YOU ASK. WE ANSWER. HAPPILY. Children Believe 90 Allstate Parkway, Suite 101 Markham, ON, L6R 6H3 905.754.1001 | Toll free: 1.800.263.5437 childrenbelieve.ca | askus@childrenbelieve.ca Massiel Corea Pulido, Karen Nuñez, Rosanna Menchaca, Feleke Tadele, and Assetou Zalle. INTERIM CHIEF MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Don Mitchell DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS Brett Tarver MANAGING EDITOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Dave Stell DESIGN AND PRODUCTION eyetoeyedesign.ca CONTRIBUTORS Shakina Abraham, Samuel Abdul-Rahaman, Olivia Bangre, Tatevik Galstyan, Gezahegn Gebremariam, Mona Ghali, Jins Joseph, Fanta Konde, Dianca 2023 ANNUAL REPORT | ISSUE 36 CHILD VOICE
CEO’s note
4 What’s happening 5 Bridging two worlds creates unforgettable memories 6 What can Barbie teach us about girls’ education?
Believe in girls…
…they can change the world
8 Going back to school 10 Leading by example
While in Ghana earlier this year, I met Sarah, a former sponsored child. Sarah had to overcome a lot of challenges growing up. Her family struggled to afford the cost of school, and as a girl, she was discouraged by discrimination. But thanks to her fierce determination and the support of a generous Canadian donor, she chose to become a teacher – and is now an inspiration for the young girls in her classroom. This is just one story, of one young woman, but Sarah represents Children Believe’s purpose. She represents the incredible potential of every child in every community we work in. We are proud to report that in the past year, 285,539 girls benefited from sustained access to inclusive and quality education in our project areas. In this edition of ChildVoice , you will read more examples of young women like Sarah. Sadly, some have endured horrific circumstances, including gender-based violence. But they have bravely chosen to share their stories as proof of the positive change that is possible. In Nicaragua, Jahoska has been able to continue her education despite battling poverty and is taking university courses while helping as a youth group leader to inspire other girls (p. 10). In Burkina Faso, Mounia suffered sexual violence, but she is proud to report that with help, she is on track to earn a degree in psychology. She dreams about being an aid worker in her country to help other young girls overcome tragedy, as she did (p. 12). At Children Believe, we’re proud to share and celebrate these small victories that make a big difference. But there is still much to be done. Every day, we identify more youth that need help through sponsorship and the programs we offer to help them break down the barriers to education so they can change their world. I cannot thank you enough for your support. None of this work is possible without your generosity.
16 Annual Report: Chair’s note 17 Annual Report: Our financials 18 Annual Report: Impact and reach
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Charitable Registration # 10691 8543 RR0001 Canada Post Mail Reg # 40065713
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OUR VISION We dream of a world where every child has a voice and the ability to achieve their full potential. OUR MISSION Children Believe creates a future of hope for children, families and communities by helping them develop the skills and resources to overcome poverty and injustice. For 60+ years, we have followed the example of Christ by serving the poor regardless of their faith, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds. OUR VALUES Across our work, we aim to uphold the values of results, respect, integrity, teamwork and excellence.
Sarah, top, is a teacher in Ghana who has overcome challenges to achieve her goals. Children Believe CEO Fred Witteveen, above, spent time with her and learned how sponsorship helped her reach a dream to complete her education.
Sincerely,
Fred Witteveen is Children Believe’s
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Cover: Miriam is using her skills as a seamstress, gained through training classes, to change her life (p. 14). Photo: Samuel Abdul-Rahaman
chief executive officer. ceo@childrenbelieve.ca
ACCESSIBILITY We seek to recognize and remove the obstacles faced by persons with disabilities. All communications are available in alternative formats upon request.
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