Our work around the world
July 15, 2022
Top-Rated Charity - “We should be at our best for the poor because they deserve it” was a refrain of Unbound’s late co-founder Bob Hentzen, who believed that the world’s poor and marginalized people possess the capabilities ...
March 4, 2021
Families in need are getting through the pandemic in a variety of ways with the help of Unbound. - ONE YEAR LATER, UNBOUND FAMILIES CONTINUE TO SHOW RESILIENCE DESPITE THE PANDEMIC
In early March 2020, it was becoming clear that the COVID-19 pandemic would seriously disrupt the lives of individuals ...
March 4, 2021
Top-Rated Nonprofit - Unbound earns top ratings with dedication to transparency, excellence
Unbound continues to earn top ratings from major charity evaluators including Charity Navigator, which recently awarded the organization ...
December 31, 2020
Looking back at the top 10 stories of 2020 with an eye toward a hopeful future - Unbound's top 10 stories of 2020
1. As pandemic pulls more into poverty, families push back
With tens of millions of people around the world at risk for falling into extreme poverty — defined ...
December 16, 2020
Netflix to produce docuseries based on 'Sharing the Wisdom of Time,' book by Pope Francis - Unbound is pleased to share the following announcement from Loyola Press
December 16, 2020 (CHICAGO) — Loyola Press announced today Netflix will produce an original documentary series based on its award-winning ...
November 13, 2020
Typhoon damages 3,000 families’ homes in Philippines - The second strong storm to slam the Philippines this month damaged or destroyed the homes of an estimated 3,000 families served by Unbound, forcing many to flee to evacuation centers despite risks posed ...
November 6, 2020
Hurricane Eta forces evacuations in Central America - Many families in Unbound communities in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador evacuated to shelters in the wake of Hurricane Eta, which made landfall in Nicaragua on Tuesday. While necessary, ...
November 2, 2020
Families displaced after 2020’s strongest storm hits Philippines - Updated November 5, 2020
More than a thousand families served by Unbound in the Philippines fled to evacuation centers as powerful Typhoon Goni bore down on the island nation Nov. 1, damaging homes and ...
October 15, 2020
The right moment for Rwanda - Unbound begins new presence in African nation
In an immensely challenging year marked by one setback after another for the human family, people everywhere long for good news. The international anti-poverty ...
October 15, 2020
Coming home and bringing hope - Son of Rwanda returns to serve
The biblical Moses was born in troubled times and sent to a foreign land for his own safety. He was also ultimately called by God to return to his homeland and serve his ...
October 15, 2020
Coming home and bringing hope - Son of Rwanda returns to serve
The biblical Moses was born in troubled times and sent to a foreign land for his own safety. He was also ultimately called by God to return to his homeland and serve his ...
July 2, 2020
As pandemic pulls more into poverty, four families push back - Recent reports from the World Bank predict that as many as 60 million people across the developing world risk falling back into extreme poverty because of the COVID-19 pandemic, erasing years of hard-won ...
June 17, 2020
Gamer’s 24-hour livestream supports Unbound scholars - For 24 hours straight, Ravynia broadcasted live from her home in Louisiana, playing video games and sharing about the challenges facing 7-year-old Alan in Uganda. She raised more than $1,000 by the end ...
June 2, 2020
Storm compounds effects of pandemic -
Floods displace families in El Salvador and Guatemala
Families supported by Unbound in El Salvador and Guatemala were among tens of thousands of people displaced over the weekend as Tropical Storm Amanda ...
May 29, 2020
Amidst pandemic, a single dad’s struggle for survival -
Raising three teenage girls can be tough for any single father in any part of the world, but Diego’s doing it in the rural, southwestern highlands of Guatemala in the midst of a pandemic. To 16-year-old ...
May 4, 2020
Disaster fund brings COVID-19 relief to families -
As cities across the United States consider their path to reopen, the COVID-19 pandemic is only beginning to take hold in parts of the developing world. Unbound reports that many families across Latin ...
April 21, 2020
COVID-19: Why cash + community is critical -
In El Salvador, government officials recently approved COVID-19 funding for families, but there was one problem: local estimates indicated that 75 percent of the people who qualified for the support did ...
April 20, 2020
Pandemic pushes elders further onto society’s margins -
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed elderly people in the developing world in a precarious situation. They are uniquely at risk, while at the same time the solution carries danger of its own.
Major world ...
April 15, 2020
Resources to venture out, while staying in -
The international nonprofit Unbound has announced the launch of its new resource center, Let’s Walk Together, for those still craving connections around the world as travel comes to a halt during the ...
April 8, 2020
Families navigate COVID-19 crisis -
Benefits ‘more important than ever’
Support from sponsors and donors gives families served by Unbound around the world a lifeline in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social distancing, curfews, lockdowns and ...
April 8, 2020
COVID-19: Five things helping Unbound respond -
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread through countries around the world, many nonprofits have had to suspend or significantly alter their methods for delivering goods and services and staying ...
March 18, 2020
Unbound community update: pandemic response -
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant concerns and disruptions around the world, including many countries where Unbound sponsors and families served by our programs live. During times of crisis, ...
August 19, 2019
Unbound helps elders feel connection -
Unbound helps elders feel connection
On Sunday, Sept. 8, Americans will honor senior adults in observance of National Grandparents Day. But how can everyone join in on the intergenerational fun? As ...
October 30, 2019
Stairway to a safer community - Stairway to a safer community
Imagine being unable to leave your neighborhood every time it rained. Or, if you do, you run the risk of falling, getting covered in mud or injuring yourself. That was the ...
October 21, 2019
Community makes safe space for kids to play -
For the people of Paraiso on the outskirts of Medellin, Colombia, creating a level playing field was more than a figure of speech. The lack of adequate recreational space for young people — and the problems ...
June 25, 2019
Ohio grade school sponsors children in 11 countries -
Ohio grade school sponsors children in 11 countries
Students at St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in Toledo, Ohio, make a positive difference year-round through their support of kids across the globe.
The ...
A day at the beach
October 14, 2019
Grassroots efforts propel new Unbound platform -
Understanding the immense capacity of families to improve their lives and communities is at the forefront of what drives Unbound. The mindset that those living in poverty have the solutions to overcome ...
October 8, 2019
Unbound Mothers Map Out Their Futures -
Old tradition helps women identify resources
When challenging global poverty, one of the core tenets of healthy development is respecting the capabilities of the people you are there to serve, and building ...
June 18, 2019
The opportunity of a lifetime - When love of the game becomes the opportunity of a lifetime
In the U.S., baseball in the springtime is about hope. In the summer, the game becomes about endurance. Fall, for the fortunate few, is for ...
June 11, 2019
Dream of playing major league baseball a step closer - Dream of playing major league baseball a step closer
While baseball remains America’s beloved summer game, in the Dominican Republic it’s a way of life and a year-round passion. For a fortunate few, ...
October 7, 2019
Mom runs farm start-up on her way out of poverty -
Mom runs farm start-up on her way out of poverty
Standing amid the rows of tomatoes, onions, green peppers and kale on her farm outside Nairobi, Diana Rose recounted how she started with a small shamba ...
July 22, 2019
Unbound remains highest-rated child sponsorship organization in U.S. - Unbound remains highest-rated child sponsorship organization in U.S.
With the release of 2019 ratings, Unbound maintained its status as the highest-rated child sponsorship organization with CharityWatch, ...
March 18, 2019
Celebrating the impact of Unbound's elder program - Celebrating the impact of Unbound's elder program
Unbound, the only major U.S. sponsorship organization that works with elders, is celebrating a major milestone. It has been 35 years since the start of ...
May 26, 2018
What we learn when we listen - In 2017, Unbound concluded an extensive evaluation aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of empowerment as experienced by mothers in the Unbound program. A key finding from the survey was that more women ...
June 30, 2018
True impressions of an Unbound trip coordinator -
Unbound staff member Joanna Pergande (second from right) with sponsors Servando, Susan, Christine and Albert on an awareness trip to Colombia.
By Joanna Pergande, Unbound trip coordinator
As a trip ...
July 21, 2018
Top 3 Traveler Questions -
1. Are the trips safe?
The safety of our travelers, sponsored friends and staff is of utmost importance. Local Unbound staff members are your hosts during the awareness trip and accompany the group ...
October 16, 2018
Unbound members in El Salvador affected by Hurricane Michael -
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Unbound members in El Salvador affected by Hurricane Michael
Before Hurricane Michael hit the U.S. with ...
October 16, 2018
High marks from all major charity watchdog sites earn Unbound top spot - High marks from all major charitywatchdog sites earn Unbound top spot
Many individuals use independent charity evaluation websites such as CharityWatch, GuideStar and Charity Navigator to identify the ...
October 23, 2018
Contributes to book on wisdom of elders - Contributes to book on wisdom of elders
Former Unbound sponsored youth turned social worker Yenifer Valencia Morales joined Pope Francis in Rome Oct. 23 to celebrate the launch of his new book, “Sharing ...
April 16, 2019
Scholarship program boosts education, job skills -
The Unbound Scholarship Program gives high school and college-age students a chance to continue their educations and learn valuable skills that make them stand out in a competitive job market.
Unbound ...
November 9, 2018
Toro receives community award for Unbound support - Toro receives community award for Unbound support
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Unbound sponsor Joaquin Toro received this year’s Carlos ...
December 31, 2018
5 of Unbound’s proudest moments in 2018 -
As 2018 comes to an end, Unbound shares five of its proudest moments from the year.
1
Without any government funding or major foundation grants, Unbound reached $2 billion in total revenue ...
January 9, 2019
Unbound families affected by flooding and fire -
Two unrelated disasters have impacted communities in the Philippines. About 200 families served through Unbound suffered property damage and loss of possessions when Typhoon Usman struck Dec. 29-30.
January 18, 2019
Unbound collaborates on book for pope - Unbound collaborates on book for pope
In 2017, Unbound received a request from Loyola Press to collaborate on an exciting project: a book commissioned by Pope Francis to draw attention to the global community ...
January 22, 2019
Survey finds elders have more access to medicine, nutrition -
Survey finds elders have more access to medicine, nutrition
Elders in Unbound experience less loneliness and social isolation, a lower incidence of hunger and greater access to health care, a survey ...
February 25, 2019
Families experience flooding after earthquake -
The flooding occurred when a retaining wall collapsed as a result of the earthquake. The affected families live in communities in the province of Guayas on the Pacific coast. They are served by Unbound’s ...
November 5, 2019
Guatemalan elder epitomizes entrepreneurial spirit - Guatemalan elder epitomizes entrepreneurial spirit
Entrepreneurs are often sources of determination, perseverance and ingenuity.
That's certainly true of 75-year-old sponsored elder Carlos in Guatemala.
To ...
December 18, 2018
Unbound on Consumer Reports’ best charities list -
Consumer Reports included Unbound on its recently released list of best charities for donations.
In compiling its list and tips for the giving season, Consumer Reports said it looked for consensus among ...
November 11, 2019
What Can $500 Do -
Actually a lot, with the right people in charge
What if donors simply gave money to families living in poverty and told them, “Do whatever you want, as long as it’s for the betterment of your community?”
That ...
February 28, 2020
Competing To Become The Best They Can Be -
Youths pursue their sports dreams
It’s not uncommon to find highly motivated young people in the Unbound sponsorship program. Many are the accounts of sponsored youth who embrace the opportunity to ...
December 12, 2019
Steppingstone to a dream -
Scholarship helped Unbound alum attain education
A college degree is an impressive accomplishment for any young person, but especially so for someone who’s had to overcome poverty.
Celvestre, 20, ...
March 15, 2022
Coping in the Pandemic - In an area called Agent Quarter in Nairobi, Kenya, Eunice, mother of sponsored child Nixion, stands in her shop among brightly colored backpacks and clothing, quietly hand-sewing a red pullover. A purse ...
December 29, 2021
Top 5 Stories of 2021 -
Last year was marked by uncertainty, change and incredible hardship worldwide.
But through uncertainty, courage is born. From change stems adaptability and from hardship, strength arises. The year 2021, ...
December 14, 2021
The Wisdom Of Elders - The importance of love, peace and working to make the world a better place are the overall nuggets of wisdom elders will impart to younger generations as part of a new Netflix original docuseries airing ...
Sponsorships have helped almost 1 million individuals in developing countries since Unbound’s founding 40 years ago
What Do I Know? Lessons on Design Thinking, Inclusion, and More from Micro-Entrepreneurs in the Developing World
November 18, 2020
Youth devotes service to caring for environment - Teaching children to respect and care for the environment gives everyone a chance for a better future.
That wisdom came from Unbound scholar María Angélica of Colombia. The 21-year-old college student ...
November 17, 2020
Scholar aspires to a career in pharmaceuticals to help the sick - If you asked 20-year-old Seenu of India where she sees herself in five years, she'd tell you she has a plan in place.
Now working on a bachelor’s degree in botany and zoology, she wants to complete her ...
October 15, 2020
New ground for partnering with families - Little boy leads way for Unbound in Rwanda
At 5 years old, it’s understandable that Kevin doesn’t spend a lot of time thinking about the historic place he holds as the first child in Rwanda to be sponsored ...
October 15, 2020
Reversing the downward spiral - Rwandan family moves toward health, hope
Mathematics is important to 11-year-old Giselle. One of the first children to become sponsored in Unbound’s newest country, Rwanda, she wants to be a math and science ...
September 22, 2020
Families use emergency funds for food, education - Like many around the world, Roland and April in Quezon City, Philippines, found themselves without work to provide for their family of four children after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Roland drives a tricycle, ...
September 18, 2020
Creating a bridge for expression, connection - A staff member patiently writes down every word a little boy in El Salvador says as he dictates his letter to his sponsor by phone. The boy wants so much to express his thoughts well and get every word ...
August 25, 2020
Sponsored students tackle virtual learning -
At 24 years old, María was in her last year of college when the pandemic began to impact Merida, Mexico, forcing her to uproot and move back into her grandmother’s home an hour away.
Having been raised ...
August 19, 2020
Mothers defend families from violence and virus - Before the COVID-19 pandemic, three of every five women in Lima, Peru, reported that they had experienced violence from an intimate partner. For Sonia and the other women in her community near Lima, that ...
August 7, 2020
Elders reflect on faith amidst COVID-19 - Faith is a core source of comfort for many elders around the world who are sponsored through Unbound, but how they practice it looks different in COVID-19. Four elders recently shared the new ways they’re ...
July 21, 2020
Ecuadorian elder and American sponsor bond through adversity - Friendship forms across the miles
At a time when many are coping with the challenges of isolation, it’s good to remember that life-giving relationships aren’t always dependent on being physically present.
June 22, 2020
Walking the path together - Savannah sponsor goes extra mile for child in India
Unbound supporters find our community in many ways. Many feel called after hearing a message from an Unbound priest visiting their parish. Some hear ...
June 18, 2020
Barriers overcome by compassion - When a caring family is moved by their own challenges to reach out to a boy in need, an amazing kinship develops.-->
Clockwise from left, Santos, 15, spends time with his sponsors, Dalton, ...
May 19, 2020
Together, moms in Kenya find financial power -
Co-ops give members 'the ability to help yourself'
Editor’s note: This story about Unbound’s savings and credit cooperative in Nairobi, Kenya, was written before the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds available ...
May 19, 2020
Why cash transfers work for families - Unbound believes in families, and our program model demonstrates that belief.
Unbound uses cash transfers as the primary way to distribute benefits, which means sponsored individuals and their families ...
March 10, 2018
Returning to their roots -
Cecile and Raul Villarreal with their sons, Alex (far left) and Lou (center), and their sponsored friends, Hector (second from left) and Magdalena (far right).
Last summer, Cecile Villarreal traveled ...
February 26, 2020
The Creative Spirit of Youth -
Young people explore talents through the arts
Education is one of the greatest assets a child can have in breaking free of a life of debilitating poverty. But a human being needs more than formal education ...
February 12, 2020
A closer look - Unbound social worker Lily Ouko wants the outside world to see what she sees in Kenya’s largest slum, and it’s more than the challenges residents face.
Step by step, families in Kibera make progress
Social ...
January 29, 2020
Taal Volcano evacuees head home -
Families face difficult road back to normalcy
For more than two weeks, hundreds of thousands of people in the Philippines have had their lives disrupted by threatening activity from the Taal Volcano, ...
January 27, 2020
A Place To Gather -
Community turns run-down structure into meeting place
When people in the U.S. hear the word "kiosk,” they likely think of a small stand or retail booth. But in Latin America, "kiosco" can also mean ...
January 16, 2020
From saving coins to reaching goals -
Mom models value of saving for children, community
While it's possible to create good habits at any stage of life, learning them early on is a benefit. Washing hands, brushing teeth, exercising — all ...
January 8, 2020
What sponsorship can do for a family -
Raising a family is never easy. That’s true no matter where a person lives or what their economic situation is like. But for families with limited resources living in places where conditions make it difficult ...
December 30, 2019
Elders receive pope’s book featuring their stories -
Elders receive pope’s book featuring their stories
Unbound staff around the world enjoyed a little early Christmas by bearing gifts and bringing joy to people who couldn’t be more deserving of it.
December 18, 2019
Celebrate 2019 with us! -
At Unbound, 2019 was a year full of exciting new initiatives, accolades and change for the organization.
At Unbound, 2019 was a year full of exciting new initiatives, accolades and change for the ...
December 2, 2019
Elders see benefits in connecting with others -
To give and receive love is a basic human need but one that often goes unmet.
The effects of social isolation and loneliness on physical and mental health, particularly in older people, are well-documented.
February 10, 2018
A celebration of ‘togetherness’ -
Jeff Smith, Amy Benoist and their sponsored friend, Sravanthi, pause for a photo outside Sravanthi’s home in India. Jeff and Amy visited Sravanthi as part of an Unbound Awareness Trip.
When Amy Benoist ...