What is Child Sponsorship?
For thousands of children in need, sponsorship brings hope for the future.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are able to support more than 14,000 children and youth, like 13-year-old Mary (pictured), every year.
Mary's life has changed, now that she's been sponsored. She attends school regularly, her parent's income has improved and she eats nutritious meals at home every day.
The Sponsorship Journey
When you become a child sponsor, we'll help you get the most out of it.
When you sponsor a child, we send you a welcome package with information about your sponsored child, and about the sponsorship experience.
Every child sponsor is different. Some like to email, others like to talk on the phone or visit our office. We make that part easy by including a questionnaire with the welcome package. The information you provide helps us make your experience as a child sponsor even better.
Cards and gifts
All children love to receive cards with kind messages.
A few times each year, you will receive a card in the mail to fill-in and return. These cards help you to keep in touch with your sponsored child and provide them with keepsakes that will remind them of your friendship.
For less than $2/day, child sponsorship changes a child's life.
We are proud of the incredible impact that child sponsorship has on a community. It may be pocket change to you, but your donations support real and lasting community change, backed by 80+ years of experience.
How child sponsorship helps:
A quality education.
When children are enrolled in the child sponsorship programme, they don't need to worry about school fees. Every year, we help thousands of children and youth to reach their dreams through a quality education.
Safe drinking water.
In many communities around the world, children get sick from drinking unsafe water. Sponsored children have improved access to safe water through boreholes, taps and rainwater harvesting tanks near their homes and schools.
Better health and nutrition.
ChildFund works to improve access to healthcare by building clinics and training health workers in our dedicated communities. We also ensure children and families have healthy food through distribution of seeds and livestock.
A safer place to live.
We believe communities should be safe places for children to grow up. That's why we train families on improved techniques for parenting and prepare local groups on how to prepare for, and respond to, emergencies.
More child participation.
In order for a community to thrive, children need to have their voices heard. Sponsored children take part in youth groups and activities that help them share their opinions on issues that matter the most to them and their families.
Community self-reliance.
Our ultimate goal is for a community to become self-reliant - able to meet their own needs without Kiwi support. To help them on their journey, we work with our partners to build a Road Map plan for the next 10 to 15 years.
The updates you receive are proof that child sponsorship works.
As a child sponsor, you'll receive regular updates about how your support is helping children and youth to thrive. Every month we will deliver our Thrive e-newsletter to your email inbox, which shows you the latest news and stories from our dedicated programme areas. Every six months, you'll get a copy of our bi-annual progress report, updating you on the activities we've done in your sponsored child's community.
Every year, you'll get an update directly from the community you support, showing you how your sponsored child has benefited from your donations in the past 12 months. You'll also get an updated photo of your sponsored child and a copy of ChildFund's Annual Report every year.
Every three years, we will share a special Thrive Impact Report, showing you the results we have achieved in your sponsored child's community.
Sponsor visits
Meeting your sponsored child is a life-changing experience.
When you visit a ChildFund-supported community, you'll see how you are helping children and families reach self-reliance.
Sponsorship Graduation
When a child has graduated from our sponsorship programme, we celebrate!
Just prior to your sponsored child's 19th birthday, you will be informed that they are ready to graduate from our sponsorship programme. This is a time for you and your sponsored child's family to celebrate the next phase of their life.
When your sponsored child has graduated, we reach out to let you know about another child who needs your support through sponsorship.
Frequently-Asked Questions
1. How does child sponsorship work?
Child Sponsorship combines funding from supporters to help fund our community Road Map activities. These activities provide sponsored children with access to education, safe drinking water and sanitation, healthcare and nutrition, livelihoods, a safer community, participation and voice, and the ability to thrive!
Child sponsors have the ability to monitor the impact of their donations by reviewing regular updates, contacting our friendly donor care team on 0800 808 822 or by visiting their sponsored child's community.
2. How does my monthly sponsorship help in the long-term?
Each of our dedicated programme areas are working towards a long-term plan we call their Road Map. Together with local partners, community members and leaders, we have developed these 10 to 15 year plans with the ultimate objective of helping children and youth to thrive through self-reliance. Every three years, ChildFund completes an assessment of the progress we've made towards the goals stated in the community Road Map, and publishes these results in our three-year Thrive Impact Reports.
Sponsorship donations form a large part of the funding towards community Road Map activities, and work together with contributions from, project donors, other monthly sponsors, and our local, national and international partners.
3. How much does it cost to become a child sponsor?
For less than $2/day, you can change a child's life through child sponsorship. Your $55/month donation will be used to help your sponsored child, and their community, to thrive. A portion of your monthly support is used towards ChildFund's Future Fund programme, helping us innovate and develop new programmes and ways to create social impact for children, well into the future.
4. How do I know I'm making a difference?
As a child sponsor, you'll receive regular updates about how your support is helping children and youth to thrive. Every month we will deliver our Thrive e-newsletter to your email inbox, which shows you the latest news and stories from our dedicated programme areas. Every six months, you'll get a copy of our bi-annual progress report, updating you on the activities we've done in your sponsored child's community.
Every year, you'll get an update directly from the community you support, showing you how your sponsored child has benefited from your donations in the past 12 months. You'll also get an updated photo of your sponsored child and a copy of ChildFund's Annual Report every year.
Every three years, we will share a special Thrive Impact Report, showing you the results we have achieved in your sponsored child's community.
5. Can I write to my sponsored child?
Absolutely. Children love to receive letters — it’s exciting and makes them feel special. Exchanging letters is a great way to get to know your sponsored child and help them succeed. You will receive a reply, but since many children in the communities where we work can’t write in English, the letters will be translated.
6. Can I contact my sponsored child by phone, email or social media?
In keeping with our Policy for Keeping Children Safe, we ask sponsors to send letters through the postal service. Unfortunately, due to child-protection concerns, we do not encourage contact through email or social media. ChildFund reserves the right to end the sponsorship relationship if it’s not in the child’s best interest.
We are currently working on introducing new modes of communication to make letter-writing easier and quicker for sponsors and their sponsored children.
7. Can I visit my sponsored child?
Absolutely. Visiting your sponsored child will be an experience you'll remember forever. Please contact us three-months prior to your expected trip, so we can help you plan your special visit.
Click here for more information about sponsor visits.
8. Can I mail gifts to my sponsored child?
Sure, children love to receive presents. Paper-based gifts that fit in an envelope, such as colouring paper, postcards, pictures of yourself and your family, musical cards and paper puzzles are ideal, as packages are difficult to process and may cost more to send.
Alternately, you can send a monetary gift to your sponsored child by giving us a call.