The Santa Luísa de Marillac School in Manjangue came alive first thing in the morning. Parents, guardians, and sponsored children arrived for another monthly distribution of basic food baskets, a moment that has become part of the routine of the Sponsorship Program, but which took on special significance this time.
A Gathering That Always Starts With Conversation
Before any food basket is handed out, there is always a moment of gathering and dialogue with the families. That’s how the morning began: with the introduction of the new Sponsorship Officer, Joaquim, who has joined the local team. Parents and guardians welcomed him warmly, especially because he speaks the community’s native language, which promises to make communication easier and bring the team even closer to the families. They promised to support him as he settles in, knowing that, with time, he will come to know every family by name.
But the moment that truly marked the day was Letícia Baloi’s talk.
Letícia’s Talk: From Sponsorship to a University Scholarship
Letícia is a scholarship student of the programme, a former sponsored child who, through the ongoing support of A Little Gesture and her sponsors, made it to higher education. In her talk, she recalled the day she joined the Sponsorship Programme, at a time when her future felt uncertain and full of financial obstacles.
She described how being welcomed into the programme changed the course of her life. Beyond the food basket, the financial support, or the school supplies, she found an emotional foundation that made her realise she wasn’t alone and that her dreams mattered. Meeting the programme’s responsibilities and committing to her studies demanded focus, effort, and resilience, and it wasn’t always easy. But, as Letícia shared, the trust of the ALG team and her sponsors gave her the strength to keep going.
When she saw her name on the scholarship list, she felt that all that effort had been worth it. The scholarship opened the doors to higher education and to the career she had always dreamed of, an achievement that, as she herself pointed out, isn’t hers alone, but belongs to everyone who believed in her from the start.
She closed with a direct message to the younger sponsored children: believe in the process. Today’s difficulties are simply fuel for tomorrow’s success. Make the most of your studies, of ALG’s support, of the guidance of those walking alongside you, and of every opportunity the programme offers because if she managed to get this far, they can reach their goals too.
The Impact on the Families Present
Letícia’s testimony did not go unnoticed. The parents and guardians present made a point of congratulating her for her words, underlining how much her story could change the lives of other sponsored children who heard it. More than that, they saw in Letícia an example for the whole Manjangue community, living proof that investing in education, with consistency and support, bears fruit.
They also left a heartfelt piece of advice: never forget where you come from, always look to ALG as family, and keep studying whenever the opportunity arises because education never truly ends.
This Month’s Distribution
After the conversation, the food basket distribution took place throughout the morning, with the active participation of the older sponsored children, who helped support the process. In total, 217 sponsored children and guardians took home this month’s support, made up of:
- 5 kg of rice
- 5 packets of spaghetti
- 1 litre of cooking oil
- 2 bars of soap
- 1 kg of salt
- 1 kg of sugar
This monthly support remains an essential pillar for the families we accompany, easing the weight of daily expenses and allowing sponsored children to focus on what matters most: their studies and their future.
A Dedicated Team, on the Ground Every Day
This work is only possible thanks to the commitment of the entire local team: coordinator Orcídio Edú, Sister Rafaela, study support officer Ezequiel, project facilitator Joanisse, and now also the new sponsorship officer, Joaquim. It is this daily closeness with families that allows A Little Gesture to keep building stories like Letícia’s, stories of resilience, hope, and transformation through education.
A Little Gesture continues, month after month, to closely accompany the families of Manjangue and every community where it works, believing that small gestures, made with consistency, change lives.