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People and projects in our sponsorship countries
Sponsors play a vital role in supporting EveryChild’s work with the world’s most vulnerable children. Here are just a few examples of the difference our sponsors are making to the lives of children in India and Malawi. You can start sponsoring a child today or contact us to learn more about sponsorship at childsponsorship@everychild.org.uk.
Taona, Three years old, Malawi
Taona’s father sadly passed away and her mother is too unwell to care for her. Her grandmother Gertrude is looking after her along with two of her cousins. This is challenging for Gertrude as she has less time to grow the food her family needs.
Taona and her cousins attend an EveryChild-supported community-based childcare centre which provides them with nutritious food and a safe place to play. The childcare centres help to give Gertrude the time she needs to work on her farmland. EveryChild also supports Gertrude to care for her family through income generation schemes and providing materials to ensure that she can continue to look after her grandchildren. Gertrude says ‘I want to make sure that all of the children are educated so that when they are older they can find employment and rely on themselves.’
Taona’s sponsor helps to ensure that children like her can still grow up in safe and loving family environments.
Asha, Ten years old, India
Asha comes from a marginalised Dalit community in India, one of the lowest social castes. Children from the Dalit community often suffer from severe discrimination and lack of opportunities. Due to extreme poverty, Dalit children like Asha are at particular risk of being forced into child labour or trafficked into sexual exploitation to provide financial support for their families. Asha is part of the sponsorship programme and attends her local EveryChild-supported child activity centre before and after school, where she gets support with her studies and plays with her friends.
Child activity centres are central to our work in India and play a vital role in communities like Asha’s. As well as providing some basic education and care, the centres’ teachers monitor the children and identify those in need of support, like those at risk of leaving school and being forced into child labour. The centres also raise awareness about social issues and ensure children understand their rights. Every child has the right to a happy childhood and the activity centres provide a safe place for children to play and learn together.
Asha is currently in the fourth grade at school and wants to become a teacher one day. Going to the centre and being involved in the activities there will help Asha finish her education and enjoy her childhood.
Duncan, Malawi
Duncan was forced to leave home at the age of 11 because his family was extremely poor and could not provide for him. He went to live on the streets of Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi and home to around a million people. ‘I begged for food and money. It was frightening. I didn’t want to come home in case my parents were angry.’
EveryChild has established Child Protection Units within police stations in Malawi. They are working with children living or working on the streets and help to keep children safe by securing convictions for child abuse cases. Duncan had been living on the streets of Lilongwe for a year and a half when the local Child Protection Unit found him and successfully helped him return home and to school.
Duncan says ‘Now I’m happy with my life. My mum is loving and caring and I don’t think of going back to the streets. I feel happy that EveryChild got me back home from street life. There are still children who come to convince me to go back to the street but I just tell them ‘no, I want to go to school. I want to become a lawyer’’.
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