On a beautiful August day in Cambodia, ten-year-old Siphan and her friends gathered excitedly in a hall for a special event. The children were there to choose the person or family who would become their sponsor.
After picking a photo from rows of photos hung on pegs at the end of the hall, Siphan wrote her first letter to her sponsor – the person she wanted to include in her life story: “Hello, Tan Chiu Si, I chose you because you are very cute!”
A few weeks later, Kuala Lumpur-based Tan Chiu Si and her friends also gathered in a hall. This time, the group of them gathered in anticipation of receiving their Chosen envelope.
When Chiu Si opened her envelope and saw a picture of the child that chose her along with a handwritten letter, she couldn’t contain her joy. “This is my sponsored child, Siphan,” she beamed proudly. “And when she grows up, she wants to be a teacher, just like me.”
Chiu Si has always wanted to support children in need through World Vision so when her pastor shared about Chosen at church one Sunday, she jumped at the opportunity and signed up immediately. “I decided to sign up to be chosen because I wanted to give children the choice to choose. It is a real honour to be chosen by Siphan. I want to watch her grow up and accompany her through all the milestones in life. I hope she will grow up happy and healthy.”
When asked if she had anything to tell the young girl, Chiu Si said: “I’m so happy you want to be a teacher to help others. I wish you all the best!”
Siphan lives in the Rovieng 2 Area Programme in Cambodia. The Area Programme is situated in a heavily forested, remote province, and the community’s main income source is agricultural farming. Access to clean water, low school enrolment rate and high prevalence of child malnutrition are among the main issues the community face. With Chiu Si's sponsorship, Siphan can look forward to a better future and achieve her dreams!
Chosen puts a simple twist on the traditional model of our Child Sponsorship Programme. For the first time in over 70 years, children are given the power to choose their sponsor, the person they want to invite into their life and have on their journey out of poverty. We believe this will empower children to take the first step in changing their future.
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In 2023, 83% of donations collected were used for programmes that benefit children, families and communities in need.
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