How Sponsorship Changes Their Story

Formerly sponsored child Masum grew up to become a constable in the Bangladesh police force, where he can be a positive influence in his community.

What difference does sponsorship really make in the life of a child living in poverty?

We could cite studies showing that a child’s likelihood of completing school and their projected future earnings are both improved by sponsorship.*

But an even stronger argument is found in a life.

A life like Masum’s** in Bangladesh.

Masum is the eldest of three children. His father works to support the family while his mother stays home with the children.

Despite their father’s hard work, the family faces the constant pressure of poverty.

Children growing up under that pressure may never have the chance to realize their full potential.

But for Masum the story would be different.

There was a Hope Center in Masum’s community, operated by Ashirbad, a OneChild partner. In Bangladesh, Hope Centers are also schools, so children get to benefit from the program every weekday.

A Hope Realized

Despite the obstacles of extreme poverty, little Masum had an indominable spirit and yearned to join the Hope Center. That opportunity came when he was 6 years old. He was enrolled at the Hope Center where he would continue until graduation.

And he was sponsored by a woman named Rebecca.

“I might not have reached this stage due to the pressure of poverty,” says Masum. “I might not have been educated. But I am eternally grateful for the way OneChild and Ashirbad helped me to dream and grow up ideal.”

Masum’s favorite subject in school was Bengali, the language of Bangladesh. His Child Champions could see that he had a love of learning along with a strong will.

For a while, Masum dreamed of becoming an ophthalmologist. But his intelligence, strong will, and good character would take him in a different direction.

After graduation, Masum became a constable in the Bangladesh police force. This position will allow him to have a positive influence on his entire community.

Looking back on how sponsorship helped him succeed, Masum says,

“I received financial help and support from my sponsor. Also, my birthday gifts every year and the gifts I received for my family caused many blessings for me. I thank my sponsor, Rebecca, because of whom I have reached this stage today.”

With a solid education and a good job, Masum can look forward to a future very different from the poverty of his childhood.

And Masum is not alone.

A Sharp Mind and Hard Circumstances

Not only can sponsorship change the future for a child — it can change the future for an entire family.

Like Praydot**.

Praydot is a merit student in Bangladesh.

Praydot with his family.

He grew up in a city of nearly 3 million. But Praydot’s community faces challenges ranging from malaria to child labor. And his family lives with the realities of poverty.

Praydot’s father is ill, so his mother supports the family of four through sewing. Praydot’s sister, who is the eldest, also works as a tutor. But between the two, they hardly earn enough to cover basic necessities, much less school fees for both Praydot and his sister.

Life is very hard for the little family.

Despite Praydot’s determination and quick mind, poverty could have kept him from his dream of an education.

The Golden Achievement

But Praydot and his family aren’t facing their challenges alone. They have the support of Praydot’s Hope Center and his sponsor.

Kids play at a Hope Center in Bangladesh.

That means that Praydot’s school fees were covered through his sponsor’s support. And with the guidance of his parents and his Child Champions at the Hope Center, Praydot thrived in his studies.

When it came time for his Secondary School Certificate examination (a very important exam in Bangladesh), Praydot’s talent, hard work, and willpower paid off. He achieved a perfect grade point average of 5 out of 5 — referred to as a “Golden GPA.”

His family and teachers are all thrilled to see his success.

Despite the many hardships his family faces, Praydot’s achievement has encouraged him to pursue higher education. He dreams of becoming an engineer and freeing his entire family from poverty.

Praydot is thankful to God for giving him wisdom and to his sponsor who supported and prayed for him through the years.

Gloria, the head tutor at Praydot’s school, summed up her feelings for everyone who played a part in the young man’s success.

“On behalf of Praydot’s family and the Hope Center, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our supporters and the people in OneChild for their generosity and passionate heart for the children and families in Bangladesh,” she says.

For every Masum and every Praydot, there are countless other children living in poverty but brimming with potential — just waiting for someone to help them discover how far they can go.

* Wydick, Bruce, et al. (2013) Does International Child Sponsorship Work? A Six-Country Study of Impacts on Adult Life Outcomes. University of Chicago Press Journals https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/670138

**Name changed for privacy.

You can change the story for a child like Praydot or Masum when you sponsor a child today.