There is no single perfect solution to the unfortunate situations so many children living in poverty around the world are faced with, often times on their own. But one local woman is doing what she can to make the lives of those less fortunate a little better.
Millions of children in both developed and developing nations are left to their own means, poor and without access to drinking water, food, an education and vaccines. These children are also very much at risk of being abused and exploited.
Instead of looking to lay blame for the circumstances of less fortunate children, Iron River's Mary Koziol has directed her energy to bettering the lives of these children through sponsorship and personal visits.
Koziol said sponsorship provides funding for food, water, health and education, but it is the visits that give the children the extra emotional support they need, knowing a caring adult is looking out for them in whatever ways they can.
Late last month, Koziol made a trip to Uganda and Kenya, where she met and spent time with 14-year-old David Kiarie – the most recent child she began sponsoring through Compassion Canada.
She said she began sponsoring David in memory of her late husband David, who died suddenly on Sept. 28, 2012.
Upon meeting for the first time, Koziol and the 14-year-old Kiarie embraced, both with huge smiles stretched across their faces.
“This is life changing for these kids,” said Koziol, after returning from her trip on Sept. 4. “They are all so special and deserve much better than they are left with. Personally, I have met so many children I've sponsored and others have sponsored, who have gone from basically nothing to becoming healthy, educated adults.”
She said the sponsorship program through Compassion Canada not only supports children in achieving their primary and secondary education, but will continue to support the student through university, if they show the desire and academic ability to follow through.
Koziol, a teacher herself, said education is one of the keys to getting beyond poverty.
“With education it is possible to come out of poverty and make a positive change for themselves and for their communities.”
Koziol said her life was changed 10 years ago when she visited her first sponsored child in Haiti and saw the difference it was making.
“Without the support, (the sponsored girl) would not have had the opportunity to get her education. It's a great thing to see and an amazing feeling.”
Koziol explained that she was never able to have her own children because of medical issues.
“I love children and I was not able to have my own. But through teaching and through sponsorship, these are the ways I've been able to pursue my passion, which is helping children.”
Not only has Koziol herself sponsored many children in many different countries, she has also been an advocate for child sponsorship through CompassionCanada, finding sponsors for 675 children worldwide.
She said her willingness to help those less fortunate goes way back and started locally, when she and her husband took in a 17-year-old homeless girl living in Bonnyville, on the condition she would attend school. Three years later the girl would go on to graduate and move on to a better life.
More recently, Koziol provided room and board to a husband and wife from Newfoundland living in Bonnyville. They paid whatever they could afford, as the couple could not afford the higher rents charged in town.
Koziol said she will remain an advocate for children through Compassion Canada and will continue to visit the children she sponsors, saying, “Children are the most valuable thing we have in this world. We need to do what we can to support them and ensure they can grow up to be who they can and want to be.”
Compassion Canada is a branch of Compassion International, a Christian child sponsorship organization dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world.
As of Sept. 11, Compassion Canada sponsors 95,790 children worldwide, while Compassion International sponsors more than 1.5 million children.