Simple Document Offers Hope

Improving the health of people everywhere, especially children, has been the mission of Project HOPE since its inception in 1958. Sometimes our programs can be as complex as getting expensive and scarce medicines into the hands of trained medical professionals to fight rare diseases around the world. Other times, our programs can be as seemingly straightforward as the task of providing orphaned and vulnerable children with the basic documentation of a birth certificate.

A birth certificate is a simple piece of paper acknowledging that a child exists in the world. But without one, children can be denied access to education, health care services and future employment opportunities.

In some places where Project HOPE works, such as, Mozambique, ravaged by the epidemic disease of HIV/AIDS, thousands of innocent children are left vulnerable and orphaned each year. Many of these children find themselves in the homes of relatives or caregivers who do not have records of their births.

Overburdened by additional mouths to feed, minds to educate and bodies to provide health services to, many of the caregivers are unaware of the importance of a birth certificate, or financially unable to apply for the document. Through educating the caregivers about the necessity of these certificates, working with local public officials to make the process as easy as possible and making the program cost free to the families in need Project HOPE was able to provide nearly 1000 orphans and vulnerable children with birth certificates.