The Benefits of Child Sponsorship

The Benefits of Child Sponsorship

Child sponsorship offers a hands-on element to fundraising that offers financial help to children from third world countries and even low-income areas within the community. Sponsoring a child in need often includes financial support for their individual food, clothing, and school; in addition to financial support of the community where the child lives (i.e., for clean water, health and sexual services, and educational needs), as well as decreasing the many health issues many children  living in poverty become predisposed to (i.e., malaria, HIV, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, pneumonia, and diarrhea).
Funds raised by child sponsorship are often the source of great controversy, due to speculation over the sponsorship programs and practices of many non-governmental organizations (or NGOs). For instance, some question the portion of sponsorship funding that actually makes it to the child or community in need. Despite some speculation, giving to a trusted NGO offers the following benefits to both child and sponsor:

Personalizing the donation process
Child sponsorship offers a unique and very personal way to offer support. In fact, sponsoring an individual child is proof that one person (the sponsor) can make a positive difference in that child’s life, as well as their direct community, with a real, tangible financial contribution.

Establishes a long-term commitment
The very personal aspect of child sponsorship also creates a long-term bond between the child in need and the sponsor. Putting a real person behind a sponsorship program personalizes the experience, and creates a regular donation vs. a one-off donation of funds.

Creates cultural awareness
Child sponsorship is one way to bring individual sponsors out of their bubble. Many of us go through life without much awareness of what goes on in the rest of the world. However, sponsoring a needy child or community opens eyes and hearts to different countries, communities, and cultural backgrounds.

Forms international bonds
The very personal aspect of sponsoring child programs establish bonds on a global basis. For instance, sponsors are encouraged to not only send money, but also to communicate via letters to their child sponsor, opening the door to long-term, emotional connections between the sponsor and child, or the sponsor and the community.

Forms a direct link
If you do plan to sponsor a child in need this holiday season, look to an NGO that offers minimal obstacles between the money you donate and its administration. Your money should pass through as small a number of hands as possible before it gets to the child you are sponsoring. The organization should be able to show how your money will directly aid your individual sponsor directly.