The 2023 ChildFund Australia Impact Report highlights some of the incredible stories of resilience from across the Pacific, Southeast Asia and around the world.

Throughout the year, ChildFund has been instrumental in providing critical services to children and communities in nations that are under increasing economic pressure.

As the world continues to battle challenging economic times, those hardest hit are often in the most disadvantaged countries. Rising inflation, climate change, the persistence of COVID-19 and political instability continue to create challenges, but youth are resilient and committed to creating a better future.

This Impact Report tells the important stories of a handful of individuals who are determined to provide a better future, both for themselves and their community.

Stories like that of Maria, 21 from Papua New Guinea, a country with one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world.

Maria talks about the grief of losing her baby and how she overcame the emotional distress by connecting with others in the program.

“Once I joined the group it helped me,” Maria said.

“It made me feel like I was going to be OK.”

Maria learnt emotional and social skills to build her resilience to overcome everyday conflicts and challenges.

“I learnt that I could share my experience with other girls,” she said.

“We need to have good peers and good friends.”

The Report also highlights the experience of fifteen-year-old Seila from Cambodia who dreams of becoming a teacher.

However, from the age of nine Seila had a cyst on his hip that prevented him from walking or riding his bike the 10km journey to attend school.

ChildFund was able to fund surgery and a brace for his leg giving him greater mobility and school attendance.

“Now that I’m going to school regularly, I’m doing better at my studies,” he said.

“I placed sixth out of 28 students this year.”

ChildFund CEO Margaret Sheehan reflected on the work completed across the region and the impact of the organisation in difficult times.

“The global environment is placing increasing pressure on us all. As the cost-of-living increases at home and overseas, it creates a pressure cooker environment in our ability to continue vital programs to uphold basic human rights around the world.”

“We thank our community and donors here in Australia and around the world for their generous contributions to ChildFund and their help in delivering all we have achieved this year. With ongoing support, we look forward to continuing to provide these essential services to even more people in the coming year,” she concluded.