Welcome to The Leap! Your monthly round-up of incredible stories of progress from around the world, made possible by you.
Back in Gear
Sixteen-year-old Bea has always dreamed of becoming a mechanic. As she told us, “I’d never seen a female mechanic and wanted to be the first.”
When her mum died, Bea moved in with her grandma, who couldn’t afford to send her to school. For three years, Bea stayed home, watching other children chase their dreams.
Then she heard about Save the Children’s AXES-Filles programme, which was looking to help girls with vocational training. She jumped at the chance to sign up - starting with a literacy and numeracy course, then six months of mechanic training.
“When I started doing the training I felt so good, so happy,” she told us.
“When I’m doing mechanics, I feel very at ease. I want to become a real expert so people come to me more than anyone. People will see that this lady knows how to repair things!" Bea, 16. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Save the Children
Now, Bea works at a roadside garage with her friend Mado* - the only other female mechanic in the area. Mado, a single mum of one, has also been supported to train and now work through the AXE Filles programme.
As for the future, “I want to master the work and make lots of money and grow, so no man will bother me,” Bea says. And she hopes other girls will follow in her footsteps.
Thanks to supporters like you, Bea’s not just fixing engines – she’s firing up her future.
Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Save the Children
Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Save the Children
For girls in our community I would rather they learn a voca-For girls in our community I would rather they learn a voca-
tion like mechanics rather than be idle.
tion like mechanics rather than be idle.
Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Save the Children
How else your support is helping
Laura Pannack / Save the Children
When 14-year-old Fati lost his brother to measles, he made a promise that no more of his siblings would miss their vaccines.
So when Save the Children’s mobile clinic arrived in his Ethiopian village - motorbike, cold box and all - he made sure his baby brother Khalif got his first jab.
Over 100 children were vaccinated that day, with thousands more to follow through our partnership with GSK
The clinic in action
Maheder Haileselassie / Save the Children
Maheder Haileselassie / Save the Children
Maheder Haileselassie / Save the Children
When Asma’s son Ilyas was born with a visual impairment, she didn’t know where to turn. But a place at the Save the Children-supported nursery in Sheffield changed everything. With help from the nursery team and therapy specialists, Ilyas is now thriving - eating independently and exploring with his new walker. Now, he’s attending the local primary school.
This nursery is more than just a place to learn. It’s a lifeline for families - offering food parcels, hygiene packs, warm coats, and job support.
Parents have also set up a free weekly breakfast club, which offers a hot meal, a chance to make friends and get support from others.
Laura Pannack / Save the Children
Keep scrolling to see November's stunning Photo of the Month.
Conor Ashleigh / Save the Children
Justus, 8, holds a hornbill in his community in the Malaita Province, Solomon Islands. Climate change is threatening his way of life, but Save the Children is helping families like his fight back through beekeeping. The bees pollinate the mangrove trees which protect against rising sea levels, and the honey provides a sweet new income for parents.
*Names changed to keep children and their families safe.
