What will you choose to leave behind?

Water changes everything

After their natural water sources dried up, people in Alice's district in Rwanda didn’t have enough to drink. Many had no choice but to drink contaminated water from swamps – and the children often suffered from dangerous illnesses like typhoid and worms.

But thanks to water stations installed by World Vision there is a real sense of optimism in the community. People have improved hygiene, their health is better, and children have the energy they need to go back to school. Families are able to earn more money too – meaning a brighter future for everyone.

“Before we got this water point, we walked very long distances to fetch water. I sometimes missed school,” explains nine-year-old Alice. “But now, I fetch water and go to school on time – it’s helped me improve my grades.”

With gifts in Wills, transformative projects like this one open up choices for children in the future.

An education despite 11-hour days of work

For many families living in poverty, child labour can seem like the only choice – but this deprives children of their childhood and right to an education.

Wakeel*, 10, has been working as a shoeshine boy since he was eight. His family moved to Herat in northwestern Afghanistan, hoping to find work easily. But instead, Wakeel and his two brothers quickly became the family’s only breadwinners. He explains, “My father is sick and can’t work anymore, so my brothers and I work to buy bread.”

Thanks to supporters like you, World Vision was able to set up Herat’s first centre for street-working children. Wakeel now visits once a week. It’s a safe place where he can play, eat a meal and he’s started learning to read and write.

Gifts in Wills can help more children like Wakeel access an education, opening up opportunities for a brighter future full of choices.

*Name changed to protect his identity

Ending child marriage and giving girls choices

Ratri, 16, is the president of a Child Forum in Bangladesh, in a community working to strengthen education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, livelihoods, and child protection.

Girls from financially insecure families are often seen as a burden – not a blessing – their education considered a waste. Ratri says, “Their main role is seen as homemakers once they marry.” As a result, child marriage is widespread – although illegal.

Ratri links up with community leaders to bring everyone together and improve girls' futures. Community relationships are stronger as leaders of different faiths work together.

Ratri declares, “Girls can do anything. Given the right opportunities and recognition, girls can accomplish remarkable feats.”

Gifts in Wills have the power to end child marriage and enable girls to have choices for the future.

Food security opens up a future full of choices

Bleyani, 11, can’t remember what it was like in his community in Malawi before World Vision got involved. The biggest challenge was food production.

Then the community got support to build irrigation channels and training on agricultural techniques and new crop varieties – improving the quality of life for everyone.

Isaac, Bleyani’s father, says, “Today we have plenty of money because of the sale of our eggplants. We have a good house, and even a motorcycle, and two water pumps that can water all of my land.”

Bleyani adds, “I like to help my father … growing crops. I want to be a soldier or a policeman when I grow up so I can protect my country, and also buy a car for my father.”

Gifts in Wills make so much possible. Children can imagine a future where they can choose a career and what to buy. Will you give that choice to more children?