Milestones and Memories: Bianca’s Story

First smiles. First words. First steps.

These milestones – and so many more – are anticipated and celebrated in the lives of children. Parents have fond memories of encouraging children as they master new skills and display new abilities.

Childhood should be a time of learning, discovery, and growth. But for orphaned and vulnerable children who spend their early years in institutional care, childhood often looks much different.

Without the love and support of a family, these children may miss out on many of the critical experiences that shape a child's early years. When children do not receive adequate personal interaction within a loving environment, development is stunted and learning abilities may be lost. It is possible that these children may not achieve the developmental milestones that many of us assume all children will reach.

We know there’s a better way. We know that children belong in families. And thankfully, with your support, we are changing the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.

Because of you, children like Bianca are reaching new milestones and making memories in loving families.

Bianca’s Story

Bianca was placed into an orphanage in Sonora, Mexico when she was only three weeks old. Sadly, her mother used drugs while pregnant, which put Bianca at risk of many different physical and developmental issues.

When a mother uses drugs during pregnancy, almost every drug and medicine passes from the mother’s bloodstream to the baby. As a result, Bianca tested positive for drugs when she was born and continued to present with other symptoms and medical conditions related to her exposure to drugs.

After completing her initial treatment at the hospital, Bianca was processed into an orphanage to continue her recovery. Instead of receiving individual attention and care from a family, she was cared for by a rotating staff of employees.

And from a health standpoint, she wasn’t out of the woods yet. Bianca had issues with her hips and needed to wear a harness for the first six months of her life. While this treatment was necessary, it was not without risk and it added complications to Bianca’s care.

Bianca desperately needed the love, safety, and personalized care found within a family environment.

Thankfully, Bianca’s story doesn’t end in the orphanage. Because of you, this beautiful baby girl was welcomed into a loving family when she was 11 months old.

Milestones and Memories

In a loving family, Bianca began to thrive, making physical and developmental improvements in virtually every area.

Within the first three weeks in her new home, she began to show tremendous progress in her language skills. She added new words to her vocabulary, such as the words for "mom," "dad," "aunt," among others. She also began to identify and point out objects, as well as all the members of her foster family.

Her physical development also began to improve. Her crawling became more coordinated, and she stood alone for longer periods without any assistance – a huge accomplishment after being in the harness for several months.

After just two months of being with her family, the milestones kept coming! Bianca gained 2.5 pounds and grew 2 inches thanks to the care and nutrition she was receiving. She even began to smile and wave to greet people and identify members of her family, as well as the family pets. Her standing improved significantly…and she even took her first steps!

Emotionally, Bianca learned how to bond with and trust her foster family. She showed affection toward them and demonstrated she felt secure with them. If she encountered a stranger or someone she didn’t know, she looked for her family members and went to them, knowing she was safe.

Now, at almost a year and a half old, Bianca continues to show tremendous advancements. She loves to explore and often walks around the house, and she hits new milestones every day. We are so thankful for the incredible growth in this beautiful little girl thanks to the love of a family.

Changing the Way the World Cares for Orphans

Thank you for making it all possible. Bianca’s story is a testament to the power of love and family, and her life has been forever changed because of your continued support.

You are making such a difference in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children like Bianca all across the globe. We are so grateful for you.

Together, we are changing the way the world cares for orphans!

*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the child.