DONATE

We believe in a world where outside charities will no longer be needed.

Because children who survived injustice will be adults of influence preventing millions of others from suffering what they did.

OUR MISSION

Rescue children from injustice (trafficking, slavery, sexual abuse, abandonment) and equip them to be adults who can rescue others, so your impact never stops.

OUR VISION

In any community where Many Hopes works, outside charity will not be needed because local survivors and their friends are leading the fight for justice.

WHAT WE DO

We believe that children who have survived an injustice can be the most powerful agents to defeat the injustice they survived. So we help them do that.

We rescue children in Africa and Latin America from slavery, abuse, and abandonment and equip them to become adults with the capacity and the character to help others.

HOW WE DO IT

We partner with high-impact locally-led organizations committed to survivor-driven change.

LEARN HOW

OUR MISSION

Rescue children from injustice (trafficking, slavery, sexual abuse, abandonment) and equip them to be adults who can rescue others, so your impact never stops.

OUR VISION

In any community where Many Hopes works, outside charity will not be needed because local survivors and their friends are leading the fight for justice.

WHAT WE DO

We believe that children who have survived an injustice can be the most powerful agents to defeat the injustice they survived. So we help them do that.

We rescue children in Africa and Latin America from slavery, abuse, and abandonment and equip them to become adults with the capacity and the character to help others.

HOW WE DO IT

We partner with high-impact locally-led organizations committed to survivor-driven change.

LEARN HOW

OUR MISSION

Rescue children from injustice (trafficking, slavery, sexual abuse, abandonment) and equip them to be adults who can rescue others, so your impact never stops.

OUR VISION

In any community where Many Hopes works, outside charity will not be needed because local survivors and their friends are leading the fight for justice.

WHAT WE DO

We believe that children who have survived an injustice can be the most powerful agents to defeat the injustice they survived. So we help them do that.

We rescue children in Africa and Latin America from slavery, abuse, and abandonment and equip them to become adults with the capacity and the character to help others.

HOW WE DO IT

We partner with high-impact locally-led organizations committed to survivor-driven change.

LEARN HOW

OUR STORY

OUR STORY

We exist because of a six year old girl in Kenya, and a story in America

We exist because of a six year old girl in Kenya, and a story in America

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LEARN MORE

FINANCIALS

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Meet our team

Partner program leadership

Claudia

BOLIVIA

Leader: Claudia Gonzales

Passion: Reversing the conditions of social, emotional, spiritual, and economic poverty of boys, girls, and families in high-risk situations.

“It is a life decision and a call from God.”

PERU

Leader: Maria Resurrección

Passion: Changing society by changing the lives of girls who have survived sexual abuse.

“Education of women and girls will change the minds of men because, right now, they don’t know anything else. Providing education will create culture away from violence and poverty. It will be a chain reaction i.e. they impact a small number and will teach that to the next and the next and they will grow up with that mind.”

Guadalupe

GUATEMALA

Leader: Guadalupe Pos

Passion: Providing education, shelter, and healthcare to vulnerable children.

“I grew up as a farm worker. I had orphaned parents who suffered slavery. When I see children working in the streets, I feel the urge to make change. Kids who come through our programs will be leaders here. They will be active in society. They will be the ones who activate a chain reaction. We can break the mentality of ´things can’t be better.´ They can be better.”

KENYA

Leader: Alice Kinyua

Passion: Preserving justice for all children, youth, and those that have suffered violence and injustice regardless of age or gender.

“I want to give children an opportunity to raise above the suffering they have experienced and be in a position to influence and transform the environments that have made them suffer. When we raise up different leaders we won’t need to do what we’re doing.”

Anne

MALAWI

Leader: Anne Alaniz

Passion: If I had unlimited funds, I would get every kid as far in education as I could.

“Injustice to influence is my story. I grew up as a village kid. Now I am a surgeon. I grew up seeing only white people ‘saving us.’ I’ve been told to stop talking and listen to a white person. Yet I’ve seen kids here with so much creativity and invention to solve all sorts of problems but no opportunity to use it. People come and want to give them t-shirts but I say give them a scholarship fund!”

james

GHANA

Leader: James Kofi Annan

Passion: To reduce and prevent child trafficking, reduce child slavery, and promote children’s rights. Equipping the survivors of trafficking to become the solution.

“I was trafficked at the age of six. If you and I would commit to it and determine that we would end child slavery here, it is doable in the next 10 years.”

Global support team

THOMAS KEOWN

Founder & CEO

Thomas founded Many Hopes after visiting East Africa for the first time in 2007 and thinking “If my friends back home could see what I’ve just seen they would want to help. So I’m going to show them.”

Born in Northern Ireland during “The Troubles,” he was educated at Queens University, Belfast, worked for one of the two Nobel prize-winning signatories of the Belfast Peace Agreement, and is a former columnist. His career has spanned the media, politics and for-purpose missions in the UK, USA, Africa and Latin America. His belief that seemingly intractable problems can be solved by bringing the right influences to bear on them stems from his Christian faith. He lives in New York City with his wife and three-legged dog, serves as an elder at Church of the City, and travels extensively speaking on issues of justice.

MADELINE PAHR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Madeline started her career in the art department of Harper’s Bazaar magazine in New York. From there, she started a small design agency that worked on communications and branding for primarily publicly traded retail companies like Ann Taylor and Tiffany & Co. The opportunity to put her skills to use and help children globally is what drew Madeline to Many Hopes.

Katherine Zawtocki

Development Director

Katherine brings her nonprofit philanthropy experience to Many Hopes, where she is passionate about supporting mission-driven work and creating lasting positive change. With a deep belief in leaving the world better than we found it, she is honored to contribute to the global impact of Many Hopes. Katherine is privileged to connect donors with the critical work that uplifts children from injustice and empowers them to become change-makers. Her career has shown her the power we all have to drive meaningful, transformational change. Outside of work, Katherine enjoys exploring the outdoors and gathering with family and friends.

Sharon Kamau-Ledwaba

Director of impact

ALEX SMITH

Digital Marketing Manager

Alex, born a German-American in Venezuela, is passionate about transforming real-world challenges into impactful digital solutions. Since joining Many Hopes in August 2021, he has tirelessly worked to grow a community committed to turning oppression into opportunity. As a Marketing Director, his expertise from years in digital marketing campaigns is invaluable in creating exponential impact for children. Alex thrives on fostering environments of respect, unity, and motivation. Outside work, he loves immersing himself in diverse cultures, diving, and spending time with his loved ones.

CHRISTINA VAN ESSEN

Key Relationship Manager

Christina leads the Future100 initiative at Many Hopes, creating a community where visionary business leaders grow their philanthropy alongside their businesses. Her journey with Many Hopes began after a transformative trip in 2024, where she met Ghana partner lead, Dr. James Kofi Annan. Christina is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Public Relations and specialized training in media analytics and business. In 2019, she cycled 1,700 miles with Pedal the Pacific, establishing a quarter-million-dollar scholarship fund for survivors of trafficking to receive care. Her contributions to the nonprofit sector in Austin earned her recognition on Ad 2 Austin’s 32 Under 32 list in 2021.

Sarah Brown

Special Projects Manager

Sarah was first introduced to Many Hopes in 2008, became a volunteer, and joined as a staff member in 2015.  Having worn a few different hats for the organization, she now produces events and manages special projects for Many Hopes.  She strongly believes that is no greater work than fighting for children, and is grateful for the opportunity to do so.  When she isn’t working for Many Hopes, she produces events in Austin, TX. She also spends a great deal of time chasing after her young and carefree boys.

Julia Bhansali

Donor Relations manager

Julia first entered the working world as a model, traveling internationally for 4 years while getting a B.S. in communication online. She moved to NYC in 2021 and was introduced to Many Hopes shortly after. Her enthusiastic and energetic approach to life and passion for people led her into the world of donor relations. She is passionate about connecting our supporters to the good things they are making happen, and she would tell you the greatest joy of her job is to meet the people who make the work of Many Hopes possible.

MEET OUR BOARD

  • In the USA we are a 501(c) 3. In the UK we’re a registered charity. 

  • We have governing boards in both the USA and the UK and fundraising boards in NY and London.

GOVERNING BOARD
NEW YORK BOARD
LONDON BOARD

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MEET US

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CONTACT US

info@manyhopes.org
+18482787245
255 West 93rd Street
#1N
New York, NY 10025

5 Red House Lane
Bristol
BS9 3RY


GOVERNING BOARD

MAXINE FRIEDMAN – BOARD CHAIR

Founder and Principal, Maxine Ventures

A Silicon Valley native, Maxine Gisinger Friedman has over 20 years of leadership experience in strategic consulting, executive coaching, business development, and marketing at consulting, agency, startup, and Fortune 500 companies. Maxine is Principal and Founder of Maxine Ventures and plays an independent C-level growth and transformation partner role working with Chief Innovation, Strategy and R&D Officers of some of the world’s leading brands.

A sought-after thought leader on building growth capability strategies and systems at the enterprise level, Maxine also advises multiple startups and is an active angel investor. Prior, Maxine was on the co-founding leadership team of Bionic, an army of entrepreneurs that installs a Growth Operating System that creates a permanent, always-on capability for organic and inorganic growth. As SVP at Bionic, she built and led the Partner and Services team as well as led enterprise partnerships for brands including P&G, Nike, Anheuser-Busch and TD Ameritrade.

A seasoned entrepreneur, Maxine helped build multiple startups (Contently, Syncapse, Clickable, Brandimensions) and always played an early cofounding leadership team role. Maxine earned dual MBAs from Columbia University and London Business School and B.S. in Journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Maxine and her family are currently based in the Hamptons after 20 years in NYC.

Carolyn Rossi Copeland

Executive Producer

Carolyn Rossi Copeland founded award-winning Lambs Theatre in 1978 where she was producing director until 1997. She produced more than 50 Off-Broadway plays and musicals. She was VP of Creative Affairs for Radio City Entertainment/MSG, where she oversaw the Broadway reincarnation of The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Wizard of Oz tour, and A Christmas Carol. She returned to reopen the Lambs after 9/11 until it was sold in 2006. She produced the hit Freud’s Last Session which played NYC for two years, Chicago. and LA. It is now a major motion picture starring Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode to be released by SONY Classics Spring 2024. She produced the Broadway Musical Amazing Grace which also toured the US. She serves as Executive Producer of Strouse IP, where she manages all the musicals of Charles Strouse. including ANNIE -BYE BYE BIRDIE etc. www.strouseip.com

Carolyn is currently Executive Producer of the MGM WB musical SUMMER STOCK. After its’ success at Goodspeed Opera house she is now looking to move it to Broadway. Married to Architect James Masson Copeland, together they have 4 daughters, 3 granddaughters and 2 more on the way! To God be the Glory, great things He has done!

Nitin Gambhir

Founder and CEO, Tethys Group of Companies

Nitin Gambhir is the founder of Tethys group of companies.  Mr. Gambhir is also the founder and chairman of Oceanus Securities. Nitin has been a passionate supporter of art both as a collector and a sponsor.   The Tethys Art platform was created to promote his two passions: Transformative Art and art genre explorations. Nitin collects and supports Transformative Art that is unafraid, breaks boundaries and is likely to actuate and sustain innovation.  Nitin is also deeply interested in exploring the interplay between disparate artists and art genres and uncovering the connections that bind and connect them.

Nitin has a Bachelors from the Indian Institute of Technology and a Masters from Yale University. He is a member of the board of several charitable organizations and the Yale School of Management and Yale International Center of Finance. He is passionate about charitable efforts promoting art, education and governance.

Kenneth F. Kroner

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Kenneth F. Kroner, PhD, retired as a Senior Managing Director at BlackRock in 2016. He ran BlackRock’s multi-asset business and their systematic active equity business, and served as a member of their Global Executive Committee and Global Operating Committee. Prior to that, he was an economics and finance professor at the University of Arizona.

Ken serves or has served on various academic boards, foundation boards, corporate boards and academic journal editorial boards. His family’s philanthropic work focuses on education and on social justice and human trafficking causes. Ken served as the global chair of UC San Diego’s recent capital campaign, which raised over $3b in philanthropic gifts.

NELSON MILLS

Columbia Property Trust, Chairman of the Board

Nelson has more than 30 years of experience in the real estate investment and financial services industries. He is responsible for overall strategy, operations, and financial performance of Columbia Property Trust, a $6 billion public real estate owner/operator. He also serves as a director on the Columbia Board. Prior to joining Columbia in 2010, he served for five years as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Williams Realty Advisors, LLC, managing and advising a series of real estate investment funds.

Previous roles included CFO of Lend Lease Real Estate Investments and Partner at KPMG LLP. He received a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee and an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia. Nelson and his wife, Judy, live adjacent to Madison Square Park in New York City.

Bo Han

Founder and CEO, Buzzer

Bo Han is a follower of Christ and the founder and CEO of Buzzer, a mobile platform for short-form live sports partnering with the NBA, WNBA, PGA TOUR, NHL, DAZN and FanDuel.

Prior to founding Buzzer, Bo led Twitter’s efforts in Global Live Sports Content Partnerships, and was responsible for driving partnerships with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and PGA and broadcasters ESPN, FOX, NBC and Turner.

Before joining Twitter in 2012, Bo started in the industry as a Global Account Director at Microsoft Corporation in New York, working with key and strategic global partners.

Bo received his Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and earned his MBA at Columbia Business School in New York, New York.

Matt Williams

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Matt Williams has worked in theater, film and television as a writer, director, and producer. Television: Creator of Roseanne, co-creator of Home Improvement, The Cosby Show, A Different World, The Conners, Soul Man, Costello, Carol & Company, Buddies, Thunder Alley, and Ready, Jet, Go! Film: Where the Heart Is, What Women Want, What Men Want, The Keeping Room, Bernie, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, Walker Payne, Firelight, and As Cool As I am. Theatre: Actually, We’re F*cked; Bruce Lee Is Dead and I’m Not Feeling Too Good Either, Jason and the Nun, and Between Daylight and Boonville; Open Heart (directed), Camping with Henry and Tom (produced), and The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (produced). He is a founding board member of The New Harmony Project, and The Cherry Lane Theatre. Matt is currently an adjunct associate professor at Columbia University School of the Arts Theatre Program, and lives in New York with his wife, actress Angelina Fiordellisi.

Kathleen Boord

COO, Scenic Advisement

Katie first learned of Many Hopes in 2019 and was immediately struck by its bold mission and long-term impact. With a background leading operations across tech and investment banking, she brings a strategic lens to the board—helping shape how Many Hopes scales its work and deepens its reach. Katie believes that meaningful change starts with individual action and that the ripple effects of empowering children can transform entire communities for generations. She lives just north of San Francisco in Marin County with her teenage daughter and son, and recharges through CrossFit, trail runs, yoga, and travel.

UK GOVERNING TRUSTEES

David Scott

Alice Scott

Victoria Thompson

NEW YORK BOARD

Scott Springfield (Chair)

Citigroup, Vice President 

Scott comes to New York by way of Atlanta, Georgia, where he studied engineering at The Georgia Institute of Technology and subsequently received an MBA from Emory University. Scott spent his early career in consulting for hospitals and clinics around the U.S., which led him to build and lead a volunteer-based nonprofit organization focused on raising money and awareness for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

After moving to New York in 2013 to pursue a career in finance, Scott was introduced to Many Hopes and its mission to rescue, educate, and advocate for vulnerable children. Having lived abroad in India and witnessed first hand the plight of orphaned children on the streets of New Delhi, and the cycle of poverty, crime, and abuse in which they become trapped, he was immediately drawn to the importance of the Many Hopes mission and the impact it could create.

Elena Ulansky

Partner, Gorlin Companies

Elena Ulansky is a Partner at Gorlin Companies, a single-family office focused on the Biotechnology and Medical Technology sectors. With over 12 years of Wall Street experience, she excels at building investor relationships and driving strategic growth. Elena is also passionate about the arts, founding the Tethys Art Gallery in Southampton, NY, and holds a Master of Fine Arts from the New York Academy of Art. Introduced to Many Hopes in 2019, Elena was immediately drawn to its mission of helping children and became involved in organizing events and bringing in new donors. Her travels to India and Africa further fueled her commitment to addressing the challenges faced by children in poverty. Elena also serves on the boards of the Silverstein Dream Foundation and Angels Helpers NYC. Her leadership blends business expertise, artistic vision, and a deep dedication to philanthropy.

VANESSA LEONG

Deloitte, Senior Consultant

Vanessa has been part of Many Hopes since the very beginning and led our first online fundraising campaign in 2009. She was among the first group to visit our first partnership in Kenya several times and has been a volunteer leader in our Boston and New York chapters. Vanessa lived in Europe and Africa, where she spent 2 years in Lesotho working on HIV/AIDS service delivery for children before returning to the USA for a period in DC before moving to New York where she now lives. She is active in Church of the City and is a Chicago Bears fanatic.

Shubho Ghosh

Investor and Managing Director

Shubho Ghosh is an investor and Managing Director at a New York City based Hedge Fund, and lives in nearby Connecticut. He has 18+ years of Wall Street experience, and holds an MBA & MS from the University of Southern California (USC). Having grown up in many parts of India, lived some early years in Egypt, interned briefly in Ethiopia; and travelled around developing countries in Asia, he is drawn to impactful causes around international development and social work.

Haley Wright

Morrison & Foerster, Head of Strategic Communications and Content Marketing

Haley currently works in marketing and communications for the legal industry. She enjoys helping organizations craft the stories that show the world who they are. Outside of work, you can find her working to raise awareness of the ways that we can all get involved in caring for orphans and children in foster care. Haley is passionate about helping vulnerable children feel that they are wanted and belong.

Emily Lanfear

Emily is the founder of The Parity Company, a social good advisory and philanthropy enterprise that helps purpose driven brands design and launch social impact initiatives. Prior to founding Parity, Emily spent 11 years at Twitter leading various partnership functions. Emily began her career working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, after a volunteer experience in rural Kenya sparked a passion for global development work at a young age. When she was introduced to Many Hopes in 2015 she was immediately inspired by the mission. She’s been involved in various capacities ever since, and has been fortunate to return to Kenya several times to spend time with the Many Hopes kids there.

Heather McCormick

Google, Marketing Manager

Heather is a Global Marketing Manager at Google, responsible for building learning and education campaigns for Google Cloud. Previously she worked in sales and marketing at Accenture, a global tech consulting company. In 2018, Heather got the opportunity to visit Many Hopes work in Mombasa Kenya, and the commitment to justice, education, and raising leaders really resonated with her. Since then, she has been supporting Many Hopes, mainly focused on brand strategy, marketing, communications, and staffing.

Spencer Chang

Spencer was introduced to Many Hopes by Vanessa after moving to NYC, after attending a few Many Hopes events a spur-of-the-moment opportunity to visit Many Hopes in Kenya showed him firsthand Many Hope’s mission for justice, education and impact. Spencer’s career is focused on the intersection of data and finance, previously in London running a Data Science team, and now back in NYC at a FinTech startup. Spencer received his MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a BA from Wheaton College(IL), he also serves as a mentor with Data Science for All, helping underrepresented communities by providing training and mentorship.

Julie Hamilton

Managing Director & Global Head of Communications

Since 2012, Julie has advised companies and investment firms on communications and investor relations strategy in connection with M&A transactions, initial public offerings, shareholder activism, and crises. Today she is the Global Head of Communications for L Catterton, a consumer investment firm. She has been involved with Many Hopes since 2023 and had the opportunity to visit our partner in Guatemala, cementing her passion for helping Many Hopes tell the stories of survivor-driven change.

LONDON BOARD

LYNN RAYNAULT

Segments of One, CEO and Co-founder

Lynn has over 20 years of experience in developing and delivering marketing and communication strategies for luxury goods and services organizations. Lynn is the former CMO for Wealth-X and prior to that, she led the marketing function for Sotheby’s auction house as VP Americas Marketing. Earlier in her career she held senior marketing positions at Lancome, William Grant & Sons and Heineken and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. Lynn joined the UK Many Hopes board in 2017 “Education is the universal foundation for building better societies. By advocating and educating underprivileged children, Many Hopes sets the foundation for the future through a new set of influencers”.

WILL GOODALL

Head of Research for a US-headquartered hedge fund.

Will has headed up the research function at a large US hedge fund for seventeen years. Will has family links to Kenya and has supported other charities there. He joined the Many Hopes board after attending a fundraiser in London. “The urgent need to support these kids around the world is indisputable, and the vision and model of Many Hopes to equip children to change their situation and in turn contribute to effecting change in their societies is exciting,” he commented.

VICTORIA THOMPSON – CHAIR

Barclays UK Consumer Banking, Chief of Staff

Victoria has a Consulting background with over 20 years’ experience working on global Business Transformation programs focusing on M&A and Outsourcing deals. Victoria has also worked in the, not for project sector where she was the COO for a global Christian Charity. She joined the Many Hopes UK Board in 2017 and is passionate to see the local children we support to defeat the injustices that charity alone cannot

LAURA BAILEY

Actor

Laura is based in London. She holds a BA from Stanford University and an MSc from the London School of Economics in Development Studies. She worked for non-profits in Bangkok, Thailand, and New York that focused on economic empowerment in low-income countries. As a mom of two young children, she feels passionate about the Many Hopes mission to rescue children from poverty and abuse.

ANOUSHKA RAYNER

Paxos, Head of Growth

Anoushka Rayner has 25 years of experience in the finance industry, predominantly managing global sales and business development teams in Financial technology. Having worked at HSBC, UBS, NEX and now Fintech company Paxos. She holds an Executive Masters in Entrepreneurship.

“After attending a fundraising event in 2017, I wanted to do more. Education brings change, caring about others fuels passion to make that change. The team at Many Hopes enables that change but the children of Many Hopes are creating it.”

SIMON HAMMERSTEIN

GIVE IN STOCK

We’re able to accept donations in the form of stock, government (including municipal) debt and corporate debt. This can be arranged from most brokerage accounts.

Please contact donations@manyhopes.org for more information on making a stock donation

JANE

While he was alive, Zawadi’s father worked hard. He had a good job that provided for his family, and though it was sad for his wife and four children when he passed away, they had means to survive.

They never expected what happened next. Zawadi’s relatives laid claim to all her father had left them, stealing their home and forcing Zawadi and her family out onto the streets.

Zawadi’s mother was too sick to fight; later, Zawadi would find out she was suffering from tuberculosis. At the tender age of five, Zawadi was sent to work on local farms, scrounging for what little she could get. As the eldest of her siblings, she was the family’s only hope for food.

Without access to medication, Zawadi’s mother soon died. Now all the siblings had were each other.

One night when the siblings were sleeping by the side of the road, a House Mother from our partners in Kenya spotted them. She notified the center’s legal team who intervened. Zawadi and her siblings were brought in and cared for; she and her sisters were given a safe home, access to food, and enrolled in school.

Now, Zawadi is entering her final year at the competitive Strathmore University in Nairobi, one of the very best universities in East Africa. She’s studying business and is developing a tech startup that aims to create local jobs in Nairobi for kids forced to live on the streets. She hopes this will allow them to save up for their education.

Zawadi is strong, powerful, and confident, and an advocate for those who need it most.

“Once you’re educated, you’re free” Zawadi says, now on the cusp of graduating. “This is the only thing. Knowledge, nobody will take knowledge from you. Everything they may take, but your knowledge is yours.”

“I have met people, I have listened to people speak, and I get information every time which is helping me move forward with my life… Most people who do not have access to education, once they’re given the opportunity, they do so well.”

SANTI

Come, the man said. Have a meal.

Santi, age eleven, squinted his eyes and looked into the man’s face. The man seemed earnest, but was he telling the truth?

Santi had heard stories about other children on the streets, children who followed strangers like this and were forced into lives of servitude.

Just then Santi’s stomach rumbled. Hunger shot through him like he’d swallowed knives.

There had been few cars to wash this week and he had not been able to buy food. Ever since he’d left his mother to find work in the city of Quetzaltenango, he’d counted on washing cars to make a few pennies. At night he slept in boxes with other children. They’d all left even worse conditions at home, but it was hard to convince themselves that this was any better.

The man waited patiently. Santi couldn’t think anymore. The hunger was making him sick. He nodded, and the man smiled. Santi followed him, hoping he was doing the right thing.

Luckily, the stranger was trustworthy: he brought Santi to our partners in Guatemala who not only gave him food but his very own bed and a place in school.

Santi put on weight and started to excel in his classes. He graduated middle school, then high school. Before, Santi had been part of the staggering 61% of children in Guatemala forced to drop out of school, but now he became part of an even more unique statistic: he entered the 1% of those in Gautemala who go on to earn a university degree. He did so with a scholarship earned through his academic achievement.

Today, Santi is a middle school teacher. He could choose to be anywhere, but he’s back at the same school that took him in when he needed it most, teaching eleven year olds that their lives count and that they, too, deserve a seat at the table.

QASIM

He’s an uncle, Qasim’s mother said, a distant uncle, so be on your best behavior and he’ll send you to school and make sure you’re always fed.

Food and an education were more than Qasim’s mother could give him, and even at the tender age of six Qasim knew he had to be brave. So when a man he’d never seen before picked him up from home to bring him to his far away relative, Qasim agreed. He hugged his mom and said he’d be good. He didn’t even cry when he said goodbye- he didn’t want to worry her. Qasim knew she was sending him away because a better life was ahead.

Yet the man never brought Qasim to his family. Instead, he was driven for hours to a lake where he was put on a boat. Then he was told to jump deep into the murky water to untangle fishing nets until his fingers cramped. This went on for hours.

That day, Qasim was trafficked. He stopped being a child as he became one of thousands of children forced to become the tiny, beating hearts sustaining the fishing industry on Lake Volta.

At first, Qasim thought he might be returned to his mother if he only worked hard enough and stayed alive. But nine years later, he was still on the lake, hauling nets, sick from hunger and trying to suppress years of abuse as he turned fifteen. Beatings with paddles had become routine; his hearing was permanently damaged from deep diving into the water to retrieve nets, and his body was covered in open wounds.

Qasim was rescued in March. He was given immediate medical care for his malnourishment and wounds, and then diagnosed with and treated for PTSD.

Finally, he was enrolled in school and began to receive the education he was promised so long ago.

Eager to catch up with peers he now calls friends, Qasim is taking night classes along with his daytime ones- he’s one of the most enthusiastic students at the center, and he’s known and loved by all who meet him. He’s first to volunteer when someone needs help and he plays soccer with the same kind of enthusiasm he brings to art class.

Qasim is thriving and finally, he’s home.

Amina

At age 11, Amina thought that nothing could be worse. The pain she felt when she lost her mother was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Every morning she woke up forgetting it had happened, and every morning the realization hit her like bricks. Her mother was dead. She would never hear her voice again, or see her smile, or run into her arms when her stomach rumbled from hunger. Somehow, her mother had made everything better and now she was gone.

Amina’s father was grief stricken but at least he and Amina had each other as they struggled to survive.

Then the unthinkable happened: a year later, Amina’s father died too. She was an orphan.

Amina briefly went to live with her sister, who was unable to pay the bills to keep her in school. So Amina went to work on a farm where she was paid next to nothing. The girls around Amina didn’t go to school either. Often married very young and giving birth to many children, it was clear they would never see the inside of a classroom again.

Amina’s elderly, impoverished grandfather intervened and insisted on taking her in. Though he could barely feed himself, never mind a growing child, he recognized that Amina was gifted. He knew that if she could only get an education, it would sustain her after he was gone. He was determined that she would go to school. Mustering all the fight he could, he got Amina to our partners in Malawi.

Amina was given a place at school and just as her grandfather predicted, she rose to the top of her class. With the consistency of a safe, happy life in the dorms and access to food and care, she was able to focus on her studies. Amina excelled. She went on to win a place at one of the top girls’ boarding schools in Malawi on academic merit and continued to flourish.

Seven years have passed since Amina arrived at our partner organization in Malawi and since then, her family’s dreams and her own have come true. Amina is now applying to nursing school so that she can become a midwife. She’s determined to give children who don’t have a mother the kind of love she got from her own.

Thanks to the love, care, and education that intervened in her own life, Amina is well on her way.

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