Former sponsored child connects with World Vision through TikTok

Milena Jimenez doesn’t remember being bored or going hungry when she was little. There was always mischief to be made with her siblings, always a mango tree to snack from, always something to be done to help her family work their land.

Her memories are, admittedly, hazy—a combination of childhood impressions and stories passed down from her older siblings and parents.

But she does remember a great divide: those free-spirited early years, and how different life became after.

Forced to flee from home

Milena was born in a farming community, five hours south of Bogotá, Colombia. Following decades of conflict and a breakdown in peace negotiations, the area where they lived was ceded to rebel forces. Her family fled north to the capital, fearful they’d be killed or their oldest boys taken as child soldiers if they stayed.

But in Bogotá, there was no land to work. Only shabby homes were offered for thousands of displaced families. Milena still played with her siblings and friends, but now that included digging through the garbage for toys and treasure. Her parents and older brothers carried an enormous burden.

What does Milena remember from that time? Playing outdoors, yes—but also going to bed hungry, waiting weeks for the water truck to come, and generally believing that everyone lived this way. “Everyone skips meals,” she figured, as a child. “Everybody is dirty all the time.”

“I get to eat every day! Oh my gosh”

When World Vision came to the neighbourhood with the promise of a new child sponsorship program, Milena’s dad quickly registered her. An 18-year-old girl from Australia became Milena’s sponsor. What happened next? Food.

With so many underweight, malnourished children, a feeding program was established with support from sponsors, powered by community volunteers like Milena’s mom. Having three delicious meals a day changed Milena’s whole world. Writing letters back and forth with her sponsor was also a bright spot.

Milena’s family eventually immigrated to Canada and reinvented their lives yet again, but Milena never forgot where she came from. She kept living as her authentic self, and one day—thanks to social media and the serendipity of life—she found herself back in South America. Again, she was surrounded by sponsored children. But this time was different. This time she was traveling as an ambassador for World Vision.

“I have lived the blessing of what World Vision did for me. Any chance to share and show that World Vision is credible and to show what they have done? … I was more than happy to partner. No question—1,000 per cent, I will do it.”

Watch our podcast episode with Milena and hear about:

• The spontaneous TikTok video that got her connected to World Vision Canada.
• What she thinks when people say child sponsorship isn’t helping children. ( “It actually is. And it’s not just helping the children, it’s helping the community in which the children live.”)
• Why her community in Bogotá became a safer, less violent place after the sponsorship program began.
• The unique role that her 18-year-old female sponsor played in Milena’s development. (“She absolutely changed my life... [she] stirred something up in me.”)

The Vision Journal is World Vision Canada’s podcast! Check out our other recent episode: Every child deserves a future: a conversation with our CEO, Allison Alley.