Some Sponsorship stories can be told in just a few lines. Others only make sense when we look back at the entire journey—with its setbacks, fresh starts, and small victories.
Jeremias’s story is one of those. Told by someone who has experienced it firsthand—Sponsor Patrícia, who has been by his side since 2008—it’s a story about believing even when results aren’t yet visible, and about what it means, in practice, to never give up on a child.
Here, in Sponsor Patrícia’s own words, we share Jeremias’s journey:
“Jeremias came into our family’s life in 2008, when he was still very young.
Those years of sponsorship were marked by ups and downs, obstacles, and fresh starts. Sometimes, believing in a child like Jeremias means having patience—and a great deal of compassion for difficulties we can’t always imagine.
His journey hasn’t always been easy. There were difficulties at school, lower grades, moments when it wasn’t clear which path to take. Christmas letters with mistakes. Irregular report cards. There were times when we wondered if it made sense to keep supporting him, or if we should ‘switch to a younger child,’ since we’d already helped him for so many years.
But that’s where AlG’s more than 20 years of work on the ground teach us so much: true help isn’t just when everything goes well. It’s when you need the strength to keep believing.
As a child, Jeremias dreamed of becoming an accountant. Later, we funded his training in the field of electricity—and we immediately realized that ALG, by creating job opportunities, was helping to build a real career for him.
But the paths of ALG’s sponsorchilds are rarely straight lines. Much less what their sponsors in Portugal dream of. Sometimes, our children in Mozambique need time to make mistakes, mature, and try again.
Today, Jeremias is 25 years old and is in his fourth year of a bachelor’s degree in Clinical and Laboratory Analysis, with the support of A Little Gesture’s University Scholarships.
He didn’t get here by chance—he persevered through so many difficulties, with the support of his family and ALG, and with a great deal of effort.
For everyone reading this story, perhaps the most beautiful part is this: don’t give up.
Don’t give up on a child when the results don’t yet tell the whole story. Don’t abandon vulnerable young people when the path takes a turn for the worse. Keep believing that it’s always worth bringing a “Little Gesture” to Mozambique.
Believing in Um Pequeno Gesto’s Sponsorship Program and A Little Gesture University Scholarships isn’t just about paying tuition, transportation, housing, and daily expenses.
Investing in education is necessary. But being, alongside ALG, a safe haven for a child in need when their talent, determination, or confidence waver—that is essential.
Jeremias, thank you for showing me that we must continue to be there for one another. And for letting us see, with such pride, everything you were capable of.”