Touched by a sponsor’s kindness during a difficult chapter in India

A member of our program team in India shares how caring supporters are making a difference during India’s second wave of COVID-19

It’s been difficult to see the second wave of COVID-19 sweeping through India, especially as we hear of hundreds of thousands of new cases weekly and thousands losing their lives daily. But, we’ve been blessed by moments of joy, too. Consider the following heart-warming story. While working with our local partners to assess the impact of COVID-19, and how best to respond to the needs of our program community, I received a request from a supporter concerned about the safety of his two sponsored children. I was touched by his empathy, and I immediately asked our project staff to safely visit both families to enquire about the well-being of the two unrelated girls, Gopika (below) and Kiriyasakthi (above). The children and families were emotionally moved by their sponsor’s concern and quickly expressed their gratitude. In this difficult time, financial help will be of great support to each youth, especially as both of their fathers are struggling to earn an income during the government-issued lockdown — one works in a hardware store and the other is a fisher. But there is some good news. When it comes to learning, Children Believe previously provided education through our creative learning centres (which were originally conceived for after-school help). And, although these centres, as well as schools, are now closed due to the lockdown, each child is continuing to learn remotely…

• Gopika, who is in Grade 11, watches lessons broadcast on TV by the government’s education department. She’s also taking part in online classes through a WhatsApp group her school created so each student can access lesson plans and teacher support.
• Kiriyasakthi’s school has provided textbooks to study each of her subjects, and she receives help over the phone to complete her homework. The Grade 7 student has been following a daily study plan.

Each girl and her family are healthy, but they need support to continue to thrive. So, they were truly grateful their sponsor sent financial support, upon hearing about their situation. Both families and our team are so thankful to this sponsor whose gift will fund groceries and dry rations for a few weeks for his two sponsored children and their families. Meanwhile, Children Believe will continue to monitor the situation as we redirect program funds to provide dry rations and psycho-social support to the most needy families who have lost their livelihoods during the pandemic. Please donate today to support children and their families through the second wave of COVID-19 in India.

About Children Believe

Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.

About Childfund Alliance

A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.