When Naelle* arrived at Kids Alive School Haiti, her joyful personality filled every room. At five years old, she was quick to smile, eager to make friends, and full of energy.
But when it was time to learn her letters or practice counting, everything changed.
While the other students followed along, Naelle often drifted into daydreams. She struggled to stay focused during lessons, and by the end of the first school term, it became clear she wasn't progressing at the same pace as her classmates. Reading and early math—skills she would need before entering primary school—felt overwhelming.
Her teachers could have concluded that she simply wasn't ready.
Instead, they looked deeper.
Naelle had joined Kids Alive after a community outreach worker identified her family as needing additional support and connected them with the ministry. Like many children growing up in Haiti today, she was learning in the midst of extraordinary uncertainty. In communities where instability can interrupt daily routines, education, and access to essential resources, children often arrive at school carrying more than backpacks. Their developing brains may be working overtime to make sense of an unpredictable environment, leaving less capacity for concentration, emotional regulation, and learning. These challenges are not signs of a lack of intelligence or ability—they are reminders that children learn best when they first experience safety, consistency, and caring relationships.
Rather than expecting Naelle to fit into a one-size-fits-all classroom, her teachers adapted to fit her unique needs.
Mrs. Guettie and her classroom assistant, Mrs. Fabiola, rearranged their schedules so they could spend additional one-on-one time with Naelle. In many Haitian schools, dedicated teachers face overcrowded classrooms and limited resources, making individualized support difficult even when they know a child needs it. At Kids Alive School Haiti, teachers are equipped with the time, training, and support needed to truly know each child, adapt to their unique learning needs, and walk alongside them at a pace that helps them succeed.
Instead of relying only on worksheets and memorization, they introduced Montessori learning materials that allowed Naelle to explore through touch, movement, and discovery. Every letter she recognized became a small victory. Every new number she mastered was celebrated. Sometimes the reward was as simple as a new set of coloring pencils—a reminder that every step forward mattered.
Little by little, something beautiful began to happen. Naelle wasn't simply memorizing numbers.
She was discovering that she was capable.
By the end of the second term, the little girl who once struggled to stay engaged could confidently identify and sequence numbers through forty. Her reading had improved dramatically, and her teachers were confident she would be ready to enter first grade.
Even more importantly, Naelle was beginning to see herself differently.
Each morning before classes begin, students gather to speak Life Declarations together—simple truths rooted in Scripture that remind them who they are in Christ.
For Naelle, one declaration has become especially meaningful:
God is carefully creating something beautiful in her life.
Her progress isn't measured only by report cards or classroom milestones. It is reflected in the confidence growing within her, the persistence she is developing, and the unique gifts God is continuing to reveal.
As Scripture reminds us,
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10)
Today, Naelle continues preparing for first grade with growing confidence. She still learns in her own way and at her own pace, but she does so surrounded by teachers who refuse to let comparison define her potential.
Her story is a reminder that restorative education isn't about expecting every child to learn the same way. It is about creating spaces where every child is seen, understood, and encouraged to discover the unique gifts God has placed within them.
Because sometimes the greatest lesson a child learns isn't simply how to read or count.
At Kids Alive School Haiti, children receive far more than an education. Through restorative education, individualized learning support, daily meals, caring teachers, and Christ-centered discipleship, students discover that they are deeply loved, uniquely created, and equipped for the future God has prepared for them.
Join our Haiti Education Match today to double your impact by providing safety, stability, and restorative education for over 280 students in Haiti today.
When Beatrice Asienwa talks about the children she serves, one phrase comes naturally.
"They matter in the eyes of God."
It is more than something she teaches; it is the conviction that has guided her work at Kids Alive Kenya for the past 13 years.
As Program Manager at Nyamarambe Hope Center in Kisii County, Beatrice oversees a wide range of programs that strengthen children and families. Trained in counseling and child therapy, she works alongside social workers, educators, caregivers, and community leaders to help children experience healing spiritually, emotionally, and physically. But long before she stepped into a leadership role, she knew her life would somehow be spent serving vulnerable children.
"What inspired me to join Kids Alive," she explains, "was a zeal to serve vulnerable people, especially children. To me, it is a calling, rather than simply a job."
That calling continues to shape the way she approaches every conversation, every family visit, and every child who walks through the Hope Center's doors.
One child Beatrice remembers well is Vivian.*
When Kids Alive first met her, Vivian was only five years old. After losing her parents, she was living with a disabled guardian who struggled to provide for the family. Vivian often carried her younger brother on her back as she walked through the village asking for food and, at times, even a place to sleep. When the Kids Alive team met her, she had gone two days without eating and was severely malnourished.
But the team didn't see a child whose future was hopeless.
They saw a little girl created in the image of God whose story was still being written.
Rather than addressing only the immediate crisis, the Hope Center came alongside Vivian's family with practical, long-term support. Her guardian received help starting a small income-generating business so the family could begin building stability. Vivian was enrolled in school, provided with the resources she needed to learn, and surrounded by adults who continually reminded her that she was seen, valued, and deeply loved.
Today, Vivian is thriving in high school, excelling academically and dreaming of becoming a nurse one day.
For Beatrice, stories like Vivian's are a reminder that lasting change rarely happens through a single act of generosity. It grows through faithful relationships, patient investment, and a community willing to walk alongside children and families over time.
That same commitment was evident earlier this year when Nyamarambe Hope Center hosted a three-day Vacation Bible School. Although only a moderate number of children originally signed up, many more arrived eager to participate. Through games, artwork, Scripture memory, worship, and shared meals, children experienced something many desperately needed to hear: that God knows them by name, delights in them, and cares deeply for every part of their lives.
Watching children discover those truths continues to bring Beatrice joy.
"Serving these children by connecting with them, sharing the love of God, and meeting their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs brings fulfillment to my heart," she says.
As a servant leader, Beatrice juggles many responsibilities. Leading a team and responding to the unexpected requires flexibility, clear communication, and wisdom. Yet through every season, she returns to the calling that first brought her to Kids Alive: serving children with excellence and trusting God to work through ordinary faithfulness.
When asked what advice she would give to someone considering nonprofit work, her answer is simple.
"It is not about making money. It is a call to serve wholeheartedly. When your focus is on impacting other people's lives, the work becomes deeply fulfilling."
That perspective also shapes how she understands Kids Alive's mission.
For Beatrice, transforming trauma into triumphmeans pursuing restoration until children experience both protection and peace. It means helping families heal, supporting children as they rediscover hope, and believing that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up knowing they are deeply loved by God.
After 13 years, that calling remains as strong as ever. And every child who walks through the doors of Nyamarambe Hope Center is another reminder of why she answered it.
Your support helps caring team members like Beatrice walk alongside children and families with practical help, encouragement, and the hope of Christ. Together, we can help more children discover they are deeply loved, created with purpose, and never alone.
Zangi* was still a young girl when her life took an unexpected turn.
With her father absent and her mother unable to find work in Angola, stability became difficult to find. Wanting a better future for her grandchildren, Zangi's grandmother brought Zangi and her siblings to Zambia, where she worked tirelessly to provide for them through a small vegetable business. Even with her grandmother's determination, meeting everyday needs was a constant challenge, and opportunities for education often felt uncertain.
When Zangi enrolled at Kids Alive Academy in Mongu, she came hoping for an education.
She found much more than that.
At the Academy, she was welcomed into a safe, encouraging environment. Caring teachers made sure she had the learning materials she needed, nutritious meals gave her the energy to focus throughout the school day, and daily discipleship reminded her that she was deeply loved by God. The staff saw a young girl created with unique gifts and incredible potential.
Slowly, Zangi began believing it too.
She threw herself into her studies with remarkable focus and determination. As her confidence grew, so did her academic performance. The girl whose future had once seemed uncertain is now consistently one of the top students in her class.
Education wasn't only helping Zangi succeed academically—it was also helping her discover the unique gifts God had placed within her.
Zangi discovered a love for poetry.
Through writing, she found a way to put words to difficult experiences. Poetry became more than a school assignment; it became a way to reflect on her journey, process difficult emotions, and discover the strength God had been growing within her all along.
As Zangi simply says,
"Poetry gives me a way to express myself and stay strong."
That confidence continues to shape how she sees her future.
Today, Zangi dreams of becoming a lawyer. Having experienced uncertainty herself, she hopes one day to defend those who are wrongly accused, pursue justice, and help create a better future for her family. Her dream is rooted not only in academic success, but in a growing belief that God has given her a voice that can make a difference in the lives of others.
Zangi's story reflects a truth she is learning to embrace:
God created every child as His masterpiece, uniquely designed with gifts, creativity, and purpose. Sometimes those gifts emerge through music or art. Sometimes they are discovered through mathematics, leadership, or compassion. For Zangi, they are taking shape through words that inspire hope and a calling to pursue justice.
As Scripture reminds us:
"We are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."(Ephesians 2:10)
Today, Zangi is becoming a diligent student, an expressive writer, and a young leader with big dreams for the future. Surrounded by teachers who invest in her learning, discipleship that strengthens her faith, and a school community that believes in her potential, she is discovering that education is about much more than passing exams.
It is about uncovering the unique masterpiece God has been creating all along.
Become a Student Champion
Through restorative education, discipleship, and individualized learning support, Kids Alive helps students build confidence and discover that God is creating something beautiful within their story.
Become a Student Champion today today and help children discover the confidence to learn, the courage to dream, and the freedom to become who God created them to be.
Yasmine* was still adjusting to a new country when she walked through the doors of Dar El Alwad (DEA) School.
Her family had recently fled Syria after growing concerns for their safety as members of a religious minority. The move happened quickly, leaving little time to prepare for what life in Lebanon would look like. For Yasmine, the transition felt overwhelming. She was trying to adapt to a new home, a new culture, and a school system that expected her to learn in a language she barely understood.
School quickly became one of her greatest challenges.
In Syria, Yasmine had not learned English at the level expected in Lebanon's education system. She found herself sitting in classrooms unable to keep pace with lessons, hesitant to participate, and afraid of making mistakes. While her classmates confidently answered questions, Yasmine often remained silent, worried that speaking up would lead to embarrassment. For a young girl who was already navigating the uncertainty of displacement, falling behind academically only deepened her insecurities and made it difficult to imagine feeling confident in the classroom again.
But at DEA School, her difficulties were not viewed as limitations.
They were seen as opportunities to help a child rediscover her God-given potential.
The school worked closely with Yasmine's parents to create a plan that met her unique needs. During school hours, she received specialized educational support tailored to her learning level, and in the afternoons, she attended additional English tutoring sessions designed to help her build foundational language skills. Her classmates also became part of her journey, translating unfamiliar words, helping her complete assignments, and reminding her that she belonged.
Slowly, things began to change.
Yasmine started understanding more of what her teachers were saying. She became willing to try new words, participate in lessons, and ask questions when she was confused. These small victories made all the difference. Today, one of her favorite things to do is run up to the English coordinator in the hallway to proudly share a new sentence she has learned.
The shy student who once worried about falling behind is becoming an active, motivated, and enthusiastic learner.
At the same time, transformation was taking place within Yasmine's family.
Through Kids Alive Lebanon's women's ministry, her mother encountered the love of Christ and chose to follow Him. As their family became connected to a supportive Christian community, Yasmine also began learning something that extended far beyond academics: that Jesus loved her deeply, regardless of her background, her circumstances, or how quickly she learned. The support and encouragement she received from teachers, staff, and classmates helped her grow not only in confidence as a student, but also in confidence as a young believer.
That newfound confidence became evident in unexpected ways.
During Ramadan, while many students at school were fasting, Yasmine boldly shared that she was not fasting because she was a Christian. In a community where she felt known, supported, and free from fear of judgment or exclusion, she discovered the courage to openly embrace both her faith and her identity.
Yasmine's story reflects a truth she is beginning to believe about herself:
Each child reflects unique gifts, creativity, and God-given potential. Growth does not happen at the same pace for everyone, and learning challenges do not define a child's future. Instead, they can become opportunities to discover new strengths, build confidence, and recognize that God is continuing to shape something beautiful within us.
As Scripture reminds us:
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."(Ephesians 2:10)
Today, Yasmine still has English lessons ahead of her and goals she hopes to achieve. But she no longer sees herself as the girl who struggled to keep up. She is growing into a young woman who is confident in her abilities, secure in her faith, and excited for her future.
Become a Student Champion
Through restorative education, discipleship, and individualized learning support, Kids Alive helps students build confidence and discover that God is creating something beautiful within their story.
.webp)
.webp)
