Freedom to Flourish

The Salvation Army is a global movement that supports community development programmes around the world – helping people to overcome the poverty and injustice they are experiencing and enabling them to build a better life and future. The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory partners with other territories and supports international development projects which fall within five focus areas: food security, clean water, anti-trafficking, emergency response and supporting women and girls.

The Helping-Hand Appeal exists to raise awareness about and funds for international community-based projects. Each year the appeal focuses on a different area of work, and during 2026 the focus is ‘Women and Girls’. 

We want to help everyone understand the importance of being kind, confident, respectful and fair, and to learn empathy, good boundaries, and that everyone is equal. In doing this we can help to build healthy, caring relationships with everyone.

Freedom to flourish

Gender-based violence takes many forms and is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women. It is not confined to one country, culture, class or generation, but women living in poverty are disproportionately affected.

When girls are forced into marriage and pregnancy before their bodies are ready, they face life-threatening harm. When women are treated as inferior, as commodities, or as subjects of control and victims of domestic abuse, it rejects the truth that every person is created in God’s image – equally loved and valued.

The Salvation Army runs a Health Care and Counselling Centre in the heart of Jashore, Bangladesh, within the city’s brothel district. There, a dedicated team supports women to leave sexual exploitation and rebuild their lives. And for the children who call the brothel home, but who are vulnerable to abuse and neglect, the centre provides a safe space for them to learn, play and grow. Through the listening ear of a Salvation Army chaplain, and by providing skills training, literacy classes and income-generating opportunities, the women are finding new ways to support themselves and their families.

The centre also mobilises community organisers to travel to neighbouring villages around Jashore to raise awareness of the dangers of child marriage and the injustices of gender discrimination and human trafficking. The challenges are complex. There is no single, simple solution, so this project weaves together many strands to drive social change and try to address factors that feed exploitation. In essence it is about breaking the cycle of sexual exploitation.

Please be aware

While this session will not directly talk about violence against women and girls, we need to be ready to create a safe space and offer a sensitive approach to this subject if it arises. This topic may also trigger personal concerns around domestic abuse. Please contact familyministries@salvationarmy.org.uk for further support.

More information and stories can be found on the Helping-Hand Appeal web page. (www.salvationist.org.uk/faith/giving-fundraising/helping-hand-appeal)

It is also worth noting that Esther herself is essentially a victim of sexual exploitation, having been forcefully removed from her homeland and then taken to serve the king. However, this aspect of the story is not highlighted in the session. 

Story

God’s Big Promises Bible Story Book (Carl Lafterton), ‘The Brave Queen’, p207

The Big Bible Story Book (Maggie Barfield), ‘Beautiful Esther’ and ‘Esther saves God’s People’, pp105-107

Story Script

If you have made crowns as an activity, let the children wear them while you tell the story.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there was a girl named Esther. Esther was kind and gentle, and God loved her very, very much – just like he loves you and me very, very much.

One day, Esther was chosen to be a queen, and she got to wear a shiny crown.

Esther then heard that something wasn’t right. Her people needed help, and do you know what Esther did? She used her voice!

Esther felt a little scared, but she remembered that God was with her, so she went to the king and asked him to help her people.

God helped Esther to be brave and kind. The king listened to Esther and he helped her. So because Esther was brave and used kind words, everyone could be safe and happy.

God helped Esther to be brave, and because of her kindness and courage, people were kept safe. Esther showed that when we listen to God and care for others, wonderful things can happen.

Let’s remember three things Esther teaches us!

1. God loves me. (Pat chest)

2. I can be brave. (Strong arms pose)

3. I can use kind words. (Touch lips gently)

I wonder how God can help us be brave when we need to do the right thing. 

I wonder how God can help us to use kind words to everyone.

Remember that if something feels unkind or unfair, you can tell a grown‑up you trust about it.

Song Suggestions

1. Tune: ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’

Esther, Esther, brave and kind,
God was always on her mind.
Used her voice to gently say,
Save my people, please, today.
Esther, Esther, brave and kind,
God was always on her mind.

Help me to be brave and kind,
Keeping God’s love on my mind.
Use my voice to gently say
Helpful words for all, I pray.
Help me to be brave and kind,
Keeping God’s love on my mind.
 

Tune: ‘Frère Jacques’

Kind and helpful, kind and helpful,
I can be, I can be.
God will always be there,
God will always be there,
Helping me, helping me.

Additional songs

• ‘Shine from the inside out’, youtu.be/WGarMi70QSs?list=RDWGarMi70QSs
• ‘Esther’s Song’, Veggietales, youtu.be/xxNrhJJlnk4?list=RDxxNrhJJlnk4see prayer suggestion
• ‘Be kind’, youtu.be/B1IeWBPWLns?list=RDB1IeWBPWLns

Craft/Activity Ideas

• Brave Like Esther Crowns

  Decorate cardboard crowns to wear during the story or at your royal tea party fundraiser.

• Microphones

  Using a cardboard tube, wrap foil on the top and tape in place. Decorate the handle and encourage the children to say kind and helpful words such as, ‘Please help,’ ‘Thank you’ and ‘God is with me!’.

• Kind Hands Craft

  Help draw or print their hands on card and glue them on to a paper heart background.

  Decorate with stickers and write on the heart, ‘Please God, help me to always have kind hands.’

• Action Game ‘Show Me!’

Get everyone to join in by copying the actions:

• Show me brave (strong arms)
• Show me kind (hands over heart)
• Show me quiet voice (finger to lips)
• Show me big voice (cup hands to cheer)
• Show me a happy face (encourage big smiles!)

Sensory Play

• Royal Treasure Sensory Bin

  Fill a Tuff-Tray with coloured rice/pasta, scoops, spoons, plastic gems, queen figure.

  Get the children to find the queen and gems. Encourage them to work together as they count the gems showing them how to help each other.

• Colour Sorting: Kind and Unkind Choices

  Have a basket of pom-poms in two colours, and two other baskets. Tell them that one colour represents kind choices (sharing, helping, gentle words) and the other unkind choices (grabbing, shouting, pushing). Help the children sort the pom-poms as you talk together.

• Sparkly Play-dough 

  Make some homemade play-dough adding safe glitter or sequins in it. Talk about how Esther shone by being kind and brave and how we can do the same.

• Decorate Cakes

      If you’re holding a Royal Tea Party fundraiser, provide small cakes for people to ice and decorate. Be aware of food allergies.

Prayer

Esther teaches us that even when we feel small, God loves us, helps us, and listens to us.
We can be brave, we can be kind, and our voices matter.

Repeat after me prayer:

Dear God … 
Thank you for loving us … 
Help us be kind …
Help us be brave …
Help us use our voices for good …
Amen.

You could listen and watch ‘Esther’s Song’ from Veggietales before using this prayer youtu.be/xxNrhJJlnk4?list=RDxxNrhJJlnk4

Fundraising Ideas

Organise a fundraising activity that the group can do to raise money for the Helping-Hand Appeal.

• Plan a Royal Tea Party with simple sandwiches and cakes and ask people to give a donation to the Helping-Hand Appeal.
• Hold a sponsored event or activity such as a Toddle or Sing-along. Get them to ask their family and friends to sponsor them and finish with a Royal Picnic.
• Plan a special coffee morning, cake sale, or bacon sandwich morning, either as part of your group or on a Saturday.
• Collect empty baby food jars – your group will be a good source – and fill them with sweets or raisins. Ask families to wash out the jars and then return them one month later filled with coins.
• Make a Helping-Hand moneybox using the wrapper available to download in the printed materials. Put the moneybox out at your group each week for people to donate any change. You could also do this once a month at your Sunday morning coffee fellowship and ask people to donate there too.

Host an evening session with refreshments where adults can come to learn more about the Helping Hand Appeal using the videos and resources available on the Helping-Hand Appeal web page (www.salvationist.org.uk/faith/giving-fundraising/helping-hand-appeal).