World Relief Child Development

“So often adults see children in a passive light, but they are ready to contribute right now.  World Relief believes children can make a difference today!”– World Relief’s Megan Laughlin.

World Relief’s church-centered Child Development Program impacts the lives of tens of thousands of children and youth in Cambodia, Mozambique and Malawi – fostering physical, emotional and spiritual growth.

Children are taught about health and hygiene, and they develop important life skills – including conflict resolution – often while learning from Bible stories.  Most of our volunteers are recruited from local churches, but our child development clubs welcome all children regardless of their religious affiliation.

Our holistic educational approach is non-formal, often teaching the children through interactive play, sometimes as simple as drawing pictures in the dirt.  By engaging the children, encouraging them to talk, listening to them, and giving them choices, we build bridges of trust that last a lifetime.

Where poverty breeds desperation, teenage girls are easy prey…lured into sexual relationships by promises of little luxuries, housing, or food.  Abandoned by their parents, many children are left to provide for – and protect – themselves.

We build positive relationships between Christian adult mentors and vulnerable children…children who may have been deeply scarred by exploitation and abandonment.

Within the framework of the local church – an extended family of care and support – children are protected and cared for, nurtured and nourished, for years to come…shaping a generation of young people with Christian values and leadership qualities.