FAQs

You get to be a part of your Sponsored Child’s life and to witness their community’s transformation. You’ll receive regular news about progress and achievements in your child’s community, annual updates and photos of your child and you’ll be able to respond with letters and emails. Some sponsors even go on to visit their child. 

In most cases, it will be throughout their childhood and into their teens. Many children remain in the sponsorship programme for the duration of World Vision's work in their community. In this way, you could follow their journey into young adulthood.

In some cases, children leave the sponsorship programme unexpectedly. For example, the child's family may move away from the area World Vision is working in. If this happens with your sponsored child, we will let you know as soon as possible and offer you sponsorship of another child.

Most children will be in the sponsorship programme until their community has begun to reach most of its goals, and become self-sustainable. As a project comes to a close we will let you know of the achievements in the community so you can celebrate with us, and we’ll offer you another child to sponsor so the development process can begin again in another community.

We encourage you to write to your Sponsored Child and tell them about your life in New Zealand.

Sponsored Children love the opportunity to learn about New Zealand and in turn, you will receive a letter from your Sponsored Child or, if they are too young, written on behalf of them by their parents or a local World Vision staff member.

If you’re not sure what to write, why not tell them about your life in New Zealand, your family and what you like to do for fun. Remember to keep your letters short and simple as in many of the countries where we work English is not the first language of the World Vision staff translators.

Please include your sponsored child's ID and name on your letter and the back of the envelope. Do not write your address on the letter as it could fall into the wrong hands. Address the envelope to the World Vision address shown on your sponsored child's information sheet. 

Alternatively, sending an email to your Sponsored Child works just like sending them a letter through the post, only you don't need to go to the post box. You can enter all the details of your letter here, including uploading photos, a handwritten letter or a drawing from your child: Send an email your sponsored child.

Yes, visiting your Sponsored Child offers a unique opportunity to see first-hand the difference your sponsorship has made. 

If you are planning to visit your child, please contact World Vision New Zealand at least three months before you plan to leave so we can make arrangements with World Vision in the country you will be visiting. 

Because we work with children, it is our policy that all visitors to World Vision programmes must undergo a Police Check before the visit can take place. If you are considering a visit to your sponsored child please contact Supporter Care Team on 0800 800 776.