Semere is a 9-year-old boy who lives with his two siblings and parents in southern Ethiopia. Though Semere’s mother sells fruit at a local market, his father, Abal, struggles to find work, and the family lives in extreme poverty. Because they are unable to afford even the most basic necessities, the family lives with Abal’s brother and are financially dependent on him.

Four years ago, Semere entered Holt’s child sponsorship program, and through the support of Holt sponsors and donors, he is able to attend a Holt-supported Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program near his home. While at school, Semere has the opportunity to learn to read and write, play and develop social skills, eat a nutritious meal and have access to clean drinking water. He receives a critical early education in a safe and nurturing environment, at no cost to his family. His mother, Wubete, also derives benefits from the program, as she is given vegetable seedlings to grow for the family and additional business training. Both the educational foundation that Semere receives — and the business training his mother acquires — have the power to help the family break the cycle of poverty.

Last August, however, Semere had an unfortunate setback that could have been catastrophic for his family. While playing with friends, the little boy was involved in a motorbike accident, which resulted in a serious fracture to his leg — a fracture that would require surgery. Because Semere’s family could not afford the costs of an operation, Holt Ethiopia stepped up to cover his medical fees and those of his follow-up care, thanks to support from Holt sponsors and donors. Over the course of several months, Semere has had many treatments and procedures, including the placement of temporary metal supports in his leg. For a time, he was unable to walk or go to school.

But since last summer, Semere has made great progress and is on the path to a full recovery. He and his family are hopeful that in the coming months, he’ll be able to return to school full time and resume a normal life. Semere’s mother believes that none of this would have been feasible without the support from Holt. “I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Holt, who has made this life-changing medical assistance possible for my son,” she says. “Without Holt’s support and generosity, getting my son’s health back — let alone continuing his education — would not have been possible.”

“Without Holt’s support and generosity, getting my son’s health back — let alone continuing his education — would not have been possible.”

Wubete, Semere’s mother

Across the world, Holt sponsors and donors continue to improve the lives of children who are vulnerable, orphaned or living in extreme poverty. Whether it’s paying for school fees and uniforms, helping parents gain access to financial training or contributing to critical medical care for little boys like Semere, your generosity changes lives. In Ethiopia, where a third of the population continues to live in poverty, families like Semere’s have the chance for a brighter future thanks to your care!

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Many children in Ethiopia are orphaned due to HIV or poverty, and have little to no access to medical care. Children living in poverty with their families also need food, clothing, education and more. Your gift will help a child or family in Ethiopia in greatest need.

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The post Broken Leg Healed appeared first on Holt International.

Lyam’s caregivers describe him as a happy child who is almost always in a cheerful mood. Our staff recently received videos of him happily playing alongside other children, being very talkative and practicing his language skills. We would love to share them with prospective adoptive parents!

Recent reports state that Lyam shows interest in peers’ activities and initiates greetings to familiar teachers and peers. He also enjoys observing in group activities and games. Although Lyam requires more guidance when explaining instructions, he can follow them well and has no problem taking turns with other children.

During a recent visit by his social worker, Lyam was excited to play house and pretend to cook and grocery shop with them. He was excited to talk about Peppa Pig, the characters and the story line with his social worker.

Lyam is developmentally delayed compared to peers. He is part of a resource class after school to aid in his development. Lyam needs a family who has access to educational and therapeutic support, to help him grow and reach his potential. The family must be well-versed in TBRI® to create an atmosphere of safety for Lyam. Lyam needs a family who also have plenty of time to devote to connecting and playing with him.

Lyam’s face is covered here due to country restrictions on privacy, but our staff have more photos and videos to share with prospective adoptive parents! If you think yours could be the right family for Lyam, please reach out to our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org.

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The post Lyam Needs a Family appeared first on Holt International.

Several weeks ago, my team and I returned from the Philippines where we met and assessed 40 children for our Special Needs Project. We sat down with each of these children one-on-one, learning about their needs, personalities and desire for an adoptive family. And now, we have six months to advocate for them to find a families.

These children were truly incredible, and it is our hope to find the right family for each one of them.

In our travels, we visited many different child caring agencies, and experienced so many wonderful aspects of these facilities and the Philippines adoption program. Below are three unique characteristics of this program that I hope will stand out to families interested in adopting a child from the Philippines.

Most of the children we met in the Philippines…

Have a Strong Faith

All children in child caring agencies in the Philippines are raised and educated in Christianity or Catholicism. Most have daily prayer and Bible education as part of their routine – this typically happens in the evenings as a whole group. Children raised in Catholic child caring agencies have received their rites (depending on their age). For most children, their faith is important to them and they pray for an adoptive family every night.

Can Speak English

All the children we met can speak at least some level of English! Many could complete our entire interview without the assistance of an interpreter. A lot of school is taught in English, so children also know how to read in English. For older children, having a good foundation of English really helps them when they are placed with an adoptive family in the U.S. Without a huge language barrier, it is easier for them to make friends at school, and express their needs and wants with their adoptive family.

Receive Mental Health Support

Every child we met has had a psychological exam completed and most have access to counseling at their child caring agency. This is unique from many other adoption programs. The counselors at these child caring agencies talk with the children about their previous life experiences, help the children learn how to cope with negative memories and feelings, give them tools for dealing with frustration, and talk with them about adoption. One child caring agency we visited is strictly for girls who experienced sexual abuse. This facility has counselors and social workers on staff who help the girls work through their experiences, help them with the prosecution of their abuser, and prepare them to live in a healthy family setting.

There were so many children who touched our hearts — and all of them are so needing and deserving of a loving family. The children we met are very familiar with adoption, and they have regular conversations about it with their caregivers. Each one of them is excited about the possibility of adoption, and many of them express their desire to be adopted one day.

“For most children, their faith is important to them and they pray for an adoptive family every night.”

If you or someone you know wants to learn more about the children we met, we would love to talk with you! We were able to gather lots of photos and information about each of them, and would love to share about their specific needs and personalities.

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The post 3 Things to Know About Philippines Older Child and Special Needs Adoption appeared first on Holt International.

High in the mountains of north Vietnam, Houa and her children were in crisis. Houa’s husband had just passed away from a brain tumor, leaving her the sole provider for her 4- and 5-year-old daughters, and 2-month-old son… Through her fresh grief and caring for her newborn baby, Houa didn’t know how she would provide for her children. 

Even before her husband passed away, life was difficult. Their home was a wooden structure with a dirt floor and leaky roof. Apart from their clothes, they had nearly no other possessions. The girls, Diep and Giang, didn’t have the supplies they needed for school, and they were often hungry. And at just a few months old, Bao was already malnourished. Houa and her husband had worked as farmers, growing cassava, corn and rice, but it was never enough to feed their family — let alone enough to sell to make an income.

Adding to their difficulties, the family belongs to the Hmong minority ethnic group, which is a people group and culture separate from the mainstream Vietnamese culture. Because of this, Houa and her family struggled to communicate in Vietnamese, lived far away from any city, and had limited access to services like healthcare and education.

“We became aware of this family due to their extremely challenging circumstances,” says Loan Nguyen, a case worker at Holt Vietnam.

Yet, when Loan first met Houa and her children, she also saw their resilience — and how with some extra support, they could be empowered to get back on their feet. 

Right away, Holt donors stepped in to help Houa and her children. They received emergency food, and other essentials to meet their basic needs. But they also received Gifts of Hope that would help them become stable and self-reliant in the long-term. One of the biggest, most helpful, gifts they received was two pigs!

These two pigs, with black hair and pink noses, live in a rectangle pigsty made of bricks and cement. Houa has diligently cared for the pigs and helped them grow, knowing that her time and resources would pay off.

And just last year, this came to fruition when the pigs had their first litter of piglets. Houa kept some of the piglets, and sold others to earn critical income for her family.

As Houa’s pigs have more piglets, their family will have a sustainable source of food, manure for their garden to flourish, and income from selling whatever piglets they don’t need themselves.

“This profit has allowed her to provide essential items such as food, meat and clothing for her children,” Loan says, “which is a positive step forward.”

Another new way Houa has worked to support her family is through learning to sew. Just last year, she found a local tailoring shop that produces traditional Hmong clothing. She’s learned how to stitch together and mend this clothing, and now earns an extra $100 a month for her family.

The reason Houa is able to hold this extra job is because of another help from Holt — daycare for her son, Bao.

While Houa works at the tailoring shop and her older girls are at school, Bao goes to a Holt-supported daycare where he receives nutritious meals, milk and support for his health. Today, at 4 years old, he is thriving in his development and early education. His big sisters are thriving too.

“The girls are not only academically excellent, but also possess talents that shine in their school activities,” Loan says. Diep has a beautiful singing voice and is the lead singer in her choir at school. Giang is excelling in her education, and is a leader among her peers.

Despite their intense hardship, all three children — and Houa — are doing well. They’re becoming more healthy, advancing in school and work, and growing in confidence that they can make it on their own.

And this is due in no small part to the generous Gifts of Hope they received in their greatest time of need.

“The family’s progress, no matter how small, is a testament to their determination and the support they have received,” Loan says. “It’s a hopeful sign for a brighter future.”

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The post Pigs to Overcome Poverty appeared first on Holt International.

Kevin is an empathetic, sweet and intelligent child who can adapt to any environment. His caregivers say he is resilient and so kind! Kevin loves arts and crafts. Painting, playing with playdough and drawing are his favorite creative activities. Kevin easily gives and receives affection from familiar caregivers, and he loves to be cuddled. Developmentally, he is making progress. He currently receives therapy and other support to aid in his development. Kevin needs a family with access to excellent medical care who can give him the focus and nurturing care he needs to thrive! Kevin also needs a family who can communicate with him in Spanish and who is familiar with TBRI®.

Kevin’s face is covered here due to country restrictions on privacy, but our social workers have more photos and videos to share of this sweet little guy! If you would like to learn more about Kevin, please email our waiting child team at waitingchild@holtinternational.org.

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The post Kevin Needs a Family! appeared first on Holt International.

Zayn is nine years old and he has lived with the same foster family for the last four years. Zayn’s caregivers describe him as outgoing, talkative, joyful and easy-going. His latest report says he is doing well in school. He has an earnest attitude towards learning, and he works hard at all his classes. Zayn also has perfect attendance! His favorite subjects include earth science and physical education. In his free time, Zayn enjoys playing basketball and riding bikes. He has a close bond with his foster father, where they enjoy laughing and being goofy with one another.

When Zayn is upset, he can explain why he is feeling down. He might feel sad because he has a lot of homework, or because he had a conflict with a friend. However, after speaking with his foster parents about the situation, he feels calm and comfortable again. Zayn needs a family who is committed to helping him regulate his emotions so he can navigate the world with a sense of belonging. Zayn wants a family of his own!

An ideal adoptive family for Zayn needs to understand the impacts of developmental trauma and multiple placements. The family should utilize TBRI® parenting techniques, especially connection before correction. If you are interested in learning more about Zayn, please email our waiting child team at waitinchild@holtinternational.org! Zayn’s face is covered here due to country restrictions on privacy, but our staff have more photos and videos to share with prospective families.

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The post Zayn Needs A Family! appeared first on Holt International.

China

As the Lunar New Year approaches, all of our programs China are preparing for the selection, purchase and distribution of children’s gifts for the Chinese New Year!  The Lunar New Year will be celebrated from February 10 — 24, in China. 

Colombia

Children at our local partner FANA’s nursery school returned from Christmas break and started the new school year. All children living at FANA and who attend the daytime nursery school participated in fun field trips, including a theater performance and going to the circus!

Ethiopia

Holt Ethiopia participated in a nationwide forum of nonprofits organized by the Ministry of Education and the Ethiopian government. They had the opportunity to share Holt’s Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) model and its best practices. These include strategies for scaling up, collaboration and sustainability.

India 

All of our local partners in India celebrated Republic Day, a national holiday commemorating India’s transition to a republic. Children got to join in the festivities, which fostered a sense of pride in their nation. Students in the basic education program made Indian flags, and they were hoisted across all centers to help instill a sense of patriotism. 

Thailand

Our local partners in Thailand organized a five day Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) training for all social workers. The goal was to increase their awareness and understanding of proven methods to work with children who are healing from trauma they experienced early in their life. These methods create a greater sense of their safety and support for these children. All the participants found the content extremely helpful and valuable!

Uganda

Holt Uganda conducted support visits to all eight ECCD centers, in preparation for the new academic year. They provided teachers a refresher training on the ECCD learning framework and lesson planning, and they also held caregiver meetings to reinforce school attendance and academic supports at home. 

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The post Notes from the Field: March 2024 appeared first on Holt International.

Akiki knows what it’s like to go without. She’s lived without enough food, without blankets for her bed, without school supplies and more. At a very young age, she even had to adjust to life without her parents.

When her parents separated, Akiki and her sister went to live with their grandmother. Their grandmother loved them, but she was elderly and her livelihood and food came from what she grew in her garden — and it didn’t give her nearly enough to feed and support her granddaughters. She didn’t even have enough income to send them to school. So she sent them to live with their father, who by this time had remarried.

Thankfully, the girls’ father and new stepmother were kind to them — taking them in and providing them with everything they could. And here, living in this new community they learned about Holt sponsorship.

When Akiki entered Holt’s sponsorship program and was matched with a Holt sponsor, her whole life changed. She and her sister received school supplies, uniforms, nutritious daily snacks and even regular vitamins and deworming medication at Holt Uganda’s Child Health Days.

Children’s Needs Met Through Holt Sponsorship

But like all children when they first enter our programs, Akiki and her family still lived in poverty. While sponsorship covered all of her basic needs of food, education and more, she and her family still went without certain things. Her clothes were getting too small and she had holes in her socks, she shared a blanket with her sister at night, and she very much relied on the food she received at school, since there wasn’t always enough to fill her tummy at home.

But last summer, Akiki’s sponsor decided to give an above-and-beyond gift. She gave Gifts of Hope that helped fill in the spaces where Akiki went without.

Akiki’s Sponsor Gave Gifts of Hope

When Akiki’s sponsor, Sandra, decided she wanted to go above and beyond for her sponsored child, she gave in faith, without even knowing how her gift would be used. All she knew was that she wanted to bless Akiki and her family in a big way.

“The additional gifts were sent because of our love and care for children in distress,” Sandra says. “Our hope for the family is they will have a better life.”

So Sandra tacked extra funds onto her monthly sponsorship gift. And when our team in Uganda received this gift, they knew exactly how to use it to best help Akiki.   

It was one Monday last summer, Akiki remembers, that she received these gifts from her sponsor. All at once, Akiki was gifted everything she needed: new clothes, a mattress and blankets, new shoes, a school bag, and her favorite gift of all — a cow!

A Cow, and Other Gifts to Overcome Poverty

Akiki and her family were overjoyed by these gifts. In an enthusiastic report back to her sponsor, Akiki shared how she was especially thankful for her cow!

“I received a gift of a calf, a new addition to my family,” Akiki says. “Sometimes I take time to play with the calf and I cannot wait for it to grow into a big cow and give us milk and other baby calves. With plenty of milk, I hope to make more money that will keep me and my siblings in school.”

Akiki’s father and stepmother’s house doesn’t have enough space for cow, so it’s being raised by her grandfather — who is making sure all the benefits of the cow come back to his grandchildren. Not only will their calf soon be able to provide nutritious milk to Akiki and her family, but any extra milk or calves they sell will provide income to help them purchase regular food, clothing and things the girls need for school.

Holt Uganda staff referred to the young cow as “good looking” — a testament to how well Akiki’s family is taking care of it. Every day they feed their cow fresh grass, matooke peels and plenty of water. They also use the cow’s manure in their garden, which has boosted their crop production. Their cow has given them so much hope for the future.

“I received a gift of a calf, a new addition to my family. Sometimes I take time to play with the calf and I cannot wait for it to grow into a big cow and give us milk and other baby calves. With plenty of milk, I hope to make more money that will keep me and my siblings in school.”

Akiki, Holt sponsored child in Uganda

While the cow was the most exciting part of the gift for Akiki, the other items are just as lifechanging. Her new clothes will fit her for months or even years to come, and she’s no longer cold at night with her new mattress and blankets. All of these gifts from her sponsor have blessed her, and are even inspiring her to do well in school.

“Every time I sleep on my new mattress with new bed sheets, I feel so happy,” Akiki says. “Daily I wake up so confident to go to school.”

Holt Sponsorship & Gifts of Hope Bless Children

Every day, Holt sponsors go above and beyond for their sponsored children, helping to fill in the gaps left by poverty. Sponsors provide nutritious daily food, clothing, medical care, educational support, school supplies and more — all gifts that help families overcome poverty, preventing family separation. Some sponsors, like Sandra, decide to help even more through Gifts of Hope or other special designated gifts to their sponsored children. And for the children on the receiving end of these gifts and faithful support, life is never the same. And like Akiki, they are so thankful.

“May God bless my sponsor and give her whatever she wants for her family,” Akiki says. “I love her and thank God for her!”

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The post Life Is Better With a Cow appeared first on Holt International.

Our Special Needs Project team is currently in the Philippines, meeting children to help them find adoptive families. In between long days of travel and assessing dozens of children, our social workers sent the following report — to share about the children who have especially touched their hearts.

By the end of our trip, we will have spent 12 days in the Philippines, traveling by car, ferry, van and plane to meet 42 children — in hopes of finding them loving, adoptive families once we return to the U.S.

Each of these 42 children has sat down with myself, Luisa or Brooke (all of us Holt social workers from our Special Needs Project [SNP] adoption team) while we conduct interviews and assessments, and gather photos and videos to try and get a true sense of their personality, strengths and needs.

We all have children who have especially touched our hearts — children we have cried after talking with because of how special they are, how much they desire an adoptive family to love and support them…

Some of the Children We’ve Met

I think of Bernila*, a 14-year-old girl who is very talented in music and art. She was initially shy, but started to open up after talking for a few minutes. She was very inquisitive and wanted to know all of our favorite things. She admitted that she is teased by the other children because of her acne and it makes her sad when that happens. She wants a family who enjoys traveling because she wants to travel the world.

Another child who Luisa fell in love with has been waiting for a family for such a long time. She has a significant medical condition that has made it more difficult to find a family for her in the past. But part of this is because families that have seen her on the special home finding list don’t have access to a full description of her condition or an updated picture of her. After spending time assessing and playing with this child, it’s clear that she is a true gift, has many talents, and does not allow her medical condition to get in the way of her love for life or faith in being adopted by the right family.

There was a sibling group of two boys where the younger boy has a medical condition and the older boy clearly loves and is protective of his little brother. The older brother describes trying to protect his brother from being teased by others and watched out for him while we visited them. You could see their loving bond just from how they looked at each other.

Another older girl we met was so friendly and engaged — such a sweet and giggly teenager who loves to talk with her friends and has a crush on a boy in her class. She has traumatic and sad memories of her life with her biological family, and desires a family where she can receive love and undivided attention.

The Children Waiting for Families

Each of the children we’ve met is such a joy! Because most of them speak English, we were able to talk with them with only minimal assistance from an interpreter. Some children are extremely outgoing and ready to engage with us, and others are very shy and reserved. They’re all very familiar with adoption and most have seen friends get adopted. Adoption is an everyday conversation these children have with their caregivers.

The children range in age from 4 to 15, with the majority being in the 10-12 age range. We have seen sibling groups and single children, children who wish to be an only child, some who want older siblings and others who want (and would thrive with) younger siblings. We met with two children who have very significant medical conditions, but who are so happy and wish to be with a family. Other sibling groups we’ve met all love each other and want to be placed together. There’s even a sibling group of six! The older children in the sibling groups know that it will take a unique family to move forward with their adoption, but they still have hope…

And that is exactly why our trip, and this adoption program, is so important: hope. As we return to the U.S. with in-depth information and photos of each child, it gives them greater hope of joining a family.

Adopting a Child From the Philippines SNP

Families who would be a good fit for adopting a child from this program should be understanding of developmentally appropriate pre-teen and teenage behaviors, be supportive of a child’s faith and how they choose to worship, and have a true commitment to lifelong parenthood. They need to be flexible, understanding, accepting, loving, good advocates, and have large toolbox of resources — as well as a great sense of humor! Ideal families will meet a child where they are at, can sustain delayed gratification when it comes to attachment, are invested in the Filipino culture, and will utilize TBRI in their parenting.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about any of the children we’ve met on our trip, we ask that you come to a Lunch and Learn to hear more about them. And please don’t hesitate to reach out to Luisa or Brooke if you see a child on the SNP photolisting that you feel a connection to — they’d love to tell you more about them!

*Name changed

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The post Children Who’ve Touched Our Hearts appeared first on Holt International.

Meet Rhett! Caregivers describe Rhett as a playful, confident, and happy young boy. He is said to be a leader among his peers. When Holt social workers met Rhett in person, he told them he wants to be adopted by a family. He hopes for an older brother, so they can play games together. He also mentioned that he would love to have a pet cat!

Rhett enjoys playing with cars and building Legos with his friends. He also likes watching cartoons, playing on the computer, and playing soccer. One of his favorite memories was visiting a local zoo. At the zoo, he got to see a tiger, his favorite animal!

Caregivers say Rhett enjoys learning new things and that he has a good memory. They also say Rhett tries hard to complete a task, and he can give and receive affection from familiar people. He is helpful and will regularly volunteer to help complete chores.

Rhett needs a family to adopt him who is familiar with institutionalization. Rhett’s prospective adoptive family should understand ADHD and utilize TBRI® techniques. He will need educational support to help him reach his potential. If you are interested in learning more about Rhett, please email us at waitingchild@holtinternational.org! Holt social workers have met Rhett in person and would love to share more about him with prospective families.

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The post Rhett Needs A Family! appeared first on Holt International.