Welcome to The Leap! Your monthly round-up of incredible stories of progress from around the world, made possible by you.
With lighter evenings and warmer weather brightening our days, it’s not just the flowers that are blossoming this month. Thanks to some super mums (and your support), children’s futures are too.
Scroll down to meet super-mums Nimia, Tunko and Rohima, and their wonderful families.
Nimia - The empanada entrepreneur
Photo credit: Adriana Loureiro Fernandez / Save The Children
11-year-old Jhon lives in the Potosì region of Bolivia. His father works in construction, but the family still struggle to afford the basics they need.
To provide for Jhon and his siblings, Nimia, Jhon’s mum (entrepreneur extraordinaire) set up her own baking business.
“My mum makes cakes when she gets orders, and she makes empanadas on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays”.
With a little support from Save the Children, Nimia attended workshops and got a new clay oven, and now her business is thriving.
Her advice for cake makers: "Use the right amount of ingredients. You have to be exact."
With the money Nimia makes, she has been able to start saving and was able to buy wool to knit Jhon this brand-new jumper.
Jhon says his jumper keeps him warm and comfortable when it gets cold at the high altitudes where they live.
This is the kind of change we love to see. Thank you for being part of it.
Photo credit: Adriana Loureiro Fernandez / Save The Children
How else your support is helping
Baya's shopping trip
Photo credit: Jonathan Hyams/Save the Children
“I was not able to control my joy!” says mum, Tunko* after her family got the Early Years Grant from Save the Children.
The mum of five moved to the UK from Gambia, and was able to take her son Baya shopping to buy essentials that they had no way of affording on their refugee allowance.
They were able to get food, pans, school uniforms and more after being referred by charity partner Oasis, who support refugees and asylum seekers in Cardiff.
Baya may only be one, but he’s already made lots of friends. “He’s like a celebrity”, says Tunko. He loves using toy pots to pretend he’s shopping (and balancing them on his head!), just like he did with his mum.
'Suchana' for Rohima
Photo credit: Fabeha Monir / Save The Children
Mum-of-three, Rohima, stands with her children Nafiz, 14 months, and Taiyeba, 10, outside their home in Bangladesh.
Rohima took part in our Suchana** programme and uses what she learnt to grow fruit and vegetables, rear ducks and make sure her children eat balanced meals.
With the extra money she makes from her produce, she pays for her children’s school fees.
Not in the news
Before 2013, there were no books available in Rwanda for 0–6-year-olds written in their own language - Kinyarwanda. Fortunately, some good progress has been made to make more available for children.
Now, there are over 200.
*Names have been changed to keep children and their families safe.
** 'Suchana' means new beginnings in Bangla.
