How Child Sponsorship Works

Child sponsorship

Child sponsorship pairs you with a real child living in one of the world's toughest places.

You get regular updates about how your donations are transforming both their life and their community.

Child sponsorship and you

You get a welcome pack introducing you to your sponsored child and their community.

You can watch them grow by viewing the latest photos, videos and updates.

We send you a photo of your sponsored child each year, with an update on how their life is changing.

If you want to, you can become a powerful positive force in their lives - building a relationship through letters or online communication.

Transform a child's life today

A woman meets her sponsored child in the Dominican Republic, holding a photo of herself that he has

Sponsor a child

Child sponsorship helps the whole community

It's an opportunity to transform a child’s life and the community around them.

From putting clean water in their hands, to putting nutritious food in their stomachs, to sending them off to school.

We provide community learning - from storytelling, to socialising and learning at regular clubs.

Together, we can help make sure they fulfil their God given potential.

Sponsor a child

How your sponsored child benefits

Regular visits from one of our community team to check on their progress and wellbeing
Community-wide solutions such as water pumps, classroom equipment, teacher training and healthcare
Taking part in activities like children’s clubs, training and community celebration
Storytelling and creative activities to help them express themselves and build self-confidence
The opportunity to share their voice and play a part in how the community changes
Protection from abuse, neglect and exploitation
Any messages, photos or letter you send, translated and delivered by hand

What you can expect

A welcome pack introducing you to your sponsored child and their community
An online My Sponsorship account, with the latest photos, videos and updates
A letter from your child, introducing themselves, soon after signing up. You can write letters or send messages online anytime. We’ll translate and hand-deliver them
Christmas and birthday cards for you to send – by post or online – for some extra encouragement
A photo of your child each year, with an update on how their life is changing. And regular updates, videos and photos from your community to show how your donations are making a difference

What child sponsors say

“I would say to someone who is thinking about sponsoring a child - go ahead and do it, it is the most life changing thing ever!”

Shemi

Child Sponsor

More Child Sponsorship reviews

How being sponsored changed Nancy's life

Growing up in Kenya, Nancy watched as all her friends were forced to grow up too fast.

One by one, the girls in her class left school to become child brides. She worried that her family wouldn’t be able to afford to send her to school for much longer. But thanks to Child Sponsorship, life in her community started to change. She excelled at school and went much further in life.

Hear Nancy share how her sponsor, Georgie, encouraged her to reach her dreams.

Sponsor a child

For every child you help, four more children benefit

Child sponsorship fights poverty.

We focus on helping the most vulnerable children and on fighting the root causes of poverty.

Our community-led solutions include water pumps, classroom equipment, teacher training and healthcare.

We work with local leaders and families to understand their struggles, then we create a plan to transform local lives together.

Become a child sponsor today.

Debby, 7, lives in Zambia. Her sponsor's monthly donations are transforming her home, family, and community. Her friends aren't sponsored, but thanks to her sponsorship they're seeing their lives change too.

Brendah, 12: She can now drink clean water from the new community borehole.
Adam, 5: When Adam fell ill, he was treated at the new local health centre.
Lightwell, 10: New reading classes have given him a love for books.
Beatrice, 11: Beatrice's family are now growing tomatoes, beans, okra, maize, and beautiful sunflowers - enough to share.

Sponsor a child

Child Sponsorship FAQs

All of World Vision's work begins with listening to communities in need. Community leaders work with us to identify the most vulnerable children and families who will benefit from Child Sponsorship.
World Vision only works within countries where we have our own offices so we can be sure that we can account for all the money that we receive and how it is used.

We have audited accounts that are publicly available at any time. As a charity, we're regulated by the Irish Charity Regulators – a legal body, which oversees all Irish charities and their activities.

We are a not-for-profit organisation, and we know that the continued support we receive is dependent on our efficient use of supporters’ money. Our Annual Report is available here.
Your sponsored child or family does not directly receive your donation. From our decades of experience on the ground, we know that your contribution creates more impact on your sponsored child when used to benefit their community as a whole.
Your sponsorship has a direct impact on your child's mind and body. Your child will have priority access to World Vision programs and provisions, including school supplies, compulsory routine health checks, and so much more. Meanwhile, your child’s overall well-being will be closely monitored by our staff. Sponsored children can receive mail from their sponsor. Your letters and gifts tell them that someone cares about them while also expanding their horizons —you will help them learn about people, places, and events beyond their home area.