Chile

Chile’s economy continues to be strong, but poverty still affects many of its citizens. Child protection is at the forefront of national concern. In 2017, it was found that hundreds of children had died from negligence in centers run by the national child protection service —the very place abandoned and mistreated boys and girls should be cared for. But an important win came with a new law that tightens child protection measures. More than 200,000 Chilean children are involved in child labor, which keeps them from experiencing full childhoods. And Chile has the highest-growing rate of AIDS infections in Latin America. With your support, we taught thousands of kids practical ways to identify and prevent sexual abuse, and the country’s high rates of childhood sexual abuse are already decreasing. Teaching children to be active citizens, we gave more than 1,000 kids a peek into the voting process with an activity where they “voted” for child-related topics—like having more time to play with friends—while their parents voted in regional elections. Local and national partnerships continue to help us reach vulnerable children with transformative programs.