Education

Nine-year-old Jayceon’s new favorite thing is “learning,” he says. “Improving my reading is important,” he adds. Before participating in Save the Children’s in- school literacy and afterschool programs, Jayceon’s “reading level was unusually low for third grade and he was struggling with basic sight words,” said Betty, the program coordinator. Today, with the one-on-one instruction, guided independent reading practice, and comprehension-building book talks, the third- grader has made great strides at his school in northeast South Carolina. “He has shown so much improvement recently, not only in his academic skills, but in his confidence and eagerness to excel,” said Betty. “He has very good manners, is respectful, kind and modest, and sets a good example for his peers.” Jayceon’s teacher, Celeste, says he participates more in class because the Save the Children tutors have “celebrated his successes and let him know mistakes are learning opportunities.” Jayceon’s newfound confidence is undeniable…

In the heart of Malawi, where dreams grapple with harsh realities, the wish for a stable and secure home resonates deeply, particularly with children of incarcerated parents. The stark reality is that a significant number of The Child’s Journey beneficiaries reside in homes so dilapidated that it’s hard to imagine how they withstand the relentless challenges posed by their environment. Housing assistance is not just a means to provide shelter but is a crucial foundation for a child’s overall well-being and development. The Child’s Journey is dedicated to ensuring that children don’t just live, but thrive in safe and stable homes. Filesi, Rehema and Kenneth are three children whose lives have been positively transformed through the program’s housing support initiative. After a meticulous assessment by dedicated caseworkers, it was clear that the family desperately needed a safer living environment. Embracing a spirit of empowerment and collaboration, the family was encouraged…

The Outright UN Rights and Religion Fellowship is an 8- to 12-month program that supports human rights defenders of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) to harness the New York-based United Nations system to add value to their existing work. The program is designed to support the existing work of activists in the global South and East working to defend people of diverse SOGIESC from the impact of religiously motivated violence and discrimination. The goal of the program is four-fold: 1. Facilitate the use of United Nations spaces for activists of diverse SOGIESC from the global South and East to enhance their networks and to identify new entry points for progressing the protection and promotion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people’s human rights in their country and/or region. 2. Increase visibility and engagement of human rights defenders of diverse SOGIESC from…

In the heart of Gurage, Ethiopia, Fikir, 28, a dedicated biology teacher and loving mother of two boys, shares her journey battling the devastating effects of trachoma. Trachoma, an easily preventable bacterial eye infection, remains a significant cause of blindness in rural Ethiopia. Fikir’s experience with trachoma began at a young age, but it wasn’t until university that a friend noticed she had trachomatous trichiasis (TT), a condition where eyelashes turn inward as a result of repeat trachoma infections, causing excruciating pain and, if untreated, irreversible vision loss or blindness. Fikir’s story is one of resilience and hope as she underwent surgery for her TT at the Worsherbe Health Center, thanks to the intervention of Orbis-trained health workers. Reflecting on her journey, Fikir shares poignant insights into the challenges she faced and her determination to overcome them. “I have had repeated infections from trachoma since I was very young,” Fikir…

The Ripple Effect of Training a Palliative Care Provider Anna Ayugi is finishing her master’s degree in palliative care at the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa (IHPCA) at Makerere University in Uganda. As a recipient of the GPIC and African Palliative Care Association’s African Palliative Care Education Scholarship, Anna has been able to focus on her skill development rather than scraping together money to fund her education. “The course is beneficial in my palliative care work to date because so far, I have gained more knowledge, skills and competency in the field of palliative care. Also, it has equipped me with better teaching skills and how to deliver my sessions in palliative care to my students as a tutor.” Anna is a nurse and tutor at Soroti School of Comprehensive Nursing in eastern Uganda. She likes teaching and mentoring students – a crucial component of building palliative…

Dylan’s father disappeared when Ruth became pregnant at 19 years old and has never had a role in either of their lives. Ruth is the oldest of four and still lives with her mother and siblings in a small two-room concrete house in rural Imbabura Province, Ecuador. Ruth’s mother, also a single mom, suffers from a chronic illness that at times prevents her from performing household duties. The family farms potatoes as their staple crop, but the region has experienced drought over the last couple of years, and the harsh equatorial sun has withered much of their field. Ruth occasionally earns money as a cook when work becomes available, and with this meager income, she supports everyone in the home. In the first year after Dylan was weaned, his diet consisted mainly of potatoes and rice as the family struggled to find any other food in the harsh highland climate…