In the Banana Zone of northern Colombia there is very little hope. Families live in terrible conditions, far below the poverty line and are surrounded by the constant threat of violence. For children growing up in a small, neglected town, the cycle of poverty seems inescapable and the chance of a brighter future, impossible. 

Each year, we are privileged to welcome children into our care who urgently need support and deserve the chance of a life-changing education. In September, we opened our doors to 40 new children at our Abdi Academy in Ethiopia. 

When we came across many children living in desperate poverty in a town close to the Sudanese border in 2010, opening a care centre was the best way we could help at the time, by clothing them, feeding them and providing a basic education. But very soon, the building we were renting for the centre was bursting at the seams. 

Many children in Colombia face neglect, trauma and hopelessness in their home lives. Our Emmanuel Care Centre is providing children with the daily support, food, education and counselling they need to overcome such challenges. 

We want every child to have a healthy childhood. But being born into poverty in Kenya means that many can’t afford to access basic healthcare which puts children's lives at risk. This was the case for 10-year-old Kimberly who began experiencing pain while swallowing food due to the inflammation of her tonsils. 

Throughout Stand by Me’s history, thousands of sponsors have built life changing relationships with our children; exchanging letters, sharing photographs and providing the financial support that gives them hope for the future.

Our Denisa Care Centre opened a new building for our Grade 1 to 4 children equipped with two spacious classrooms where our dedicated staff can continue to provide life changing educational support. Our youngest children are now enjoying lessons in their own facilities only a short distance from our original Denisa Care Centre building.

When we adopted 14 destitute children in the Chin hills of Myanmar in 1998, the country was ruled by a military junta, where the persecution of Christians and the violation of human rights were a daily occurrence. Despite the constant danger both to our staff on the ground and ourselves, we knew God had led us to Myanmar.