Chad: The sponsored child who became the school headmaster

By Djimte, World Vision Chad Communications Officer

“It is God’s plan for me to become a child supervisor today because someone was looking after me when I was sponsored. I am grateful as I know I cannot be what I am if World Vision did not take care of me.

I am now watching over 148 sponsored children in my community. I help those reading mails they receive from their sponsors, following their health and education progress.

It has been a really wonderful experience and it helps me understand how child supervisors have been struggling with us when we were young” – Djimhoungar laughs, thinking about his work with World Vision in the Pende project.

 

Djimhoungar was born in 1978 in a small community. He lost both parents and was taken care of by his uncle Ndidjenar who lives in the same community.

Chad became unstable one year later with the civil unrest that shook the country in February 1979. Schools were closed in most communities as teachers abandoned their schools to seek safe havens in their hometowns.

In the Doba area, the situation became very difficult with the presence of militias fighting government troops in the bush.

Becoming a Sponsored Child in the Pende project more than 20 years ago

It was in the late eighties that Djimhoungar went to school. He would have stopped before reaching the end of the cycle because his uncle was very poor and could not keep him at school.

We selected Djimhoungar for the Child Sponsorship Program in 1990 because he is an orphan. Today, I am happy to see him working with World Vision in the same capacity like I did for him some years back. That could never happen if he was not sponsored” explains Djasnodji, a former supervisor who took care of Djimhoungar from 1992 to 1997.

Djimhoungar completed his primary level in the community and went to Doba to continue with his secondary school. He reached the final stage of it but failed twice in the baccalaureate exam (the final exam of secondary school).

In 2005, he decided to return home and help his community.

From sponsored child to teacher, to World Vision supervisor, then headmaster

“I was recruited as community teacher in 2005. [What I earn] is enough to take care of my family because I live on my own plot” he adds.

 

Djimhoungar has become one of the best teachers in his school. He teaches children finishing the primary level and has been appointed as the headmaster twice.

Two years ago, he was selected among the community teachers to follow a three year training to get an official teaching degree. He expects to complete the training next year and become a fully trained teacher.

Djimhoungar is married to Moremem and is the father of eight children.

“Many young men like me have preferred to live in the cities but I have chosen to help my community by investing my time in educating our children. I am sure I would not have thought of that if I have not been trained by World Vision or sponsored to be able to continue to go to school” he concluded.

His supervisor, Djasnodji is very proud, “Djimhoungar has become a teacher and is now teaching our children and also helping the sponsorship program in his community. This is a case of success brought in by the sponsorship program.

We know he would have been someone different if he was not sponsored. He is also serious in looking after the sponsored children because he understands what being sponsored means. I am happy to see that what I have planted is bearing fruit for my community” he said.

Story provided by Natasha Tamplin, Portfolio Advisor Africa Team

 

 

“World Vision has changed life in our community and I am one of the life proofs of this improvement”

Djimhoungar