“Because of the impact of Hope Africa, I wake up every day with hope. Every day, at first light, something has changed; there’s nothing physical I have in my hand, but the information that they provide to us, it feels like life.  Now there is something else in my mind – plans and dreams. I can see myself going places.” 

Sazi is not only going places, but he is taking others with him. 

Transformation is at the heart of everything we do at Hope Africa.

When Sazi joined the Hope Africa family his vision for his life was limited. He told us before coming to Hope Africa he was living life without any hope. The only future he could see for himself was to get a job working for someone else and expect to be working that job for the rest of his life.

Entering our trade skills program with the goal of getting practical experience in welding, Sazi realized pretty quickly he was going to get so much more than some hands-on trades training. 

“In Life Development, they told us that they wanted to change our mindset, our way of thinking before we get into the real business.” 

Where we start seeing the transformation

Like all of our students, Sazi’s Hope Africa transformation story started in our Life Development course. Our facilitators know that before true transformation can happen, our students need to believe bigger for themselves than they have in the past. 

Our Life Directions facilitators equip students in English, computer skills, math, and financial literacy, conflict resolution, goal setting, faith discovery, and overall life and relationship skills. They also encourage, inspire, walk beside, and challenge them through the steps.

Through a holistic personal development program, we are able to empower students, like Sazi, fostering sustainable transformation by targeting all aspects of their physical, emotional, interpersonal, and spiritual development.

They need to throw off any limits they have set for themselves and their lives, and believe for all God created them to be. 

And that’s exactly what happened for Sazi – a change of heart and mind before he even made it to the Trade Skills training.

During his time in the program, he grew in knowledge and skill, not only with welding, woodworking, plumbing, & electrical training but also with heart and mind transformation. All of these skills contribute to his overall success.

Through his transformed life he is offering economic growth to his community. After leaving our program, Sazi started his own business creating custom products. He has also offered hope and training to another young man in the community by employing him in his business.

Transforming communities by empowering people

And this is what the Hope Africa Collective mission is all about – providing long-term hope for families, employment for others, and vital growth in their neighborhood. The ripple effect of this is what will transform communities.

Sazi’s story is just one of many that have been rewritten due to the faithful giving of our donors, our amazing staff, and the grace of God.

Ways you can help impact more people in this way

Our Collective, faithful givers, are vital to being able to continue offering hope to others without hope, who can’t see beyond their circumstances to all that God has for them. 

Sazi told us, “What I can say is that I feel really grateful that I’m here. I know it wasn’t part of my plans, it was Jesus.  He had plans for my life.  I just want to say Thank You to Hope Africa and the sponsors that give us this opportunity, because we don’t often get chances like this. So I’m very thankful!”