Your impact in 2018: Breaking the cycle of poverty

There’s an old saying that goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

While it is important to meet people’s immediate needs, your gifts in 2018 also helped invest in the financial, social, and physical health of impoverished communities for years to come.

You made a long-term impact in 2018 by sponsoring children from 20 countries and providing sustainable resources in communities around the world.

In countries like Uganda, Guatemala, and the Philippines, your commitment to child sponsorship is giving kids like Bridget the chance at a bright future.

Bridget comes from a low-income area of Guatemala called Pueblo Modelo. At age 16, she is already dreaming of becoming a teacher so she can give back to her community. After all, if it weren’t for the educational assistance her sponsor provides, Bridget might not be dreaming of a future at all.

We are incredibly grateful for the family of World Help sponsors that provides nutritious meals, clothing, educational assistance, medical aid and so much more to kids in need around the world. But this investment doesn’t just impact the sponsored child — it also affects their families and their communities.

“This program has helped me a lot, and the people from Pueblo Modelo are very grateful as well,” Bridget said. “Thanks to the sponsorship program, many children are now motivated to attend school and recognize how important education is. I am happy to say thank you for all you have done for Pueblo Modelo.”

But you didn’t stop there. By giving toward resources like livestock and vocational training, you helped make sure families and communities abroad could break out of the cycle of poverty — permanently.

Camilo used to worry about feeding her five children, but your gift of chickens improved her life. She lives in a poor community in Rwanda, and before you intervened, every day was a struggle to survive. Then, she received a pair of chickens.

“When I got my chicken, it immediately laid eggs,” Camilla shared with excitement.

While that may seem insignificant, those eggs symbolized hope. They symbolized a future for Camilo and her children. She now is able to feed her family nutrient-dense food, rescuing them from the risk of malnutrition. And the extra money she makes from selling eggs and hens enriches the local economy and has allowed Camilo to purchase schoolbooks so her kids can receive an education.

When you bless one child or one family, you help a community fight its way out of poverty. Thank you for bringing help and hope to people around the world in 2018.

Your gifts have transformed lives and demonstrated the love of Christ.