Our kids are amazing. They’re all different; they have different stories, different needs, and different dreams. They’ve come from terrible backgrounds, but with the right care, they’re thriving.
Grace was handed to us in a bundle of rags by a policewoman. But her name wasn’t Grace then, in fact, she didn’t have a name at all.
At just three weeks old she had been abandoned by the roadside. No one wanted her and she was going to be put back where she was found.
But we couldn’t let that happen. So we adopted her and named her Grace. We gave her a comfortable home and a loving family in Jane’s Home at our Bekoji Children’s Village and today Grace is chatty, funny and a little bit bossy. Grace is loved, cared for and is full of life.
Jean Carlos’s father is in prison with a 15 year sentence for murder.
His mother met the father of her third child while working in a brothel, but they separated because of his abusive behaviour. Now she works as a cleaner but with barely any income, food is scarce at home.
When he first came to our school, Jean Carlos had a hard time getting along with other children. Now he puts all his effort into learning to read and write and has lots of friends to play marbles with at recess. He has a special interest in animals, especially bugs and he is growing in health as he gets to eat a nutritious meal every day, something he doesn’t get at home.
Living in poor conditions in the Chin Hills, Vung Pee contracted TB. Her parents were also suffering from poor health and couldn’t afford to send Vung Pee to school or to buy medication or regular food to keep her healthy.
We accepted Vung Pee into our Lois School where she has excelled and is a friendly, talkative and polite student who loves to sing and play. She no longer has TB and is in great health. Vung Pee says that when she grows up “I would like to become a doctor and help cure the sick”. We believe in her. We can’t wait for the day we can call her Dr Vung Pee!
Victor lives with his mother, stepfather and siblings in Guacamayal in Colombia. They live in a house made of mud and the whole family sleeps in one small dark bedroom.
Sadly Victor's mother doesn't pay him much attention and because of this neglect, you can usually find him playing in the streets with his neighbours, sometimes getting up to mischief.
As a Stand by Me child, Victor gets the love and attention he needs as well as nutritious food to keep him healthy. He may be a little cheeky in class but he loves to learn. His favourite subject is Spanish Literature and just like all of our kids in Colombia - he loves to play ‘soccer’.
Rayana* comes from a remote hill village in Nepal which in the wet season is a four day walk from the nearest town.
Her family is from the very low Chepang caste and both her parents are illiterate, working in other people’s fields to earn money. Her village lies close to the Indian border attracting child traffickers - she knows there is more than just leopards and tigers to fear.
Now Rayana is a Stand by Me child she has all the opportunities that an education can provide, good nutrition and health care, and lots of new friends! When she arrived at our home she had never had a bath, never used a toilet and never been to school. Now she is learning her numbers and letters and can even speak English. She may be little but she definitely has a big personality.
Truly caring for each child begins with considering the needs of the child, their family, and their community
We get to know each child — their hopes, history, needs and dreams. We delight in our children and want the best for them. We invest our time, love and attention raising them to know that they’re loved and accepted for who they are.
Usually the best place for a child to thrive is in their family – that’s why we work hard to help families stay together. In the absence of a stable family, we place children who are at risk into our loving family homes.
A great quality education is key to escaping poverty. Our education programmes equip our kids with the skills they need to rise above their circumstances and help change their communities.
The health of our children is vital to their development and happiness, so we go the extra mile to make sure that they are fit and well, and can enjoy their childhood.
It’s a privilege to teach our kids of Jesus’ love for them, and to demonstrate this through the quality of our care. As their desire for spiritual answers grows, we encourage them to discover a love, respect and knowledge of God for themselves. Read more.
It’s incredibly important to each child’s sense of value and stability that they’re raised by parents and teachers who care about them. Child sponsorship supports this further by giving our kids a relationship with a sponsor who loves them and helps them feel part of a wider family.
As you’d expect, the answer is different with every child. We have hundreds of stories. Here are just a few to begin with...
All Wilton wanted was to go to school.
Wilton was one hundredth on a waiting list to attend a school in a chicken shed in the Dominican Republic. Then we built a school there so that we could provide Wilton, and children like him, with a great education and regular meals. There, Wilton grew from a challenging pupil to a mature young man who is today training to be a doctor at medical school.
Dim Sian Kop was born into extreme poverty in Northern Burma.
When Dim Sian Kop joined our Sophia Home in Tamu she was 10 years old. She watched the Stand by Me staff care for her and the other children and was inspired to become a teacher. She passed all of her exams and gained a degree in child care. Now Dim Sian Kop is a Preschool teacher, caring for kids just like our staff cared for her.
Neha* was born into the Dalit caste and considered ‘untouchable’.
She was abandoned by her parents when she was five years old. So we welcomed her with open arms into our Home in Nepal . She completed her education and qualified as a nurse. With this qualification she is able to stand equally with others in society and will not be counted as a Dalit anymore.
After being abandoned by his father and losing his mother, Lal Run Lian joined our Sophia Home in Tamu, Burma when he was 11.
Lal Run Lian worked hard through school, never failing an exam. We were so proud of his achievements and we continued to support him through Theology School. Since graduating he is using his skills and passion for the children in our care as a sponsorship coordinator for Stand by Me.
Pranati* had a hard start to life when her parents neglected her.
We welcomed her into our Home in Nepal. There she flourished and excelled in her classes and finally felt that she was part of a loving family.Once she graduated from High School, Pranati began training to be a nurse. She worked exceedingly hard and received the highest marks in her year on her nursing exams.
