Blog: Our Impact

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 - 15:59 by Jorge Felipe

Empowering children and parents for safer communities in Guatemala

About 46 kilometers away from Guatemala City, Guatemala, is Caserío San Jerónimo, San Juan Sacatepéquez. Though beautiful, and full of smiling children, the city was hiding a dark secret.

Community leader, María Victoria Pirir, says that there were many cases of familial abuse. “These cases worried us because no one was taking control of the situation. There were many reports of mistreated children.”

Another problem was alcoholism. “Sometimes there were food...

Grandmothers know best: Improving child and maternal health with the help of grandmothers in Sierra Leone

Katta’s story

Katta Gboya gave birth at the age of 17 and lost her child to diarrhea two months later. Katta lives in the Torma section of Bum Chiefdom, in the Bon District in Southern Sierra Leone.

‘’I was only a young girl who totally lacked experience to raise a baby,” says Katta. “So, whatever I was told, I did. But apart from the age, a lot of women more mature than me had issues raising their babies too. We were only following...

A Burden No Mother Should Bear

It shouldn’t have happened that way—under the coffee tree.

“My neighbor told me to push,” says Janet Namugga, a 33-year-old mother in Uganda. “I kept pushing. God helped and the baby came out,” she says.

The baby was still.

“I touched the baby,” remembers Janet, “but the baby didn’t move. I put the baby to my breast but the baby didn’t suck.”

Janet’s baby hadn’t survived birth under the coffee tree.

Uganda’s newborns are its...

Hope Through Microfinance

Early in the morning, while the fog from the valley still covers the rolling hills of the Cangahua area, the family of Pilataxi Avles Dionisio work their land. Pilataxi (28-years-old), his wife Rosa (23 years old), and their four children (ages 6-18 years old) are bearing the rain and cold to keep up their farming business, which supports their family.

They are a dedicated clan. Hardworking like you’ve never seen. With smiles larger than the sunrise, which on a...

When a child is given a chance: Former sponsored child now a Harvard graduate

Written by: George Ndung’u Kamau

Growing up in Trans Nzoia, Kenya, my greatest wish was to escape the harsh reality of my family’s poverty. I dreamt of becoming a pilot, traveling the globe and being the person that would bring hope to my village. My parents struggled to make enough money to provide food and other basic needs including school fees. To augment my father’s meagre income as a watchman, my mother worked a neighbour’s farms....

From Farming Frustration to International Success Story

Supporting cocoa farmers in Vanuatu leads to community impact and international success

By Terence Malapa, communications officer, World Vision

Today, Moli, 44, is one of the most successful cocoa farmers on the island of Malo, Vanuatu, but this wasn’t always the case.

Back in early 2000, with limited knowledge of modern farming techniques or farm management skills, Moli planted 300 cocoa plants, but the plants did not flourish as he had hoped. By...

Faith leaders unite to help end violence against children

By Dr. Kathryn Kraft, senior research advisor, Faith and Development, World Vision International

I stood at the back of a village classroom and watched as a few dozen women and men introduced themselves. All were either leaders of their faith community, or were married to a faith leader. The head of the local Council of Imams was there. The head of the Catholic women's guild introduced herself. An Orthodox priest was followed by the wife of a Seventh...