The Esther Fund: For Such a Time as This

Dear Friends,

Today, I share with you big news – and the story of the little girl who started us on the

path to it.

Big News: A Historic Memo of Understanding

We’ve reached a major milestone in our efforts to improve the health of the children of

Sankuru Province! The Division Provinciale de la Santé (the Sankuru Health Department) and the Esther Fund signed a Memorandum of Understanding that makes us official partners and allows us to move forward with strong provincial support.

The agreement is unprecedented in the history of the province.

"I am very excited to have a local partner devoted to Sankuru Province,” said Dr. Davos

Danvene, chief medical officer of DPS. “The Law family has loved the Atetela people of

Sankuru for three generations. Esther Fund is going to be amazing for the children of Sankuru."

Dr. Sem Dowo, a leading DPS physician, echoed Dr. Danvene’s hopes: "I have worked as Médecin Chef de Zone and in many roles within the health system, but I am especially enthusiastic about what Esther means for the children of Sankuru." Dr. Sem represents the future of healthcare leadership in Sankuru. A father of three, his family';s connection to ours goes back generations. His father worked alongside my father, David Law, helping operate boats that traveled the Sankuru River.

Today, Dr. Sem serves as Esther Project Director and has become one of the most

important leaders guiding implementation. He brings a unique combination of professional competence, integrity, and vision. He possesses the intelligence, character, and dedication necessary to lead at the highest levels. His commitment to the children of Sankuru inspires everyone around him.

What the Memo Means: Going the Last Mile

The signing of the MOU is not the finish line. It is the starting line. In the memo, the

DPS agreed to the Esther Fund strategy that ensures that children receive preventive and curative services first. When we are sure the children get what they need, then administrative funds flow. This accountability creates a single focus for the team: do great things and help as many children as possible. Often, we can overcome significant logistical barriers without any additional funding.

This is important because many lifesaving interventions already exist in the Sankuru:

vaccines, Vitamin A, malaria treatment, deworming medication, consultation, etc. The challenge is the last mile -- getting them to the children who need them. The Esther Projects help close that gap by supporting local health workers, strengthening accountability systems, removing barriers to care, and rewarding excellence.

A Great Beginning…And a Long Way to Go

To be sure, we have a long way to go. There are about 500,000 children at risk in the

province, spread over 248 health areas. The challenge remains enormous. But the opportunity is even greater.

So far, we are working in two of them, Edinga and Kalemie. But we have already made

great progress. In the first five months of this year, we’ve provided almost 8,000 preventive services in Edinga and about the same number in Kalemie. These numbers are a dramatic increase over what was provided before. Behind every number is a child, a family, and a committed health worker.

One of those workers is Benjamin, a respected leader at Kalemie Health Center.

Benjamin has devoted more than twenty years of his life to serving the people of Kalemie. He understands the challenges facing frontline healthcare workers better than almost anyone. He has witnessed shortages. He has witnessed missed opportunities. He has witnessed suffering children with preventable illnesses. Yet despite those challenges, Benjamin says he has never been more enthusiastic about the future.

"I have been working in Kalemie Health Area for many years, and we have never been able to do such a good job delivering vaccines and preventive services,” he says. “Now I feel really great about how well we are helping children stay healthy. We are also treating more children for malaria than ever."

How One Child Changed Everything

The challenge of serving 500,000 children can feel overwhelming. For years, I wrestled

with a difficult question: “How do you improve healthcare for half a million children?”

The answer did not come through statistics.

It came through a child, Esther. As I spent time with her family, I was reminded that

every healthcare statistic represents a real person. Every vaccination number, every malaria treatment, every preventive service represents a child. And every death prevented represents a child.

The challenge of serving one child feels achievable.

That realization became one of the guiding principles behind the Esther Projects. If we

can build systems that reliably serve one child well, we can build systems capable of serving thousands.

This conviction is rooted in our belief that every human being is created in the image of God. Human worth does not come from wealth, education, position, intelligence, or achievement. Every child has value. Every child has dignity. Every child has a destiny. Without recognizing the inherent worth of every human life, compassion eventually loses its foundation.

The Esther Projects exist because we believe every child matters to God.

Built on Biblical Principles

The Esther Projects are unique because they are intentionally built upon biblical

principles. They are written into the Esther project documents. Three passages are particularly

important:

Genesis 1:27

• "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created

them."

• Every human being is created in the image of God.

• This belief forms the foundation of human dignity and compassion.

Esther 4:14

• "For such a time as this.";

• The story of Esther reminds us that God places people in positions of influence

• for a purpose.

• Every health worker, community leader, donor, and volunteer has a role to play.

Ephesians 2:10

• "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.";

• We believe people flourish when they discover and embrace their God-given purpose. These principles influence how we lead, how we serve, and how we treat one another.

• They encourage honesty, courage, hard work, and accountability.

Dr. Law checking in with local children

Grassroots Gratitude for Your Generosity

Here’s one final story to illustrate how grateful the people of the Sankuru are for your

help. When I arrived at the airport after my recent trip to the U.S., about 30 members of the Edinga Health Center staff surprised me with a warm welcome. Not only had they spent their own money to be there, but they also insisted that I stop at the center on the way home so they could hear about the center’s future.

The next day, they presented me with five chickens and a bag of rice. A few days later, at Kalemie, the staff gifted me a goat, a chicken, and another bag of rice. In Sankuru, these gifts represent sacrifice, honor and gratitude. I accepted these gifts with a mixture of joy and discomfort. Joy because I felt deeply appreciated; discomfort because the people giving them have far less than I do.

Yet their generosity revealed something important: the Esther Projects are no longer

simply an idea. Thanks to you, children are receiving services that were previously unavailable or inconsistently delivered. I believe future generations will look back on this moment as transformational.

Thank you for standing with us.

Paul Law, MD, MPH

Executive Director

Esther Fund