Read a story: Adelino Chimbolo
My
friend Adelino is very curious. He loves to learn new things. As you
read about him and his family, think about what it would be like to live
in his village. In Africa there is a saying, "Knowledge is like
a garden. If it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested." What
might we learn from Adelino?
Adelino Chimbolo (ah-da-LEE-no cheem-Bo-loh) is eleven years old. He lives with his mother, father, and eight sisters and brothers in the village of Kalenga. His country, Angola, is slowly recovering from many years of civil war. Over a third of all the people in his country were forced to leave their homes because of the conflict. For years people lived with no place to call home. Now that peace has finally returned, the people of Angola face many problems in rebuilding their nation.
Adelino loves going to school. He's in the third grade at Kalenga Elementary School. And when he comes home, he has chores to do - like gardening. It's hard work, but he's strong. Adelino's mother, Raquel, is a farmer. Like many families in rural Africa, their family grows most of its own food. Imagine how your life would be different if you had to do that.
Like Adelino, his mother is also going to school. She goes in the evenings so she can learn to read. The many years of war disrupted the lives and education of thousands of Angolans. In fact, over half the adults in Angola don't know how to read. With help from Church World Service, the Christian Council of Angola sponsors literacy classes for adults so that they can be active, informed citizens. They are also providing farmers like Raquel with seeds, tools, and training to improve agricultural techniques.
Angola has many struggles after years of war, but the people are eager to rebuild their lives and their country. Just look at Adelino and his mom!
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