Being a teenager anywhere in the world can be a challenge. For Siva*, a 16-year-old boy who attends a child development center in Nepal, the last year and a half has been in and out of restrictive lockdowns. 

Instead of growing frustrated, Siva wrote to his sponsor to tell her that he was using the time in lockdown, “as a great opportunity to learn creative things.” So, always a creative soul, Siva is teaching himself how to play the ukulele.  

All around the world, the Church of the Nazarene operates child development programs that provide emotional, spiritual, educational, and physical care for children living in poverty. These programs unite children with sponsors who agree to provide financial support and encourage the child as she or he grows and learns. Keep reading to learn more about a few of those places where holistic child development programs are making a difference.