- Thought Leadership
- Zambia
Across the globe, life has changed for so many of us due to the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic. That hasn’t stopped sponsored children and families from learning new skills, practicing good hygiene habits and expressing themselves. Thanks to your support, they are working through the challenges of this crisis.
Volunteer mother Claudia poses with her son, sponsored child Lazaro, and the rest of her family in Guatemala. Mask-making has become a family affair since the coronavirus pandemic put everyone out of work.
Handwashing can look different for children in poverty. In Colombia, sponsored child Maxuel washes his hands to help protect himself from infectious diseases. Maxuel’s family has very limited access to water in their home, because it’s delivered only a few times a week.
A pharmacy in the Dominican Republic provides medications to sponsored children with Children International covering the cost. Agency Journalist Carina Cruz describes the pharmacy as “a way to show commitment to the community and take part in multiplying good.”
In San Pedro Sula, volunteer mother Dalila and her daughter, sponsored child Diana, pose in front of a makeshift sewing workshop in the family’s front yard. Dalila has been making face masks for her community, because they are difficult to find or expensive in the local markets.
In Quito, Ecuador, staff created promotional materials for digital tutoring courses for sponsored children and youth. Tutoring is one of the many programs that quickly shifted to a digital model during stay‑at‑home orders.
Muhammad, a sponsored child in India, practices resilience skills and self‑calming activities like gardening to cope while under stay-at-home orders.
In Jalisco, Marissa, 15, submitted this drawing as a way of practicing the life skill “emotion management.” The artist says, “It is an expression of my feelings and the attitudes I have taken on during the quarantine.”
Staff member Estrella Fernandez, who is known for her positive energy, poses with the home garden she’s been maintaining during the stay‑at‑home orders in Manila. Her message: “You reap what you sow.”
Staff in Little Rock, Arkansas, gathered together for the first time in months to help sort through medical and sanitation supplies to distribute to the community.
In Lusaka, sponsored child Shadreck (right) passes time with his friend and neighbor during the stay-at-home orders. The boy on the left is not sponsored and had no source for a face mask.
Comments
Margaret_16a06
Jul 9, 2020
Bless you for the work you do.
elizabethyoung
Jul 30, 2020
If Children's International staff can get close enough to children for picture.... can they also give mask to the non-sponsored child? I know you may be making a point with the need. Yet, in this case I hope someone gave the boy a mask ....given they were close enough for picture and get approval for photo.
debbies
Aug 3, 2020
Great question Elizabeth Young, during this time most of our photos are being taken by friends and family members, not CI staff, due to the lockdown and stay-at-home orders. This photo was submitted to our team in Zambia with the comment from Shadreck’s family. Our staff in Zambia has worked with the government and health officials to ensure that the communities we work in are included in all government food, hygiene and health assistance. And, our youth council, volunteers and staff are working to educate ALL the people in their communities about hygiene and handwashing in the fight against COVID and poverty.
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