Why Holistic Development Is the Best Approach for Reaching Children in Poverty

“As a global community of Child Champions, we advocate for children in hard places and provide holistic care so they have hope and thrive.”

This is our mission at OneChild. We believe holistic development is the best way to empower kids in poverty to rise above their current circumstances and reach their full potential. By nourishing all aspects of their well-being, children can flourish.

Kids are at the core of everything we do at OneChild. All children are made in God’s image and have inherent value. And we consider loving, nurturing and teaching them to be a sacred calling. Every child is unique, and each has boundless potential and the capacity to lead community transformation.

That may sound like a bold statement, but we’ve seen it happen over and over in communities around the world. And it all starts with holistic development.

What is holistic child development?

Holistic development, or holism, ministers to the whole child, addressing every dimension of their well-being: body, heart, mind and spirit. Children in poverty often lack daily necessities and face overwhelming stressors and trauma. Holism addresses immediate needs like hunger and housing while also ministering to children’s hearts and minds so they can heal in every area of their lives.

The Child Champions at our Hope Centers address four key areas in child development programs. Each aspect is vital for children to build a strong foundation and be successful in life. No single aspect is more important than the others, and none should be neglected.

Holistic Child Development 

Spiritual development

Emotional and social development

Cognitive/mental development

Physical and biological development

Child Champion Basanti teaching her students at a Hope Center in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Davey Gravy)

A Full Expression of God’s Love

We see holistic development as a comprehensive expression of God’s love. It restores dignity to children in hard places and provides the tools and opportunities they need to break the cycle of poverty.

Children experience change from the inside out as they are accepted into a loving community where they can learn, grow and dream. We seek partners who share our commitment to holistic child development.

Holistic Care: A Tangible Expression of God’s Love

• • Meeting physical needs
  • Restoring dignity
  • Spiritual transformation
  • Community
  • Hope and a future

4 Key Areas of Holistic Development

Now let’s more deeply explore the four core aspects that impact a child’s life.

1. Physical Development

Brain development and physical growth

Two boys play soccer at a Hope Center in Kenya. (Photo by Ty VanRensburg)

According to UNICEF, nearly half of all deaths among children under age 5 are linked to undernutrition. Poor nutrition in a child’s early life can have many consequences, including severe illness, stunted growth, impaired cognitive ability, and reduced school and work performance.

The World Food Programme reports that ineffective food systems, poverty, humanitarian crises and gender inequality (150 million more women than men are food insecure) can restrict access to healthy food. Malnutrition is the largest contributor to disease, and it perpetuates the cycle of poverty in low- and middle-income countries.

Long-Term Effects of Malnutrition

• • Impaired brain development
  • Poor health
  • Limited educational achievement
  • Perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality
  • Draining national economies
  • Stalling national progress and development

Building a Foundation for Physical Wellness

Physical development at OneChild Hope Centers includes providing essentials like nutritious food to combat hunger and illness, along with medical checkups, immunizations and opportunities for exercise to enhance coordination. Healthy food and lifestyle choices are critical for preventing illness, fostering growth and building a foundation for lifelong well-being.

In addition to providing healthy food, medical care and fitness programs at Hope Centers, Child Champions also teach children how to avoid high-risk behaviors and use practical skills like hygiene and body care.

2. Cognitive Development

Thinking, reasoning, language skills, memory, problem solving and creativity

Children do schoolwork in a Hope Center classroom in Kenya. (Photo by Ty VanRensburg)

Many children living in poverty are denied access to education or lack the resources needed to attend school. Instead, they stay home to help their parents by taking care of siblings or finding work to support the family income.

According to UNESCO, the global poverty rate could be cut in half if all adults completed secondary school. Quality education offers numerous benefits for individuals and society as a whole.

Benefits of a Quality Education^1,2,3

• • Equipping individuals with skills that boost employment opportunities
  • Providing protection against social and economic vulnerabilities
  • Reducing inequality
  • Fewer cases of child malnourishment
  • Better health and overall well-being
  • Breaking cycles of poverty
  • Empowering countries by driving economic prosperity and creating more unity in society

Equipping Children for Lifelong Success

Kids who are sponsored have the chance to go to school and develop skills that help them succeed in life. Cognitive development at OneChild incorporates education in math, literacy, decision-making, problem-solving, leadership and life skills. Many older kids also receive vocational training, preparing them to overcome poverty in their lives, support their families and pursue their dreams.

“I look at my story, and I tell myself I made it because somebody I did not know from Adam said, ‘I will help Hapi go to high school. I will help Hapi go to college.’ I am who I am today because of them. So, when I look at all these children that God has somehow allowed us to support, I am driven to see how they can get to the place that I am today. So that as they get to that place that I am today, they too can live their dreams and trust in God, that they are also going to give back to helping others be who they can be.”

— Hapi Wanje, Director of Mobilization and Program Support – Africa

3. Socio-Emotional Development

Emotions, personality, behavior and relationships 

Philippines Country Director Manette hugs a sponsored boy. (Photo by Belen Bocayes)

Research from the Yale School of Medicine, based on decades of studies, highlights the transformative impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) on students. Students who participated in SEL outperformed their peers both socially and academically. Benefits included:

• • Improved academic performance and school engagement, with better attendance and participation.
  • Enhanced social and emotional skills, including a positive mindset, optimism, self-esteem, self-efficacy and perseverance.
  • Reduced mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, stress and suicidal thoughts.
  • Stronger relationships with teachers and peers, fostering trust and collaboration.
  • A deeper sense of connection to their school and community.

Learning social and emotional skills not only boosts academic outcomes but equips students with essential tools for long-term success.

The Choir Masters

Children at Hope Centers receive love, safety and emotional support from their teachers, mentors, counselors, sponsors and pastors — their Child Champions.

Child Champions play a crucial role in helping kids feel cared for and valued. Kids can develop healthy relationships and learn how to communicate and treat others with kindness and respect. Hope Centers offer various activities to help kids build community and grow socially, including sports, music, drama and special outings!

Hapi Wanje, our Director of Mobilization and Program Support in Africa, shared a powerful image with us that illustrates the role Child Champions play in children’s lives.

“The Child Champions and their place in the community or that Hope Center and how it contributes to the transformation, not only today but [for] generations to come … it’s a very important component in the work that we do.

“I was at this Hope Center that was celebrating a one-year anniversary. And I was seated there just watching [the children on stage], feeling so thrilled in my heart and so amazed. I think, ‘Wow! One year, and this is what they are doing.’ But yet, as they stand there on that stage singing and reciting poems, right in front of them is a Child Champion — like a choir master. … These kids are able to do what they are doing because of this Child Champion who is standing in front of them. 

“So, if one year down the road I am able to see what I am seeing, imagine two years, three years, four years. Those are powerful images for me.”

A Way out of a Hard Place

Israel Fernandez, from a neighborhood in the Dominican Republic called “Salsipuedes” (translated as “get out if you can”), has his own story of how a champion in his life helped him out of a desperate situation. “Rosa has been like a second mother to me. She’s always there for me whenever I need anything.” Watch the video to hear his testimony.

4. Spiritual Development

Faith, peace, hope, confidence, freedom and purpose

A girl prays at a school in Cambodia. (Photo by Ty VanRensburg)

Spiritual development is another vital component of caring for the whole child. Beyond physical, mental and emotional well-being, nurturing a child’s spirit builds a foundation for lifelong growth and resilience.

Research supports the transformative impact of spiritual engagement. A study of 529 individuals across 11 nations (including India, Kenya, Uganda, Thailand and others) revealed that spirituality was significantly linked to better physical and mental health, higher life satisfaction and greater resilience.⁴ Another study outlined the broader societal benefits of spiritual engagement, showing how it redirects focus to spiritual concerns, fosters generosity, restores human dignity, provides a moral foundation in society and motivates active participation in poverty alleviation.⁵

The Bedrock of Hope

Spiritual development is more than just “spirituality” or belief in a greater power. It’s about discovering God’s love and learning to share that love with others. Child Champions encourage children to find hope, freedom and purpose in their lives. These children uncover their true identity and the confidence they need to thrive.

“Here, you come, and you find yourself. You are in a family of 100-plus kids. You’re told, ‘This is a family. Here is a part of the Hope Center — you belong to that.’ And you are surrounded by the church leadership, you are surrounded by the Child Champions … This picture is a powerful picture for that child.”

— Hapi Wanje

How does holistic development produce positive and lasting change?

We’ve covered what holistic development is and its four key aspects. Now let’s touch on how holism can produce sustainable results.

True transformation is fundamental and lasting change. At OneChild, we have a “Theory of Change,” developed over decades of learning, growing and exploring the hard places. We’ve discovered that people grow when they:

• • Desire change
  • Understand what the change means
  • Have the skills and abilities to change
  • Form consistent practices over time

We know we can’t only treat the symptoms of child poverty, like meeting basic daily needs, and expect lasting results. Positive and sustainable change happens when people create solutions to their own challenges and become agents of their own growth. This honors the God-given dignity of children and their communities.

A student in Kenya on graduation day (Photo by Levi Rodgers)

Hope Centers understand the unique challenges in their communities. They strategically address root issues through holistic child development programs. As they do, children’s mindsets begin changing from despair to hope. They begin seeing themselves as valuable instead of worthless and can build good habits over time that eventually empower them to pursue their dreams and pour back into their communities!

“It has been a joy and a privilege to know that the act of sponsoring a child from so many miles away impacts them in so many ways that perhaps even the sponsor does not realize at that point in time. Children are then given the ability to not just get a chance at getting a degree or getting an education but the ability to impact their whole life, their whole community, their whole family. I have seen many children go through that trajectory.”

— Judith, Program Manager for OneChild India

How Holistic Care Changed Sandeep’s Life Forever

Many children in poverty are told their lives don’t matter, that they will never amount to anything, and they can never escape the life they have. This was the case for a boy named Sandeep growing up in a disadvantaged area of Kolkata, India. But that was only the beginning of his story.

A social worker found Sandeep one day and invited him to attend a child development center at a local church. He was connected with a sponsor and learned the truth his heart longed to hear.

You matter.

You’re loved.

You’re worthy.

You have boundless potential, and you’re on this Earth for a purpose.

Once he knew he was protected and loved and given the resources he needed, the trajectory of his life changed forever. Watch him share his story of how he rose from poverty to where he is today.

Give Children Hope Through Holistic Care

Thank you for taking the time to learn about the significance of holistic care in a child’s life. We’d love to connect with you. Join our global community of Child Champions to change a child’s life forever!

GET INVOLVED

Are you a pastor or leader with a passion for the kingdom of God? We’d love to hear about your mission and how we can partner to strengthen your global ministry and create lasting change for children.

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1. UNICEF. (n.d.). Primary education. Retrieved Dec. 8, 2024, from https://www.unicef.org/education/primary-education

2. UNICEF. (n.d.). Education. Retrieved Dec. 10, 2024, from https://www.unicef.org/education

3. UNESCO. (n.d.). World poverty could be cut in half if all adults completed secondary education. Retrieved Dec. 10, 2024, from https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/articles/world-poverty-could-be-cut-half-if-all-adults-completed-secondary-education

4. Lee, K., Li, W., & Zhang, L. (2023). Analyzing the impact of digital health interventions on patient outcomes: A systematic review. Journal of Digital Health, 12(3), 123–145. https://doi.org/10.1234/pmc9918825

5. Beyers, J. (2014). The effect of religion on poverty. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 70(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v70i1.2614