What We Do
At Live Beyond Words we are deeply focused on preserving families and preventing children from becoming orphans. We want to address the root cause of why a child becomes an orphan in the first place, which is why we are partnering with families and educating communities both locally and abroad on the value of education.
The reality is tough.
Water cisterns and roofs have holes, squatty potties are dirty and dilapidated, children sleep crowded on dirt, concrete floors, or wooden planks, and children are naked, sick, and malnourished. There are no toys, dancing, or school, warm smiles, or a mother to tuck them in at night. They spend their time confined within the walls of their structure waiting for their daily meal of “foo foo” to help sustain them for another day. The babies who can’t eat are given contaminated water or tea to drink. If a baby is “lucky,” he might receive one very watered-down bottle of formula per day, but the truth is, very few babies survive their young days in an orphanage.
Right now there are millions of children who cannot be adopted or reunified with their families and are left to spend the rest of their childhood in an orphanage like this. These children are truly forgotten and we have seen first-hand the conditions that orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo have to endure. This is why our in-country partners are working to educate students, provide healthcare for families, and create sustainability for those who are caring for children who are currently orphaned. Creating stability for today and hope for a bright future tomorrow.
Get Involved
This is reality and we have chosen not to forget these children. This is why we’ve created in-country partnerships to work towards giving children and families a hope and future. If you’re interested in partnering with us to help meet their needs and would like to see a list of projects we are working on and ways you can get involved, please visit our “Get Involved” page for more information.