While government-granted individual rights vary across countries, on this annual Individual Rights Day (August 29), we are celebrating the fundamental, God-given rights of freedom, dignity, and self-determination inherent in every person. We often take these rights for granted living in safe, developed countries. However, across the 13 countries where Chalice operates — from conflict-filled Ukraine and Haiti to vulnerable communities from the Philippines to Bolivia — many individuals experience extreme poverty. This hardship not only strips them of their basic rights to nutrition, safe shelter, and education, but also takes away their dignity and freedom to choose their own path.
The stories of 1,283 individuals in Haiti and of Veronica, a struggling mother in Kenya, prove that with support and care, we can restore an individual’s dignity and offer a path forward — one that gives them control over their own destiny.
Restoring Hope and Health in Haiti
In Haiti, political violence, gang warfare, and economic instability remain a reality of daily life. With a widespread lack of employment, purchasing what food is available has become an overwhelming struggle for many families. The situation has reached such dire levels that individuals face severe malnutrition and even the threat of starvation due to rapidly increasing prices, limited availability of goods, and a lack of resources.
Unfortunately, prolonged malnutrition can result in greater risks of illnesses, susceptibility to infections, and even child mortality. But at our Haiti South site in Jérémie, that all changed when the families of sponsored children received critical nutritional support through Chalice programs, thanks to generous donors who helped restore their right to basic nutrition.
“We have learned that it is not always easy to find someone to help you, especially when you are in need, however Chalice has made the difference,” says Br. Marcelin, Haiti South site director, adding that recipients proudly say, ‘’Chalice is my everything.’’
A Safe Home for a Family in Kenya
Across the ocean in Mikinduri, Kenya, Veronica was struggling to meet her family’s basic needs and feared for their safety. She lived with her five children — including her son, Phineas, who is now a successful former sponsored child — in a deteriorating shelter made of old tree branches and sheet metal. The unstable structure exposed them to harsh weather, pests, and rodents while offering little privacy or security.
Through Chalice sponsorship and critical needs funds, Veronica and her family no longer have to worry. They are now living in a new, and very sturdy brick, three-room house. This is their first time living in a stable, permanent structure.
Tearful, Veronica expressed her gratitude, saying, “Now my children can sleep without fear of the rain or wind. I thank God and together with my children, we send out deep gratitude as we continue to pray and to ask God to bless our supporters.”
These stories remind us that true freedom begins with basic human security, regardless of where you live. When a child receives proper nutrition or a mother gains a safe roof over her family’s heads, they regain their inherent dignity.
Helping vulnerable families provides more than meeting an immediate need. it empowers them to break the cycle of poverty and step into their future with confidence.