Child ambassadorship through sponsorship: Tasha’s story

Sponsored children can accomplish so much for their communities. In addition to the support the children and their families receive from donors, as they grow, they are empowered by actively participating in the role of an ambassador, representing both the challenges and resilience of their communities.

Twelve-year-old Tasha in Uganda is already a bright leader and community ambassador at such a young age. Tasha, and 182 other sponsored children in her community, are acting as advocates in their schools. Tasha speaks to her fellow students on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) subjects, encourages her peers to access additional homework help, and helps her menstruating classmates with the creation and distribution of reusable sanitary pads.

“We’ve had many successes since becoming advocates,” Tasha told us. “Children no longer miss school when they have their periods - girls from primary four to primary seven can sew their own pads without help. All girls who have started their periods have at least a week supply - no girl is without a pad.”

Tasha (middle) and her fellow child advocates help create real change in their community.

This is an incredible success for Tasha and her advocacy as there is still a stigma in her community regarding menstruation. Some children are afraid to tell their parents they have their periods.

Tasha’s teacher Penninnah said since children have become community ambassadors, things have changed for the greater good. “Students were desperate before for menstrual supplies, sometimes even using old papers or mattresses. Now, hygiene has greatly improved and girls have a clean and sanitary option. As well, child labour was a growing issue in our community, but children like Tasha have helped educate their peers to reduce absenteeism in pupils.”

Children can play an incredible role in advocating for the safety of their community, their peers and themselves. As a sponsored child, by becoming a child ambassador, they can extend knowledge to the community to advocate for real change.

“Children are given an opportunity to speak out,” Peninnah said when asked about the benefits of being a sponsored child.

In addition to being an advocate for their community as child ambassadors, sponsored children receive dedicated nutrition and education support while their families gain access to livelihood and skills training.

We appreciate every single one of our child sponsors who change the future for children like Tasha every day.