Meet Tony - World's Greatest Invisible Basketball Player
Occupation: National Director of Compassion Dominican Republic
Hometown: La Romana, Dominican Republic
Age: 34
Time as a Sponsored Child: 10 years and 8 months
Encouraging Children in Poverty
For Tony, receiving encouraging letters from his sponsor played a huge part in helping him escape the cycle of poverty. And the same is true for many children in Compassion’s program. But …
- Only 66% of children in Compassion’s program receive letters from their sponsor.
- That means nearly 680,000 children never receive a letter.
Fun Facts
- Tony attended graduate school in Chicago, Illinois.
- He married another Compassion graduate; she has a master’s degree in biochemistry, speaks three languages and is becoming a doctor.
Meet Vivian - Not Your Average Youth Mentor
Occupation: Administrative Assistant and Youth Leader
Hometown: Daraja Mbili, Tanzania
Age: 28
Time as a Sponsored Child: 13 years and 1 month
Child Advocacy
Have you ever had someone advocate for you? Speak up for you? Empower you? If so, then you know how life-changing it can be. Now, imagine how life-changing that would be for a child …
Sponsors, church leaders and mentors poured into Vivian’s life as a child — they were advocates for her. And now, she’s giving back. She’s an advocate herself, and is creating cycles of empowerment and advocacy in her community.
There are so many ways YOU can contribute to the positive cycle of child advocacy in your family, in your community and around the world. Here are just a few …
Fun Facts
- Vivian earned a bachelor's degree in Social Protection.
- She loved playing netball and singing in the choir at her Compassion center as a child.
Meet Melanie: This Generation's Newest STEM Leader
Occupation: IT Professional
Hometown: The Philippines
Age: 22
Time as a Sponsored Child: 13 years and 6 months
Youth Development Makes a Huge Difference
The support Melanie gained as a teenager propelled her toward a brighter future. Receiving intentional mentorship from a woman in her church, corresponding regularly with her sponsors and attending university all pushed her to grow into a strong, self-sufficient adult. And that’s why Youth Development is so critical.
As of February 2020:
- 26,670 Compassion-assisted youths are attending university.
- 87,400 are receiving vocational training.
- 100% are setting goals for their future and receiving the support, mentorship and guidance needed to achieve their goals.
Fun Facts
- Melanie plays the tambourine.
- She utilizes both her left brain and her right brain regularly. Even though she studied Information Technology, she also loves all things art.