Sonya is an Australian who has had a relationship with South Africa since she first visited Durban as a Rotary Exchange Student in 1992. Student in 1992. Lou and Sonya met in 2001 at a post graduate training course and kept in touch while Lou travelled. When Lou reached South Africa, lost her heart to the people of Chintsa and decided to help provide access to better education for the children, Sonya was one of the first sponsors on board!
She has sponsored Amahle since 2007 – she is now in Matric.
Sonya says, “I was adopted out as a baby and have also never had children myself, so it has been lovely to be able to assist the children I sponsor to be able to access opportunities that might not have been possible without sponsorship. It absolutely resonates for me that my adoptive parents took me in and gave me a great life and a lot of love, so it is something I like to help facilitate for others.
“It has been lovely to see Amahle grow into a young woman, with much better prospects as a result of her involvement with Lou and the African Angels team
I have never met Amahle, but over the years I have received many updates and photos of her and her dad, so I have always felt I have got to know her, if only from afar.”
Making a difference to someone’s life is both a gift and for me, something that provides a lot of satisfaction.
Sonja Fisher
Like all our sponsored children, Amahle and her family are exceedingly grateful to their sponsors. Anahle’s mother is a domestic worker and her father is disabled. It isn’t easy for them to raise a child without clean water and electricity.
Similar individual and environmental factors lead to many children dropping out of school because their parents can’t afford to pay for school fees. Together, Lou and Sonya have provided the support Amahle needed to be able to stay in school and change her future.
Amahle says, “Lucky for me I have met two beautiful ladies who have helped and mentored me and given me the best education a girl could dream of. Having a sponsor paying for my education has helped my family a great deal which encourages me every day to do my absolute best.
“My home situation will not undermine my bright future. I want to pray and preach the word of God in a radio station.”
“I’m thankful from the bottom of my heart to have this support system helping me out. I’ll make sure that I make them proud with the best results in grade 12 (matric 2022).
The Isixhosa term I use everyday is
Isandla esihlamba esinye sisikelekile
(the hand that gives help will be blessed)”
Amahle
