Sponsorship FAQ

Sponsorship combines funding from supporters to provide children with access to education so they can thrive in school and life. The program also gives children:

• equal access to opportunities and resources, such as clean water, healthcare and quality education
• confidence, knowledge and leadership skills to realize their rights
• opportunities to have their voices heard through community clubs, public forums and our sponsorship programming
• the tools to play an active role in improving the systems that are supposed to protect them And, letters sent between donor and sponsored child contribute to building a child’s confidence, so they’re encouraged to create a brighter future for themselves.

Sponsorship helps children access education and thrive in school and life. To do this, we also provide nutritious meals, medical attention and clean water while addressing issues of discrimination, social exclusion and violence. To create lasting change, we ensure children are heard, included and empowered to grow up confident, overcome barriers and pursue their dreams.

For $44 per month, sponsorship through Children Believe gives a child access to education and provides their community with the tools and resources they need to thrive.

As a child sponsor, you’ll receive an Annual Report as well as an update of your sponsored child’s progress and a new photo, so you can see how they’ve grown. We also include updates from their community so you see what your support, along with their hard work, has accomplished.

Trust and accountability are very important to us. Children Believe uses results-based management to measure and evaluate everything we do. This ensures we’re accountable to you and can achieve the greatest change for children.

Read ChildVoice magazine and our online stories to meet the children and families you’re helping.

Absolutely. Children love to receive letters — it’s exciting and makes them feel special. Exchanging letters is a great way to get to know your sponsored child and help them succeed. You will receive a reply, but since most children in the communities where we work can’t write in English, the letters will be translated.

In keeping with our Policy for Keeping Children Safe, we ask sponsors to send letters through the postal service. Unfortunately, due to child-protection concerns, we do not encourage contact through email or social media. Children Believe may end the sponsorship relationship if it’s not in the child’s best interest.

Absolutely. Visiting your sponsored child will be an experience you won’t likely forget. Please contact us three months prior to your expected trip, so we can help plan your special visit.

Find more details on our sponsorship webpage.

Sure, children love to receive presents. Paper-based gifts that fit in an envelope, such as colouring paper, postcards, pictures of yourself and your family, musical cards and paper puzzles are ideal, as packages are difficult to process and may cost more to send. You can send a monetary gift online or by contacting us directly.

We hope children stay in the sponsorship program until they finish school, complete skills-training or their community develops the tools necessary to become self-sufficient. Occasionally, various circumstances, including a family moving, may lead to a child leaving the program. For details, call 1.800.263.5437, or email us at askus@childrenbelieve.ca.

Children Believe provides sponsorship opportunities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Nicaragua and Paraguay. We focus our efforts where children and families need our help most and where sponsors can make the biggest difference.

When you write, your sponsored child will receive your original letter along with a translation. Similarly, you’ll receive your child’s original letter with a translation.

There are other ways to give. For example, you can become a Community Rise donor for as little as $19 a month. Your gift will help break through barriers to creating healthy, educated and empowered communities.

For more details, contact our donor-relations team at 1.800.263.5437 or askus@childrenbelieve.ca.

We understand circumstances change. We’re here to help. Please call 1.800.263.5437, or email askus@childrenbelieve.ca, and our team will discuss your giving options.

While we welcome visitors, it is not possible to volunteer through Children Believe. If you’re interested in volunteering overseas, we recommend looking into opportunities with World University Service of Canada and Canada World Youth.

Yes. Every February, Children Believe sends official donation receipts for income-tax purposes. If you have not received the receipt, or need a replacement copy, contact our donor-relations team at 1.800.263.5437 or askus@childrenbelieve.ca.

Trust and accountability are important to us. For more details, visit our financial section, and read our annual audited financial statements.