life Inside issue 9
Mentoring children to help them thrive LIFE FOR CHILDREN AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM
“Being a Child Ambassador page 3 has built the inner me” Teenagers in India are page 4 flourishing for life Making dreams a reality page 6 in Costa Rica
Viva Life
Issue 9
Winter 2019
EDITORIAL Did you ever have someone in your life who counselled you through a time you needed it the most? Children all over the world are growing up in situations of deep, deep darkness: a darkness that looms heavy, like a thick blanket indiscriminately smothering lives, hopes and futures. The concept of ‘mentoring’ is so simple; an empowering guide to help children to navigate darkness that they often have to deal with alone. I hope that, as you read on, you are inspired by the immense impact local Christians are having as they walk with young people in India, Uganda, Costa Rica and Zambia. This Christmas, giving to ‘Expanding Horizons’ – Viva’s 2019 Christmas Match Appeal – will support this worldwide mentoring movement releasing children once trapped without hope into a new season with new horizons. Your generosity will empower children to catch glimpses of the Spirit’s heartbeat through mentors who are inspired by the ultimate role model: our Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Fill in the form enclosed or give online at viva.org/christmasappeal – and your gift will be doubled.
Thank you so much. Wishing you joy and peace this Christmas.
Mark Stavers Chief Executive, Viva
‘On those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light has dawned… For to us a child is born… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ (Isaiah 9: 2 & 6)
We are an international Christian charity passionate about changing more children’s lives more effectively. We achieve this by growing locally-led networks who are committed to working together so that children can fulfil their God-given potential. Last year, Viva reached over 2 million children by partnering with 38 networks and working in 27 countries. Find out more at viva.org 2
Viva Life is published three times a year by Viva Network North America
MENTORING CHILDREN TO HELP THEM THRIVE © CRANE
A CHILD “BEING AMBASSADOR
HAS BUILT THE
INNER ME”
16-year-old Jackie in Kampala, Uganda told us what Viva’s Child Ambassadors program means to her. What did you learn as a Child Ambassador? Many things! First, I learned life skills like being confident, having self-esteem and public speaking. I learnt other skills too; for example, fruit and vegetable gardening and improving sanitation. I learnt how to decide wisely and appropriately. I learnt to reflect on my life with God, to love God and the Bible – in the Safe Club we put God first in everything we did. How did it feel to be a Child Ambassador? So good! I met many new people and went to places I never thought of going to. The skills I learnt have now become part of me. I always stood up for myself and others, for change in all situations.
What was your best achievement as a Child Ambassador? I have come to know that I am a person who loves God very much. I still remember the first memory verse we were given as Child Ambassadors – ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength’ (Philippians 4: 13). This verse gives me hope in life. How has being a Child Ambassador had an impact on your life today? It has built the inner me. The Jackie who is confident, has high self-esteem and is good at decision-making. The Jackie who can fight for her rights and the rights of others. Interview by Immaculate Nanfuka, CRANE’s Network Quality Assurance Manager
There are 400 Child Ambassadors like Jackie in Uganda and 7,000 children have benefited from Viva’s Child Ambassadors program in Uganda, with thousands more around the world. Read the full interview with Jackie at https://bit.ly/JackieCA Viva Life
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Winter 2019
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FLOURISHING
FOR LIFE Preeti leading a Flourish session for girls in Delhi
Andrew Dubock travelled to Delhi to see how a new Viva mentoring program is laying down strong roots for girls to help them flourish into the future. There is a buzz in the room. The group of 20 teenage girls create a positive energy, listening to and respecting one another, and talking about plans and hopes, with an air of confidence. Rewind six months, and I imagine I would have felt a very different atmosphere here, marked by shyness, fear, anger, and plenty of eyes looking at the floor. These girls’ remarkable journeys are as a result of a new Viva program being rolled out by the partner network here in Delhi, in other cities in India, and across Asia. Flourish is a life skills course for teenagers, which introduces knowledge, skills and attitudes that teenagers need in order to keep themselves healthy 4
Viva Life
and safe, to build resilience, to raise aspirations and to prepare for life as valued members of their communities. In a society in which they face discrimination and abuse, India’s girls desperately need protecting, educating, motivating and empowering – and Flourish aims to do just this. Its impact will be seen for years to come as girls continue their studies, are not forced into child marriage and know how to say no to exploitation and abuse. Preeti Masih, Viva India’s life skills coordinator, tells me about the default position for girls in Delhi. “Each day, the children I meet face a lot of issues regarding self-esteem and they
Issue 9
Winter 2019
MENTORING CHILDREN TO HELP THEM THRIVE and improving my self-esteem; about setting goals and having a purpose in life. If I feel unsafe, I know now how to report a problem, follow a process and to get to a safety zone. I know now I can make a difference where I live.”
The Mayapuri slum community in south west Delhi
have very little confidence,” she tells me. “Our program makes girls aware of their physical, behavioral and emotional changes – and how each of them can enhance their skills and ability to be the best they can in the future.” Flourish consists of 17 sessions, taught over a six to eight-month period. There are clear values and principles running throughout it. It covers three main areas: ‘Knowing myself ’, ‘Relating to others’ and ‘Making decisions about my life’. Viva’s network model makes the program especially effective because local individuals and churches in the network can work together to provide quality training, and to have a greater influence together across a city. Fifteen-year-old Kajal bubbles with confidence as she tells me, “I have learned so much about dealing with peer pressure Viva Life
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Whilst Preeti teaches the main Flourish sessions, Sangheeta provides one-to-one mentoring for the girls in their homes in the Mayapuri slum community in south west Delhi. Flourish aims to break the generational cycle of underachievement and low selfesteem. The girls from Mayapuri don’t have positive values passed down from their parents because they were unable to value themselves. Sangheeta says, “Parents feel their children are gaining values, which can be seen in their lives. I want to give these children a better life, not to stay in slums, but to guide them along the right path.” This year, Viva has piloted Flourish for more than 250 girls in India. Our goal is to reach 100 teenagers in each of the seven cities with a Viva partner network. After visiting Delhi, I had planned to see the program in action in Patna (with sessions for both girls and boys in children’s homes) but it was unfortunately cancelled because of extensive flooding in the city following monsoon rains. It’s a stark reminder about the fragility of the places in which Viva works – and why our grassroots partner networks are so essential.
Flourish features in ‘Expanding Horizons’, Viva’s Christmas Match Appeal 2019. Go to viva.org/christmasappeal to watch videos, find out more and to support our global mentoring work.
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© Willow Creek
MAKING DREAMS A REALITY
We’re empowering teenagers to enter adulthood with joy and purpose
Growing up without loving parental support, teenagers in Costa Rica are left depressed and confused about what the future might hold as they enter adulthood. Joel Porras writes about how a mentoring program, run by our partner network, is giving them hope of a brighter future. A quarter of homicides in Costa Rica take place in Alajuelita and Desamparados: two communities in San Jose where our partner network is working. The network’s situational mapping found that last year only 18 per cent of children aged between five and 17 years in these communities completed their basic education. Many who grow up in these communities are trapped in a cycle of drug abuse, gangs and poverty. Young people are 6
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lacking positive role models so need guidance and extra support to help them make positive life choices to prevent them from falling into this same negative cycle. Red Viva Costa Rica brings its 61 member churches and organizations together to respond collectively with initiatives including feeding centers, educational support, and clubs for positive use of recreational time to reduce the risk of involvement in gangs. Winter 2019
MENTORING CHILDREN TO HELP THEM THRIVE As part of the response, more than 500 children between the ages of ten and 18 living in these communities or government care homes are benefitting from the Preparation for Adult Life programme. This is a mentoring program which develops skills and confidence and considers future vocations with the goal that the teenagers will be empowered to enter adulthood with joy and purpose. Most teenagers on the program tell us that they want to study, and they all agree that they want to change the negative life they have had. They dream of many different professions, but this is a dream that they see as very difficult to achieve. During their life, they have been told that they cannot do things, that they are not good at studying, and that they are not wanted. As this program is run by a network of local churches, alongside lessons in vocational skills and self-confidence, these young people also build deep relationships with the churches who support them through these challenging times. They are also given the gift of belonging, through personal relationships with the church volunteers. Together, churches have an opportunity to change young people’s stories. Despite their past, we are focused on their future. We believe that they are able to learn, that they are not alone. We want young people to know that their dreams, which many see as impossible, can come true – and we are there to help on their journey to make their dreams a reality. Joel Porras is Network and Programme Facilitator for Viva in Latin America and the Caribbean Viva Life
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José is 17 years old and the leader of a Bible study group for young people in the church. His father was a drug trafficker and left his family when José was young. His mother struggled with other relationships and was absent much of the time. Being the older child, José often had to find food for himself and his three sisters but many times he was unable find food for the day. He dropped out of school to work in construction and ensure he had money to buy food for the family. He and his sisters often went to the local church feeding center for food. Here, the volunteers invited José to join the Preparation for Adult Life program. Through it he received psychological support to help him begin to heal from the difficult experiences he faced. The program helped José find his vocation and to know that he is not alone. This year, he has been inspired and supported to go to college. He says: “Though I struggle with math, I will continue until I am a professional. One day I want to help others study and get out of the situation in which we live”. Winter 2019
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GROWING IN CONFIDENCE
The Discipleship program is empowering children to protect themselves
A new discipleship program in Lusaka, Zambia aims to involve young people in learning how to protect themselves by taking them on a journey of self-discovery, learning who they are in Christ. Six communities were asked to suggest twenty 12-18 year-olds to attend the course, particularly focusing on children who are not in school, those who have reported abuse, those with physical disabilities, or those who have been orphaned or head up their households. The course has three clear aims: to build positive friendships, self-esteem and confidence; to equip children to be able to participate in discussions and to empower children to protect themselves both in the real world and online. In each session, children participate in activities around specific Bible-based topics with
weekly tasks given to work on before the next meeting. Throughout the journey so far, it has been amazing to see how some of the shy children have grown in confidence and now participate in the discussions, volunteer to pray before or after a session and offer personal experiences for others to learn from. We are excited to see where God is taking each young person! By Sam Fairs-Billam, a co-ordinator of the Samalani Children at Risk (SCAR) network in Lusaka, Zambia
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