Rita was found in end-stage starvation. Odilia had severe symptoms of malnutrition, unable to stand on her own. And Otmar weighed 16 pounds at four years old and had been neglected by his mother. But these children’s lives, plus many more, were saved by Madison-area REALTORS® Kim and Randy Tews on a mission to save the lives of Guatemalan children knocking on death’s door.
Founded by Kim and Randy Tews, or “The Tews Team,” Outreach for World Hope (OWH) is a non-profit, tax deductible 501 (c)(3) approved, non-denominational Christian organization. The Tews’ mission is to improve the quality of life of the world’s poor by providing humanitarian aid, hope and compassion. Most of those benefiting from OWH are natives of the Chiquimula region of Guatemala, known as “The Dry Corridor” with its severe rainfall shortage that results in drought conditions and famine. Since it began in 2005, OWH has worked in this region to save local children facing end stages of starvation by providing food and vitamins as well as other forms of assistance such as medical needs, housing, education and more.
OWH further supports Guatemalan families by providing tools for independent food production. OWH’s NET Program (Nutritional Enhancement Triad) is a three-element initiative that has been successful in helping families with severely starved children to independently grow produce. OWH provides families with a vegetable garden with a simple irrigation system, eight egg-laying hens, and 10 fruit trees. The program provides a balanced diet and an ample supply of food throughout the year as well as a small surplus that can be sold in order to purchase more seeds, fertilizer and hen feed, making the project self-sustaining.
OWH also works to provide access to medical care and better the education of these rural-area children. Those in need of specialized medical care, unavailable in rural eastern Guatemala, are transported on a five-hour trip to Guatemala City once each month to receive lifesaving treatment they need. To contribute to improving education, OWH provided several tons of school supplies and several hundreds of desks to replace existing makeshift desks made of bricks and planks at the local schools. OWH also opened three computer labs to teach children skills to lead to employment. Finally, OWH provides scholarships to children wishing to pursue higher education.
Kim Tews’ new released book, Tears Water the Seeds of Hope, provides a glimpse into the adventures, challenges and triumphs of the OWH mission and work. Learn more about Kim’s book and mission at www.tearswatertheseedsofhome.com.
Want to sponsor a child in need, see before and after photos of the children, or learn more about OWH? Visit www.outreachforworldhope.org. Contact OWH at outreachforworldhope@tds.net.
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