What is it like to sponsor a child?
Child Sponsorship Stories
Child sponsorship has always been the most effective way for ActionAid to raise funds and create long term solutions for people living in poverty. Read our child sponsorship stories, of a couple who have sponsored for more than 30 years, and of a young boy helping to change his own life.
What is it like to visit the child you sponsor?
Trish and Gerry Kerr from Celbridge, Co Kildare recently travelled to Nepal to visit their sponsored child. Not only did they meet Sujit and his family – they stayed in his family home for three days and were guests of the village in the remote district of Bara.
We spoke to Trish and Gerry when they returned to Ireland to hear what it is like to meet the child they sponsor.
Why child sponsorship is important?
Sumit, 13, Nepal, almost got married to a 12 year old girl when he was just 13. He liked a girl in his class and so asked his parents to arrange their marriage. “Getting married at that age is considered very normal in my community so we didn’t see anything wrong with planning our marriage like this at the time.”
“Thankfully the Kopila Children’s Club saved my life! There we heard about young couples who were facing difficulties due to early marriage and about the laws against child marriage too. I also learnt that could ruin my education and my future as well. I decided there and then that I did not want to get married. I went back and convinced my parents not to arrange a marriage for me until I could stand on my own feet.”
“I became so passionate about this that I worked with other members of my children’s club. We went door-to-door to explain the issue to our community and we ran a street theatre against early child marriage. This year there was not even one single marriage of children my age!”
Why child sponsorship?
Because of Child Sponsors communities where we work know that they can rely on regular financial support. This allows them to plan ahead and transform their lives in a sustainable way. This gives children the best possible chance in the future.
When you sponsor a child with ActionAid, you learn about the child and their community. As soon as you sign up to be a sponsor, we’ll send you a welcome pack with a photo of the child you’re sponsoring and their story so far. You’ll get two messages a year from your child – they might be letters, drawings, or postcards! Twice a year you will get an update from our staff in their country.
