How child sponsorship works Skip to main content
Tagline
The world’s most vulnerable girls are suffering the worst effects of the hunger crisis.
Campaign Message
They urgently need your help.

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.

Sponsored children

Children are protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation.

We provide clean water, education and healthcare.

Our community team visits regularly to check on the child's progress.

Children input on community decisions and have power in their community.

By protecting children now, you can empower them for tomorrow. 

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

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Boy meets his sponsor in the Dominican Republic, and she holds the picture of herself and her husband

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.

World Vision is reaching one new person with clean water every​ 10 seconds

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A boy smiling to the camera

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
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Rautahat East AP

What you can expect

  • A welcome pack introducing you to your sponsored child and their community.
  • A welcome journey via email, that will provide you with all the information you need about sponsorship and how it works.
  • A letter from your child, introducing themselves, soon after signing up. You can write letters or send your messages to us via email 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

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Shemi, a child sponsor

“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

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.

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.

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

Child Sponsorship FAQs

How do you choose children to be sponsored?

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.

How can I be sure my money gets to those in need?

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.

Does my money go straight to the child?

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.

What difference would be made in the life of my sponsored child?

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.

More about Child Sponsorship

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A girl in Ethiopia looks into the camera, wearing a pink jacket

How to sponsor a child

Read our sponsorship program step-by-step guide.

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Boy meets his sponsor in the Dominican Republic, and she holds the picture of herself and her husband

How much does sponsoring a child cost?

Less than you would think...

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A child sponsor, gives a child a necklace and bracelet matching her own, in Ethopia

Sponsor stories

How sponsoring a child changed these people's lives