Toybox

At the United Service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we were priviledged to hear a speaker from "Toybox" describing the work being carried out by Toybox in Latin America.

Below is an article received from Toybox summarising their work.

Every day, Toybox offers hope and opportunities to hundreds of street children and children at high risk in Latin America, helping them fulfil their dreams.

“They called me a street child but nobody asked me why.” These are the words on the grave of a street child, Ruben, (12), killed by a policeman whilst he slept in a shop doorway. Why? Violence, poverty, natural disasters, economic turmoil, political instability and the legacy of civil war are robbing children in Latin America of their childhood and in cases like Ruben’s, sending many to an early grave and leaving others to survive a living hell.

Street children stay alive by their wits, stealing and scavenging, begging and sleeping rough in parks, shop doorways and on dumps. Many survive through prostitution. They are often called the ‘disponibles’ – the disposable ones. Statistics vary widely but the United Nations estimates there are 40 million street children in Latin America.

But Toybox believes that every child needs the opportunity to experience life in all its fullness.

Pioneered in 1992 in response to a BBC ‘Everyman’ Documentary, “They shoot children, don’t they”, Toybox is a growing response to the injustice faced by street children in Latin America. Based in the UK and funded entirely by voluntary donations, we work in partnership with indigenous organisations to help the people of Latin America offer a future to their children.

We focus our efforts on street children who have no home at all and on those at highest risk. They are survivors of injustice, natural disaster and personal tragedy.

Some hope for a hot meal, a shower and some clean clothes. Others hope for a family and a home. For others, the dream is to play for a football team, or to go to school for the first time or to learn a trade.

Meet Aury, a living example of how God can truly transform lives.
After being rescued from a terrible situation with no hope, Aury went on to live
in one of our girls homes for the past 6 years. Over these years she did really well at school and blossomed in the loving family environment of Shalom home for girls. She expressed an interest in nursing, and so for the last couple of years she has been training. Just in December 2006, Aury graduated from her nursing course. Andy Stockbridge, Toybox Chief Executive, was privileged to be at Aury’s graduation. He described how he watched this once very shy young lady walk confidently on stage to collect her certificate. Aury’s ’Toybox’ family from the home where she lived, as well as actual relatives with whom she has now been able to be reunited, surrounded her with hugs, kisses and cheers with tears of joy. Aury has done so well and we are all so proud of her. Now, she has ‘made it’ and moved on to build a life of her own as a young person with a real future.


Whatever their dream, Toybox aims to listen to them and make their voices heard. We raise awareness of their plight. We are working to bring their interests to the attention of decision-makers. And we respond to the needs of the children now…

We give them the opportunity to leave the street. We offer practical help, friendship, training, education and homes, as appropriate. We find them and help them when they first become homeless which is when they are at highest risk.

“The happiest day of my life was when I moved into a home. I have everything I ever wanted to be able to carry on my life.” Maria, 15, Guatemala, for whom we have provided a home.

Toybox is based on caring Christian principles but we help all children who need our support, regardless of faith. We help our Latin American partner organisations to become sustainable.

“I wish my little brother had someone to care for him” … “I wish I could become a professional office worker and help my family” … “I wish I could be safe” These are the real dreams of real children we are working with, in need of our help.

What can you do to help?

The most important thing you can do is pray.
We believe in the power of prayer and have seen God’s hand at work in the lives of the children. If you would like to receive prayer emails usually weekly, please write to info@toybox.org with your name, address and email address.

We also run a child sponsorship scheme where for £18 a month you can have a personal link with a child we support, knowing that you are helping to make a difference to their lives.

You might want to get involved by volunteering for Toybox. For more information on all of the above, why not take a look at our website www.toybox.org.