Addressing the Needs of Children in Adversity

On Christmas Eve, 64 years ago, Pearl S Buck stood up for one of the world’s neediest children when she welcomed a child into her home who faced adversity and discrimination because he was biracial.

This heart-filled humanitarian act gave birth to a legacy that would impact the lives of 2 million children and families as Pearl S Buck began to create global communities through child adoption and child sponsorship. Her legacy is alive and well today as Pearl S Buck International upholds her mission and continues to bridge east and west; bringing the world closer. You may say that the mission is a personal matter for our Chairman of the Board. You see, David Yoder is the child who was welcomed into the arms of Pearl S Buck on that Christmas Eve night in 1948.

So it is in this spirit that we are celebrating today’s news that the United States Government Action Plan on Children in Adversity is being launched.

The Action Plan on Children in Adversity is particularly significant as it is the first-ever strategic guidance for U.S. Government international assistance for children 0 to 18 years of age who are affected by HIV/AIDS, orphans, trafficked, exploited for child labor, in disasters, recruited as soldiers, neglected, or in other vulnerable states. It is also unique in that seven agencies and departments have agreed to align funding in pursuit of common goals that address the needs of vulnerable children.