Before World Vision sponsors began helping transform lives, daily survival was a huge challenge in Thailand’s Denchai community. Ponpan, a young widow, was like many others in her community: fearful of the future with no way of earning an income. She was forced to leave her young son with her mother while she went to Bangkok to work.

Fortunately, Ponpan's son had become a World Vision sponsored child, and this allowed her to take advantage of programs that teach parents how to generate income. Ponpan returned to her village and formed an oyster mushroom cultivation group with 30 other people. World Vision training sessions helped Ponpan and her partners work as a team to sell their oyster mushrooms. Today, their business is thriving. Most importantly, Ponpan’s son — now a teenager — did not have to grow up without his mother nearby, and he continues to have the opportunity to go to school.

“Before, our income was not enough,” Ponpan recalls. “Everything was bleak and I saw no way out. Now I have hope because we have the mushroom nursery. I want to thank World Vision for giving new life for my family.”