(From fifth left) Leong and Di, with sponsors, ambassadors and advocates.
IN many impoverished and marginalised communities, girls are often forced to drop out of school to work, while others are made to marry and bear children before they are physically or emotionally ready.
But education is the catalyst for change.
The transformative power of education through child sponsorship is played out most evidently in the life of Di, a 21-year-old Hmong girl from the Tua Chua district of Vietnam.
Tua Chua is one of the 74 poorest districts in Vietnam and early marriage is common among girls.
Many girls only attend school until they are 10 years old then drop out to help their family with farm work while waiting to be married off.
Most of Di’s female relatives were married at 14 or 15 years old, and became mothers soon after.
Di almost followed the same path. Familial pressure on her to drop out was great but she persisted, determined to remain in school.
The inevitable came when she was 14, but thanks to the timely intervention and practical assistance offered by World Vision staff and the non-governmental organisation’s (NGO) local partners, Di’s parents agreed to let her return to school.
Today, Di is the first person from her village to go to university.
She is now a second-year student at Hanoi National University of Education, pursuing her dream of becoming a preschool teacher.
To highlight the transformative power of child sponsorship, World Vision Malaysia invited Di to Malaysia where she shared her story at its “Weekends with World Vision: 1,000 Girls, 1,000 Futures” event at The Gardens Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
“I am grateful to World Vision and my sponsor. Without them, I would not have all the opportunities I’ve had, much less being able to travel to Malaysia and to stand before you today to share my humble story.
“I hope more girls will be given the same opportunities so they can live a life full of possibilities,” said Di.
World Vision Malaysia chief executive officer Terry Leong said: “We are particularly proud of Di’s story as it exemplifies the power of education and child sponsorship.
“Tua Chua is one of the communities supported by World Vision Malaysia. As a member of that community, Di participated in our child sponsorship programme.
“That served as the springboard of change for her and her community.”
Leong said education was a fundamental right that every child deserved.
“Sadly, this is often not the case, particularly for girls.
“Millions of girls are denied equal access to quality education just because they are girls,” she said, adding that barriers to education that girls faced included poverty, child marriage and gender-based violence.
“Every girl deserves the chance to dream, to learn, and to realise her full individual potential.
“And, we can do this through child sponsorship where girls will be provided with the resources they need to overcome barriers and achieve their goals.
“Together, we can create a future where girls can thrive,” said Leong.
World Vision Malaysia, through its 1,000 Girls campaign, encourages individuals and organisations to join hands with the NGO to find sponsors for 1,000 girls.
Leong hoped to achieve their target of getting sponsors by Oct 11, which is the International Day of the Girl.
“Sponsorship changes lives and allows a girl and her community to break free from the constraints of poverty,” he said.
For details, visit worldvision.com.my/en/sponsor-a-child/sponsor-1000-girls
