Although 2022 began with uncertainty about the pandemic, the year brightened significantly as the calendar progressed. Our cherished community centers began opening again providing in-person programs and opportunities for our families around the world.
As Susana Eshleman, our President & CEO recounts in this video, it was difficult, but our family of children and supporters “… stayed strong and together and thrived.”
100% of children
in our programs
received economic
assistance, helping cover necessities through another tough year.
The Emotional Well-Being Program expanded to all agencies — increasing the program’s reach to 62,000+ participants.
In the last year, the number of students completing Children International’s tutoring program increased to 92%.
Through our health programs, supporters helped provide nearly 2x the number of medical services covered in the previous year.
Evaluating, adjusting and customizing how we implement these life‑changing programs is crucial for greater efficiencies and effectiveness, ensuring the best possible outcomes for children in our program, their families and the communities they call home.
Staying healthy and in school, learning important life skills, and gaining access to resources and opportunities as youth mature; all these remain foundational benchmarks for the young lives you help improve.
Evolving and expanding our programs to meet the specific and changing needs of the children we serve is a vital component of ending poverty.
Although many factors play into the trappings of generational poverty, unhygienic living conditions and difficulty accessing health care play a large role in any community’s poverty rate. Lacking access to clean water, living in dilapidated homes, and being in communities without sanitation or health services — all compound the difficulties of escaping poverty.
There are two focus areas in Children International’s health programs: 1) developing healthy habits through age-appropriate health education courses, and 2) connecting children with essential health services — either through direct care or by strengthening existing health services in the community. This helps to improve equitable access to quality care.
By providing dental and medical exams, supporting malnourished children, and fostering stronger community-led health systems, we are working to bolster health equity around the world.
At the start of 2022, students still out of school had access to online tutoring and digital support, thanks to your generosity. Now that all our community centers are open, even more programs are available to them: early childhood development, in-person tutoring, learning spaces and computer courses.
Education Coordinator, GUATEMALA
Preschool is incredibly important. The early years (0 to 8) are the most extraordinary period of growth and development in a child’s lifetime — when the foundations of all learning are laid. That’s why we have been offering the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Program in Delhi and Kolkata, India, for several years.
In 2022, we piloted a program, which targets children from ages 2 to 6, in Guatemala. ECCD creates rich opportunities for learning and growth through early literacy skills and language development, social and communication skills, and health and nutrition services.
The need for age-appropriate activities and workshops that help foster emotional well-being has never been greater. Living in daily poverty is traumatic enough. Parental job loss, isolation due to quarantines and the stressors of a global pandemic added to the emotional burdens disadvantaged children already faced. That’s why we’ve expanded the Emotional Well‑Being Program from 300 participants in 2020 to more than 62,000 now.
Painting, theater, drawing, music and other art forms help young people build self-confidence and self-awareness. Other tools participants learn include deep breathing, pausing before acting, cultivating positive thinking, meditation and more.
Engaging with others in creating music has proven to be a powerful and popular tool for psychological well-being among our children and youth. It’s not just about discipline and learning an instrument — our expanding music program allows kids to creatively express themselves and provides a sense of productive belonging.
In Honduras, for example, 12-year-old William recently learned of the music program and began learning to play the guitar at his community center.
“When I heard that there were free music lessons,” says William, “I decided to sign up. I am taking this course in my spare time because it is a good way to make the most of my time. Together, with other young people, I can take advantage of this opportunity to learn an art that I like. This allows us to keep our minds busy and avoid falling into bad habits.”
I recently completed the Emotional Well-Being course, I’ve always loved painting, but it wasn’t until I took these classes that I realized I am always happy and relaxed when I am painting. So now I spend more time with my colors and paintbrush, knowing how much it helps me manage my emotions. My mother has even noticed that I’m more calm and cheerful!”
Children International’s employability programs unlock doors for our graduates. The programs give youth the means to access the job market, create a path for a productive future and contribute to the growth of their communities.
Program graduate, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Carlos participated in the English for Employability Program in the Dominican Republic. After just one year of English immersion classes, plus life- and job‑skills training workshops, Carlos landed a job at a call center. In the Dominican Republic, call center jobs are well‑paying. Young people in these jobs typically double or triple their families’ incomes.
The complex challenges of our time require multisector partnerships that enable diverse perspectives, expertise and resources to come together. Children International works with our strategic partners across all sectors to innovate, scale and build a better world together.
Powerful transformation is possible when we form meaningful partnerships with shared goals related to ending multigenerational poverty and the social inequities it creates. Whether that partnership is between our organization and another, companies, governments, communities or individuals, when we join forces, we tap into greater strength and resources, enabling us all to have a greater positive influence on the world.”
In the areas where our families live, there are very few opportunities for children to develop life skills and, as they approach graduation, technical or professional training. Our longtime partnership with Citi Foundation empowers youth to become agents of change in their families and in their communities.
Children International partners with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the municipality of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to develop youth leadership and implement vocational training programs with a shared goal to reduce forced migration. Together, our community protection interventions tackle some of the regions most difficult challenges, such as youth unemployment, gender-based violence, gang recruitment and climate change vulnerability.
Inaugurated: March 12, 2012
Lead donors: Ron and Mary Neal
Positively impacting many thousands of disadvantaged families since its opening, the Neal Family Community Center in Honduras serves one of the largest, most populous areas of San Pedro Sula.
Leticia Amaya
Neal Family Community Center Manager
HONDURAS
Inaugurated June 21, 2022
Lead donors: Melissa and Adam Newsome
Through this center, children can access nutrition rehabilitation, find mentors, safely play and study, meet friends and participate in transformative programs.
Celebrating a new center
GUATEMALA
Inaugurated December 12, 2012
Lead donors: Doug and Teresa Tilden
When this center opened, it served 200 children and their families. Now working with nearly 6,000 children and youth, the center provides vital resources and opportunities for the residents of Bawana. Unsanitary living conditions in this informal settlement contribute to numerous health issues, especially respiratory illnesses.
A decade of progress
India
In this community, children do not have good study environments, but our community center is well-equipped with [educational] resources. The Tilden Keller Family Community Center provides an enhanced learning experience for children. They can spend quality time here and learn new things that will shape their futures to be more productive. Children International is a ray of hope for thousands of families in Bawana.”
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Susana Eshleman
President & CEO
Bill Brewster
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Tim Bachta
Vice President, Information Technology
Douglas Bassett
Vice President, Global Programs & Operations
Maria Fernanda Corral
Vice President, Global Talent Growth
Laura Thornton
Vice President, Global Philanthropy & Marketing
Danielle Mitchell
Controller, Finance
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Brad Cloverdyke, Chairman
Marvin Irby, Treasurer
Aviva Ajmera
Steven Berger
David Cacioppo
Liderman Duin
Susana Eshleman
Ena Williams Koschel
Adam Newsome
Roland Paanakker
funded programs that helped children, youth and families. We are proud of the high requirements we meet to achieve this percentage. With Children International, your money is used efficiently and effectively to transform lives.
And one unintended result of delivering so many telehealth services was that it revealed major efficiencies. Our agencies learned they could reach more patients with fewer providers through telehealth.
Paying for referrals turned out to be more cost‑effective than running in‑house clinics. And, by focusing on strengthening local health care systems as a whole, we have increased our ability to help more children and families.
Norys, mother to sponsored youth, Jose (14), was thankful for the telehealth consult she received in Ecuador when Jose became ill during the pandemic.
I feel very grateful because the Children International doctor answered my call right away. I went to ask for help and they helped me. You call the doctor and right there he prescribes what you need for fever, vitamins, antiparasitic medication, whatever. You don’t spend time on the bus. You don’t have to wait a long time.” 
