Welcome to The Leap! Your monthly round-up of incredible stories of progress from around the world, made possible by you.
Scroll down to meet Nay Min from Myanmar and hear about how we've been supporting his family since the earthquake earlier this year destroyed their home.
You can also tuck in to some good news about free school meals in the UK and a recently re-opened school in Ukraine.
Myanmar earthquake: 6 months on
This is 12-year-old Nay Min*. He was on Inle Lake with his family on 28th March this year when the earth shook and his home collapsed. Like thousands of others, he was left to face monsoon season without shelter or clean water.
“It was very scary, all my schoolbooks and bag were lost in the water.” Photo credit: Save the Children
Within days, Save the Children in Myanmar had helped more than 100,000 people, including children like Nay Min. With donations from generous supporters like you, we provided food, clean water and shelter.
Now our focus turns to the future. We’re giving children like Nay Min mental health support to process what happened that day and learning kits to get their education back on track. The kits included a school bag, notebooks, pencils and pens, rulers and t-shirts.
We also provided cash assistance, so that Nay Min's family can buy what they need.
How else your support is helping
Photo credit: Kate Stanworth / Save the Children
Kyrylo* and Yevhen*, both 16, are in their final year of school in Ukraine.
With support from people like you, Save the Children was able to make this shelter in the school fit for purpose, so the boys and 1,500 other kids could get back to school.
We also provided the older children with cameras, asking them to take pictures of what they appreciate the most about their school.
Despite what’s going on outside the classroom walls, Kyrylo says “For me, school now is like the second home.”
Photo credit: Kate Stanworth / Save the Children
We’re over the moon to see the Prime Minister commit to expanding free school meals to all children from families on Universal Credit.
Half a million more kids will now have a hot, nutritious meal to help them focus on learning.
Save the Children has been campaigning for years for this, so it’s a huge victory for amazing supporters like you, and – most importantly - the parents who campaigned tirelessly to get this on the table.
Keep scrolling to see September's stunning Photo of the Month and meet 14-year-old Ahmed* and his family, who live in Basra, Iraq.
Photo of the Month
Photo credit: Emily Garthwaite
14-year-old Ahmed* lives in Basra, Iraq, with his family. He likes playing football with his friends and helping his dad take care of their goats and chickens.
But climate change is killing animals and crops which means less income for the whole family. Ahmed is worried about his future, concerned that if the situation continuous, he might have to drop out of school, and won't fulfill his dream of being an engineer.
Save the Children is working with families including Ahmed’s to provide mental health, social and financial support to help turn their situation around, including supporting them to access government grants.
With people like you in their corner, Ahmed, Nay Min and Kyrylo have a brighter future ahead.
We can’t thank you enough for that.
*Names changed to keep children and their families safe.
