Remind yourself of the amazing difference you’re making to vulnerable children.
The coronavirus has spread across the world, affecting all of us, but it has had particularly devastating implications for the most vulnerable children.
That's why your support is so crucial. You have given children hope and provided them with life’s essentials, when they most need it.
Below are just some of the children whose lives have changed thanks to your support this year.
Many children in Kenya don't have access to education, especially girls who drop out of school to help their parents earn an income, or to marry early.
Thanks to your help, more children like Everline, 13, Eleda, 9, and Lucy, 13, can go to school, and love to learn. Performance in class has improved too, now that teachers have been better trained.
In Cambodia, Mesa, 13, helped his parents earn money to feed their family through harvesting rice and sugar cane. Unfortunately, this meant he had to drop out of school.
With your support, families are able to take part in 'celebrating family' training where they learn good parenting skills, how to care for their children and to encourage them to go to school. Children like Mesa are now able to grow up in a loving and happy family.
In parts of Tanzania, accessibility to life-saving healthcare is still a daily challenge, which Amani, 13, and his family once faced. Thanks to you, children are able to get the healthcare they need without the fear of travelling a long way, so they're now able to grow up happy and healthy.
"Now, I'm not worried when I get ill because the health centre isn't far from my home," says Amani.
Children like Febi, 11, in Malawi, had no choice but to use dirty water for drinking and washing, often having to walk long distances to collect it. Sadly, this meant they would miss out on attending school.
Thanks to your help, children now have access to safe, clean water near to where they live, which means they can spend more time enjoying learning at school.
Keeping communities safe and protected during the coronavirus pandemic is a challenge but children are being taught about the importance of personal hygiene and how it keeps them well.
With your help, children in Myanmar are using locally made tippy taps to wash their hands and keep themselves clean, helping to reduce the risk of them becoming ill.
Children's clubs are being set up in India where children like Khushboo, 15, can play and learn about important life skills.
With your support, children are taught about their rights and are able to enjoy time with their friends in a happy and safe environment.
In Bolivia, Arminda, 11, loves to learn crafts at school and play with the things she made. Thanks to you, teachers have been better trained, improving the quality of education and making learning more fun.
Children like Arminda are also better supported by their parents now they've been taught about the importance of education.
Before, the only source of water for children like Stacy, 11, in Kenya, was dirty, which meant that they would often fall sick with diarrhoea and other illnesses.
Thanks to your support, children now have access to safe, clean water to drink and are able to grow up healthy, free from the fear of becoming ill.
Reading clubs have been set up in Cambodia, where children like 11 year old Sok Hak and his friend Borey, also 11, can spend time reading stories and taking part in fun activities together.
Thanks to you, schools are a happy environment for children, with more books and resources to make learning fun.
Caston's father was struggling to provide for his family after he sadly lost his maize crop, due to the drought in Zambia.
Thanks to your support, families have received training in better ways of farming and are able to grow different vegetables which they can sell. Children like Caston can now enjoy eating healthy and nutritious food, which helps them grow strong.
In Malawi, Naomi, 11, is part of a club teaching children about the importance of good hygiene. She can use books and videos which make learning fun.
With your generosity, children and families are now living in cleaner, safer environments which means they can grow up healthy and strong. "I've learned about hygiene. They teach us to wash our hands after using the toilet," says Naomi.
Children in Uganda haven't always had the opportunity to go to school. Many have to help their parents earn a living, whilst other families are unable to afford to send them.
Thanks to your support, many families now have more sustainable ways to earn a living, which means their children can go to school. They have hope for a brighter future, now that their lives are being transformed through education.
You bring hope to vulnerable children by giving to Essentials. Thank you.
Share their stories with your loved ones, and together, we can support even more children.
