“The most beautiful thing in the world is a child’s smile. The next best thing? Knowing that you are the reason behind it.” — Unknown
Today is World Photography Day, and to celebrate, we’re showcasing the smiles of sponsored children around the globe. These pictures are filled with joy and hope because that’s what sponsorship does for a child in need — it gives him or her a reason to smile.
Here are some of our favorite sponsorship photos:
1. All smiles at a children’s home in Uganda
Sponsorship provides kids with all the resources they need to succeed — essentials like healthy food, medical care, clean water, and educational opportunities. Some sponsorship programs, like this one in Uganda, also provide a safe place to live for children who are orphaned, live far away from the nearest school, or whose parents can’t afford to take care of them.
2. Sponsorship is rescuing these girls from a life of abuse
These sponsored children live in a slum just minutes away from one of Thailand’s largest red-light districts. Many young women who grow up in this environment don’t receive an education, so they see the sex industry as their only option. These little girls, though, are able to go to school thanks to sponsorship. They now have hope for a better future!
3. Ready to learn in Haiti
Haiti is another country where many children can’t afford to finish school, but sponsorship changes that. It gives boys and girls access to educational opportunities so they can find well-paying jobs someday and escape the cycle of poverty.
4. All dressed up with somewhere to go
Tuition costs aren’t the only obstacles children living in poverty face. Many schools around the world require a certain dress code for attendance. Thanks to their sponsors, these boys have the uniforms, shoes, and supplies they need to go to school.
5. It’s a birthday extravaganza!
Sponsors not only meet their sponsored kids’ basic needs, but they also help make special days like birthdays even more memorable! Some sponsorship programs hold a birthday party monthly for the children with birthdays in that month. Others give out gifts to the birthday boys and girls. A few even have a giant birthday bash once a year to celebrate all the birthdays at once! These celebrations, made possible by sponsors, remind the kids how loved they are!
6. Writing letters to sponsors
Writing and receiving letters is one of the kids’ favorite things to do. No matter how many miles separate them, sponsors can connect with their child by sending cards and photos through the mail. The boys and girls love hearing from their sponsors and oftentimes writing back!
7. Experiencing God’s love daily
This happy little boy is holding a Bible study book for kids, but sponsored children experience God’s love in a number of different ways. Their teachers and mentors show them Christ’s love every day. And of course, the kindness of their sponsors is a constant reminder of Jesus’ love in action.
Thank you, sponsors, for helping children in need around the globe. Your monthly support is the reason these boys and girls have help for today and hope for tomorrow.
It’s the reason they can smile.
If you’d like to learn more about sponsorship and how you can put a smile on another child’s face, click the button below.
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