KANSAS CITY, Mo. (September 22, 2026) — After a two-year pilot, Children International has expanded its newly developed program model for helping youth break the generational cycle of poverty.

Path of Opportunity is the comprehensive approach Children International has adopted to connect with youth, ages 2 to 24, at every stage of their development – helping them build skills and knowledge for brighter futures.

“Our mission is to end poverty for good by starting at the youngest of ages and giving young people a vision for what their futures can hold,” says Susana Eshleman, CEO of Children International, which helps youth in 10 countries forge a path out of poverty. “Path of Opportunity is the method that helps us achieve this goal. This program model is engaging, accessible and transformative for children and youth, and their families.”

How does it work?

Path of Opportunity strengthens what has always mattered most to Children International – providing a supportive environment, steady guidance and practical learning that helps young people thrive.

This holistic approach provides participating young people and their caregivers with:

• Belonging and trusted support – Same‑age peer groups and caring adults from their communities
• Practical learning and life skills – Workshops and training on communication, problem‑solving, socio-emotional well‑being, healthy decision‑making and digital literacy
• School readiness and academic confidence – Early learning, and reading and math support that strengthens foundational skills
• Leadership and community connection – Opportunities to serve, lead and contribute in their peer groups, which prepares them to do so in the world
• Career awareness and workforce readiness – Guidance and training that helps older youth plan for adulthood, receive job search support and secure their first jobs

“By investing in the whole child over time, we are intentionally building a new generation of confident, capable young adults who can work their way out of poverty and strengthen their local communities,” says Kristen Mallory, Children International’s Director of Global Programs and one of the key leaders implementing Path of Opportunity.

To see a break-down of specific learnings by age group, visit children.org/see-the-impact/charity-programs.

What has evolved?

Children International, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, has historically supported children and youth at its community centers in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, India, the Philippines, Zambia and the United States. The new program structure allows for sessions in these community centers as well as staff and volunteers going to other locations closer to where participants live.

Children International is partnering with schools, community organizations, churches and other sites in some of the poorest neighborhoods in each country to provide space for same-age peers to regularly meet. Their leaders have been recruited from those same communities, vetted and equipped with the knowledge and skills to lead the age group cohorts, which are called “clubs.” Children and youth remain with their peer groups as they progress through every development stage.

Learn more

For more insight into the impact and promise of Path of Opportunity, visit children.org/see-the-impact or catch the latest episode of Children International’s “Multiplying Good” podcast – “From Poverty to Possibility: Reimagining the Path of Opportunity.” It features Global Program leaders Kristen Mallory and Nadia Moreno sharing in depth about the value of this new way forward for Children International and heartwarming reflections on early successes. The full podcast series is available on the organization’s YouTube channel and on Spotify, Apple or iHeart podcasts.