Marie-Denise Dorvilier, 53 years old and a mother of nine, remembers Hurricane Matthew like a nightmare. “I heard the wind, and I went out of the house and started running. A metal wire strangled me and I fell to the ground. Despite all the metal sheets flying around, I rose up
10 year-old Genet is a third grade student who lives with her poor peasant parents in Gubeta Arjo Kebele of Ethiopia and attends the Gubeta Arjo Primary School. She has a strong interest in learning and wishes to become a teacher in the future. However, due to a lack of
Like the Parent Teachers’ Association (PTAs) in other primary schools found within the Arsi Negelle District of Ethiopia, the PTA of Woyo Hargessa Primary School was established to act as a bridge between parents and teachers and to involve the community in the efforts geared to boost the internal income
My name is Ardo and I live in Kelafo, Ethiopia. I’m a 40 year-old woman, married and have five children. Life has never been easy here and it is hard to meet the basic necessities of life. The shortage of water for drinking and other basic human needs is one
ADRA’s response to Hurricane Matthew in Haiti is still going strong. Our disaster relief has reached more than 100,000 people with clean water, food, shelter supplies, and other resources. Today, Joyeuse shares her story with you. Sixty-year-old Joyeuse Sincere has never lived anywhere outside the uplands of Roche-A-Bateaux in Haiti,
Hpa-an, the capital of the Karen (Kayin) State in southeast Myanmar historically has seen some very hard times. The lack of available work for disadvantaged youth with little skills and minimal education leads them to drugs and alcohol. ADRA Myanmar saw an opportunity to engage with these young people by
Thein Paing and his family have lived for generations in Myanmar’s Central Dryzone, an area that today is on the brink of desertification causing food insecurity and deepening poverty. Hailing from a family of farmers, Thein Paing never completed school reluctantly choosing to follow in his father’s footsteps. As changes
Fahad, 24, is an ADRA translator from Iraq. His family left when he was 14 years old. “There was no electricity and no water. I go out and see dead people, I see bombs. I was in school when a bomb fell nearby, and blew out the windows of the
When Europe started closing its borders and refugees entering Greece became stranded, many of them congregated in Idomeni. The informal camp was the largest in Greece, with more than 10,000 people gathering at the Macedonian border hoping to be allowed to continue on their journey. In an unofficial camp, there
Lina, 25, is Serbian-Syrian, born in Serbia to a Serbian mother and Syrian father. When she was 12, her father died, and she traveled to Syria with her mother and older brother, Samir, to return his body to his homeland. They didn’t plan to stay long, but as her mother
In classrooms across Baalbek and Mount Lebanon, children who have fled war and hardship sit side by side with their Lebanese peers, opening books, reciting lessons, and rediscovering what it means to dream again. Behind every one of those hopeful faces stands a teacher — a steady, compassionate guide shaping
On the third Sabbath of every month, Terrina Williams tells the Children’s Story at Meadowbridge Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mechanicsville, Virginia. This year, Sabbath, June 21st, happened to be a special day—World Refugee Day. To mark the occasion, Terrina chose the hymn “Jesus Loves the Little Children.” For months, the children had
With the sun blazing on the tin roof, I heard her tell about how she fled for her life. In the refugee settlement she came to, she saw no other options than to sell her body. The woman in front of me spoke about how life had been a couple
Across the world, millions of children are preparing to return to school—some carrying brand-new backpacks and pencils, others simply carrying the hope of a better future. At ADRA, we believe that education changes everything. Whether in bustling cities or remote refugee camps, our mission is to give every child the chance
This Father’s Day, ADRA celebrates dignity, resilience, and the right to provide In the Middle East, where winter’s chill bites deeper for those who are displaced or living in poverty, one father’s quiet determination tells a powerful story about love, dignity, and survival. Ibrahim is a devoted father of 19
The Fort Scott Adventist church in Kansas is a small church of just 25 members. Yet a big dream took root in the heart of one little boy—and transformed an entire community. Each year, Shelly Bradley’s Sabbath School class would flip through ADRA’s Gift Catalog, choosing a project to fund
As the 2024 tax year wraps up, you may be looking for a way to save on taxes in 2025. Planned giving is a strategic way to support the causes you care about while maximizing financial benefits. These charitable contributions allow individuals to leave a meaningful legacy, often while enjoying
In the remote village of Dacope, Bangladesh, where the land is affected by high salinity and farming is a challenge, families struggle to find reliable sources of income. For women in particular, opportunities to earn a living and support their families are limited. But thanks to ADRA Bangladesh’s Community Empowerment
SILVER SPRING, MD (January 23, 2025) – The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is mobilizing critical, life-saving aid to support communities in Gaza following the recent Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. The region has been ravaged by months of conflict, resulting in widespread loss of life, countless injuries, and millions displaced
On World Migrant Day, we pause to reflect on the resilience and courage of millions of migrants worldwide and honor the organizations that tirelessly work to support them. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is at the forefront of this humanitarian effort, providing critical assistance to migrants and refugees
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