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
Leticia loves her children. But as hard as she works, they are always hungry. The hunger that Leticia’s children are experiencing is the kind of hunger that not only saps your energy but takes away your future. Without support, she fears her children could become victims of the poverty they
Every gift in our Kids’ Gift Catalog was chosen just for kids. These are gifts that will catch their interest, spark some thoughtful conversations, and hopefully teach them how much of an impact they can make at any age! Plus, each gift comes with a free, downloadable coloring sheet. Use
When we share stories with you about the people and communities ADRA serves, it’s important to us that the unjust reality of life for our neighbors around the world is seen and never forgotten. ADRA’s purpose is to serve humanity so all may live as God intended, and our hope
Humanitarian work is a unique career. Those who are called to this line of work are frequently faced with some of the world’s most heartbreaking challenges, but the results are intensely rewarding. Three of ADRA’s staff members from around the world shared a little bit about their humanitarian careers. Who:
Meher grew up along the route of the famous Silk Road, which once made its way through his home country of Afghanistan. With no formal education, he became a farmer and did extra field work for others to support his family. “I had no major complaints in life as life
ADRA is blessed to be able to honor refugees and all those who have been displaced, through our work every day. This seems especially important now as a devastating new record was reached in 2022. For the first time in recorded history, the number of people forced to flee conflict,
Elianne was on a mission. Making her way around her neighborhood, with her big brother by her side, the young girl knocked on door after door. “Hi, do you have any change?” she asked everyone who answered. “I’m getting money so I can buy a chicken for some people in
Oriana’s mother doesn’t want her to come home. It may not sound like something a loving mother would want, but telling her daughter to stay away may be the most loving thing this mother could do. Years ago, Oriana fled Venezuela with her husband and their young daughter, Lucia, who
The ADRA family has been overwhelmed with prayers, donations, and other support from our community of supporters across the country and around the world! We are so grateful because the power of your prayers is very real, and monetary support is vital in a crisis like this when flexibility is
ADRA is blessed to meet amazing mothers in our work every day. These are the kind of mothers who would do anything, give up everything, and go anywhere for their children. Mothers like Masha and Glendys. These two women have lived vastly different lives, but they are united by the
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