Riziki Kazinguvu grew up in a loving home. Her father supported their family of 9 with a painting business, while her mother took care of their children. The 7 children attended different schools; Riziki and her younger brother Ushindi were the only two enrolled at the ELI Academy. Life was not easy but things were good until a tragic accident changed everything: Riziki’s father broke both hands and was unable to continue providing for the family.

Riziki’s mother had to leave her 7 children for several months to help care for her husband in their rural home village. The sooner Dad could heal, the sooner he could provide for the family once again. This difficult decision left the children alone in Keredi slum, where the eldest siblings took the lead as “mom and dad.”

Many months passed, and without any income the children were evicted from their small home. Finding a meal each day became their greatest challenge. Without money for school fees, the children were unable to continue their schooling.

Not knowing what would happen, Riziki set out to find her parents in the village. Her mother agreed to return to Keredi, though she didn’t know what could be done. While the other schools wouldn't allow the children to attend without paying, Riziki and Ushindi were allowed to continue their schooling as soon as the ELI Academy heard about their father's accident. They attended classes and received a daily lunch while their mom looked for work.

Hope was restored because of friends like you who support what God is doing through ELI. Riziki’s mother was able to enroll in a sewing/tailoring class that ELI was offering to suffering mothers. After she completed the two-month course, the ELI Congolese staff took up an offering from their own pockets to help her get started. That generous gift of $50 launched her into a business that today is providing her family with food, rent, and even school fees for all of the children! Riziki passionately shared, "We thank God for the good heart that ELI has that let us study even when we couldn’t pay. ELI supported all my family with scholastic materials (bags, books, notebooks, uniforms, pens, and pencils). They showed us love; they visited my dad regularly and prayed for him. Thank you so much. Without you, we couldn’t accomplish much. You are such a great blessing in our lives."

Riziki is now thriving in the sixth grade and is continually one of the top in her class.
She is so grateful for the life skills her mother gained because of your support, and she is hopeful that many more parents will be trained with skills so they can take care of their families as well.

Riziki is one of over 600 children at the ELI Academy in the DR Congo who now has hope and a brighter future. Along with her mother and siblings, Riziki is influencing others and bringing light and hope to their dark world. Thank you for all you’ve done to make Riziki’s story—and so many others’—possible.