Does Sponsoring a Child Really Work?

Sponsoring a child overseas is a really fulfilling thing to do – for you, the child and their whole community. In short, yes, it works extremely well.

But, what even is the sponsoring a child programme?

When you sponsor a child with ActionAid you are the child’s only sponsor. As a result, you have a connection with that child and see how the community is progressing through the eyes of the child. Twice a year, you receive an update from the child’s school, with a drawing from the child you sponsor.

But, your donation is not spent on that single child alone. Your donation goes to projects in the community that help that child, along with every other child living there.

The monthly, long-term connection allows the community to have a reliable budget. Because of this, the community can innovate, develop and lift every child out of poverty. Our child sponsorship programme helps the whole of the community in a long-term and sustainable way. And so, the programme provides clean water, healthcare, agricultural programmes, income generation schemes and helping children stay in school.

Why do people sign-up to sponsor a child?

Many of our long-term child sponsors signed-up for a variety of reasons. They got their first job and wanted to give something back. Or they had their first baby and wanted to connect their child to a child overseas. Or they simply heard about the work and thought it was the right thing to do.

As a result of the strong connection, many child sponsors stay with us for ten years and more!

You can write to your sponsored child, send them birthday cards and some of our Irish Child Sponsors have even visited the child they sponsored. Watch Trish and Gerry Kerr speak about their trip below:

What happens to sponsored children after you stop sponsoring?

You can end your sponsorship at any time. For any reason. Without causing any harm to your sponsored child. Because of how ActionAid works, your child and their family will continue to benefit from our investment. Projects are designed to benefit all families living in the area regardless of whether or not they are part of the child sponsorship scheme.

Children who benefit from child sponsorship go on to do great things. Like Moses in the video below. Moses was orphaned at 10 years-old. But, thanks to what child sponsorship did for his community he is now a health worker in Kenya!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gxpaLWueFE&feature=youtu.be

How much does sponsoring a child cost?

It costs €25 a month to sponsor a child with ActionAid. Learn more here: https://actionaid.ie/sponsor-a-child/