Your commitment to your sponsored child gives them so much hope. In their eyes, you are the light that brings opportunities to their doorstep, opening new possibilities for their future.
Meet these children from four areas of the world whose lives are headed towards a brighter future. Each child shares their story of change and new beginnings, expressing their gratitude for sponsors, every step of the way.
Sponsorship gives Jodel hope to break free from poverty
“I am grateful to my sponsor. I hope he remains strong and healthy, so that he can help more children,” Jodel says.
19-year-old Jodel has been a sponsored child since he was in sixth grade. He is also the fifth of eight children. “I am now in my second year in college. It’s been eight years, and he continues to sponsor me,” he says of his sponsor. “I am really happy because even though we aren’t related by blood, he still supports me.”
Both of Jodel’s parents have jobs; his mother is a farm labourer and his father works away from the home on a sugarcane plantation. Despite both parents working, they bring home just over one hundred dollars a month.
When the budget is tight, Jodel’s mother may borrow money and the family also receives assistance from the government. Yet, it’s hardly enough and makes it difficult for Jodel’s parents to afford school for five of their children. The other three are older and have their own families.
“No one in our family has a college degree yet,” says Jodel. “I really want to finish my studies, so I can give my family a good life,” he adds.
Keeping his word, Jodel persevered in his studies. He graduated as valedictorian from elementary school and received awards in junior and senior high school.
Jodel receives school supplies, bags, hygiene kits, and shoes for school through World Vision. He also attends activities that help boost his confidence. “I have learned to believe in myself,” he says.
Jodel also wants to help others, especially those in need because he knows what it’s like to live in poverty. “I also know how it feels to have someone help you reach your dreams,” he says.
Sponsorship turned life around for Hevé and her family
“I'm very happy with World Vision's presence in our community, which is changing our lives and giving us hope for our future,” says Hevé (right).
Hevé is a 12-year-old sponsored child in the sixth grade. She lives with her mother and older brother.
Hevé’s mother is disabled and struggled paying for her education growing up. Buying clothing and feeding the family was also difficult. Hevé was often expelled from school because her fees weren’t paid on time.
Her mother’s disability limited her ability to work–she could knit but didn’t have great supplies to do it. When World Vision came to their community, Hevé became sponsored. Shortly after, her mother received some goods from World Vision with the intent to help her turn her knitting hobby into an income-generating activity.
Hevé’s mother soon began selling her knitted creations and raising goats. She found a new lease on life! She was able to buy uniforms, notebooks, a school bag, and shoes for Hevé to attend school.
“I couldn't imagine that one day our mother, with her disability, would raise goats, start an income-generating activity and strengthen her knitting trade,” she says. “Now I'm going to school with the hope of finishing my studies and one day becoming a national deputy.”
In school, Hevé’s favourite lesson is French. It gives her the skills to speak well and stand up for herself. “I would like to thank World Vision and all our sponsors who have committed themselves to helping the most vulnerable.” Hevé says.
Lise feels the power of her sponsor's pen
"Every time my sponsor thinks of me, she writes to me. I am very proud." Lise says.
Lise, a resilient spirit in the sixth grade, shares her story beneath the mango trees that shade her humble abode. Amid life's challenges, she finds a beacon of hope, an unexpected companion across the seas—the sponsor who writes to her.
"I am very proud that my sponsor writes to me," Lise shares with a radiant smile, and the utmost gratitude. Through these letters, she discovers encouragement and a guiding light towards her dream of becoming a nurse.
Lise’s sponsor encourages her to study hard, dream big, and become successful. She also receives gifts from her sponsor. “I thanked her for everything she sent to me,” she says.
But Lise’s connection with her sponsor isn’t just about the gifts and letters. It’s a seed of compassion, nurtured by her sponsor's words, that grows in Lise's heart to a profound desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
In the harsh realities of rural life in Haiti, Lise sees not just a place of hardships, but a canvas upon which she can paint her vision of a brighter future. "I can help people in the street," she muses. "I can help them, just like my sponsor is doing."
Impact comes full circle for Andrea
“World Vision has been and will be always like a project for my soul, close to my heart,” Andrea says.
21-year-old Andrea was once enrolled in the sponsorship program in Romania. Today, she’s giving back as a World Vision volunteer, helping refugee children as they flee Ukraine.
When Andrea was younger, many children did not go to school because their parents couldn’t afford basic school supplies. But when Andrea was in sixth grade, World Vision began to work in her community–changing things for her and her friends.
Although she was not a sponsored child herself, Andrea still participated in the activities made possible in her community through the child sponsorship program. Students improved their speaking skills and were encouraged to better their self-esteem and pursue higher education.
For Andrea, this was all life changing. “All those activities helped me a lot,” she says. "I learned a lot and I can feel the huge impact on myself and on my daily life...even now in university.”
Volunteering with the World Vision crisis team allows Andrea to care for refugee families in Romania. Her experience as a child and volunteer motivates her to make a difference in her career.
She dreams of helping those in need and creating change for children just like her. “I wish every kid [would] participate in all the World Vision projects and benefit like I did,” she closes.
Your support is the anchor holding you to your sponsored child in a way that’s unbreakable. Your friendship and faith can change the course of their life from miles away. The best part? They’ll think of you and hold you close to their heart, every day for the rest of their life because of it.