Why we founded ORR
Nothing could prepare us for what we were about to see when we visited a little orphanage home that housed 109 very hungry and sick children in Benin, West Africa. As little lethargic and sick children came up to greet us, we could not help but see in their hollow eyes that they were in serious trouble. They had no water, toilets, or showers. The nearest clean water was two miles away. They ate only a small amount of rice once a day.
Without intervention, these kids were not going to live long.
In trying to find any organization in the area to help, we were told that the orphanage's situation was too complicated. Big organizations were afraid of creating dependency. They each told us that they could not get involved. So we stepped in and helped this home ourselves, determined to find a way as to not create dependency.
We worked hard to create sustainable solutions for their home. At the time, we had no idea that this would be the first of many homes. But we soon traveled to Liberia, where we would find the same scenario repeated: no one willing to help the worst of the worst.
And so we founded Orphan Relief and Rescue in 2007, along with a small team of selfless individuals who joined us to help the most vulnerable and forgotten children in West Africa.
We hope you will join us as well.
- Tim and Rebecca Pratt, Matt Le Page - Co-founders
For more information on the new, purpose-built safe home in Benin, visit houseofhopebenin.org
Many children in Benin still need sponsors! Click here to provide for one of these precious children today.
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