Asia

ActionAid child sponsorship is a lifeline to communities we support around the world. To celebrate the generosity and commitment of our supporters, we asked some of our sponsors and local staff what child sponsorship means to them. Their responses were pretty amazing, and just go to show how sponsorship is one of the loveliest ways to enter into the spirit of giving and make a difference this Christmas.

How do you cope with losing a child? It’s a question that no parent should have to answer. When Mehreunnessa’s son was murdered in 2011, she felt her life was over. But the Bangladeshi mum found love and hope again in a place that few people would choose to look. She got a job at Happy Homes, an ActionAid-funded rescue home for street girls in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Every day Mehreunnessa, 52,  helps girls to rebuild their lives. In exchange, they’ve given her a new reason to carry on with hers. Read on to find out how. 

Imagine how difficult life might be without roads, safe bridges, electricity and sanitation.​ In Myanmar, local midwife Naw Nat Paw used to struggle to reach her patients because the main bridge in their area had become too dangerous to cross. But thanks to support from ActionAid child sponsorship, the community has been able to work together to build a strong new bridge that has transformed their lives.

Today marks the Global Day of Parents – a day to celebrate families across the world. It also gives us an opportunity to reflect on the incredible mums we work with. Many parents know all too well how difficult it is to juggle a career with childcare. We're working with Nepalese mums to address this issue.

Today marks one year since the people of Nepal suffered the catastrophic death and destruction caused by the first of two massive earthquakes.

Monday 25th April marks 12 months since the first of two earthquakes hit Nepal, claiming over 8,000 lives, destroying over 600,000 homes and causing pain and loss that cannot possibly be measured in numbers. The spirit and determination of Nepalese people to recover and rebuild has been remarkable though.Thanks to your support ActionAid has been able to help hundreds of families to rebuild their homes and livelihoods. We spoke to some of the women we've been helping to learn how they are getting on, one year on.