--- title: "CRS Photo of the Month: Making Toys, Improving Lives" description: See how Catholic Relief Services helps young children develop to their full potential through play. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/07/20/crs-photo-month-making-toys-improving-lives#) # CRS Photo of the Month: Making Toys, Improving Lives Jul 20, 2016 8:00:02 AM  |  by [Catholic Relief Services](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/catholic-relief-services) [![Photo by Philip Laubner/CRS. All rights reserved. Used with permission.](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/CRS-Photo-of-the-Month-July-2016.jpg?width=800&height=513&name=CRS-Photo-of-the-Month-July-2016.jpg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/CRS-Photo-of-the-Month-July-2016.jpg) Photo by Philip Laubner/CRS. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Four-year-old Saumu doesn’t play much at home. Her parents are too busy working. So she loves when her sister Rehema, center, takes her to their local childhood development center in Tanga, Tanzania. There, Saumu plays with other children, sharing homemade toys designed to stimulate minds and promote learning. A third of young children [don’t develop to their full potential](http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/752898/22356308/1365000536823/thrive-improving-early-childhood-development-hiv.pdf?token=lnwxyMgX%2FmfqzQ6bqyZdObHiBf0%3D). Toys can help, but for parents who struggle to feed and clothe their families, toys may not be seen as a priority. [Tweet "See how @CatholicRelief helps young children develop to their full potential through play."] Catholic Relief Services (CRS) trains staff at centers like these to hold workshops for parents explaining the importance of play and teaching them how to create safe, age-appropriate toys using ordinary household items like socks, boxes or plastic bottles. While the parents learn, their children do too, playing with others. The program reaches poor families in Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi. Often in these communities, children also struggle with serious health concerns, so the centers offer medical care and nutrition services. Saumu, who was born with HIV, is currently recovering from malaria. When she visits her neighborhood center, she visits her doctor. Some days can be hard for Saumu. But her face brightens as she sings along with her friends. See more photos of Saumu and other children in Tanzania here: [Trash to Treasured—Creating Toys to Grow Healthy Kids I CRS](http://live-catholic-relief-services.pantheon.io/stories/trash-treasured-creating-toys-grow-healthy-kids). ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F07%2F20%2Fcrs-photo-month-making-toys-improving-lives%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F07%2F20%2Fcrs-photo-month-making-toys-improving-lives%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F07%2F20%2Fcrs-photo-month-making-toys-improving-lives%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=CRS%20Photo%20of%20the%20Month%3A%20Making%20Toys%2C%20Improving%20Lives) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F07%2F20%2Fcrs-photo-month-making-toys-improving-lives%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2016%2F07%2F20%2Fcrs-photo-month-making-toys-improving-lives%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Catholic Relief Services](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/CRS.jpg) ### [Catholic Relief Services](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/catholic-relief-services) Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. We are the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and a member of Caritas International and the National Catholic Development Conference. Find us on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CatholicReliefServices), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/CatholicRelief), [YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/catholicrelief), [Google Plus](https://plus.google.com/104550074809687046792/posts) and [Pinterest](http://www.pinterest.com/catholicrelief/). ## Related Blog Articles [ CRS Photo of the Month: Reaching the Hidden Needs of Families in Kenya Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/08/17/reaching-hidden-needs-families-kenya) [ Catholic Relief Services Offers Photos and Stories of Blessed Mother Teresa in Preparation of Her Canonization Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2016/08/24/catholic-relief-services-offers-photos-stories-blessed-mother-teresa-preparation-canonization) [ CRS Photo of the Month: New Beginnings Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/01/11/crs-photo-month-new-beginnings) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.