiration to all our students, providing the glimmer of hope that with hard work, the possibility of a university education is within their grasp.
The miracle that allowed us to purchase this 24-classroom building and turn it into a thriving school has enabled hundreds of children to receive a life changing education and will ensure many children know God’s love for years to come. As they reach amazing milestones in their education, they are showing that children marginalised and forgotten by society can overcome their circumstances, following in Sara’s footsteps.