The Roots Project is growing! In August of 2018, two young men and four young women moved into The Raining Season’s first Roots Home. The Raining Season created the Roots Project to embrace children who are set to age out of the orphanage and transition to life on their own. Without a strong, caring transition, those who age out are at high risk of homelessness, incarceration, substance abuse, and maltreatment. The children with Roots learn independence, career development, and life skills, including personal finance, operating a household, and navigating public transportation. When The Raining Season embarked on this new journey in 2018, we were excited to see the opportunities that The Roots Project would present for our kids as they transitioned to adulthood.
The vision, as well as the need to expand The Roots Project, have been a priority since the beginning. Each year, a growing number of our kids inch closer to aging out, and the need to prepare them to become independent adults is expanding. In 2020, the vision to grow became a reality as we were able to expand the number of young adults we can serve through The Roots Project. Thanks to a generous donation from a TRS supporter, an additional apartment was secured to serve as the boys' apartment. The Roots Project now includes two apartments to serve as the boys' and girls’ apartments, respectively.
Before the end of 2020, a total of eight boys were living in the new Boys’ Roots apartment, and four more girls were waiting to join the original four in the new Girls’ Roots apartment. Preparing the new apartments included painting, purchasing some new furniture, and constructing more beds for the additional children. On January 2nd, the remaining four girls waiting to move in transitioned from the center to their new home sweet home.
Each apartment is staffed by a team of two aunties that alternate weekly schedules. Beyond daily care and supervision, the aunties go above and beyond teaching our kids many life skills that will be needed as they transition to adulthood. They are teaching them to cook, shop, and complete other daily tasks around the apartment. They have been able to go to the market with their aunties on occasion; however, the aunties typically do the shopping when they are at school.
During the week, all of the kids in the Roots Apartments attend school. In addition to attending school, they have chores that they do to help around the apartment, including cooking and cleaning. When they return from school around 4 p.m., they eat, rest, have devotions, and study before going to bed. On the weekends, they do their laundry and prepare everything for church on Sunday. On Sundays, the girls have been attending co-founder Osseh Kamara’s church.
We are excited for this new beginning in the Roots Project. Please join us in prayer for the transition of the kids, that they may continue to serve the Lord boldly. Pray for the effectiveness in preparing them to live on their own. We pray that this new season will create abundant opportunities for the young men and women that walk through the doors.
Many blessings,
The Raining Season