At World Vision, we’ve seen time and time again how generous acts can uplift and transform lives in beautiful ways. With the help of sponsorship, the needs of countless children across the world have been met. What’s more, our vision for all the world’s children can grow closer to reality.
What is our world vision you ask? Simply put, we envision a world where every child experiences life in all its fullness. Enough nutritious food to thrive. Medical care when they're ill. Protection for the vulnerable. Education for each girl and boy. And laughter where there's sorrow.
Sponsorship donations create a pathway starting with one child and travelling through their families and communities to make this dream a possibility. Here are four stories of children in different regions, whose lives are blossoming with the help of our beloved sponsors.
Empowering Dina in Lebanon
Teaching children their rights is a key part of sponsorship. In Lebanon, Dina attends youth committee and is teaching younger children. Photo: Maria Bou Chaaya
In Akkar, Lebanon, World Vision is paving a way for the youth of the area to become more involved in their communities by establishing a youth committee.
For Dina, 19, being a previously sponsored child with World Vision fueled her enthusiasm to join the youth committee.
“I learned since I was little about the rights of the children, and I want to help other children understand that”, she says. Dina is one of 25 members on the committee, whose main priority is advocating for child rights and educating other youth to help them acquire skills for daily life.
The youth are the future. Empowering them means creating and enabling future leaders capable of advocating for rebuilding in their communities at a municipal level. Older youth can also be excellent role models for younger children, and help continue the cycle of raising generations of activists for change.
Helping Rome thrive in Uganda
Rome’s sponsor came through for the family at a critical time. Photo: Fred Ouma
Rome, his parents and four siblings were struggling. His mother, Hellen travelled for hours each morning in search of work for the day. Being separated for long periods of time is especially hard for families with young children, which Rome’s family has experienced.
After going through much hardship, one day, Rome’s sponsor, who was already helping the family, made a surprising difference in his life.
“When I got the news I danced, ululated, and sang,” said Hellen. “I hugged my son so tight. I couldn’t believe my ears when World Vision’s community worker told me that Rome’s sponsor had sent a gift to help us financially. It reached us at such a critical time, we thanked God and prayed for the life of Rome’s sponsor,” she said.
Some sponsors choose to send gifts like the one Rome’s family received. Sometimes it’s money and other times it’s an actual much-needed item, like school essentials or hygiene kits.
Through this special gift and sponsorship, Rome’s family can purchase food and essentials without having to say goodbye to their mother every morning.
Helping Liza achieve her dreams
“I’ve been a sponsored child for nearly eight years and I’m happy to bring awareness to child rights and community fundraising to help children,” says nine-year-old Liza from Cambodia. Photo: Dara Chhim
Nine-year-old Liza, from Cambodia, became a sponsored child as an infant and has been able to grow up knowing that her dreams are attainable. Liza dreams of becoming a teacher when she is older, and with the encouragement and support of World Vision and her sponsor, she is constantly striving to reach that goal.
“I want to be a teacher because I want children in the community to be outstanding students like me,” she says. “I would like to thank my sponsor and World Vision for supporting me with books, pens, and soap. My sponsor encourages me to study hard, and I hope I can become a good teacher in the future.”
Having the resources to make their dreams a reality is one of the positive impacts of sponsorship through World Vision. With the right tools, children like Liza can become leaders, and plant seeds for the future in their communities.
Nahomy advocates for child rights in Honduras
Nahomy (middle) is the youth mayor of her community and her grandparents couldn’t be prouder. Photo: Jon Warren
Thirteen-year-old sponsored child Nahomy wears the sash that signifies she is the youth mayor of Yamaranguila, Honduras. She campaigned and was elected by students all over the municipality to represent the youth of the area.
Before being elected, Nahomy was already a child rights advocate and community organizer in the Honduran community. She encourages her peers to build up their community through service and faces difficult subjects head-on, campaigning against early marriage and teen pregnancy. When children drop out of school, Nahomy goes with the municipal child protection officer to talk to their parents and help the family find solutions.
Nahomy's life story gives her empathy for the social and mental needs of children. She lived with her grandparents for six years after her father migrated for work. But now he’s back, and she draws on all the strength of her family’s love and the support of teachers, mentors and even the town mayor, “I want to be a doctor and start the first clinic in my community,” says Nahomy. “To me, being educated means that I can take care of my family and my community, especially my grandparents and father who have sacrificed so much to give me opportunities.”
Nahomy wants to be a beacon of hope to those around her.
Thank you for making a difference
The lives of these four children are proof that the gift of sponsorship is transformative in many ways. We want to thank our sponsors for their generous donations and hope that these stories can inspire you to continue supporting children around the world.