Set the world’s vulnerable children free from trauma.

Story-based training and tools designed to equip you to set children free from trauma and free to thrive.

“If you spend yourselves to satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”

Isaiah 58:10

Trauma traps children in poverty, abuse, and shame.

Jesus declared, “I have come to liberate the oppressed.”

Luke 4:18

RELIEF IS NOT ENOUGH

EVERY YEAR ONE BILLION CHILDREN EXPERIENCE TRAUMA THROUGH VIOLENCE AND NEGLECT.

Without help, trauma is likely to compound in their lives leading to a downward spiral of vulnerability.

Downward Spiral of
Child Vulnerability

A child depends on support and supervision of caring adults.

Poverty and poor social networks threaten the support system.

Shock (illness, job loss, alcoholism, death) worsens the situation.

The child loses protection and is forced to fend for themselves.

The child can fall victim to abuse and neglect.

While food, shelter, and clean water are vital for survival, relief is not enough to heal broken hearts and set them free.

BUILD A BRIDGE TO FREEDOM

Through our story-based program, anchored by world-class audio dramas, we engage, equip, and empower people to set vulnerable children free from trauma and free to thrive.

  • Build relationships with children to strengthen connection

  • Regulate self to better address root causes of stress behavior

  • Increase safety with strategies to protect children

  • Develop a child’s personal story to promote resilience

  • Grow in understanding the impact trauma has on children

  • Embrace rest to sustain Christ-like compassion

Immersive
& interactive

Evidence-based
& faith-driven

Effective
across cultures

GET TRAINING

1,900+

300+

people trained

organizations served

Increase Christ-like compassion

Acquire knowledge
and skills

Grow in confidence
to help kids

14,000+

children protected, rescued, & restored

During my time living in Sub-Saharan Africa, I often witnessed the effects of trauma on vulnerable children. Despite how common trauma is, there are very few organizations addressing it. When I learned about RiverCross’s approach using storytelling and care-provider training, I finally had hope again for those who have been victims of trauma: that through these resources they could experience true freedom and healing in Christ. The replicability and scalability of their model has the potential to positively impact children and their care providers around the world.
Robert Morris, MS, London School of Economic Innovation Program Manager, Hope International

While there are other quality trauma training programs, RiverCross offers something unique. By anchoring their workshops in award-winning audio dramas, RiverCross engages both the heart and the mind. Their approach points people to the hope of the Gospel, advances locally-led leadership, equips individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to protect orphans and vulnerable children from trauma and – when the unthinkable happens – brings restoration.
Jedd Medefind President and Executive Director Christian Alliance for Orphans

Over 50% of children around the world have experienced trauma with this rate often increasing in low-income settings. Given the long-term consequences of trauma on health and economic outcomes, it is of utmost importance to find a low-cost, scalable trauma intervention - an intervention such as RiverCross’s. This project then aims to estimate the impact of RiverCross Clubs on mental health and education attainment, providing crucial evidence on a potential low-cost, scalable solution to the need for trauma resiliency skills in low-income settings.
Grace Finley, PhD Student Affiliate Harvard Kennedy School Public Policy and Economics

RiverCross’ program is engaging and therapeutic while it journeys participants through a story much like their own. The material is information without being overly didactic and I find that it speaks to participants in a way that allows them to feel known, loved and heard. This is what every childhood deserves and it’s why we think investing in the development of RiverCross’ programmatic efforts is an investment worthy of our time and resources.
Bryan Gouge, PhD, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Senior Program Design Specialist-Mental Health Compassion International

RiverCross equipped our staff in Uganda to recognize signs of abuse in the children we serve and take action to restore them from the trauma they have experienced.
Mark and Lori Kanode, Co-founders of 7 Billion Reasons, Busia, Uganda

Our staff now has a much deeper understanding of trauma's impact on the refugee children we serve. The training gave us a common language around major issues we face.
Michele Suffridge, Executive Director, Refugee Hope Partners, Raleigh, NC

TESTIMONIES

HOW IT WORKS

Children listen to a RiverCross audio drama with a trained adult.As the children listen, they begin to access the fragments of their own stories

The adult guides them in games, activities, and play that help them gather these fragments into a new story. A story in which their past is part of their story, but it no longer defines them.

Children are set free from trauma and set free to thrive.

God’s promise still stands: Your light will rise in the darkness and he will liberate the oppressed. Thank you for investing in trauma training and spending yourself in this cause.

Not ready to train? Please check out our other ways to get involved.