My name is Sinikiwe Shabangani. I go to Showers of Blessings ministries here in Livingstone. I would like to thank God for letting his light shine upon my life and the rest of my family. There were nights I couldn’t find rest just thinking about ways of paying my school fees. I knew that other girls turned to prostitution, stealing or begging just to acquire money to take to school. But I trusted in God, I knew that he would find a way out of my miserable life. Then one day it happened. Our church was conducting 21 days of fasting and prayer and I decided to join in. It wasn’t easy, but I managed. Immediately after that I had some shocking experience. The following day was Monday and I met up with Wings of Hope for the first time. I had never even heard about them. They decided to give me sponsorship. And my life has never been the same since.

I was born in 2001. I am the last born in my family. My father died years ago when I was still a baby, but I never lost hope that I would become someone one day. In 2007, I started my Grade 1 at Mulwani. I continued at this school for 7 years until I managed to write and pass my exams. I was selected to go to David Livingstone secondary school. The year went well until I started struggling with my school work. This made me feel very bad because instead of enjoying my first year at junior high, I was busy worrying about my fees. I later lost my grandfather and then later on my grandmother passed away too. The following year I was sitting for exams, but even with my loved ones gone, I managed to pass remarkably well. In Grade 10 things grew harder as the head teacher would send away students whose parents hadn’t finished paying their school fees. Now Wings of Hope is paying half my fees, thank God for His tender mercies.