Holistic child development is Compassion’s “buzzword.” It hums through our organization at every level, bringing our mission to life. We get excited about it. Why? Because it is so effective! Holistic child development is our distinctive approach to ending child poverty because it creates whole-life transformation. Every age and stage is accounted for—from womb to workforce! Join us as we look into a critical stage of holistic child development: youth development.
A crucial question to our mission is: How do we equip youth for life beyond Compassion’s program? The answer is a comprehensive youth development strategy. This strategy aims to provide every young person we serve with tailored educational opportunities and skills training, ensuring they can pursue their dreams and become productive, influential members of their communities.
What does Compassion’s youth development program look like?
The wonderful part about Compassion’s holistic child development program is that it adapts to the unique context and needs of every child. Our youth development program is no different. Through relationship with their local church, youth receive contextualized support that comes alongside the comprehensive care they receive throughout their time in Compassion’s program. The youth development program includes support that can look like:
- Vocational training
- Apprenticeships
- University education
- Mentoring and guidance
- Prayer and spiritual support
- Leadership coaching
Each program participant 12 years and older completes a life-planning tool which is reviewed annually with a mentor at their Compassion centre. The focus is for each participant to discover their skills and interests, develop goals and find a way to achieve them through their own means, through support from Compassion and through support from other local resources such as scholarships.
Our local church partners invest in the lives of youth to build meaningful, supportive relationships where the youth are known, loved and protected. They are dedicated to ensuring that every Compassion youth can achieve their God-given potential and build a life free from poverty. This can look like providing scholarships, supporting youth in applying for other local scholarships, running vocational trainings, and most importantly, countering the lies of poverty to ensure each youth has the confidence to believe in their dreams.
But don’t just take our word for it! Aldair is a 24-year-old Compassion youth from Peru. In today’s blog, he invites you into his story. Listen in to see how the youth development program comes to life and supported him in achieving his dreams.
Aldair and his mother outside the little store in their house.
Childhood was the foundation to my dreams
My name is Aldair, and I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. My mom and dad are very hard workers and have always set good, godly examples for my two younger siblings and me. Watching them has undoubtedly inspired me and given me a solid foundation to build on.
When I joined the Compassion centre at age six, life at home was indeed challenging. My mom developed a meningioma in her brain, which has caused her to have poor and blurry vision for life. My dad had to be away from us for two weeks at a time, working construction jobs in different cities. He would come home for two days and then go back to work. It couldn’t have been any other way because the needs surrounding us were more than we could handle.
I became my mom’s right hand, and as the oldest sibling, I had to learn to be responsible early on. My parents always instilled in me the Word of God and the desire to excel and learn. My mom also says all her kids have been consecrated to the Lord from her womb. That’s why she loved the Compassion centre. It was a place of hope, relief and development.
Aldair holding his “Building My Future” book at his Compassion centre.
A strong mind, a confident voice, a future to build
I used to go to the centre right after school. The staff always waited at the door for us with a big smile and a heart to serve. They made learning so much fun, and we were allowed to have seconds for lunch. The food was delicious. I also loved playing soccer with my friends, and I still do! We received presents for Christmas and our birthdays. I felt safe and cared for. My whole family was grateful for the tangible help we were getting all those years.
When I became a teenager, hearing and learning about leadership impacted me. We were encouraged to participate, speak our minds, share our thoughts and ask questions. I was able to put my shyness away, and I gained confidence.
We used to have a book at the centre called “Building My Future” where we’d write down our goals and dreams and how we could get there. I always wanted to be a civil engineer. My mom says I used to dress up as one for our school parades when I was a boy, and all the grown-ups would point at me and say, “Look at the engineer!”
Since my dad worked in construction, I always had questions for him. I was intrigued by why walls or bridges are built a certain way. I was determined and set my mind to reach my goals, but when I finished high school, I ran into a big bump on the road.
Aldair talking to some youth at the Compassion centre.
The encouragement I needed when I needed it most
I felt stuck, frustrated and afraid.
I had become more aware of our financial situation. We only had enough for food and utilities, so furthering my education seemed unreachable. I had all these goals and dreams, and I knew what I wanted to do but didn’t have the means to get there. I was afraid to let people down and not make it.
I applied to a public university where tuition is manageable. I also applied for a government scholarship, but both those doors were shut. I got angry at God and argued, “I’ve been living to please You while others have not. I’ve served You while others have not. My peers are making progress, and I’m not!”
I wanted to know why all this was happening. I wanted things my way.
My Compassion centre showed me that seeking God in His Word and prayer calms me and brings clarity, so I was led to read Psalm 73. It was the first time I read that psalm, and after sitting with it for a while, I could relate immediately. It shook me to the core. I began to understand God’s timing in my life and decided to trust the Lord regarding my future.
My mom always says, “Seek God first, and everything will be added unto you.” So, that’s what I did. That’s what my family did. It wasn’t overnight, but little by little, things began to change.
I wrote God’s promises for each area of my life on the pages of a notebook my mom gave me. We began to share our faith with people and what God had done in our lives. My dad got better at his job in construction, and his income increased. My mom took a step of faith and decided to start a business, a little store at home.
God truly blessed the work of our hands and added unto us. He is a good God!
My family is blessed, and my future is bright
Against all odds, I’m about to get my degree in civil engineering at a private university. I work at the city hall now, in the urban development infrastructure department. I supervise construction projects and work on blueprints and budgets.
My younger sister is attending law school, and my younger brother graduated from high school and wants to study civil engineering, too. My dad keeps getting better at his job and doesn’t have to commute too far anymore. My mom’s joy is admirable, and the Lord keeps making her strong. Her business keeps growing at home, and she also started a couple more.
Because of my family’s witness, a local political party approached me and wanted me to join as a council member during the city elections. We didn’t win, but it was quite an experience.
I also play for a local soccer league, and when we have a game, my friends look at me for a pep talk. The centre also invited me to share with other youth about my life and my time at university. I couldn’t have done all that before—it was hard for me to talk in public.
Aldair smiles with staff and other youth from his Compassion centre.
The relationships that set me up for success
I’m grateful for the environment the Compassion centre provided. It was a great complement to how my parents raised me in the ways of the Lord. My convictions got stronger, my faith went deeper, and I learned to step out of my comfort zone and make good choices.
During the pandemic, when it was hard for any family to get an income of some sort, the centre helped me cover part of my university tuition.
I’m also grateful to my sponsors. After all, it’s because of them that I was at the centre. They made me feel like I wasn’t just another child. Their genuine interest in me as a person and their prayers blessed me and encouraged me to keep going and believing. I loved reading their letters, seeing their pictures, receiving presents and learning about their lives and what they were also going through. We had a close relationship.
I want to show others that God’s provision is real—even in hard times
I have seen the glory of God in my life, and I’m grateful even for those times of lack and uncertainty. It’s been good not to have clothes to put on my back or food on the table because I’ve learned through those seasons and found the way out of them by believing God’s promises.
Now, I feel more prepared to face the real world. I carry in my heart all the lessons I’ve learned so far, and I want my life to keep testifying of God’s goodness and provision.
Compassion’s youth development strategy is vitally important to our holistic child development program. It ensures that every youth is fully equipped and encouraged to reach their fullest potential—honing skills, providing education, fostering resilience and inspiring confidence and faith for the future. Not only that, but it encourages youth to live in a way that invests in those around them, creating an impact in their families, communities and nations.
Compassion youth know the power of a transformed life.
Invest in a bright future.
Photos by Fernando Sinacay. Words by Fernando Sinacay and Rebekah Malbrecht.
