Happy Birthday Abdulli and Desperately Seeking Sponsor

UPDATE: The Williams family has offered to take on quarter sponsorship for Abdulli's schooling! That means we are looking for just $825 more per year. If you are able to commit to a three quarters ($825/year or $65/month), half ($550/year or $45/month) or quarter ($275/year or $23/month) sponsorship for him, please let us know. 

Thursday was the sixth birthday of an incredible little guy, Abdulli. Take a look at Abdulli over the years, thanks to pictures from amazing former volunteers! Then read on below to find out about the plans for his future and how you can help. 

Discerning readers will notice that Abdulli is turning six, a year older than the age that most kids leave the orphanage to start boarding school. That is because Abdulli has some developmental delays, we think due to a cerebral infection he had as a young child. When I first met him at age four, he barely interacted with volunteers and would barely talk, and often resorted to violence to communicate with the other children - we worried worried about potential autism. However, he has come an incredible distance in the past two years. He is a warm, sweet, and much more verbal boy who has developed good relationships with lots of other children. Our fantastic pre-school teachers have worked with him closely, and although he has difficulty following along in a group setting, he has done extremely well in one-on-one work. He can count well in Swahili and is working on writing his name - right now he can get most of the letters out, just not in the right order! However, he loves school and is a hard worker, and is so proud when he makes breakthroughs. 

Megan and Abdulli

Life for individuals with disabilities is incredibly tough in Tanzania. We feel incredibly lucky that we have been able to locate a great school in Arusha with the help of TFFT that works with children who need extra attention, who are willing to take Abdulli on and give him the one-on-one tutoring he needs to potentially rejoin his friends at USA River Academy in a few years. Step by Step Learning Center was founded by an incredible woman with an autistic daughter, and it caters to children with severe mental retardation all the way through slight cognitive delays like Abdulli's. It is a day program, but Abdulli is lucky enough to have a father who loves his son very much, and with financial support for his food and care, Abdulli can return to his father's home. However, he still needs sponsorship. It will cost $1,100 per year for Abdulli's tuition, food, medical care, and transportation to and from school (click here for more information on our sponsorship program). We are looking for yearly sponsors totaling that amount - are you able to take on a full, half ($550/year) or quarter ($275/year) sponsorship for this incredible boy? It is so important to us to provide opportunity for all of our children, regardless of special needs. I know most of you reading have a loved one with learning disabilities or cognitive delays of some sort - it shouldn't hold them back and it shouldn't hold Abdulli back either. 

To become a year-to-year sponsor for Abdulli, email us, or to donate towards his two years of up front tuition, click below or go to our Education page. Thank you so much for helping give this incredible boy the chance he deserves! 

Give this incredible boy a chance. Sponsor him today!