Child Sponsorship FAQs

No, if you want to be chosen by your sponsored child, you will not get to request specific characteristics of the child who will choose you. The empowering part of the process is that children get to choose their own sponsor. 

After the choosing party, you'll get to find out why your new sponsored child chose you! If you would prefer to sponsor a child with certain attributes – such as a child from a particular country or with a special birthday, you still have the option to choose a child yourself.

We do need a photo if you wish to be chosen by a child. A core component of the chosen experience is that children get to choose their sponsor from a display of photos. It's incredibly empowering for them, and we’ve heard many inspiring stories of what drew individual children to their sponsors.

You can write to your Sponsored Child as often as you like. Please note that due to postal restrictions processing time can take a lot longer, and we will only be able to process replies from your Sponsored Child every three to four months.

When you sponsor a child, you build a special relationship that encourages your child with hope for the future. Your donations join forces with other sponsors to lift your child, their community, and other vulnerable children out of poverty for good. Your support helps pursue the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being of vulnerable children.