International development is a global effort to create equal opportunities, strengthen communities, and build sustainable solutions, ensuring a better future for all. It showcases the contributions we make together to address global challenges and empower individuals, fostering resilience and long-term progress.
Child sponsorship provides life-changing opportunities. In the next story, you’ll see how World Vision’s sponsorship program is transforming Dércia’s life in Mozambique, creating new opportunities for a better future.
Dércia grinding maize, one of her favourite house chores.
In Mozambique, access to secondary education remains a significant challenge for families due to financial hardships and the lack of schools in many areas.
Dércia's family was no exception. Her parents couldn't afford the costs of her secondary education, including school fees and transportation. But, when Derica became sponsored, things changed.
Sponsorship provided her family with the support they so desperately needed. Her sponsor's support helped send Derica to school, covering her school and transportation fees.
"When I am at school, I have a lot of fun," she shares. "I hang out with my schoolmates but most importantly, I learn new things, which helps me fulfill my dream of becoming a teacher."
But the benefits of sponsorship didn't stop there for Dércia and her family. It provided her parents with the opportunity to join a local savings group where they learned how to improve their financial skills, including how to save money. And as they began to make better financial decisions, their lives began to transform--creating a brighter future for the whole family.
Dércia’s life has been forever changed through sponsorship. She can pursue her education, creating new possibilities, and her parents are now investing in her future. Her story is proof that investing in a child’s journey through sponsorship doesn’t just change one life. It empowers families, strengthens communities, and creates a future where children can thrive.
Written by Gianina Li Pimentel and Christina Cook, with files from Antonio Massipa.