World Villages for Children, a UK charity that works to lift children out of poverty through education, has today announced the launch of the world’s largest single birthday celebration for over 20,000 of the children in its care. The event, named ‘Every Child’s birthday’ will take place Saturday August 15th across six countries globally, and will mark the birthdays of some of the world’s poorest children; many of whom don’t have the luxury of knowing their own birthdates.
World Villages for Children has been supporting the poverty relief programmes of the Sisters of Mary since 1998 and its mission is to lift the world’s children out of extreme poverty and into an independent and secure future, through education. So far over 150,000 of children have been housed, cared for and educated by the programmes, with over 20,000 children aged between 11-18 still currently in their care. This celebration marks a significant and special moment in the calendar year for the children, as without it, many would not have the experience of celebrating their own birthday.
Nicola Lawson, U.K. Manager & Trustee, World Villages for Children comments, “When the world’s poorest children come into our care, many of them have sadly suffered the numerous hardships that accompany extreme poverty. They are often severely malnourished and affected by early years of neglect and abuse, leaving them significantly under-developed. But they also suffer in less obvious ways. Most have missed out on the luxuries of childhood; such as playing, making friends and celebrating the milestones that so many of us take for granted – like birthdays.
The majority of children that come to us don’t know their birthdays, and many don’t know their ages, and so our Every Child’s birthday event ensures that all 20,000 of our children get to have this very special experience”.
With the support of World Villages for Children’s donors and the Sisters of Mary, this global event is celebrated through a lesson-free day, games, sports, competitions and a party with cake at each of the six schools worldwide. Each and every one of the 20,000 children also receives an individually wrapped essential gift.
To find out more about World Villages for Children or to make a donation, please visit https://www.worldvillages.org.uk
