Child Sponsorship Updates From Holt’s Global Programs

Recently, Holt program directors around the world sent letters to child sponsors — sharing about the impact they made in the lives of children and families in 2021. Read highlights from these letters below!

Cambodia

Because of your generous sponsorship, you helped make it possible to serve more children and families in Cambodia in 2021 than ever before. In 2021, Holt Cambodia served 11,018 children and adults. This number is almost triple compared with the number of children and adults we served in 2020. This includes the 3,492 children and 2,049 families in our regular program, as well as many more children and families who received COVID-19 support. We altogether should celebrate this great achievement. — Pola Ung, Program Manager, Holt Cambodia

China

Xiangxiang is a little boy in our medical foster care program — Peace House. When he first came into Peace House, he could only roll over and could not crawl or sit. This may relate to the way he was cared for in his previous orphanage, where Xiangxiang spent most of his time in the crib. After he came into Peace House, your donations helped us provide targeted and specialized nurturing plans for him, provided scientific feeding and positioning training to the caregiver who takes care of him, and half a month later, Xiangxiang can sit. And two months after, he can walk. Recently, Xiang Xiang turned 2 years old. He can now eat by himself, put on his own clothes, socks and shoes, and he is now the beloved little elf of the Peace House. — Sue Liu, Country Director, Holt China

Colombia

At FANA, we were able to continue our programs and work for the children we serve. Thanks to your support, 210 children participated in activities that gave them tools to make good decisions. They also received occupational, physical and speech therapy, academic tutoring, music lessons, sports, experiential education and art workshops. We focused on helping the children learn conflict resolution and self-regulating skills. The result is happier children who can interact with others and have fun. — Elena Martinez, FANA Director, Holt Partner in Colombia

Ethiopia

Today, I am proud to say that thousands of young children from poor families have access to better early childhood development opportunities. They may now start formal schooling with a strong developmental foundation and school readiness. The inclusive education you are funding also helped hundreds of children with disabilities continue their education through primary grades and beyond. You have helped to provide everything from scholastic materials, improved learning environments and adequate reference books to furniture, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, school lunches and trainings for teachers. Amazingly, more than 3,000 children in preschool, primary and high school have benefited from your support so far. I would like to extend my congratulations that five of the children who received your support have successfully passed high school and started universities this year. — Ali Amante, Program Director, Holt Ethiopia

Haiti

Just before starting this letter, I was informed that 40 hospitals may be forced to close due to the dire fuel shortage affecting Haiti. It was heartbreaking news. But it also helped me realized how fortunate Alexandro — an 11-year-old boy from a partner school — was to have his medical check-up done in his school. Your donations made this possible for Alexandro and 900 other children, including your sponsored child. As a consequence of the fuel shortage, food and other essential commodities are also very scarce right now in Haiti. However, your sponsored child does not have to worry. You make sure all of their basic needs met. Children like Guicheline — a 7-year-old girl from a single-parent family headed by her mother — has never missed the breakfast you help provide on school days. And, Riché — a 5-year old boy from a foster home — no longer wakes up worrying about his next meal. — Johan James Vilus, Program Manager, Holt Haiti

India

For a country with close to 1.3 billion people, and insufficient medical resources, 2021 will be remembered by each of us. We remained extremely scared as each day went by. People were dying as flies all around. Oxygen was insufficient. Medical assistance was unable to cope. But with your help, we not only got urgent medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, but we also gave support to people in crucial need of food. While the impact of Covid waned through the latter part of the year, we saw the results of death and devastation where children lost one or both parents and were suddenly at the brink of destruction themselves. Each story has been tragic and painful. But with your help, we have made a huge impact on the lives of many vulnerable children and families — including your sponsored child. — Jim De, SSG, Holt Partner in Delhi, India

Korea

This year has been a challenging year because of COVID-19 pandemic. Holt foster families have placed top priority on children’s safety and health during the pandemic. Your support helped provide everything Holt babies and children need to take medical services. Also, thanks to your sponsorship, we could provide enough masks, hand sanitizers and essential nourishing food to foster families and children. Your love has been spread not only among foster families, but also a lot of places in need of help in Korea, such as single mother shelters, local childcare centers and multicultural family centers. You also helped meet the needs of adult residents of all ages at the Holt Ilsan Center. — Nayoung Yun, Social Worker, Holt Children Services of Korea

Mongolia

In 2021, children living in rural areas of Mongolia began receiving your donations, which dramatically changed their quality of life. In addition to much-needed food, we were able to provide school uniforms, school supplies and essential medicines to children with special needs that cannot be found in these rural areas. And more than 300 newly published books were donated to the library of a secondary school with 1,177 students in one rural soum, or district, of Mongolia. The school lacked books for students, and there was a shortage of funds to buy books. — Tungalag, Director, Holt Mongolia

The Philippines

In 2021, you helped serve a total of 791 sponsored children across different regions of the Philippines. Your sponsorship support helped care for 95 children in orphan care programs, helped 16 children join adoptive families internationally, helped 33 children join families domestically in the Philippines, and reunited 18 children with their birth families. Critically in 2021, your sponsorship helped meet the urgent needs caused by the current pandemic, and thankfully the children and families in our programs remain safe from the COVID-19 proliferation. — Ryan Aquino Justo, KBF, Holt Partner in the Philippines

Taiwan

This year, the COVID still greatly affects people’s lives around the world, including people here in Taiwan. Under the third risk level of warning, there is no one on the street and no guest in the restaurants. Many people lost their jobs and some people even lost their lives. But I am grateful to Holt sponsors like you for continuing to support 30 children we are serving this year. In this year, many families’ income reduced because of the epidemic and the children couldn’t go to school. But through the stable subsidy from Holt every month, the children’s health insurance, medical expenses and daily meals can be maintained. — Yu Zhen Chen, Director of Taipei Branch Office, Garden of Hope Foundation, Holt Partner in Taiwan

Thailand

We also welcomed 96 young children into our foster care program this year. Sunny was among them. Her mother developed serious complications from a COVID infection when she was six months pregnant, prompting the doctor to perform a C-section in order to save the baby. Sunny is now maturing into a healthy 6-month-old under the loving care of her foster family. You also helped provide toys to help many children cope with isolation and stress of COVID — including for 110 children receiving COVID treatment at a hospital. Your generous support also provided free mushroom sprouts to families and schools as an additional food option that saves money and provides a new income generating opportunity. —

Kobgarn Trakulvaree, Executive Director of HSF, Holt Partner in Thailand

Uganda

Your donation enabled Holt to provide relief support to each child and family in the program including nutritious flour, beans, cooking oil and soap. We provided household-level caregiver support and trainings on positive parenting, child protection as well as guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as regular handwashing, social distancing and putting on masks. Your sponsored child also received bi-annual deworming, Vitamin A supplements and a mosquito net. Your sponsorship also contributed to economic recovery support to each family. The family of your sponsored child received improved cassava stems and seeds of beans and maize to grow during the planting. This will guarantee the family of food and some income in the near future. A team of community based facilitators periodically visited children and provided them with psychosocial support. — Magezi Julius, Programs Manager, Holt Uganda

Vietnam

Despite many unprecedented obstacles created by the crisis, Holt Vietnam still managed to deliver your support to ensure a normal life for more than 250 displaced children in 6 orphanages, and to assist 594 poor families to stay intact and overcome their difficulties. You helped prevent 1,308 children from separating from their families and empowered many families to change their destiny. Your support also helped 28 single mothers safely give birth to their babies during the year of calamities. Your support and loving care helped 828 children stay in daycare and assisted 719 other children to pursue their education. — Ho Dang Hoa, Country Director, Holt Vietnam