When Sonia joined Talita Kum three years ago, she wouldn’t eat and appeared malnourished. Nutrition is a key element in Blythswood’s after-school programme and today the ten-year-old is fit and energetic – so much so that she reached the 2,482 metre Retezat summit in Romania’s southern Carpathians last year and was eager to learn rock climbing.

Coming from a low-income home and with parents who had minimal schooling, she enjoys life-changing opportunities at Talita Kum. “Sonia is well-mannered,” says programme director Adrian Popa. “She works slowly on her homework. She may not always manage to complete it but gets a pass for good behaviour.”

And although she may not be top of the class, Adrian says that Sonia has picked up sufficient English from TV cartoons to be able to translate Bible stories and songs for a team of Scottish volunteers at summer camp.

Sonia loves to dance and played a star role in a street musical which the TK kids performed for International Children’s Day in June. Adrian says: “She is a very promising young woman with a good attitude and positive character.”

Talita Kum and TK2 give extra tuition, nutritious meals and a broad cultural programme to 95 young people from seven to 16 in Jimbolia, western Romania.

Going places: Talita Kum gives life-changing opportunities to children like Sonia.