Akidi Irene's story is one of amazing growth and pouring back into others the same grace that was poured into her.

Irene (featured in the photo above on the left) began living on the streets at 16 years old after being mistreated by the extended family that raised her. After five years on the streets, we rescued her with the help of a friend. Despite her rough past and entering the GIFT (God’s Institute For Transformation) Girls' Program at 21 years old, God's grace enabled her to thrive in the program.

Though some vocational training programs focus on the job, our leaders in the GIFT Girls' Program know the importance of knowing the Lord deeply. They know that He has saved them and wants them to know all of these life skills. Examples of the training they receive in the GIFT Girl's Program include etiquette, gardening, environmental stewardship, music, debate, trauma healing, and spiritual disciplines.

For all the girls in the program, including Irene, the weekday starts at 5 a.m. with enough time to wake up and get ready for the day before the morning devotional from 6:30-7:30. Then at 7:30, the younger girls leave for primary school while the older girls have breakfast and jump into discipleship and vocational studies. A full day for all includes games & sports at 5 pm, evening devotional from 6:30-7:30 pm, and then supper at 8 pm before lights out at 10 pm.

This structured, God-centered, holistic & nurturing environment has already transformed the lives of 49 girls who have graduated in the tailoring, hairdressing, and bakery vocational tracks. For Irene, it didn’t take long to find a way to share the impact. Irene now serves as a teacher's assistant for the tailoring classes and as a counselor to the new girls in the program.