Compassion international

We sponsor 3 girls through World Vision.
You can look them up online and see who is still looking for sponsors. We usually go for the ones that have been waiting for over a year.
Or you can send in YOUR picture and have a child pick YOU.

One of our girls, in India, isn't allowed to receive packages anymore due to Covid.
The other 2 girls are in S. America and they send us pictures of them holding the gifts that i sent. If we send a yearly monetary gift, they do the same: send a picture of the child with the items they purchased for them/their family. We also get online and snail-mail letters where they share what they're learning, what they like, and their comments on anything we might have sent them. For example, one of "Our" girls in S. America was thrilled that we were sending so many fiction books in HER language. When "our" girl in India was allowed packages, I sent her a book in Telugu and she was amazed that I found something she could read in HER language.

I would suggest going with World Vision. I know for a fact the kids get our packages and letters and they respond (it can take a month sometimes, though, for them to write back)

No
I have done childfund and they were pretty good at keeping in touch but expect delays because of the time it takes to get mail sent and delivered. Not all countries/villages have high speed internet.

You also have to remember that your mail will be sent and than a translator needs to send a letter to you in english so that you can read it, and translate your letter into your childs language. This takes time. Be patient

I was pretty sure funds were going through but the problem for me was when my job ended but I am sure it gets picked up again and the money goes to community and spent on village benefiting everyone not just that one child.

You post reminded me of that child I sponsored for a few years I hope that whatver I was able to give helped at the time and that she is reaching her goals, of being a doctor, though I can barely support any child in my own country let alone another now.

I think its tough esp when organisations keep asking for more than you are able to give. I think you need to have a steady income for many years and be ABOVE the living wage to do it though.

I was recommended by a friend to sponsor through Compassion International (she sponsors someone).

I haven't sponsored so far since I was unsure about how involved the process is, with the child, her family, etc. I wasn't sure, if this will evolve into something like a life-long relationship, etc., if I'm ready for that etc. Not sure if people cut off contact after the child reaches 18 (or whatever age) despite sponsoring for 10 plus years, etc.

One of "our" girls just turned 18 but they'll allow us to sponsor her until she's 21, I think. She's about to go into college. I was thrilled when she told us our yearly monetary gift was being used for college.

Years and years ago we sponsored a child and we had to stop because of finances. It was a hard thing to have to do.

I am not sure if the kids would want me to sponsor them to come to the U.S., for example, to go to college. I have heard that some sponsors visit the kids, so a bond can form.

I do have somewhat poor relatives living in another country, so I understand their thinking.

Ah, the child (young adult?) we are sponsoring isn't coming to the US for a college education. I'm fairly certain there's a college in India she's planning on attending.

There have been colleges and universities in India for ages. Chances are that because of the Communist indoctrination going on the America, students would be better off going to college in India. At the same time, a college education has been hyped unnecessarily, since it is often a "four-year loaf paid for with the old man's dough".

I think money can go further in poorer countries, but distance and language can be a barrier. There also need to be resources in the schools and hospitals themeselves. So yes, buy and send them books, but also, fund libraries, and books for those libraries so everyone can access, and librarians, and teachers for those schools.

I am reading about one called Room To Read.

however you can sponsor a child in your own country for about the same amount and also do mentoring where you can bond..college students can do this with a poorer child, who may not have the even considered the prospect of going to college because its so expensive, even though they may be bright.


Charities like KidsCan, and HIPPY

compassion International sounds a bit like TearFund, which I know is a christian one, while Childfund was open to all

I think if you are able to sponsor a child for the long term in another country that is great, but if you really want to BOND with another child, foster, adopt, mentor or sponsor one in your own country.

its girls who most desperately need education as many are denied that opportunity in poorer countries. You may want to check out charity navigator that rates the transparency of charities

those who have a challenge grant model are ones where the community puts up or is willing to put up half and the organsiation then meets the other half, this works as a hand up rather than a hand out.

I know childfund did things like...build toilets and provided goats, chickens, seeds etc for the whole community, not just money for the parents/guardians to spend on childs birthday presents and food. While that is important, I think to get out of poverty girls need education the most, which is NOT free in many countries.

Looking at the wiki for Compassion International its $38 a month
its US based, but they had some trouble in India...

Its Christian so your child will hear the gospel
You can also visit your child as they arrange trips, I dont think Childfund did that when I was sponsoring.

Do your research, and it might be that a group from church can pool money together to sponsor children rather than just one person with each one. also dont overlook girls for sponsoring. I think its a good thing that children are being sponsored and taken, just talk to the organisation about the ones that havent yet been taken.

Being a godparent is a good thing, since war has devasted so many children and left them orphans

If you are really interested in sponsoring the Christian education of a child, visit a Christian school in your area. Most have scholarship funds to help children who cannot afford to attend the school. Contribute directly to their fund.

World Vision now do a thing where you can put your name up and the child could choose YOU instead of you choosing them.