Guildford resident Iesha Allouch was just like Josh.
You would never know Iesha had a difficult childhood, living in extreme financial disadvantage meant she missed out at school a lot.
Often there wasn’t money for food, let alone excursions and sport.
Keeping up at school was a constant battle until The Smith Family, through their Learning for Life program, stepped in and offered help.
Now in her third year at Macquarie University studying Law, Iesha is on a Learning for Life scholarship with The Smith Family which she’s been on annually since Year 7.
She says that when she was at school, the support was a huge help for her mum financially.
She’d use the funds to get all the necessary school resources supplied and it was a huge weight off her shoulders.
“I used to receive letters from my sponsor when I was at school,” she said.
“It was great to know someone was actually thinking about me, taking time out of their day and helping.”
The scholarship is a huge help to Iesha at uni – before she begins every semester, she gets sent money which she uses for upfront fees, textbooks, technology and transport.
“My message to people thinking about sponsoring a child is to absolutely do it,” she said.
“A bit of support helps a child to feel normal and included, like they belong.”
There are presently 3,875 children on the Sydney waiting list for sponsorship ($55 a month).
To find out how you can help: thesmithfamily.com.au/sponsor
How to assist student break cycle of poverty
EVERY child should have returned to school this year feeling confident that with hard work, they can achieve all that they’re capable of but poverty blocks ‘Josh’ from reaching his potential.