“Encourage and support your kids,” said Lady Bird Johnson, “because children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.” At Abraham Kriel Children’s Home, we see the truth of Johnson’s words every day. Children blossom when their strengths and achievements are recognised. By contrast, they wither in the glare of harsh criticism, or in the invisibility of never having their efforts seen. Children need to know that, when they try hard and do their best, it matters – even if their results aren’t the same as other children’s.

Given the circumstances many of our children come from, they are not always top achievers. Trauma makes learning harder for children from difficult backgrounds. When children have learning problems, keeping up with their peers can be a massive struggle. In these circumstances, children can easily become discouraged. And once they feel discouraged, their motivation to grow shrinks. For this reason, we have an annual prize-giving to recognise our children’s achievements in academics, sports, arts, as well as life skills, such as friendliness, helpfulness and leadership. House-parents nominate candidates in each category. We then team up with our social workers to make the final choice.

This year, the joy of our winners receiving their awards lit up the room. Witnessing the power of recognition is a profound inspiration to us all. In the radiant faces of our children, we see the inner light unlocked by love and encouragement. To each of our young ones at Abraham Kriel: thank you for sharing your unique gifts with us! In the words of Carter Crocker: “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”