Our learning support and mentoring programs in 90 Australian communities directly help children in need achieve their goals through education.
View all programs The incredible power of a sponsor's kind words
17 February 2022
A letter to a sponsored child is a powerful thing. Recently, a surprise letter from a sponsor to their student had a huge impact.
The letter to Learning for Life student, Yvonne, age 11, arrived by post. It was a lovely surprise. The letter was jam packed with encouragement and kind words. Yvonne was thrilled. She took it to her Learning Club to show her friends and tutors. She – and all the other students – decided to write to their sponsors to show their gratitude.
The letter to Learning for Life student, Yvonne, age 11, arrived by post. It was a lovely surprise. The letter was jam packed with encouragement and kind words. Yvonne was thrilled. She took it to her Learning Club to show her friends and tutors. She – and all the other students – decided to write to their sponsors to show their gratitude.
The group wrote and decorated beautiful cards. They enclosed a form where they’d written their ideal jobs. “Yvonne has big dreams. She wants to be a policewoman. Or a doctor,” Yvonne’s mum Safi says.
Yvonne has been taking steps to make this dream a reality, by showing up each week for homework help that makes a lasting difference to her learning. It’s thanks to her sponsor that Yvonne can attend her Learning Club to get help with reading, writing and spelling.
Yvonne has been taking steps to make this dream a reality, by showing up each week for homework help that makes a lasting difference to her learning. It’s thanks to her sponsor that Yvonne can attend her Learning Club to get help with reading, writing and spelling.
This has given her the chance to share positive experiences with other students too, like getting a letter from her sponsor. Before Yvonne received support through The Smith Family, living near the poverty line meant that school essentials were out of reach. A sponsor changed that.
“We’ve been able to buy uniforms, books, and school shoes,” says her mum Safi. “It’s really good.”
Safi says life today would be very hard without a sponsor.
“At Learning Club, Yvonne has been doing really well with reading and writing. She told me she’s enjoying it. Yvonne knows she has a sponsor – and that’s wonderful.”
Thank you to Yvonne’s sponsor for making an incredible difference in her education. You have also brought joy and inspiration to her entire Learning Club!
Read more student and family stories in our Autumn 2022 edition of Real People, Real Stories.
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