In the lead-up to Christmas in 2010, Australians have made an incredible 167,169 purchases from our Smiles gift catalogue. The aid and development work made possible by Smiles is helping to transform lives in some of the world’s poorest communities.

In poor communities around the world, many families struggle to provide a better life for their children because they lack access to resources that can help them grow nutritious food and generate a reliable income. And because of their poverty, many cannot afford to send or keep their children in school.

Through our World Vision gift catalogue, thousands of generous Australians have purchased over $4.6 million worth of gifts in the lead-up to Christmas 2010 to help families and communities overcome such challenges.. Here are just a few examples of how Smiles projects are transforming lives around the world.

In Myanmar...

In Myanmar, Ma Than Than Soe and her family received a piglet as part of a program to train communities in livestock breeding. Ma Than says the piglet, which the family affectionately named “Mi Toe” is “a kind of piggy bank for us.” She plans to use the income she can make from pig breeding to cover her children’s education costs.

In Mongolia...

In countries like Mongolia, poverty and extreme weather make it hard for many families to ensure their children receive all the nutrients they need to grow up strong and healthy. Through a Smiles-supported maternal and child health program, malnourished children are receiving supplementary vitamins and parents are learning about the importance of nutrition. This kind of support is especially important for Mongolian children like Ariunsolongo, 4, who has been diagnosed with rickets.

In Cambodia...

In Cambodia, smiles were in abundance when 48 bicycles and school supplies were distributed amongst children in Banan District. These items will help to ensure that children can continue their education in this impoverished community where school dropouts are all too common.

The bicycles were given to those children who had to walk more than six kilometres to and from school each day. Teng Teom said he plans to use his new bicycle to give his sisters a lift to school as well.

For Phon Neth, this educational support has given him hope that he will make it through to high school. “I am the youngest of four brothers and none of them went past grade three or four,” he says. “But I know I can keep studying.”

A smile is the first thing you look for when you give a gift. And with life-changing gifts like these, you can be sure to spread smiles around the world.