Thank You For Your Support!

Thank you for supporting our Back to School campaign in 2010. You have helped extend the reach of education programs for children in need. Because of you, a better start in life for these children is possible.

Back to School All Around the World
Children who stay in school enjoy many opportunities to shape a better future for themselves — and your support for Back to School helped accomplish good things across many vulnerable communities.

Among our many achievements together, we were able to:

Enrich preschool programming in Sri Lanka through the "playhouse concept," which gives young children the opportunity to learn and develop through play,
Provide libraries, vocational training, and teacher training to improve the quality of education in Zambia,
Create a program known as "Prepared for Life" to teach important life skills to Chilean children and youth,
Give hope and tangible help to children with special needs in a Lebanese refugee camp by exposing them to tutors, a speech therapist, psychologist, and a social worker,
Drill a well in Tanzania to provide access to clean water, improve health, and reduce the burden on girls who collect water far from home and often miss out on school as a result,
Provide access to an outdoor adventure life-skills camp for Romanian children who are sharing with other children back home what they have learned about team spirit, positive attitude, commitment, and leadership.

Sponsor and Sponsored Child Connect by Phone
As part of the Back to School program, we also held a competition giving one lucky sponsor the chance to talk on the phone with their sponsored child.

"The call was very special," said winner Robert Browning, who sponsors Thai teenager Wutthipong. "Having no children of my own, I feel a precious connection. The call was extremely exciting."

Through a translator, Wutthipong was able to tell Robert how happy he was to have World Vision's support.

"Thanks for your love, your kindness, and your assistance to me and to all," Wutthipong said. "Children in our school enjoy many activities with support from World Vision. Our school is very comfortable. Our teachers are very lovely and friendly."

Join the conversation on Facebook today. 'Like' us at facebook.com/worldvisioncan.

Taking part in outdoor adventure activities at a life-skills camp in rural Romania is a vital learning experience for 150 children.

Thai teenager Wutthipong (left) joins World Vision staff to speak to his Canadian sponsor, whose ongoing support has helped keep Wutthipong in school.

Wutthipong & Robert Speak
Wutthipong, sponsored child: "Mr. Robert, how are you?"
Robert, Canadian sponsor: "I am well. We are in the middle of winter. There is lots of snow on the ground and it's cold outside!"
Wutthipong: "It is very cold, your country?"
Robert: "Well, where I live, today it was about -10C."
Wutthipong: "I would like to invite you to come to Thailand! I will be your local guide!"
Robert: "I would love to come to Thailand. My friends say it is a lovely country and I'd like to visit one day!"

Wutthipong also shared that he hopes to attend university to be an agricultural teacher and help his parents in their garden. He bid farewell to his sponsor saying, "I hope you have good health. God bless you. Thank you very much."