Gifts of Compassion.

I love my new toothbrush—it’s my favourite colour! Not only is it fun to use, it also helps keep my teeth sparkly clean and white. I brush every morning and night, and spend the whole day smiling!

It’s fun to snuggle under this mosquito net, but it also helps to protect me from catching malaria. Mosquitos spread malaria which can make children like me very sick. It’s the main reason we visit the doctor and go to hospital. This net keeps me safe.  

The cluck of chickens in the morning is music to my ears! Having these chickens helps me and my family in so many ways—we earn money by selling their eggs, their droppings are a great fertiliser for our garden and, best of all, we can eat their eggs! Omelette is my favourite. 

My favourite job is getting to water the veggie seeds and watching them grow into vegetables. It’s so exciting pulling out a fresh carrot and knowing it came from my very own garden! My vegetables can make meals for my whole family and I even sell some of them at the local market.

Needles aren’t my favourite thing but I know that vaccinations help to stop me from getting sick. So I hold my mother’s hand and try to remember that with the vaccinations protecting me from disease, I can grow up big and strong. 

My little goat has long lashes, but she’s not just a pretty face. She helps my family by giving us milk to drink and sell at the market. With the money we’ve made, Mum says we can buy another goat—I can’t wait to play with her kids!

I just love reading but the only place I can find books is at the school library. Now that we have new books at the child development centre, there’s an even bigger selection I can bring home to read after I’ve finished my household chores. Finishing my homework is so much easier with the help of these books!

Instead of having to walk long distances to collect water for my family, this clean water unit means that I can have safe drinking water in my own house! I pour the water in the top, and watch it trickle into my cup at the bottom, clean and fresh!

What goes OINK OINK and likes to roll in the mud? No, not my little brother—my new pair of pigs of course! These pigs have helped my family in so many ways: we can breed them to sell at the markets and their ‘business’ is a great fertiliser for the garden.

Do you like my brand new outfit? Mum has been experimenting with her new sewing machine and has been making all kinds of different clothes for me and my family. She even sells some of her creations at the markets and the money she earns means we always have food on the table.

The toilets in my community can be very dirty—they even make people sick sometimes. The new toilets at our child development centre are lovely, but they aren’t just for looks. They protect our health and give us more privacy as we grow up.

I love our new cow, Daisy. She lives with me and my family and makes our life so much easier. Daisy gives us yummy milk to drink and sell at the markets, fertiliser for our garden and hopefully a new calf!

Going to school used to be really uncomfortable. I had to sit on the floor during lessons which made it hard to listen to what the teachers were saying. These new desks, chairs and blackboard will make it so much easier to pay attention.

Having a rickshaw has given my dad a steady source of income. The money he earns from riding the rickshaw helps to provide for our family. Sometimes he’s even able to drop me and my siblings off at school. It’s a fun ride!

My old classroom was cramped and with holes in the roof, the sun would make it really hot and the rain would make us wet. My new classroom is a big improvement. There is more space, sturdy walls and we’re protected from the weather. Now I feel safe coming to learn and play.

When big storms hit my community, my family lost everything. Our home and belongings like clothes and bedding were gone. Right now we’re staying with relatives, but soon we will have our very own home again. I can’t wait! Thank you for helping us rebuild.