Joyce became part of the City of Hope family when she was just six years old. Looking back, she sees how God was working in her life… 

“Growing up, I never thought I would be able to attend school or have a bright future. I was born in a small town in Tanzania to a family of six siblings. We did not have a father. My mom passed away when I was two. We didn’t have anyone to take care of us apart from my grandmother, who lived in Ntagacha village. 

Ntagacha was known for cow theft, clan violence, lack of clean water, and a lack of education. My sisters and I lived in fear. I still remember going to bed without eating anything, and we still had to work on the farm with an empty stomach in the morning. Due to our difficult life, my two older siblings got married at a young age hoping they could provide for me. None of my siblings made it to high school. I thought I wasn’t going to make it in life either. 

In 2009, God provided a miracle in Ntagacha village through a man called Dr. Chacha. He helped the community in a way that no other person ever had. He was able to help orphans and other kids in crisis. I felt like God had answered my prayers. When I joined the City of Hope family, I soon settled into life there. I was still young at that time, only thinking about food and toys rather than the great future that lay ahead! 

When I was in middle school, I had the responsibility for taking care of the school canteen at the City of Hope campus. This opportunity was a turning point in my life. After I graduated from middle school, I had an even bigger responsibility - being a school secretary! My job was to receive school fees and give out the receipts. Through Dr. Chacha’s encouragement and advice, I started to have a clearer idea of my future. He would say, “I will make sure you succeed in life because you are now my responsibility.” I had never experienced the emotion of being loved like I did when I heard that. Until then, I had grown up without anyone addressing me as their child, and now I had someone I could call “dad”! I was in tears. God can truly make a way where there seems to be no way! 

People experience troubles in life. Some give up on the way, while others keep going. I thank God for every step He has helped me take. I have now graduated secondary school and am studying at college. Life may knock me down at times, but it’s my choice to get up and keep fighting!” 

Did you know that HopeCo currently has 33 Tanzanian students studying in the USA at Mountain Mission School in Grundy, VA? Each student has overcome enormous obstacles to be where they are today. It has been a blessing to watch this incredible group of students grow, learn, and dream.

Your continued support for Joyce, and the other students studying in the USA, is changing the trajectory of their lives forever. Because you choose to invest in the lives of these students, you are creating a ripple effect of hope that will impact their families, friends, and communities.

Would you consider partnering with us to invest in the next generation of leaders?