Normally, I would not associate with religious groups on such projects. However, on this occasion I was unable to find a non-religious organization engaged in working in a township with children and with a business programme that maximizes women’s skills to allow them to support their families. These two projects are run by a group of American Christian evangelists from California - Bridges of Hope. 

I was impressed with what I saw that this group is doing in Philippi with the children, the women and their support of the medical facility. I was given a tour of the meagerly-supplied medical facility and learnt that hundreds of people walk for hours every day to get to the medical facility in the hope of being seen to be a doctor. Hundreds more are turned away every day, but those lucky enough to be accepted daily often arrive with no food and have nothing to eat until whatever time they are seen by the doctor and return home. The medical facility closes its doors after admitting the first 100 people daily. Every day, Bridges of Hope make soup for everyone who is accepted to be seen by staff by the hospital.

For more information, visit: www.bridges-of-hope.org