Hawassa Hope – Ethiopia

Becky Weber, Elder and Outreach Liaison for Hawassa Hope

Our Westminster Outreach Commission looks to find partners both locally and abroad who are engaged and successful in their mission to help others in God’s name. Hawassa Hope is a small but mighty U.S. based mission partner that works in the Sidama region in southern Ethiopia. Hawassa Hope’s ultimate goal is to come to the aid of vulnerable women and children and if possible, restore families and help them reach financial independence.

Hawassa Hope focuses on five main endeavors. These include:

1. The Ajuuja Children’s Home for orphaned children
2. Clean water projects in villages
3. Small business grants for widows and family caregivers
4. A pregnancy health and wellness program for vulnerable mothers
5. Child and family sponsorship

Sponsorship is one form of aid and while this is a beautiful program that can form lifelong relationships, Hawassa Hope believes that God intended for families to provide for themselves. Where possible, they strive to empower people in poverty by educating and encouraging them to eventually support themselves and their families with no outside assistance.

This year, through a grant from our endowment fund, Westminster will be partnering with Hawassa Hope in their small business grant initiative. Westminster will provide the seed money to sponsor three groups of women through this program.

Here’s how it works: The women are chosen based on their vulnerability and determination to work. Social workers review the family and financial situations of those who qualify and eventually select 12 women to start a group.
After selection, a cooperative is formed in the women’s home area, a leader from their ranks is nominated, and group training begins.

In the group training, overseen by Hawassa Hope but run locally by social workers of the Ajuuja Children’s Home with involvement from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (a social services agency in Ethiopia), each woman determines what type of business they would like to start. Areas of interest include selling eggs, coffee, bread, flour, butter, chickens, clothing, etc. The training teaches the women strategies surrounding inventory, pricing, and marketing. After training, each woman receives her own bank account with seed money to get the business started. The group meets periodically throughout the year for encouragement, accountability, further education, and support.

This successful program has many women vying to participate but can only do so with upfront funding. Westminster will sponsor 36 women, and we will receive profiles and pictures of each woman and group after they are selected. At the end of the initiative, we will provide a final report to the Endowment Committee and the session regarding the women’s success.

Over the next few months, look for further updates regarding our partnership with Hawassa Hope and this small business initiative. Westminster members will be given the chance to send words of encouragement to these women as they embark on this journey. Please pray for successful business ownership for these women.

La Croix New Testament Mission, Haiti

Sandy Conley, Outreach Chairperson

Twenty-three years in the making, the bond between Westminster and La Croix New Testament Mission in Haiti continues to be vital and blessed. The global pandemic and political unrest in Haiti have interrupted mission trips, but relationships between many Westminster members and the La Croix community have remained strong as we work together to educate 3,500 La Croix students. Weekly email updates from the pastors and staff keep supporters informed about what is happening at the mission. Westminster’s Outreach Commission thanks all who respond to the needs in La Croix through the following endeavors:

1. Haiti Child Education Sponsorships
2. Pocket Change Project
3. Forward in Faith – establishment funding of La Croix Technical School
4. $6,000 provided for annual teachers’ salaries in La Coupe (one of the mission’s more remote school locations)
5. School building projects in La Coupe, Paul, and La Croix
6. Mission trips to La Croix when it is safe

Child Education Sponsorship is the life blood of La Croix New Testament Mission. Read the following story to see how sponsorship makes a difference. (For her safety, we are not sharing the student’s name.)

Over the past 16 years, Janis Davis of Westminster has sponsored one student’s education throughout her entire school career, from pre-school through 13th Grade. Janis states, “DC and one of my grandsons are the same age. It has been a pleasure to watch her progress over the years. I always looked forward to receiving letters about her family, faith, and academic milestones.” In 2020, DC passed the final exams for completion of 13th grade. She was one of 15 students to do so in 2020. She wants to continue her education by studying law. With God’s help, DC is poised to be a part of a brighter future for Haiti.

Interested in becoming a Haiti Child Education Sponsor? Contact Sandy Conley at [email protected] for more information.