Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities! A day to honor people with disabilities and reaffirm our commitment to creating a society that embraces inclusion in every aspect of daily life. Raising awareness highlights their experiences, inspires understanding, and motivates us to improve accessibility around the world.
This December, Chalice has launched a special campaign called 25 and Rising! Over the 25 days of Advent, we are featuring 25 children, each living with a disability, who are in need of sponsorship.
Through this campaign, we will be sharing their stories, showing their incredible resilience, and inviting others to join us in supporting their growth and futures.
These 25 extraordinary children are from communities around the world. Though each child faces the realities of poverty and disability differently, they share a common spirit of determination. They rise above daily challenges, achieving milestones big and small. Here are out first three children.
Ruth is a girl who is on the go! She loves to dance and play netball with her friends – but she dreams of becoming a teacher some day. This focused grade 7 student does not let her visual disability slow her down. At 17, she knows that with determination and a Chalice supporter at her side, she can rise to each challenge as they come. Ruth lives with her brother in Mwense, Zambia, when she is home from boarding school – her parents have both passed away.
Patrick is 20 years old and lives in Yumbe, Kenya. He has a sunny personality and a remarkable creative streak — his superpower is drawing, using his feet to bring imaginative, vibrant pictures to life. Patrick has cerebral palsy and uses his wheels to move through his day with confidence. He is unable to walk, but his creativity and determination carry him far.
He lives in a brick-and–sheet-metal home with his parents, his twin brother, two other brothers, and his sister. His parents work hard through small-scale farming, though Patrick’s medications, nutritional needs, and school costs create extra challenges for the family. Patrick attends a school that supports his learning and assists him as needed. His talent, joy, and positivity shine through everything he does.
Yashwanth is a boy who keeps surprising everyone around him! At 12 years old, he enjoys listening to music and is gaining new skills little by little each day. Once thought to be nonverbal, he now asks for water on his own and is learning to imitate words — a huge step forward. This determined grade 4 student works hard on mastering day-to-day tasks, proudly using a spoon, helping with bathing, and trying again even when something feels tricky. With patient guidance, and lots of encouragement from his mother, he lights up each time he succeeds. Yashwanth lives with his parents and brother in Nellore, India. With a Chalice supporter cheering him on, he will discover new strengths and work towards greater independence — one hopeful step at a time.
Give the gift of sponsorship this advent! Your sponsorship can become the steady encouragement that helps them keep climbing.