Today, nearly 1 in 10 children worldwide are engaged in labor that denies them their basic human rights and jeopardizes their well-being. Child labor has been on the rise in recent years, driven by conflicts, crises, and the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have pushed countless families deeper into poverty, according to the United Nations. For these children, the struggle for survival has taken away their education, safety, and childhood. Despite global efforts, economic growth has not been enough to alleviate the hardships that force families to depend on child labor.

Child labor: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Child labor
• What is child labor?
• Why is child labor a problem, and where is it prevalent?
• What are the worst forms of child labor?
• What is the primary driver of child labor?
• Has child labor increased or decreased over time?
• What is World Vision doing to end child labor?
• How can I help end child labor?
• Child labor history

Fast facts: Child labor

• Child labor, by definition, is a violation of child protection and human rights.
• Approximately 160 million children have been forced into child labor since 2020. Of these children, 63 million were girls, and 97 million were boys. And nearly half of those young laborers — 79 million children — worked under hazardous conditions.
• 1 in 3 children in child labor are out of school.
• Approximately 70% (112 million) of child laborers work in agriculture like farming and livestock herding.
• Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of child laborers at 86.6 million children, followed by Central and Southern Asia with 26.3 million.
• June 12 marks the United Nations–sanctioned World Day Against Child Labour, a time to reflect on young workers deprived of their childhood, education, and a rightful future.

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What is child labor?

Child labor is the exploitation of children who are either too young to work or are engaged in work that compromises their physical, mental, social, or educational development. Children, especially vulnerable during their early developmental years, are at risk of injuries that may not become evident as physical and mental health problems until later stages of life.

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Why is child labor a problem, and where is it prevalent?

Child labor affects millions of children around the globe by depriving them of their childhood, education, and fundamental human rights. It poses risks of physical, emotional, and psychological harm to those involved.

Data from the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) shows that slightly more than 1 in 5 children in the world’s poorest countries engage in potentially harmful work, as of 2023. This issue is prevalent in areas of insecurity and armed conflict.

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of child laborers, with nearly 24% of children aged 5 to 17 engaged in child labor. Factors contributing to child labor in low-income countries include family poverty and inadequate education. However, child labor isn’t limited to low-income countries. It persists to some extent in all countries: More than half of all child laborers live in middle-income countries.

David, the eldest of five children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), became the sole provider at age 13 after his father left in 2022. Working in a quarry, David faced daily hardships. However, World Vision came alongside David and his family, as it has for other children like him. Through community awareness campaigns and targeted interventions, World Vision helped facilitate David’s return to school with support from RECOPE (a community child protection network) in Haut-Katanga province. World Vision continues to support the Congolese government’s efforts to safeguard children’s rights in the DRC.

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What are the worst forms of child labor?

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 182 demands that hazardous and morally damaging labor practices for children be immediately and completely eliminated. The worst forms of child labor, as defined by this document, include:

• Slavery or similar practices
• Child trafficking
• Forced recruitment into armed conflict
• Prostitution and pornography
• Drug production and trafficking or other illegal acts
• Debt bondage
• Children working in mines
• Hazardous work that can cause injury or moral corruption

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What is the primary driver of child labor?

Poverty is the primary reason children are forced to work, perpetuating a crushing cycle that denies them education, a crucial tool to break free from poverty. According to the ILO, approximately 70% of child laborers toil in agriculture. Others work long hours in factories and domestic service or face even more exploitative forms of labor, such as child soldiers or being exploited in the commercial sex trade.

“The work I do at the workshop is very painful. I often get cuts and bruises on my hands and I have to lift very heavy machinery,” says Sajal*, a child laborer in Bangladesh. “I don’t want to work here but I will starve if I don’t work. The kids I used to go to school with now bully me sometimes. They tell me that I don’t belong with them anymore now that I have to work while they get to go to school.”

*Name changed to protect identity.

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Has child labor increased or decreased over time?

According to a joint UNICEF and ILO publication, child labor worldwide increased to 160 million in 2020, up by 8.4 million in several years. This marked the first halt in global progress to end child labor in over two decades. In sub-Saharan Africa, factors like population growth and extreme poverty added 16.6 million children to child labor in the last several years. UNICEF and the ILO emphasized that the global impacts of COVID-19 and extreme weather events could threaten millions of additional children.

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What is World Vision doing to end child labor?

At World Vision, we strive to eliminate child labor and help equip communities for long-term transformation. By placing children at the heart of our work, we empower them to understand their rights and strive toward their own well-being. Together with parents and communities, we support the building of protective environments, working toward a world where no child’s future is stolen by labor exploitation.

Our initiatives focus on:

• Enhancing teaching quality and improving learning spaces through educational services
• Supporting parents to improve their incomes and food security, eliminating the need for children to work
• Advocating for the enactment and enforcement of national child labor laws, including children working in mines
• Promoting social accountability for communities, governments, and businesses
• Equipping communities, including faith leaders, parents, and community groups, to monitor vulnerable children to prevent hazardous work
• Promoting decent work for youth who are above the minimum working age through training, life skills, and entrepreneurship, coupled with access to savings and credit services

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Discover more about World Vision’s Bright Futures project aimed at reducing child labor in Honduras.

How can I help end child labor?

• Pray: Join us in praying for all children who are trapped in labor.
• Give: Support programs that aim to protect kids from labor and other forms of exploitation, abuse, and violence.
• Sponsor a child: By investing in a child’s life, you’ll help equip them for brighter futures. Child sponsorship benefits entire communities through programs like education and resources that help children stay in school and create better job opportunities for them to pursue as adults.

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Child labor history

Throughout history, children have supported their families through farming and handicrafts. However, the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries brought about significant changes, leading to the exploitation of children in factories and farms under hazardous conditions. This prompted the creation of laws to regulate working conditions for kids and mandate education. Key milestones in child labor history:

1938: The U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act restricted the hours and types of jobs for individuals under age 16.

1973: The Minimum Age Convention, ratified by 172 countries, established the minimum age for employment with some exceptions.

1989: The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child was enacted to ensure the protection of children’s rights to develop and thrive.

1992: The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) was established to promote the global eradication of this practice and to support countries in their efforts.

1999: The Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, ratified by 186 countries, mandated the elimination of practices such as slavery, human trafficking, debt bondage, forced labor in armed conflict, prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities.

2021: The U.N. General Assembly declared 2021 as the Year for the Elimination of Child Labor.

2025: Target 8.7 of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals seeks to end all forms of child labor by 2025.

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Sevil Omer of World Vision’s U.S. staff contributed to this article.

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Children deserve to grow up in safety and love. But in some parts of the world, danger shadows every moment of childhood. These are not just risky places for travelers — they’re home to millions of children who wake up each day surrounded by war, hunger, and instability.

Below, we highlight 10 of the most dangerous places for children today, along with their stories of courage and resilience. Throughout our 75 years of work, we’ve seen one truth in the hardest places to be a child: danger is constant — but so is hope.

The top 10 most dangerous places

Click a country name to go directly to its section. In alphabetical order:

• Afghanistan
• Central African Republic
• Colombia
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Gaza and the West Bank
• Haiti
• Myanmar
• Sudan
• Syria
• Yemen

Frequently asked questions

• What is the most dangerous country for children in 2025?
• Why are these countries dangerous for children?
• How does World Vision help children in conflict zones?
• How can I help children living in the world’s most dangerous places?

Afghanistan

Children and families in Afghanistan face daily life marked by hunger and hidden dangers. These challenges include:

• Political instability
• Limited access to healthcare, education, and employment
• Severe restrictions on women’s rights
• Malnutrition and widespread drought
• Unexploded weapons ordnance threatening lives

“We had no idea that land was dangerous. These are lands our families have farmed for generations. Our children played there all the time. No one warned us,” said Sharafuddin, whose sons, 12-year-old Salahuddin and 10-year-old Najmuddin, were killed by a mine while playing on their family farm in May 2025.

“I had so many hopes for them. In one moment, everything collapsed,” says Sharafuddin.

Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mine-contaminated countries in the world.

“The risk is real. Our teams have unknowingly driven over UXOs [Unexploded Explosive Ordnance] before, thankfully, without incident. But with no comprehensive maps or warning systems in place, the threat is everywhere,” said Hayatullah Tayeeq, World Vision’s zonal manager in Badghis, Afghanistan. “It hasn’t stopped us from delivering aid, but it adds an invisible layer of danger to every field visit.”

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Central African Republic (CAR)

The Central African Republic has faced decades of violent uprisings and broken peace deals. Since 2013, ongoing conflict and instability have displaced millions of people. The ongoing challenges include:

• Protracted conflict has led to widespread violence, insecurity, and displacement.
• Approximately 79% of the population lives in extreme poverty.
• Grave violations against children are among the highest in the world, including:
  • Recruitment and use by armed groups
  • Abduction
  • Sexual violence
• One of the world’s highest child mortality rates due to preventable diseases, hunger, and lack of healthcare.

Children like Richard (pictured above) in the CAR face staggering challenges, including one of the highest child mortality rates in the world. In displacement camps, their most urgent needs are food, water, and shelter. But as settlements become more established, recovery begins — and so does education, often under tarps or in makeshift classrooms.

That’s when a birth certificate becomes crucial.

“I’m happy to receive the birth certificate because it helps me to be recognized. To be someone,” said Richard.

Without legal documentation, children cannot take national exams, graduate from school, or obtain an ID or passport. Birth certificates open doors to opportunity — and affirm a child’s identity and future.

“The importance of a birth certificate is that it allows you to take an exam, like the B.E.C., or earn a diploma, or get a passport. It affirms who I am,” he said.

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Colombia

As the primary host country for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, Colombia has become one of the most dangerous places for children affected by the regional migration crisis. Instead of finding safety there, many face new dangers:

• Recruitment by armed groups
• Gender-based violence and sexual exploitation
• Trafficking and family separation
• Lack of access to education, healthcare, and shelter
• Psychological trauma from violence and displacement

Armed conflict, violence, displacement, and humanitarian gaps have created multiple layers of risk, particularly in border and conflict-affected regions like Catatumbo.

More than 2.8 million Venezuelans, including 800,000 children, are living in Colombia. Children describe life in Colombia’s conflict zones as terrifying. Aime, a 14-year-old from Venezuela, told UNICEF, “We can’t leave our houses after 9 p.m. We can’t even go to the store because of the fear that they’ll take us away or they will recruit us. Young people are taken, without understanding what they are going to do to them. They are taken by force.”

“Entire families, including children and adolescents, have been forced to leave their homes in search of refuge in other parts of the country and at the border with Venezuela,” said Peter Gape, national director for World Vision in Colombia and Venezuela. “We ask for your prayers for those suffering from this crisis, for our team working tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid, and for a prompt resolution that brings peace and hope to the affected communities.”

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Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

In the eastern DRC, spikes in violence are a continual threat, especially against children. The United Nations reports that children are being recruited and armed, which is a grave violation of international law. In South Kivu, thousands have been displaced, and millions of children face increased risks of exploitation, trauma, hunger, and disease outbreaks. The ongoing challenges include:

• Over 15 million children live in instability.
• A deadly cholera epidemic has spread across six provinces, with more than 18,000 cases and 364 deaths reported since January 2025.
• Flooding and unsafe water increase the threat of illness
• In mining provinces like Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, child labor is widespread. Tens of thousands of children work in cobalt and copper extraction.

In towns like Kakanda, children as young as 6 work to support their families by selling food on the streets, carrying water, or caring for younger siblings. Children like the young girl shown above dig through toxic rubble with their bare hands, hoping to earn enough for a meal. Without safety gear, they risk injury, illness, or even death. Eleven-year-old Chantal* (not pictured) began working in the mines at age 9 after her father died. “I haven’t been to school in three months,” says Chantal*, who cooks and cleans for her family instead of attending class. “Sometimes I was so tired I’d fall asleep on the ground, right among the rocks,” she says.

Though Congolese law prohibits underage labor in mining, extreme poverty forces many families to rely on income from their children. Most earn less than $2 a day.

*Names changed to protect identity

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Gaza and the West Bank

Children in Gaza face unparalleled hardships, with no safe place to seek refuge amid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Movement restrictions and displacements are causing a spiraling economic crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, as families are unable to harvest crops and have depleted their savings. Many people in the West Bank are experiencing acute food insecurity, with nearly half a million facing severe hunger. Since January 2025, an escalation of armed violence has devastated cities across the northern West Bank, displacing over 40,000 people, destroying homes, and forcing dozens of schools to close. The ongoing challenges include:

• Death and injury from armed conflict, famine conditions, severe malnutrition, and starvation.
• Access to food, clean water, and medical care is severely limited.
• Trauma and protection risks rise for children, especially those separated from their families.

World Vision currently operates in the West Bank and broader Middle East region, providing emergency humanitarian aid and support.

Suha, a 30-year-old mother from the Tulkarem Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank, never imagined she would be uprooted from her home with nothing but a few clothes for her daughter.

“We had a routine, a home, and hope,” she says. But when her family was ordered to leave, they had minutes to pack. Later, when Suha and her husband returned to retrieve their belongings, they were shot at. “We had to run for our lives. We left everything behind in the street.”

Suha, her husband, and daughter first found shelter in an overcrowded family home before moving in with her parents. Her husband is now unemployed, and the family relies entirely on humanitarian aid.

“It breaks our hearts,” Suha says. “We feel ashamed to ask for help, but we have no other choice.”

Suha has not yet been able to re-enroll her daughter in kindergarten due to financial hardship. The family’s future remains uncertain.

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Haiti

Horrific violence, political collapse, and natural disasters, including Hurricane Melissa in late October 2025, have pushed Haiti into a free fall. Armed groups control large parts of the capital, cutting families off from food and medical care. The major challenges include:

• Over 5 million people need humanitarian assistance.
• Over 1 million people face emergency levels of food insecurity.
• Gang violence, kidnappings, and sexual violence are widespread.
• Earthquakes and extreme storms further destabilize vulnerable communities.

Wista, a small business owner, fled with her 5-year-old daughter, Judenie (both pictured above), after gangs threatened to overrun their community. “I had no choice but to leave everything behind,” Wista said. Their journey to safety involved crossing rivers, accidents, and days on foot.

“The little girl walked and walked for miles, but she found the strength in God to continue. I was in pain. We crossed rivers on a small canoe,” Wista said. They traveled on motorcycles that crashed into rocks. “I wanted to lie down in the bushes and sleep forever. But I kept thinking of my daughter and the need to protect her.”

At a shelter, Wista was too weak to eat or drink. Judenie, missing her school and friends, said quietly, “I was scared and tired. But Mama said we have to move.” “

Though they escaped the violence, the trauma remains. Wista reflected, “All I wanted was to protect my daughter and survive. But I never imagined how hard the road would be.”

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Myanmar

Children in Myanmar are experiencing a deepening humanitarian crisis marked by displacement, violence, and hunger. The situation has been exacerbated by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on March 28, 2025, near Mandalay and Sagaing, causing widespread destruction. The major challenges include:

• More than 3,100 people have died, and over 4,800 are injured.
• Thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges have been damaged or destroyed, cutting off access to essential services. 
• Food insecurity, already high, has worsened as the quake further restricted access to food and clean water.
• Natural disasters, including flooding and cyclones, continue to challenge communities, compounding risks during crises.

Children like Alinka had their lives turned upside down in seconds.

“I was playing when the earthquake hit,” says Alinka from one of the hardest-hit areas near Mandalay. The walls shook violently, and as she clung to a door, it collapsed on her. Alinka broke her leg and needed surgery to recover.

About 50 homes in their village were destroyed, along with the school, the local monastery, and the community water supply. Families have slept outside, fearful of aftershocks.

The disaster has also disrupted livelihoods. Alinka’s family, who sell goods in the market, are struggling with rising prices and damaged roads.

“With monsoon season around the corner, the threat of diseases like diarrhea and dengue is growing fast. Children’s lives are still at risk. We need your help now more than ever to ensure the most vulnerable children are not forgotten,” said Dr. Kyi Minn, World Vision’s national director in Myanmar.

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Sudan

Conflict has engulfed Sudan since April 2023, forcing millions from their homes and plunging the country into a deepening humanitarian crisis. The challenges include:

• An estimated 14.6 million people fled their communities — the world’s largest displacement crisis
• Widespread violence, including sexual violence against women and girls
• Acute hunger affecting over 17 million people
• Deadly cholera outbreak spreading across 17 of 18 states

Conflict has forced families to flee with little more than the clothes on their backs. In Port Sudan, World Vision supports displaced communities with essentials like access to clean water, shelter kits, psychosocial support, and more. But insecurity continues to limit humanitarian access, even as a deadly cholera outbreak spreads, endangering already vulnerable children and families.

Sinein and his mother, Assanea, are the only survivors of their family after fleeing conflict in Sudan.

“I lost my children and my husband, who was my backbone. …” Assanea said. After seeking safety in Chad, they face the heartbreak of starting over. “If I found a secure place to stay, that is enough for me. I can’t go home — there’s no one and nothing there for me.”

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Syria

Syria remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a child — not only because of violence, but because of the invisible, long-lasting wounds of displacement and trauma. The challenges include:

• More than 14 years of war and widespread displacement.
• Devastating earthquakes in 2023 destroyed homes, schools, and healthcare centers.
• Return of refugees to a conflict-ridden country.
• Malnutrition and water scarcity.
• Protection threats: exploitation, abuse, and loss of education.

In early 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck both Syria and Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), affecting nearly 9 million people who had already been impacted by war and displacement. In southern Türkiye, near the Syrian border, thousands of Syrian refugees, many fleeing conflict for over a decade, lived through destruction once more.

Sara (pictured above) is among those affected by displacement. The Syrian teen has lived in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, for 13 years and has experienced many struggles of displacement. She recalled one fire that swept through her last displacement camp. “I still remember how it roared through container by container.… That day was so hard.”

Through initiatives like the LIFT Project, World Vision is helping young survivors like Sara rebuild their inner worlds and rediscover joy, connection, and hope.

Sara stepped into the role of a facilitator on April 23, 2025, painting children’s faces and spreading smiles. “I want to go back to school next year and become a doctor — a child doctor — to help kids like me everywhere,” she said.

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Yemen

Nearly a decade of conflict. Yemen’s children face one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, marked by hunger, disease, and collapsing health systems. The challenges include:

• Ongoing airstrikes and conflict continue to endanger lives.
• Four out of 5 children need humanitarian assistance.
• 3.2 million children are out of school and at risk of exploitation.
• Millions of people lack access to safe water and sanitation.

Hamdi, a nurse at a World Vision–supported clinic in Al Milah District, Lahj Governorate, says poverty is the No. 1 enemy. Many families must skip meals, and a lack of nutrition knowledge also contributes to child malnutrition, Hamdi said.

Since World Vision and partner organization Medair began their outreach, community health has improved. Parents are learning to spot and treat malnutrition early, helping turn despair into hope.

Hadi, the clinic manager, added: “With the support of World Vision and Medair, the clinic became a vital hub for food and medical assistance.”

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most dangerous country for children in 2025?

While all 10 countries listed face extreme threats, Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen are experiencing some of the worst humanitarian conditions, including severe hunger, displacement, and the collapse of essential services.

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Why are these countries dangerous for children?

These countries are marked by armed conflict, forced displacement, hunger, disease outbreaks, and limited access to education and protection. Children are at risk of recruitment by armed groups, trafficking, malnutrition, and even death.

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How does World Vision help children in conflict zones?

World Vision works in many of the world’s most fragile countries to provide lifesaving assistance, including access to clean water, nutritious food, healthcare, psychosocial support, and child protection programs.

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How can I help children living in the world’s most dangerous places?

You can support children in crisis by:

• Giving: Your gift can deliver hope and practical help to children and families when disasters and conflict strike in the most dangerous places.
• Sponsoring a child: Help equip a child, their family, and community for a brighter future. Sponsorship helps meet urgent needs today — and supports lasting empowerment through physical and spiritual resources.

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*The following list was compiled using the latest data from humanitarian agencies and global monitoring organizations, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP). World Vision’s program insights and response updates from 2023 to 2025 also informed the selection. Countries were chosen based on the severity of threats facing children, including conflict, displacement, hunger, disease outbreaks, and barriers to education and protection. While this list highlights urgent but less-publicized crises, World Vision’s disaster relief efforts in major emergencies — including the Middle East crisis, war in Ukraine, and the Venezuela crisis — continue unabated.

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Child labor, as defined by the International Labour Organization, is work that deprives children of their childhood, potential, and dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. Let’s explore this critical issue through impactful photos.

On June 12, World Day Against Child Labour, we reflect on the 160 million children worldwide — nearly 1 in 10 — forced into child labor, depriving them of their rights and future.

Among these children, 79 million worked under hazardous conditions in 2020, further jeopardizing their health, safety, and well-being.

Approximately 70% of child laborers, or 112 million children, work in agriculture, predominately farming and herding.

Child labor is most widespread in impoverished regions, often exacerbated by armed conflict. Sub-Saharan Africa leads with 86.6 million child laborers, followed by Central and Southern Asia with 26.3 million.

Children, especially vulnerable during their early developmental years, face risks of injuries that may not be evident as physical and mental health problems until later stages of life.

Approximately 6.3 million children have been forced into commercial sex exploitation, experiencing severe abuse and violation of their rights.

The negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a rise in child labor, with more children being pushed into work due to economic hardships and school closures.

Child labor prevents children from getting the education they need to break free from the cycle of poverty. One in three children in child labor are out of school.

World Vision places children at the center of all our holistic development work to equip communities to sustainably transform their lives.

Discover more about World Vision’s Bright Futures project aimed at reducing child labor in Honduras.

We help empower children to understand and exercise their rights and equip them with tools to work toward their own well-being.

We collaborate with parents and communities to protect children, helping to safeguard their futures from the injustice of labor exploitation. We work with governments to advocate for the support and enforcement of national child labor laws.

We are dedicated to supporting and nurturing communities’ positive transformation, helping ensure every child can reach a brighter future and live the full lives that God intends for them.

Learn more child labor facts and how you can help.

You can help protect children from child labor.

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The war in Syria, now lasting more than 11 years, has displaced 13.5 million people, accounting for more than half of Syria’s population. Over those years, 1.5 million Syrians have sought refuge in Lebanon, a country that holds the most displaced people per capita in the world. One in four people in Lebanon is a Syrian refugee.

Though the war raging in their homeland is no longer at the forefront for Syrians in their new land, the impact of Lebanon’s economic decline is taking its toll. Within the last three years, the Lebanese pound has lost 90% of its value. Food prices rose 400% between January and December of 2020. The economic strain has pushed families to the fringes, unable to afford basic necessities. Food, healthcare, education, and water and hygiene items are nearly out of reach, with almost 90% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon facing extreme poverty.

Lebanon’s economic crisis coupled with school closures have amplified protection risks for 1.3 million children, whose education was affected due to the pandemic in 2020. More than 50% of school-age Syrian refugee children are out of school. Many are pushed into child labor, helping lighten their families’ current financial burdens while compromising their futures.

Children’s well-being is at the heart of what we do. In Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, World Vision provides psychosocial support to children who are or have been part of child labor. Sessions aim to provide a safe space where they can express themselves, cope with stress, create friendships and support circles, voice their dreams and ambitions, and learn about their rights as children.

We’re sharing stories of children impacted by Lebanon’s crisis, each of whom has dropped out of school. With the support of World Vision, children are learning techniques to help them heal and look onward to the future.

Khaula

Twelve-year-old Khaula attends school one week and works the next. Her school divides students into two groups, alternating attendance each week. While Khaula is out of school, she helps provide income for her family by collecting scrap metal. She then sells the iron-based items to someone who melts and molds them into other items. “It is hard, sometimes we don’t get treated well … the [scrap metal] is very heavy,” she says, “and I get hurt and injured sometimes.” Though her work is difficult, Khaula doesn’t see a way around it. “I work to bring food for my family; I don’t take any days off … it is the only way to survive and to bring money and food for my parents.”

Walaa

Twelve-year-old Walaa also alternates weeks of school attendance and works to collect scrap metal for pay. She helps her family pay off debts and afford vegetables. “I feel bad when I see my friends not working, but I have to work. I dream of becoming a teacher to teach the children that cannot go to school,” shares Walaa. World Vision classes helped Walaa learn that “it is my right as a child to be in school, to play and have fun and to be able to express my thoughts.” Teachers provided a hotline number in the event she or her peers experienced harassment or violence while on the roads collecting scrap metal.

Mustapha

Mustapha, 12, attended World Vision classes where he learned “a lot of beautiful lessons with World Vision, about children’s rights like education. This is motivation for me to continue my education one day to become a pediatrician.” Mustapha dropped out of school because his family couldn’t afford transportation fees, and he now works collecting scrap metal. “I feel sad when I see other children going to school while I am going to work.” Mustapha’s days are filled at work, while he helps his mom with household chores in the evening. “The most difficult task is holding the heavy weight on my back. It is exhausting, but I have to work to survive.” Each month, his family saves their income to afford food like a bag of potatoes, a carton of eggs, or a chicken that lasts for one meal.

Wael

Twelve-year-old Wael dreams of one day becoming an architect. He wants to build a house because his family now lives in a tented informal settlement. “I remember our house in Syria was very beautiful before the war started. During the winter it was very warm [inside our house]. In the tents, we feel very cold during winter,” shares Wael as he reminisces about his former home. His father is sick and is no longer able to work. With 11 siblings, Wael works to help his family afford food. When he’s not in school, he works a full day collecting scrap metal before returning home to help with household chores. “The sessions with World Vision helped us learn a lot of things about our rights and how to protect ourselves,” says Wael. “I enjoy attending the sessions and I feel very comfortable when I do.”

Imane

Lebanon’s crisis pushed 14-year-old Imane to drop out of school in 2021 to help support her household. “I really wanted to continue my education … I dream of becoming a pediatrician; I want to help sick children,” shares Imane. “Life was hard for us in Lebanon, but I live on hope.” Imane attends World Vision sessions where she feels encouraged to continue learning in any capacity. “I have not let negative factors prevent me from learning. In my free time I search on Google about the topics I am interested in, to learn more about them,” she adds. “I believe there is always a hope.”

There is always hope.

Lebanon’s economic crisis has restricted children’s ability to attend school, but World Vision programs work to strengthen a child-sensitive social protection system for vulnerable children. Every child has the right to be in school, and advocating for children’s right to education is our priority with this work.

We work hard so kids don’t have to.

 

Amy Van Drunen of World Vision’s U.S. staff contributed to this article.

You + World Vision’s local staff = help, hope, and love to people around the world.

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When Janvie Amido first arrived in Misamis Oriental in the Philippines, he was hiding under his mother’s blanket.

Born in Iloilo, Philippines, the then 7-year-old accompanied his mother, grandmother, and younger brother to the port where they would set sail for the province of Misamis Oriental. Their northern destination was home to his grandparents, and his mother, Angeles, hoped a visit might reveal new opportunities for her and her husband, Catalino, to provide for their nine children. Together, they’d planned for Angeles to return with her mother for a few months, bringing their youngest child, Aaron, along, to scout a potential resettlement.

But when Janvie realized he was about to be left behind, a tearful scene ensued.

“I was crying super, super loud,” recalls Janvie, now 27, with a laugh. “And the people were wondering, ‘Who’s that child and why is he crying?’”

While his mother attempted to soothe him, sympathetic bystanders suggested she let him board the boat with her, at least until it was time to say goodbye. She did, but when the moment came to part ways, Angeles made a split-second decision and hid Janvie under her blanket instead.

“She was just hiding me down there during the ticket inspection,” says Janvie. “She was saying, ‘There is no one here, only the three of us. There is no Janvie.’”

Months later when she returned to Iloilo, Angeles would deny Janvie’s presence again. But this time — it wouldn’t be a lie.

Abandoned

Today, Janvie is hard to miss. The 27-year-old is slight in stature, but his fast-paced speech, quick wit, and ubiquitous laugh make his presence in a room undeniable.

And working a room is, in fact, just one of many things he excels at. With more than a decade of public speaking under his belt, Janvie has a way of connecting with people. He chats easily with everyone, flashing a warm, wide smile and laughing with the kind of familiarity that makes you feel like an old friend.

As he tours around modern-day Misamis Oriental, he walks purposefully, pointing out the differences between this version and the one he first encountered in 1997.

Today, roads lined with utility poles carry currents up through the mountains, winding past sprawling production plants like the one that sits exactly where his grandparent’s home once did. When they lived in this community, tucked high above a bustling Cagayan de Oro City, it lacked roads, electricity, and most noticeably for Angeles — jobs.

“I was really expecting [that] this was going to be a place where the experience might be different,” says Janvie. “That there might be greener pastures.”

But back then, his grandparent’s home in the mountains was too isolated. The delivery of government services and development of infrastructure lagged, keeping companies that could otherwise create job opportunities from establishing themselves in the area.

Only a few short months after arriving all those years ago, Angeles decided to return home to Iloilo — without Janvie.

“I was just thinking that they were going to the market to buy something,” says Janvie of his mother and brother. “They didn’t tell me that they were [going] back to Iloilo. They just left me behind.”

At only 7 years old, he was abandoned — left to live with grandparents he barely knew, in a foreign place he’d only wound up in because he’d wanted to stay with his mother.

“There was no letter. There was no communication. There was nothing from them,” he says of the months and years that followed. “I didn’t [know] if I still had that parental love coming from them — if they really loved me.”

More than 20 years later, the wound is still raw. Although he eventually reconnected with his parents — 16 years after the fact — Janvie admits the years of silence have yet to be explained.

“Even now, I am still trying to understand that situation,” he says. “For that entire 16 years, why was there no communication? Even asking, ‘How are you now? Are you in school? Are you doing well?’”

But a young Janvie had no time to search for answers. Instead, he focused on moving forward with his new life.

“During that time, I didn’t feel any transition,” he says. Instead, he coached himself: “Like, ‘You have no option, so whether you like it or not, you have to live here and that’s all.’”

Hardships in everyday life

In the months that followed, Janvie tried settling into life with his grandparents, Concordio and Estelita Soquena. When they first took Janvie in, the trio’s relationship was nothing less than awkward.

“I’m really talkative,” says Janvie. “Like, what I feel I want to say, I’m going to say it right away. And I could do that with my parents.”

But communicating with his grandparents was different. The gaps in age, tradition, and even language, proved to be barriers. Despite the stiff start, Janvie quickly learned how supportive his grandparents really were.

“[When] I was crying, I was super down, they were there to love me. My grandmother, she tried her best to provide whatever experiences or things my parents couldn’t provide, and I really adored her for that,” he says. “I really loved my grandparents, and they really loved me. I felt that.”

Their home was made of wooden planks and — like the rest of the community — lacked electricity or water. As the only child in his grandparent’s care, Janvie’s list of chores was long.

In the summer, he hiked down the steep mountainside to the community’s only water source. Mountain streams fed it regularly, but the high demand meant Janvie had to arrive earlier to collect his share or risk getting nothing at all.

“We had to wake up at around 1 a.m. to start fetching water,” he recalls. “It’s summer, but it was raining and it was really difficult to climb up and down the hill with the water.”

On days when the source was dry, he’d wait for it to refill or return at 6 a.m. Having water was a necessity to attend school.

“We’d have to start walking at around 5:45 a.m., just in time for us to be at school for 7 a.m.,” says Janvie, describing the 7-kilometer journey.

Every day, he would descend the muddy slopes of the mountain once more, but to keep his uniform and school shoes clean, he’d bring a gallon of water with him.

“When I arrived to the [flat] area, I could wash my feet, put on my socks and shoes, and go to the school,” he says. He’d use the water sparingly, leaving the rest hidden to bring home at the end of the day.

Janvie loved school. He’d learned to read at an early age and excelled in history and English. But as the new kid in Misamis Oriental, he struggled to fit in.

“Because I came from another island and we have a different ethnicity, the people here were saying, ‘Oh, you’re an Ilongo.’ Also, because I came from the mountain, they were thinking that I was also a witch!” recalls Janvie. “I felt super discriminated [against].”

While slippery treks and an absence of friends made life difficult for Janvie, they paled in comparison to the challenges of working with his grandparents.

For their part, Concordio and Estelita spent long days farming rice and corn to provide for their little family. Janvie helped by spending hours in the watchtower over the corn field, warning his grandfather of would-be thieves. He rolled up his sleeves during planting season, working the fields with Concordio until late in the evening.

Shortly after Janvie had arrived, the community suffered a devastating drought. Concordio and Estelita’s crops withered and stockpiles of rice and corn quickly ran out. The family descended the mountain twice a week to collect government rations, but Estelita quickly realized they were not enough.

“I was 7 or 8 years old when my grandmother decided that we had to move to Bukidnon to work in the sugarcane plantation,” says Janvie. “When we arrived, there was no home we could live in. We decided to live under the shade of the mango tree.”

Every day for the next six months, Janvie would wake from under the tree to start work at 7 a.m., taking a short break when the sun was at its hottest and finishing no earlier than 5 in the afternoon. He spent the day cutting and carrying sugarcane shoots in the scorching heat, for a final payout of only $2.

“We had to keep going because there are a lot of people watching us, and if we stopped working they’d deduct your salary,” he says. While working, Janvie was surprised to see so many children alongside him.

“It was an eye-opener for me,” he recalls. “There were lots of children there, not in school, so they could work to put something on the table.”

Janvie recognized the risks of missing school, observing how his fellow child laborers were largely illiterate. At his lowest point, he wondered if his future was slipping away, too.

“There were so many instances that I felt that way,” he says. “I thought, ‘Maybe this is the only kind of life I have. Maybe I will end up retiring or dying with a salary of $2 [a] day.’”

On one of those days, Janvie was working outside with the rest of the children when they noticed planes passing overhead.

“We were waving our hands like, ‘Hey!’ — thinking that the plane could actually see us from above,” says Janvie with a laugh. “And I thought to myself, if I could be able to see an actual plane in front of me, I’d be ready to die — like it’s an accomplishment!”

The moment offered the kids some sorely-needed silliness, but it also brought about an epiphany for Janvie.

“I told myself working here is going to have an end,” he says. In that moment, he’d made a critical choice: “I am not going to make this temporary situation my permanent life.”

Getting sponsored

After their stint in Bukidon, Janvie and his grandmother returned to Misamis Oriental, where he caught wind of a new program that World Vision was starting in the community. He hadn’t heard of the organization, but the program would be for kids like him, and if he was lucky, he could earn a scholarship and maybe even make some friends.

“I asked my grandmother if I could be part of it, but she was super hesitant,” says Janvie. Rumors had begun swirling that the program was a front for recruiting child soldiers.

“No, you’re not going there. They might send you to Korea,” said his grandmother.

Janvie was determined. On the day that program staff were in his area, he slipped away in secret to sign himself up.

Beginnings of success

Noel Pellegrino first began working with kids in 2002. He’d been in college when he felt called to do something about the poverty that persisted in his homeland, the Philippines. Taking up social work, he graduated and began work with World Vision on child sponsorship, a program meant to help kids in impoverished or under-resourced communities.

“I [don’t think I had an] idea as to what is child sponsorship when I joined World Vision,” says present-day Noel, sporting the quintessential World Vision orange shirt. He still works with the organization and has since become an expert on the subject, even sponsoring a child of his own, Kyrie.

Today, Noel helps run a project in none other than Bukidnon — the province where Janvie and his grandmother worked all those years ago. Noel lives in Bukidnon during the week, riding a bus for eight hours to get home every Friday to spend time with his family, before returning on Sunday evening.

But back in 2002, Noel’s main mission was in Misamis Oriental. He was tasked with establishing a Village Children’s Association, a place where kids in the community could discover their rights, develop their voice, and learn how to advocate for themselves at all levels of government.

“Adults are planning for their lives, but [the children] are not consulted,” says Noel, of the rationale behind the association. “It’s very important we give them a venue to participate, and child sponsorship helps give this opportunity.”

It was here at the Village Children’s Association where Noel met a 9-year-old Janvie. He was a few years older than when he’d first signed himself up, and his tenacious personality had only grown stronger.

“Actually, he was very annoying,” says Noel, smiling. “He’s very talkative, and some of it, you [weren’t] able to understand because he talks really fast. He really speaks his mind out.”

Case in point — when it came time for the children to elect leaders for the association, Janvie nominated himself for president.

“I was just thinking about the position. I didn’t really think about the responsibilities attached to it,” says Janvie. “I just liked the term president.”

He was elected to the role, and with Noel as a mentor, Janvie began to take the role seriously. He learned how to structure the association and direct his cohorts, training others in the group to develop and run activities for all the children in the community. As time went on, opportunities emerged for Janvie to receive more formal training. He became a child sectoral representative, speaking to elected government leaders. Eventually, he was invited to join the National Anti-Poverty Commission, acting as a chairperson on the gender and development committee.

“I just encouraged Janvie,” says Noel, recalling his motivational words. “‘Be a child advocate. Go on helping other children because you are a leader right now. You can be someone else and you can help other children also achieve their dreams.’”

Noel’s encouragement made an impact on Janvie and helped him to think larger.

“Because of the exposure of World Vision, I became aware, and it opened a lot of perspectives to other places, cultures, and even opportunities,” says Janvie. “Maybe it seemed like a mere congress for children, but for me, it became a steppingstone to become who I am today.”

The exposure meant Janvie even got to travel, riding his first airplane with Noel by his side.

“For over four years, I accompanied Janvie to all of those events,” says Noel. “Over time, we became closer, and I was able to really see the potential of Janvie to be great someday.”

When he considers what local staff like Noel — whom he affectionately called Kuya or Brother Noel — mean to him, Janvie breaks down.

“They changed my life. During that time, I felt like they were my family,” he says through tears. “Every time I went to the World Vision office, I felt warmly welcomed. I really considered them as my elder brothers and sisters.”

He goes on. “There are children looking up to these people, the program staff of World Vision,” he says. “The program is an instrument, but these people working the program — they’re why I have the kind of burning passion that I have right now for [supporting] children in the community.”

Professional successes

Eventually, Noel moved on from the Misamis Oriental project, losing touch with Janvie until the two reconnected years later.

By now, Janvie had graduated the prestigious Philippine Maritime Institute and was a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum. He’d participated in multiple forums to address the rights of youth in the Philippines and even begun his own work — Youth First Initiative Philippines — in his birthplace of Iloilo.

Noel was floored.

“I was so amazed and proud that I was not wrong with my perception of this little boy. He really reached high,” Noel says. Success stories like Janvie’s continue to fuel Noel’s own desire to support kids in the community, despite the hurdles.

“There have been so many ups and downs. So many times, I’m tempted to just move to some other work,” he says. “And yet, when I see children doing these things — advocating for other children, training children to be leaders — it gives me some inspiration to really continue for them. To give them opportunities to be heard.”

“I still see potential in children,” he adds. “I think there are lots of children that will be like Janvie.”

As Janvie walks through Misamis Oriental, it’s clear there are already children like him who have realized their potential. Janvie arrives at his old primary school to catch up with a former teacher, when he recognizes a familiar face in another classroom.

“Haziel!” he calls out to a woman speaking to room full of first-graders. A surprised grin breaks out on her face before she walks over, the two embracing excitedly.

Haziel Javier Iapuhapu, 25, was also a sponsored child in Misamis Oriental. She participated in the program from fourth grade until the end of high school, and it was through program activities that she met Janvie.

“Janvie was very friendly and kind,” says Haziel, recalling her first impression of him. “He was one of my friends from elementary through to high school, where he was our class president. He was a natural leader.

“I am a teacher because of World Vision. My sponsored family gave me the vision to study hard, and now I am a teacher, so I am very proud.”

Like Janvie, Hazel was abandoned by both of her parents. Her father denied her from the time she was a baby, and her mother quickly remarried, leaving Haziel to grow up with her grandmother.

“We were very poor,” says Haziel. “My grandmother worked hard, but she was very thankful because World Vision supported us with school supplies, bags, uniforms, and shoes.”

Early on, Haziel knew she wanted to become a teacher so she could share her story and encourage students growing up under similar conditions to beat the odds.

“I always hope for them to be successful in life,” she says of her students. “That they will pursue their dreams, their ambitions. As a teacher, I will encourage them to study hard, work hard, to make them successful in life like me.”

And Haziel isn’t the only other success story in the neighborhood. Not far away, Janvie finds Jessa Gadian, another of his friends who was sponsored. Jessa, now 27, was Janvie’s vice president when the two led the Village Children’s Association.

“We became close because we were both officers, and we went to the activities and the congress meetings together,” she says. “I’m really proud of him, and happy seeing him achieve a lot.”

Jessa too, has made strides forward. She works at Del Monte Philippines as a standard control inspector, a role she credits the sponsorship program with priming her for.

“I’m really thankful to World Vision,” she says. “I’ve experienced a lot and learned a lot that made me who I am right now.”

Even as Janvie says goodbye to Jessa, a group of young men emerge from a nearby basketball court, waving and calling his name. He strides over, giving them each a warm hello.

“They were part of the Village Children’s Association with me,” says Janvie. They snap a few photos together before shaking hands goodbye.

It’s clear that things have changed from the days when Janvie struggled to find friendship with his peers in Misamis Oriental. He admits that before sponsorship, he felt isolated from the other kids — more like an adult than a child. But after joining the program, the community he found began to restore his sense of self.

“I could interact with the other children as a normal child,” he says. “The sponsorship program made me feel normal. I [felt] that I have a family here.”

Child sponsorship’s impact

One person that felt like family, despite their extreme distance, was Janvie’s sponsor, a teacher whose letters impacted Janvie deeply.

“[Up to] last year, I was still reading that letter,” he says. “I can still remember the first line she wrote, ‘I am sorry that it took me a while to send you a letter, but please keep in mind that you are in my heart.’” Janvie remembers that she asked about what he wanted to be when he grew up and promised that she was praying for him.

“Who is this anonymous person who would actually pray for me?” says Janvie, tears springing to his eyes as he remembers her. “If not for her praying for me and supporting me through the sponsorship program, I couldn’t imagine the kind of life I’d have right now.”

In fact, Janvie imagines not much would have changed from his days on the sugarcane plantation, had it not been for her support.

“I think I’d still be working on a sugarcane plantation, or if not, I’d be a farmer right now,” he says. Noel confirms that most kids at the start of the program don’t have exceedingly high hopes for themselves.

“We’d ask them, ‘What would like to be when you grow up?’ Most of their responses before are like, ‘I would like to be a farmer. I would like to plant some corn,’” he says. “But with sponsorship, their minds were opened. Later when we asked, some of them would say, ‘I would like to be a teacher, a policeman, an engineer, a doctor. Their minds were open to some greater opportunities.”

The kids weren’t the only ones whose horizons widened. Janvie’s grandmother — the same woman who’d worried her grandson would be abducted into the military — became a parent leader in the community.

“Her whole perspective changed because of all the capacity-building activities that World Vision provided to me and other children,” says Janvie. “She was the one who became super active, telling other parents to attend the weekly Bible studies and the monthly activities with the children. It was not only about me, but it was also about my grandmother.”

Today, Janvie has no shortage of opportunities in front of him. He travels frequently as a consultant and Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum and is busy preparing to launch his own social enterprise in Singapore. Since graduating from the sponsorship program, he’s moved back to Iloilo and is now building his own house. “Next to the airport, of course,” he says.

But even as his success multiples, Janvie has made giving back to children a regular part of his life. In addition to the consulting he does for both government and nongovernment agencies, he can now call himself a child sponsor, too.

“Children like me need someone who will decide to change our future,” he says. “If you sponsor through World Vision, you’re not only changing the life of a child, but you’re changing the whole community.”

In a few days’ time, Janvie will travel to the province of Cebu, where his sponsored child lives. He’s excited to meet her in person and considers what advice to share as a former sponsored child himself.

“Enjoy life right now because you are still young, finish your studies, and just do what you really love to do,” Janvie says. He repeats the mantra he taught himself years ago.

“Do not make your temporary situation your permanent life.” He considers his words a little longer before adding, “Don’t be like me — be better than me.”

The post Full circle: How a former sponsored child became a child sponsor appeared first on World Vision.

Amid this hectic holiday season, it can be a challenge to slow down and consider what we are thankful for. We count the number of people coming to our holiday gatherings or the number of items on our to-do lists, but we often forget to count our blessings. Take a moment, right now, and ask yourself what you are grateful for this season. Who and what are bringing joy to your life right now? The incredible thing about gratitude is how it transforms into hope when we make time for it.

Across the world in Lebanon, we asked Syrian refugee children the same question. Their answers were beautiful and humbling, yet remarkably similar. The kids are not recent refugees, but veterans, as many have been living outside of Syria for years. The war stole their childhood, and now poverty is stealing their education. As refugees, most of these youth do not attend school. Instead, they spend their days selling CDs and other items on the streets. But still, they have hope. Here is what they are thankful for this season.

Sedra

Sedra, 12, (in pink) lives with her parents in the fields of Akkar. She spends her days at school or at home with her parents and siblings. She attends World Vision’s psychosocial support sessions for working children. Sedra loves to draw and engage in discussions about equality and discrimination. “I am thankful for my parents and their kindness towards us, and I am also thankful for my sisters because we like playing together,” she says.

Yazan

Fourteen-year-old Yazan is thankful to be safe this year. “I am thankful for our safety, and the opportunity we had to get safely out of our house in Syria after bombings shattered it apart. My mother was stuck inside but, thank God, she got out safe.” He, too, works during the day selling items on the streets of Akkar. But World Vision is helping child laborers like him by providing community-based sessions that teach children about safety on the streets.

Fawaz

Fawaz, 15, has lived in Akkar with his family in an informal tent settlement (ITS) since they left Syria seven years ago. Fawaz attends World Vision’s community-based sessions at the ITS. During the day, like many of the boys in his settlement, he sells things on the streets. He loves to play with his little siblings. When asked what he is grateful for, he says, “I am thankful for the presence of my parents and for not getting hurt during the war in Syria.”

Koutayba

Koutayba, 13, arrived in Lebanon from Syria seven years ago. He remembers playing in the streets of his hometown. The young teen attends the Peace Road sessions by World Vision in Akkar. He loves to learn methods of problem-solving through communication and not by force. Koutayba lives with his parents and four siblings and says, “I am thankful for my health. I never get sick or suffer from any disease or accident.”

Hammoud

Hammoud, 14, came with his family to Lebanon nine years ago to escape the war in Syria. Two years later, he started working on the streets of Akkar, selling CDs. When asked what he is grateful for, he shares, “I am thankful for my parents. I am thankful for being able to work and for having a roof over our head. I am also grateful for World Vision’s presence.” Hammoud attends World Vision’s psychosocial support sessions for working children each week.

Mhammad

“I am thankful because I am healthy and not sick. I can move freely and do not suffer from any disability,” says Mhammad, 13. He adds, “I am also thankful for World Vision staff and their kindness towards us.” Mhammad has lived in Akkar for eight years now. He works during the day, selling what he can on the streets. Like Hammoud, he attends World Vision’s psychosocial support sessions for working children.

Sara

Eleven-year-old Sara lives with her mother, father, and six younger siblings in an ITS in Akkar. They arrived seven years ago to escape the war in Syria. “I am thankful for my father’s safety and that he did not die in the war, like other fathers,” she says. “I am also thankful that we are not homeless.”

Maria Bou Chaaya of World Vision’s office in Lebanon contributed to this piece.

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A song begins to play on an old CD player in a dark, one-room home in Khulna, Bangladesh, but Tania Akter hits the next button. Another song starts, but she shakes her head disapprovingly and again hits the skip button. And again. And again. And again. But after several skips, a catchy beat begins to play, and her eyes light up and quickly shift around the room looking hesitant, but only for a moment as the hesitation succumbs to the allure of the beat.

She closes her eyes, and the grace with which the 16-year-old carries herself day-in and day-out now directs every part of her body as it makes time with the music, emotionally transporting her far from her poverty-stricken neighborhood. Her fingers and arms rhythmically float through the air, and she turns in circles as her head, hips, and feet follow direction from the song pumping through her veins.

The music transforms her, freedom replacing her burdens and joy replacing her hardships. For a moment, she lets down the composure that consumes her life, and she doesn’t hear the people who call her names or the boss who yells at her to work more. She doesn’t worry about how she will provide for her father and 10-year-old sister or what she will cook them for dinner. She doesn’t feel the pain she endures working each day but rather simply the song in her heart.

She just dances. To a favorite song. Like so many other 16-year-old girls enjoy doing.

The accident

When Tania was 5, life felt more normal. Her mother was in their home taking care of her and her sister, Suriaya, who was just a baby at the time. Her father, Somir Hawlader, worked selling cosmetics at a traveling fair.

Tania didn’t have to work. She could play with her friends. She even used to go to school.

But nine years ago, while Somir was working, men robbed him. And it wasn’t enough to just rob him and move on to another victim. Instead, they brutally attacked him.

“They snatched me and threw acid on my eyes,” Somir says. “They broke my arm and hit my head. After about 10 minutes, I felt my eyes becoming paralyzed, and I couldn’t see.”

Somir was now blind.

He couldn’t work. He couldn’t care for his family. Now he relied completely on others, and it took its toll on his wife. She left him a year later, leaving Tania, then 6, to run the house and care for Suriaya, who was just 18 months old.

The struggle to provide

As a child Tania stepped up, and even while attending school each day she would go to the market to buy food and cook it. Her favorite meal to make is dim bhuna, or egg curry. She also learned how to do all the cleaning, laundry, and household chores.

The family needs between US$37 and US$75 a month to cover all their expenses. Somir receives a government ration of about US$6.25 a month because of his disability, but it’s not enough to support his daughters, so he turned to begging on the streets. He typically begs three days a week and earns about US$2.50 a day.

He has to be careful though, as the government has tried to curtail begging. “I can’t go on the street, or they will catch me, so I am afraid of how to provide for my family,” Somir says.

The government helps people who beg by instead providing them with cups to sell tea on the streets. It’s a great idea in theory, but Somir isn’t able to see the currency people give him to make change or know if he’s being cheated, and he can’t tell how much tea he’s using in the water or how full the cup is when he pours.

“If I would like to sell tea, I would need to take my younger daughter,” he says. “I can’t take my older daughter because people will stare at her, and I’m concerned for her safety.”

It’s a common concern for parents of girls in Bangladesh, where women are seen as inferior, treated differently than men, and often married off younger than the legal age of 18. To avoid bringing unwanted sexual attention to Tania, he takes Suriaya, now 10, but says, “she would miss school.”

She usually is out of class one day a week, which seems nearly harmless, but multiplied week after week, year after year, Suriaya will quickly fall behind and may eventually drop out. Tania doesn’t want to see her sister leave school like she finally had to three years ago.

“I miss school. I liked to study Bangla — I like the rhymes and poems,” she says. Tania can still read, but very slowly and says, “I have forgotten many things.

“I want to be a nurse. I will feel good when I’m able to help the children here and provide treatment support, and if they get cut, I will help them get dressings.”

Work instead of school

Instead of school and progressing toward becoming a nurse, Tania spent many of her days peeling piles of icy shrimp — squatting for hours with little rest in order to avoid sitting on a dirty, wet cement floor at a local fish depot.

“I get pain in my knees and in my waist,” she says. She could stand to take a break and help relieve the pain, but in eight hours of work, she only took the equivalent of about 20 minutes worth of breaks throughout the shift.

Beyond being laborious, the work was also harmful, as there’s an incredibly sharp part of the fish that is like a razor blade. “I’m really sad when I get cut with the saw of the fish,” Tania says. “I get severe pain.”

The shrimp are in large barrels of ice, so she also struggled to keep her hands warm as she worked. “I put water in a pot, and when my fingers get hard, I dip them in the water,” she says.

Even at room temperature, the water helped bring some small relief to her chilled hands. It was important she kept her fingers warm, not just for comfort or health but because when she lost some of the feeling and they were hard to move, it increased the likelihood of getting hurt. “There’s more chance to get cut when I can’t peel properly, so then I get cut almost every time,” Tania says.

During the off-season, she worked for just a few hours, a couple days a week to make between US 50 and 75 cents a day. During the busy season, a boss would come to her home and wake her in the middle of the night — if that’s when the shrimp arrived — and she had to get up and go in. For her overnight work of about seven to eight hours, she might earn about US$1.85.

“When they bring enough shrimp, I have enough money, but when they don’t, I lack,” Tania says.

A hope to learn

Fortunately, the monotony of peeling shrimp didn’t peel away at Tania’s dreams.

To help with her and other children’s dreams, World Vision began a Child-Friendly Learning and Resource Center (CFLRC) in May 2017 in Tania’s community.

The center is part of a new project called Jiboner Jannya, which means “well-being of life,” and aims to help about 51,000 adults and children like Tania in the region. The program is working to protect some of the most vulnerable children who are at risk of the worst forms of child labor, abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Program facilitators use games, skits, and group activities to teach children life skills, such as how to work past disagreements by finding solutions that benefit both parties. But children also learn about their rights to protection and the dangers of labor, trafficking, and abuse, says Augustine Amal D’Rosario, the area coordinator for the project.

Tania and other children attend the center for a few hours each day, but that cuts into their work and other household responsibilities, so in leading by example, World Vision staff also work with the children’s employers and families to find solutions that work for everyone.

Provash Chandra Biswas, the project manager, explains that staff members work hard to educate employers about why children need to attend the center. They gain their support and agreement to allow the kids to attend for a small part of the day.

But with fewer hours to work, that can harm the families, so staff also need to work with parents like Somir to teach them how the center will benefit their children and even why kids need to learn and be protected. By spending time with the parents to educate them about the program, answer their questions, and also learn about their struggles, families feel empowered to send their children to the CFLRC.

“I like the programs. Whenever World Vision runs a program, they take care of their children. They ensure their participation and make sure they reach home safely,” says Somir, speaking about his experience with Suriaya attending a different program when she was younger.

Additionally, World Vision provides income assistance to help families compensate for the wages lost by their children attending the center in the near term. But that’s just a temporary solution. To see long-term change, parents learn new job skills that can help them create better, sustainable livelihoods for their families as well.

At the center, Tania was learning with the hopes of catching up on her education so she might re-enter formal schooling. But as she was studying, she became too old to go back, so now she has new dreams of building a tailoring business. In addition to educational opportunities, the CFLRC also provides vocational training for older children so they can better support their families and not be engaged in harmful labor.

In the summer of 2017, Tania received two months of tailoring training, and World Vision also provided her with a sewing machine and fabric so she could start her own business. She now works at home, where she is safe, and she has enough time to care for her father and sister. With the 80 taka (US$1) she’s earning every day, she can afford three meals for her family. But even though Tania is still working, she at least now can sleep without fear of being called into work, and she has more time to rest, watch television, play, and — most importantly — dance.

“Thanks, World Vision, for rescuing me from shrimp work,” Tania says. “Once my dream was to become a nurse, but now my ultimate goal is to establish a big tailoring store and feed my family.”

George Sarkar of World Vision in Bangladesh contributed to this story.

Editor’s note: As of January 2019, Tania has moved away from the community and is no longer participating in the program.

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