Birthday party for sponsored kids

Above: For many kids in the developing world, birthdays come without festivities like this one in El Salvador, where these girls enjoy birthday cake. Photo: Heidi Isaza, World Vision.

Ever wonder what that extra gift for your sponsored child's birthday buys? Group birthday celebrations held once a year, like this one in El Salvador, are happening in your sponsored child's community too. With group birthdays, every child in the community gets to feel special and most of all, loved!

For many kids in the developing world, birthdays come without festivities like this one in El Salvador, where these girls enjoy birthday cake. Photo: Heidi Isaza, World Vision.

I recently celebrated my birthday.

Although it wasn’t a milestone year, I still celebrated with cake and flowers with my family — a far cry from the fanfare and festivities I enjoyed, even demanded, as a child, when our birthdays were all-day and sometimes all-week celebrations, with themed parties, favours, special food, and gifts.

I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family. Even so, as a kid, birthdays were a big deal — celebrations were a common, expected occurrence. It never would have occurred to me at the time that there are millions of children in the world whose birthdays come and go just like any other day.

They don’t have a party. They don’t get gifts. They don’t eat special food. Most have never heard of or been to a birthday party, much less had one of their own.

Party Time
Not long ago, I was able to go to the best birthday party in my life. The party was in the mountains of El Salvador — about a 30-minute drive from the nearest city, up a winding, dusty, and bumpy dirt road.

The sun was out, its rays beating mercilessly down on the dry earth. Normally, when the sun shines this strong in eastern El Salvador, most people — kids and adults alike — head for the shade. Not on this day.

On this day, everyone was out. Children, dressed in their finest, accompanied by their parents, followed their ears and the music to the community soccer field.

The closer we got to the soccer field, the more excitement filled the air. As the children crossed the field, they were welcomed as royalty, with paper crowns. They were the guests of honour. This was their party.

After the children put on their crowns, some grabbed inflated balloons and streamers to play on the sun-scorched grass. Others made their way to the shade of a small shelter at the end of the field, which was also covered with streamers and balloons.

The excitement and anticipation of activities to come was palpable.

Once the majority of the children arrived and were ready with their crowns, the emcee called them to the small shelter. The 150 children and their parents overflowed the small splotch of shade and spilled out beyond the limits of the roof into the sun.

Let the Games Begin
As the children and their parents stood for the national anthem, a giant chicken — the mascot for the most popular restaurant in El Salvador, El Pollo Campero — snuck up to help lead the party. Music blasted, kids and parents danced and smiles radiated stronger than the sun’s rays.

After a few minutes of dancing, the emcee started the games. Small children and older ones alike took turns participating in activities from tongue-twisters and modelling contests to pop questions answered in front of the crowd.

Marisol Garcia Cruz came to the birthday party with two of her three children: Geovany, 7, and Maryory del Carmen, 6. She was amazed to see them participating in the activities and competing for candy in front of such a sizable crowd.

“[As a mom], I’m happy,” she says. “I’m proud of them. I can see that they are not shy.”

Their Special Day
Nearing the end of the activities, a rambunctious round of “Happy Birthday” echoed throughout the area. Each child received fried chicken, french fries, and soda from the famous El Pollo Campero restaurant, as well as a slice of birthday cake.

For some children, these experiences were a first. “The kids say, ‘I’ve never had a birthday party. I have never eaten cake,’” says Marcela Robles, the sponsorship facilitator for this community.

“Before World Vision was here…we didn’t have this opportunity,” says Maria Yolanda Urrutia, mother of two sponsored children. Birthdays come and go in their house without a lot of pomp and circumstance — not because they wouldn’t love to give their children a party, but because they can’t afford it.

“We don’t make a cake,” she says. “We just have a normal meal.”

But today was different. Maria is happy that although she can’t provide her children with individual birthday parties, World Vision helps them feel loved and special through the group birthday celebrations.

“Today, everybody celebrated together,” she says. “It is really beautiful. They have broken piñatas, and shared a time of joy. It is really special.”

Her children actually liked the party so much that each of them brought home the remains of the broken piñatas.
 
Celebrating Children Around the World
Each year, World Vision celebrates the lives and accomplishments of the sponsored children through these birthday celebrations. On this particular day, there were dozens of similar parties happening in communities across eastern El Salvador.

And, at least for a few hours, the difficulty of living in poverty was overshadowed with the kind of joy every child should have the opportunity to experience.

Sponsor a child whose birthday is today. You’ll help deliver critical basics like nutritious food, clean water, medical care, education, safe shelter, and more. But beyond that, you will help a child in need to know that he or she is loved — both by virtue of your support, and by the birthday celebrations that honour a special day.​​​​​​