Santhash, a 13-year-old living in Chennai, India, used to skip school every day to pick fights and roam the streets of his native Anna Nagar slum with his friends. His mother, Vellin, was resigned to a life of poverty for herself and her son. ADRA’s childhood development project in India
Suleiman, a 10-year-old living in Jordan, misses his home in Syria. Forced to flee during the conflict in his country, Suleiman missed a year of school as he and his family made their way to Jordan to start a new life. Suleiman is just one of the thousands of Syrian
When Aloina was 5 years old, ADRA workers found her and her brother living in the garbage in downtown Chisinau, Moldova’s capital. Their home was a cardboard box. With their father dead, their mother—having no interest in them—had abandoned the little children. ADRA’s Rainbow Children’s Home provides a safe haven
Ten-year-old Plaxedes was so excited about her new school in Zimbabwe that she went to class early. About three months early. The foundation had only just been laid when she arrived at the site of her future school—one of 10 ADRA classroom blocks being built in the Gokwe North District—and
Valerie* is 16, the mother of a 4-month-old baby, and a victim of rape. When she was just 14 years old, soldiers patrolling the road into town took her by force and sexually assaulted her. Afraid of the stigma attached to rape, she kept it a secret. In Valerie’s hometown
Fifteen-year-old Confridah started high school with excitement. She excelled in her studies and had plans to go to a university in the future. Her father had different plans. He had secretly found a husband for his daughter, and keeping with the custom in many parts of Kenya, he was going
From within her office, 22-year-old Lin sees all the girls who come through the front door of the shelter. Some are just children, cowering in the doorway. Many are on their own, without family to protect them. All are vulnerable to the devastating sex trade that is rampant in Thailand.
Saly and Bintu live in Gao, located by the banks of Mali’s Niger River. The river is a precious resource, and many turn to fishing for income and for feeding their families. Saly’s and Bintu’s families aren’t fishermen, so they tried to grow vegetables. “We did not really know what
Cynthia is not like most 9-year-olds. When she comes home from school, her first priority is not to watch TV or make a snack for herself. She doesn’t start on her homework right away or take an afternoon nap, either. The first thing Cynthia does when she gets home from
For 63 years, Lam felt like a burden. Born blind in the Tay Ninh province, where visually impaired people are considered invalids, Lam struggled with a sense of worth. Then he married and had two children. His family loved and respected him, but he felt like a failure. He was
Hear ye, hear ye, the most anticipated time of the year has finally arrived, and no, I’m not talking about Christmas. I’ll give you a few clues: it’s a season where the bright yellow sun casts fun shadows for us to chase after; the local pools begin to sparkle with
Meet Ahmed, an 11-year-old refugee who fled the war in Syria with his family a decade ago, seeking safety in Lebanon. Ahmed and his family now live in a makeshift tent made of tarpaulins and various scraps, near a cashew nut farm owned by their landlord. During school breaks, Ahmed
(May 21, 2024) Pastor Ahmed Mohamed knelt by the side of the dusty road where he, his wife and three children had paused to rest. “God save us!” he prayed. “How can I preach Your word, if I am dead?” He looked at his family huddled under a lone tree
SILVER SPRING, MD (May 1, 2024) – On the morning of February 7, Trinidad and Tobago’s fishermen set out under the usual azure skies, their boats slicing through the tranquil waters. But this day would mark a profound shift in the island’s serenity. Instead of the familiar blue expanse, they encountered
Before eating Before cooking Before giving food to the child Wash your hands! It is not uncommon for Balilo Pedro Papy to hear those lyrics on the air while working in communities in the Kitangua health zone of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After going to the latrine, Mom
Ingrid Flores is a single woman living with her mother and young son in the dry corridor of Honduras where more than half of the population is living in substandard conditions. For years she lived with an abusive husband until one day he beat her and left her lying on
SILVER SPRING, MD (March 8, 2024) – The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is honoring International Women’s Day (March 8) and National Women’s History Month by spotlighting the amazing stories of the mission’s female leaders. The United Nations designated the 2024 Women’s theme, as the year to inspire inclusion and
By James Standish “Bucaramanga?”, my friend Mike chuckles1, “nope, never heard of it – but I’m amused to learn that a place called Boo·kaa·ruh·maang·guh even exists!” Mike sounds it out one syllable at a time as we’re sitting in a bagel shop in midtown Manhattan, not too far from the
It’s been reported that global fatalities have increased in 2023 by 30% compared to the previous year due to floods, wildfires, cyclones, storms, landslides, and other disasters. ADRA has been on the frontlines helping communities worldwide who are grappling with the aftermath of disasters and emergencies. In 2023, ADRA responded
Martin Luther King, Jr. described poverty as a monstrous octopus that “projects its nagging, prehensile tentacles in lands and villages all over the world.” This is the beast ADRA Connections volunteers are fighting. ADRA Connections volunteers are partnering with communities to fight this monster. Just ask Kusi. Kusi is part
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