This Mother’s Day, Eye of the Child celebrates the women whose love reaches beyond their own families to protect children, restore hope and help build a brighter future.
There is a kind of love that cannot be measured by the number of children a woman gives birth to. It is measured by the tears she wipes away, the pain she helps heal, the little hands she holds through difficult moments, and the hope she gives to a child who has almost stopped believing in tomorrow.
Sometimes, motherhood is found in a mother waiting for her daughter to come home. Sometimes, it is found in a woman who opens her heart to a child who is not her own. And sometimes, it is found in those who choose to stand between a child and a world that has failed to protect them.
This Mother’s Day, Eye of the Child celebrates that extraordinary kind of love.
Before Mother’s Day, we shared a story of waiting, longing and hope. It was the story of a mother looking forward to the day her daughter would return home.
For a mother separated from her child, every passing day can carry a thousand questions. Is my child safe? Is she healing? Will she come home? Will she smile again the way she used to?
These are questions that no mother should have to carry alone.
For children who have experienced exploitation, abuse or vulnerability, returning home is more than a physical journey. It can be the beginning of a difficult but beautiful process of healing, rebuilding trust and learning to dream again.
Behind every child who begins to smile again is often someone who refused to give up. Someone who listened. Someone who protected. Someone who believed that the child’s past should never determine the rest of their life.
And behind every hopeful reunion is a reminder that children need more than rescue. They need love, patience, understanding and a family or community ready to stand beside them.
That is where the true meaning of motherhood becomes even more powerful.
Not every woman who changes a child’s life is that child’s biological mother. Some become a source of comfort when fear takes over. Some help children rediscover their confidence after painful experiences. Others work tirelessly to ensure that children are protected, heard and given opportunities to build better futures.
Their work may not always be visible. Their sacrifices may go unrecognised. And the children whose lives they touch may never fully understand, at least not yet, how much those acts of kindness mean.
It lives in a girl who begins to speak confidently after months of silence. It lives in a child who dares to return to school and dream of becoming a teacher, a journalist or a doctor. It lives in a young person who begins to believe that life can offer something better than the pain they have experienced.
These are the victories that make every effort worthwhile.
At Eye of the Child, the commitment to protecting children is rooted in a simple but powerful truth: every child deserves safety, dignity, love and the opportunity to grow into the person they were meant to become.
And those who dedicate their lives to that mission deserve to be celebrated.
This Mother’s Day, we honour Laura Schreiber, Global Patron of Eye of the Child, whose Mother’s Day tribute recognises her commitment and support for children and the future of Malawi.
Her message is a reminder that the responsibility to protect children does not end at the borders of a country, within the walls of a home, or with the people directly related to a child.
Through the work and support of people who care deeply about children, the call for a safer world becomes more than a message. It becomes an invitation to participate in something greater than ourselves.
Laura’s tribute celebrates the difference that compassion, dedication and continued support can make in the lives of children.
We also celebrate Priscilla Rosario Garner, whose tribute carries a message that speaks to the heart of every person who believes in protecting the vulnerable.
It is a love that crosses distance, reaches beyond differences and reminds us that compassion can touch lives far beyond our immediate circles.
Her tribute recognises the courage, compassion and unwavering heart associated with standing for truth and protecting the vulnerable.
In a world where children can suffer in silence, women who speak up for what is right remind us that silence is not the only response to suffering. We can choose to care. We can choose to act. We can choose to stand with children whose voices are too often ignored.
Priscilla’s Mother’s Day message is a celebration of that spirit: the determination to protect, the courage to stand for what is right, and the belief that love must be expressed through action.
Because sometimes, being a light in a child’s life means standing up when it would be easier to look away.
And sometimes, the most beautiful gift we can give a child is the assurance that somebody cares enough to stand up for them.
Every child deserves a chance to grow up without exploitation, to receive an education without fear, and to dream without feeling that poverty or a painful past has already decided their future.
When women use their voices, influence and compassion to support children, they help strengthen a movement that reaches far beyond one individual.
They help remind the world that children are not forgotten, that their futures matter, and that their protection is a responsibility we must share.
As we celebrate the women who inspire us, there is another group we must remember: the children who are still waiting.
Some are waiting for a safe place to call home. Some are waiting to be reunited with their families. Some are waiting for someone to believe their stories. Others are waiting for the opportunity to return to school, learn a skill, or discover that their dreams are still possible.
And somewhere, there may be a mother waiting for the day she can hold her child again without fear.
Their stories remind us that Mother’s Day is not only about flowers, gifts and beautiful messages. It is also about the kind of world we are creating for the next generation.
Can a child feel safe enough to speak? Can a girl who has experienced exploitation rebuild her life without being judged? Can a struggling mother find the support she needs to protect her children? Can communities recognise the warning signs of abuse and exploitation before another child is harmed?
These are questions that deserve more than a single day of attention.
- They demand compassion, action and a collective commitment to protecting every child.
- At Eye of the Child, we believe that when a child is protected, a future is protected. When a child is given another chance, hope is restored. And when a mother is supported, the entire family can become stronger.
- One day, a child who was once afraid may look back and remember the person who helped them find their voice.
- A girl who once believed her dreams were lost may become a woman who inspires others.
- A mother who spent months waiting may finally hold her child again, grateful for the chance to begin a new chapter.
- And the women who helped make those moments possible may never fully see the extent of the difference they made.
- But their legacy will live on in every child who finds the courage to hope again.
To Laura Schreiber, Priscilla Rosario Garner
and every woman who stands with children in moments of vulnerability, your compassion reminds us that motherhood can reach beyond biology. It can be expressed through protection, advocacy, kindness and the courage to keep showing up when children need us most.
This Mother’s Day, we celebrate you. We celebrate the mothers who wait, the women who protect, the caregivers who nurture, and the champions who refuse to let a child’s story end in pain.
May every child who is waiting find a safe home. May every mother who is longing find hope. And may every woman who has dedicated her heart to protecting children know that her work matters.
To every woman who has helped a child feel safe, loved and worthy of a future: thank you. You may not have given birth to every child whose life you touch, but your love may be the reason that child learns to believe in tomorrow.
Happy Mother’s Day from Eye of the Child