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Help a child to break free from poverty and discover the freedom to learn, grow, play, and dream
2 years old, Bolivia
5 years old, Togo
7 years old, Togo
2 years old, Tanzania
5 years old, Rwanda
6 years old, Rwanda
6 years old, Uganda
7 years old, Rwanda
4 years old, Sri Lanka
5 years old, Tanzania
7 years old, Tanzania
8 years old, Burkina Faso
9 years old, Ghana
4 years old, Togo
5 years old, Sri Lanka
3 years old, Sri Lanka
6 years old, Burkina Faso
4 years old, Bangladesh
4 years old, Ghana
5 years old, Ghana
6 years old, Ghana
7 years old, Ghana
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How are children selected for the programme?
Our local church partners connect with the families and children in their community and are best placed to identify who is most in need. A clear process is followed to determine
The impact of poverty, and the family’s financial situation
Current access to school and health care
Walking distance to the church programme
Likelihood of staying in the community long-term
We prioritise sponsorship opportunities for equal numbers of girls and boys who facethe greatest challenges such as; illness, hunger, being orphaned, or living on a single parent’s income.
You can ready more here.
How long can a child stay in the programme?
Each child’s journey is different. Sponsorship usually begins when a child is between ages 1 and 10 and continues into early adulthood - generally until age 18 to 22.
Some children may go on to high school or university, others into vocational training or work. Our goal is to support each young person into a thriving, independent future.
Do the children have to be Christian?
No, children of all faiths (or none) are welcome and cared for in the programme.
Families know the Child Development Programme is run by local churches and has a Christian foundation. Caregivers give permission for their children to hear the Christian gospel, knowing that ongoing participation in the programme doesn't depend on making a commitment to Christ. They are free to leave at any time, and all services are provided with no ‘strings attached’.
We serve each child based on their needs, not religion, politics, or ethnicity. Tearfund believes God’s love is for everyone, and that every child deserves to be known, loved and protected.
What about a sponsored child’s siblings?
We usually sponsor just one child per family so we can reach more vulnerable families in the community.
Sponsorship supports the whole household to lift themselves out of poverty, as limited resources are spread out less thinly within the family. Often, siblings join in activities like holiday programmes or Christmas events at the development centre.
You can help siblings by including them in your letters and prayers or give a special family gift to bless everyone at Christmas.
What if I have to stop sponsoring?
If you can no longer continue, your sponsored child will remain in the programme but we need to find them a new sponsor.
Tearfund’s partner Compassion is committed to long-term support, so your child will still receive care, education and meals. We do our best to match them with a new sponsor quickly, so they feel seen, supported and encouraged again.
The child you sponsor won’t be able to receive personal letters or gifts through Tearfund after sponsorship concludes, as those are unique to your sponsor relationship.
More Sponsorship FAQs
Tearfund partners with Compassion International to offer children in need of a hope more powerful than poverty. There’s nothing better than knowing you’re making a real difference in the life of a child. Here’s how it works:
Choose the child you’d like to connect with and sponsor them. They’ll attend a programme run by the local church to learn, grow, play and develop.
Get to know your sponsored child through letter-writing. It’s quick and easy to write online, and letters have a powerful effect.
Your support gives a child life-changing opportunity to develop spiritually, socio-emotionally, physically and economically.
From $56 a month, you can help provide your sponsored child with:
Educational support and vocational training
Character and confidence-building opportunities
A loving church community and healthy relationships
A safe place to learn, play with friends, and grow
An opportunity to hear the Gospel and grow their faith
Regular medical checkups and immunisations
Nutritional support to treat and prevent malnutrition
Emergency support in times of disaster and crisis
Love and support through your own correspondence
SPONSORSHIP MEANS...
“When I was seven, I was shining shoes in the streets. When I was 14, I was fixing and assembling computers. And when I was 23, I was already an IT Manager for a group of companies in the east of Dominican Republic. Because someone decided to invest in my life. Because someone decided to sacrifice so I could have opportunities.”
Tony Beltran, National Director of Compassion Dominican Republic
“One day I shared my dream with my sponsor in a letter. I told her I wanted to become a doctor when I grew up. Her reply was simple: ‘Yanelly, I love you and I believe in you.’ Sometimes you can’t believe in a dream until someone else believes it with you. Today, I’m a doctor, a wife, and a mother to a precious daughter of God. My dreams came true.”
Yanelly Suero, Doctor from Dominican Republic
“Before sponsorship, I experienced hunger, as my family’s small piece of land was our only source for food. But sponsorship changed my life. I received a scholarship to go to university and finished my MA in Plant Science. Now, I’m studying for my PhD in the United States so I can focus on food security and how we can create policies to help more farmers like my mum have enough to eat.”
Collins Bugingo, PhD student from Uganda
Our Child Sponsorship Programme works. Independent research shows Compassion sponsored children stay in school longer and are more likely to grow up to be employed and leaders in their churches and communities.
more likely to have salaried employment as adults
more likely to complete a university degree
more likely to finish their secondary education
Sponsor a Child
What started as a sponsorship journey between two mums grew into a deep friendship. Oceans apart, Andrea from Australia and Nova from Indonesia realised they wanted the same for their growing boys – a loving family, to know their Creator, and a future full of possibilities.
Watch Andrea and Nova meet face-to-face for the first time in Indonesia.
Through Compassion’s Child Sponsorship and Mums and Bubs programmes, over 2 million children across more than 25 developing countries receive care, love and support through their local church partner. Learn how each country adapts our programmes to meet the unique needs of their communities and see children released from poverty in Jesus’ name.
We thought you’d be interested in the five questions we’re most asked about sponsoring a child. You might find answers to things you’ve been wondering about too!
A former sponsored child, Ariane Sagusara-Mapula, grew up in a family that faced many challenges.
Whether you are a child sponsor or are thinking about becoming one, here are seven ways your support can help transform a child’s life.
Have questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions or get in touch with our friendly team on 0800 800 777 (Monday to Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm) or by email at: info@tearfund.org.nz
