VULNERABLE CHILDREN FUND 2020 IMPACT REPORT
Grace: no longer a child bride... thanks to you! • Child marriages spike due to covid • Child protection committees vital • Your generosity keeps girls in school Because of you, Grace* was withdrawn from a forced marriage. “I dropped out school while in grade 8. I was 15 years old then and got married.” But the child protection committee in Grace’s area intervened... because your support made it possible. With the help of our Christian partners, children are actively involved in these committees. They learn about their rights to safety, education and how to take action against child marriages. In Grace’s case, members of the child protection committee visited her family. The child leaders convinced her parents of why Grace should leave the marriage and focus on her studies. Like so many others in Malawi, Grace’s family lives in poverty. It’s a constant struggle to get enough food, clothing, medication and education. Each day, there are 8 mouths to feed. This is the harsh reality for families like Grace’s. So,
marrying a girl off early means one less to feed and a dowry to ease poverty. Often families are unaware or don’t understand the risks for a child such as Grace. The danger of physical or sexual abuse. Or health issues and death in childbirth. And missing out on the education that could lift her from poverty. Covid has only made this situation worse. Child marriages are rising in many countries where families find already meagre incomes cut off due to the pandemic. But now, thanks to your generosity, Grace can look forward to a new future. “Now I am at home with my parents, expecting to go back to school after covid closure is over… I feel very happy!”
Grace and her family
Active and clever, Grace can now excel in her studies and follow her dream.
“I would like to see reduced early marriage in my community and I would like to continue with my education so that I can help my family.” In Grace’s community, the child protection committee has only recently started. It’s already made a big difference in Grace’s life and will continue to stand up for other vulnerable children... thanks to you! Your support of the Vulnerable Children Fund makes it possible for children to escape early marriage! *Names have been changed for privacy purposes
HUNDREDS OF GIRLS
903 CHILD RIGHTS’ GROUPS
saved from child marriages including 54 from Malawi and 28 from Nepal. They will not lose their childhoods thanks to you!
such as child protection committees and Child Clubs helped teach children about early marriage, child labour and other exploitative practices.
Mary’s transformation... because of your support! “My life has totally changed because I can interact with many children and no longer feel pain on my knees!” – Mary, age 9, Uganda Imagine what it’s like to have club foot when you live in poverty like Mary*. It’s children like her with disabilities who are among the most vulnerable. They end up isolated from friends. They’re more likely to miss out on education because schools don’t cater for their needs. And they’re less likely to get the medical help they need because they live in remote areas where health care may not be available. But your support meant Mary was able to get a wheelchair... her friends at school learned how to include her in their activities... and her teachers understand better how to cater for her needs in the classroom. The result? Now Mary can go to school... instead of dropping out because it’s too hard for her to be carried. She can join
in playing with other children... instead of being left out because she can’t run and keep up with them. Her knees are now healed... instead of having constant wounds because she had to crawl over rough ground. Her dad is so thankful that Mary is now progressing well at school. “She’s a very happy child after being promoted to primary three. Mary can now write well and draw good pictures... she has many friends from school and the community, she plays with them, sing songs, and cheers them when they dance. I want Mary to finish her education and fight for the rights of children with the same condition.” Your ongoing generosity to the Vulnerable Children Fund gives children like Mary the best chance of achieving this.
Boys Girls Children with disabilities
Nepa 5,640 9,511
Lebanon Uganda 4,957 5,329
197
206
4
Sri Lanka
414
795
744
8
Kenya 1,172 2,233
11
Malaw
Yo u
771
767
r glo b
591 children
with disability in 13 new projects
Mary’s wheelchair means she can join in the games with the other children!
(1803 across all projects) learned about their rights to be included in education and community activities through child clubs and other projects made possible by YOU.
“I am confident now... I don’t feel shame to go to school.”
al 1,059
From discrimination to A-grade student
Bangladesh 3,637 4,472
142
Bless you for helping to make it possible!
Philippines 1,993 2,206
36
Cambodia
wi
3,361 3,347
81
al im p
48
t c a
66 schools
can now cater for children with disabilities using measures including accessible toilets, drinking taps, classroom ramps, and inclusive education training for teachers to stop discrimination.
Imagine being rejected and discriminated against because you have a disability. Like Reema* from Bangladesh. She has an impairment in her right hand. The other children refused to play with her. Even her teachers at school neglected her. And Reema believed she was a burden on her family, who struggled in poverty. “I hide myself from others... My classmates laughed to see my hand. My parents were very much upset about my physical impairment...” says Reema. But all that changed when Reema joined a child club. “All the community people and children are now aware of child rights, disability rights and child protection.” She taught herself to write using her left hand since her right can’t be used at all. “Day by day increased my confidence and as a result, improved my school
exam result. I passed with A grade. I was elected as child club president. Now I have lot of friends, nobody laugh with my physical impairment.” Her parents also took part in skills development training. They now earn extra income through raising cows, chickens and goats... making it easier to feed Reema and her siblings and keep them in school. Reema hopes for the day when all children like her can live without discrimination. “I want to see all children getting equal scope in society with education, play and treatment access... I am confident now and I don’t think I am a burden for my family... My dream is to serve the community people as a doctor.” Without you, Reema might still be hiding herself from others. Instead, she’s growing up into a talented young woman determined to use her God-given talents to change the world. Thanks to you!
Your prayers needed for the children! “He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’” Mark 9:36-37 Please pray for the vulnerable children you’re supporting. God has placed dreams and plans in their hearts.
• To keep children and their families safe through covid
• To stop abusive child labour and trafficking
• To stop child marriages of girls as young as 10
• To give children with disabilities equal opportunities in life
Bless you for your fast action against covid... you’ve protected vulnerable children. Joseph*, 9, lives in a mud house with a grass thatched roof in rural Uganda. His family grows cassava, beans, millet, sorghum and sesame. They try to sell it at the market to make what living they can.
So they can survive covid and better support their children in the future... instead of reducing the number of meals each day. This in turn makes them more vulnerable to illness—including covid.
But then covid came. Now the market is closed. And Joseph’s dad says the family income has been “reduced to zero”.
And your generosity safeguards Joseph’s future. With schools closed due to covid, children like Joseph face a major disruption to their education. Many are at risk of never returning to school. This has major implications for their future study and job prospects.
But your generosity helped to keep Joseph safe from covid. Our Christian partners have taught him and his family handwashing and social distancing measures to fight the pandemic. “Now I wash my hands every hour... I no longer play with my friends or visit uncles...” Although Joseph misses these people in his life, he understands this is necessary to stop the spread of coronavirus.
But you help set up remote learning support and parent training so children can continue their schooling through the pandemic. This is a big challenge in many remote areas... that’s why your support matters.
That’s why your support goes towards helping families develop alternative livelihoods.
YOU are a blessing to vulnerable children during covid.
Visit www.baptistworldaid.org.au/vulnerable-children-fund for more information about the work you’re supporting or to give a one-off donation! Bless you for your heart for children.
COVID FACTS 16,874 children received assistance during covid including family income support, covidsafe hygiene training and education assistance. However, recovering from covid is a long-term task. Your ongoing support of the Vulnerable Children Fund will help fight the effects of poverty on children, now accelerated by covid. This includes: • The expected surge in child marriages – girls affected by humanitarian crises like covid face the greatest risk of ending up as child brides. • Children at risk of never returning to school due to the pandemic, including those with disabilities. • The expected rise in children forced into child labour when family income sources are cut off due to covid. • The higher risk of contracting and dying from covid for children with disabilities.