Fadi has a large family that he is responsible for even though he is getting old and suffers from a chronic disease (Cirrhosis). He spent all his savings for treatment, but his health condition continued for years without improvement.
With no money left, his wife had to go looking for work in the fields, working under the scorching heat of the sun herding sheep. They also had to pull their school-age children out of school to help their mom in the fields. So the children left their education behind to enable basic means of living, while not being able to afford the necessary school supplies anyway!
The situation became so desperate that the family was only eating one small meal a day. Workdays became harder with the lack of energy and the children suffered from hunger.
The situation changed, however, when ITDC came along. The monthly food baskets from ITDC removed a heavy burden that was weighing on the family’s shoulders and brought relative stability to the household. Now they had the ability to eat three meals a day. Since they now had food, they could afford school supplies so some of their children could stop working in the fields and go back to school.
As the local coordinator shared, “What ITDC provided was a lifeline for this family. Praise and thanks to God first, then to ITDC and everyone who contributed to the delivery of the food baskets to everyone who needed them.”