Almost 25 years ago Pam Paterson made a decision that not only changed her life, but went on to change the lives of children in developing countries.

The mother-of-two and artist quit smoking and decided to donate the money she spent on cigarettes to helping children through ChildFund Australia.

“I thought, I’ve got to do something with this money,” Pam says. “I wanted to put the money to something worthwhile. Sponsoring a child was something I always wanted to do, and the money was there then, so I did it.”

Since 1994 Pam has been helping to support and educate girls in India.

“I always felt, especially for the girls in India, that they needed a better chance to have an education,” she says. “I often wrote to the girls I sponsored about how important education was and how important it was to get a good job.”

Pam has been supporting her current sponsored child – Shyamala – since 2006.

Shyamala was eight years old at the time and from a poor village in Andhra Pradesh, south India. Many families in the village, including Shyamala’s, suffered from poor nutrition and living standards, and low literacy rates.

Today the conditions in the village have improved thanks to sponsors around the world including Pam, and Shyamala has finished high school and is pursuing further education studies in commerce.

Pam has been supporting children in need through ChildFund for more than 24 years.

Shyamala, whom Pam has sponsored since 2006.

Over the years the pair have formed a special bond through writing letters.

“She seemed to be really interested in art and at one stage she wanted to do art, but she’s gone on to do something more practical for her,” Pam says. “She’s getting good marks and studying well.”

It’s been a privilege being a sponsor, says Pam, and the relationships she developed with her sponsored children have inspired her to leave a bequest to ChildFund in her will.

“Leaving a bequest felt like a worthwhile thing to do,” Pam says. “I had an aunt and I have a friend who have left bequests to charities. If you have the means, why wouldn’t you?

“I see my sponsored children as members of my family – they’re wonderful girls,” Pam says. “It’s been a privilege for me to be able to sponsor them.”

The benefits of sponsorship are like a chain reaction and pass on from one generation to the next, says Pam. “We need more people who are educated so the world can be a better place,” she says.

“In the end it’s about making the world a better place. That’s what we’re all hoping for.”