A woman’s heart is like a river with many streams, flowing in many directions yet never running dry. She gives of herself, even when it costs her. She stretches, even when she feels pulled thin. Love always asks much of her, yet she offers it so freely.
And in the face of hardship, this love keeps her moving forward. When hunger gnaws at the stomachs of her babies, she feeds them hope. When poverty whispers helplessness, she stands firm, ready to do whatever it takes. No matter what she faces, she is both soft and strong—tender enough to comfort, resilient enough to endure. Her love, though tested, never wavers, a testament to the quiet power within every woman.
As a woman myself, I know this truth for sure. But there are many women out there who know it much deeper than I do.
According to the World Food Programme, of the 345 million people who are acutely food insecure right now, nearly two-thirds are women and girls. Women and girls bear the weight of hunger and poverty in ways that are often unseen, yet their strength and resilience are undeniable. They are the quiet warriors who, despite everything, continue to pour love into their families, to nurture, to protect, even when their own needs go unmet.
But thanks be to God, because of Compassion’s Survival program, many of these women no longer walk alone. They are surrounded by the steady support of people who understand their struggles. They are given hope, support and the resources they need to rise, to carry on, to believe in a better future for themselves and their families. Compassion Survival program reaches thousands of babies and mothers around the world and helps ensure their critical needs are met immediately.
And in the story of Naw Wa, we see this truth come to life.
Pressed on every side but not crushed
Naw Wa faced the grief of suddenly losing her husband and not knowing what would happen for her young family.
In the northern parts of Thailand, nestled in the heart of the mountains, there is a small wooden home—a home that once pulsed with laughter, love and the joy of a family. In this home, 40-year-old Naw Wa, her husband and their three children shared simple moments of happiness: a father returning from work, the family gathering around the table for dinner and stories of the day filling the air. It was home.
But that picture has now become a memory. Two and a half years ago, Naw Wa’s husband drowned in a river. Naw Wa’s world stopped. The grief of losing her husband was overwhelming enough, but the weight of raising three children alone tested Naw Wa’s very soul.
“The hardest challenge of being a single mother is feeling the absence of him, the memory of him that comes flooding back every now and then,” Naw Wa reflects.
After loss life may continue, but it takes on a slow pace. But one thing Naw Wa wanted to be sure of was that her children’s education was not interrupted. So, she made the painful decision to send her two oldest sons to a boarding school in a nearby displaced persons’ camp—where they would be cared for by their grandparents. Now, it was just Naw Wa and little Kornwipha, her little girl, at home, both determined to survive no matter how hard it was.
Hope, help and community
Naw Wa and Kornwipha sit in their home.
Word spread quickly around the community about Naw Wa’s change in circumstances. Soon enough, word reached the local Compassion centre, and help came quickly. This would be the beginning of a journey of hope and community for Naw Wa and her family.
The centre staff immediately registered Naw Wa for the Compassion Survival program, which is designed to help the development and survival of the most vulnerable babies while also providing education and support for the mother or primary caregiver. Through regular home visits by church staff trained in early childhood support, mothers receive essential physical, emotional and spiritual care.
The support Naw Wa received began with addressing their urgent physical needs. They were provided with nutritious food, something Naw Wa had struggled to provide on her own because income was limited. Kornwipha needed constant care and attention, and it was hard to balance survival with motherhood.
But thank God the load gets lighter when a community becomes God’s loving arms wrapped around you. When women come together to support one another, something beautiful happens. Strength is shared, hope is nurtured and things begin to turn around.
Apacha (right), the Survival program manager at Kornwipha’s Compassion centre, is visiting Naw Wa at home.
The Compassion Survival program staff recognized the urgency of Naw Wa’s challenges and were ready to do everything they could to support her. “I’m a mother to a four-year-old daughter, and I know how difficult it can be to raise a small child,” says Apatcha, the centre director. “We helped Naw Wa by finding small jobs in the community that allowed her to work and care for Kornwipha. Every small job made a difference.”
Every house-cleaning job and sewing task completed from home meant that Naw Wa could earn enough to keep providing for her family, even while caring for her daughter. With every passing day, Kornwipha grew stronger, healthier and happier, and Naw Wa’s gratitude for the support she received only deepened.
This support was the lifeline Naw Wa desperately needed. Every woman needs a lifeline—someone who will see beyond the circumstances and step into the despair with her to help her see how to put one foot before the other and keep rising.
Life beyond survival
Kornwipha is thriving because of the Compassion centre’s holistic support.
“The day I registered my baby daughter in the Compassion program, I felt such relief because I knew that my baby would have a good future. I trust God and know that the Compassion program is good for children as I’ve seen other kids who went there,” Naw Wa shares.
But the Compassion centre’s support didn’t stop at physical needs. They also gave Naw Wa the emotional and spiritual support she needed. The loss of her husband had left a deep emotional and spiritual void, and Naw Wa needed time and support to heal.
“Since my husband died, I was in grief. One of the centre staff gave me a Bible and a Christian book for me to read. And they introduced me to listening to the sermon on the radio. I began to feel God is always with me since I started to read the Bible and listen to the sermons,” says Naw Wa.
With every word Naw Wa listened to or read in the Bible, light shone through, love filled her heart and her burdens were lifted. A woman who was once alone without hope is now filled with faith.
“By the grace of God, every sermon and every verse in the Bible has given me the strength to go through my struggles,” she shares.
For Naw Wa, her children have been a constant reminder of God’s goodness. Despite the hardships she faces, her children bring her joy, reminding her of God’s unwavering presence.
Naw Wa reflects on the support she has received through Compassion’s Survivial program.
“They are my greatest gifts,” she says, tears of joy glistening in her eyes. “God has given them to me, and through them, I see His love and faithfulness.”
Today, at three years old, little Kornwipha is thriving. She attends a local community childcare centre to prepare for kindergarten. Every Saturday, Naw Wa brings her daughter to the Compassion centre, where she can play, learn and grow alongside other children.
“My hope for my children is the same as every mother’s,” Naw Wa shares. “I want them to grow up to be good people, with strong education and the ability to take care of themselves. And when I say, ‘good people,’ I mean people who are kind, who love God and put Him first.”
Naw Wa’s story is one of deep loss, but her story didn’t end there. Because no woman’s story has to end that way. A woman is filled with unimaginable strength, and grace, yes…but she thrives even more where there’s support. She blooms where there is community. She rises when there’s someone to lift her head.
This is what the community has done for Naw Wa through Compassion’s Survival program—offering not just relief, but unwavering solidarity, lifting her up so she can, in turn, lift her children. This International Women’s Day, as we celebrate the strength and resilience of women, we are reminded that when women are supported, communities thrive. By working together, we create a world where every woman—like Naw Wa—has the opportunity to rise, nurture and build a future filled with hope and possibility.
You can be part of this transformation.
Support Compassion’s Survival program today to help more mothers and babies thrive.
Photos and field reporting by Piyamary Shinoda.
