I wanted to share with you an update from my recent trip to Romania to visit the children at our Denisa Day Care Center. I had the privilege of taking a small team to teach sewing skills to the children, to encourage confidence in math and to give the children a view of themselves as part of a big world-wide Stand by Me family that cares about each other.
Across the world our kids have been celebrating Christmas and as we look back on 2025 we are so grateful for your support. Through sponsorship, fundraising and sharing the stories of our kids you have helped to make 2025 another incredible year.
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.