Celebrating 60 years of Every Child’s Birthday

London, August 2024. World Villages for Children, a charity whose mission is to end poverty through education, marks 60 years since the first “Every Child’s Birthday” in 1964. The tradition, started by Father Aloysius “Al” Schwartz in South Korea following the Korean War, is an important part of every child’s education. Every child in World Villages for Children’s programmes, nearly 20,000 children, celebrates their birthday on 15th August 2023.

Every one of the nearly 20,000 children receives a modest personal gift containing:

• school supplies
• clothing
• shoes
• a small treat

The celebrations are more than just an opportunity to have fun or open a gift. It conveys to every child their worth and value. A personal gift communicates that every child is valued on a personal level and that their lives matter. It is the most joy-filled day across the programmes, where alumni join in the celebrations, and there is a host of activities planned to celebrate at each programme.

Many of the children do not know their birthday or even their age and so for new students, this is the first time they will receive a birthday gift just for themselves.

The celebration is marked with a day off from lessons with games, cake, singing, and dancing. For children who were born into extreme poverty this day is extremely significant, where marking another year of life is more filled with hope rather than anxiety about the future. Every child deserves to have a childhood free from the worry that poverty brings, never having to worry about where their next meal will come from, or whether or not they can finish their education. Every child deserves hope for a brighter future and belief in themselves that they can achieve everything they dream of.

Nicola Lawson, UK Manager and Trustee of World Villages for Children says, “The birthday celebration is a vital chance for us to nurture the poorest children who have come into our care, help them build confidence and make lasting memories to comfort them in the years ahead”.

Every Child’s Birthday celebrates our children and gives them joy filled childhood memories and a glimpse of the brighter future they will have when they finish school. It shows how we invest in children and their families, not allowing poverty to exclude children from education and the chance to reach their full potential. A birthday celebration is not just a birthday celebration when it represents the hard work and achievement of children who have only ever known struggle in their short lives.

Too many children never have a proper childhood or the luxury of celebrating a birthday because their lives are so preoccupied with survival. At the Sisters of Mary Schools, with their basic needs met, children are free to enjoy a childhood, learning and growing towards a brighter future. Every Child’s Birthday is a chance to empower children and give them a proper childhood, nurturing their development into adulthood.

For media inquiries, please contact

Carey Evans

Fundraising and Communications Manager

www.worldvillages.org.uk

cevans@worldvillages.org.uk

0207 629 3050

Notes to Editors

• Images of World Villages’ work available on request
• World Villages for Children (WVC) supports the humanitarian programmes of the Sisters of Mary who have established schools – the majority of which are live-in schools – for the most vulnerable children worldwide. They provide them with access to food, healthcare and shelter as well as quality accredited education and vocational training tailored to the skill needs of the local economy. World Villages has 13 secondary schools, one elementary school, five day-care centres, three medical centres, and one training centre for out of school young women. These programmes operate in The Philippines, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil, and Tanzania.
• WVC, along with affiliated charities in the US and EU, provide the funding needed to operate these programmes.
• The programme supports children of all faiths or none and is accredited by the education authority in each country.
• The humanitarian programmes of the Sisters of Mary work towards 9 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, promote good health and nutrition and provide access to quality education for all children.
• Interviews with World Villages for Children UK Manager and the Sisters of Mary are available on request

About World Villages for Children

World Villages for Children is an international development children’s charity dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through education. With a commitment to providing underprivileged children with access to quality education, vocational training, and essential life skills, World Villages envisions a world where every child has the opportunity to realize their full potential and contribute positively to their families and communities, breaking the cycle of poverty for good.