Why Now is the Time to Sponsor a Child

Dear friend,

In this challenging season, know that wherever you are, and whatever your situation may be, our prayers are with you.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Compassion has adjusted our strategy for how we are caring for children in poverty. Local churches across many of the countries we are working in are using sponsorship donations to meet urgent and critical needs for families and children registered in the programmes. 

The need is huge as this pandemic has hit the poorest of the poor the hardest. The UN itself has shared that we are likely to lose 10 years of gains in the war against poverty because of this virus.

Sponsorship donations are giving children and their families critical necessities like food, clean water, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation items. And medical care and trauma counselling. Your support is vital in this season, so I invite you to sponsor a child and help us to extend this care to another child in need.

We believe the local church is the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing His love and grace into people’s lives, especially in this difficult time.

I want to thank you for considering sponsoring a child and I want to assure you of two things: that we will continue to pray with and for you. And we will continue to do absolutely everything we can to ensure children in poverty are loved and protected and receiving the necessary support at this critical time.

God bless you,
Sidney Muisyo, Head of Global Programme, Compassion

Since spring 2020, our staff and church partners around the globe have been innovating and adapting rapidly to respond to the urgent needs of children and families. Below, you can discover how our church partners in each of the regions we work in are serving children during this pandemic.

The need in the east and west Africa

Compassion graduate, Richmond Wandera, has shared about the challenges of responding to COVID-19 in his community of Namugongo, Uganda:

“The people who are suffering the most [from COVID-19] are the poorest of the poor,” Richmond explains. “… in the west there is enough space within houses for social distancing. And then you think about many of the communities in Uganda and how about 6 or 7 people are staying in one room. So when you think about social distancing in that perspective, it’s just an idea that falls apart.”

In response to the urgent need, our partners churches in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso are working tirelessly to support children and their families.

In the Dagoretti slum, Kenya, the local Compassion project is raising awareness about how to minimize the risk of infection from Coronavirus. Since water can be scarce and expensive, the project is teaching caregivers how to make homemade sanitizers for when handwashing isn’t an option. Here, toddler Leah is practising the handwashing techniques she’s learnt.

For many families living in slums in Kenya, COVID-19 has brought terrifying and challenging decisions. Mum Dorcas explains, “sometimes we are forced to choose between purchasing water or purchasing food to keep hunger pangs at bay.” 

In Burkina Faso, Guinko is a single mum who sadly lost her job and income due to the Coronavirus pandemic. “I used my last salary to buy a bag of rice and vegetables for the family,” she explains.⠀

At the moment the family is relying on help from one of Compassion’s church partners, who is providing food, medical care and emotional support.⠀
⠀
For Guinko, this relief will help her family enormously. “Now that I have no salary, my children and I are more vulnerable … I thank God that the project comes to our rescue in times of crisis. Hunger is the first pandemic we must overcome in addition to COVID-19.”

Sponsor a child and give them critical support during COVID-19 and beyond.

The need in Asia

In this update, our team in the Philippines share how they are going the extra mile in caring for the most vulnerable children during this season.

“Child support [sponsorship] funds are being used to provide relief goods for children and their family members. And these relief goods cover the basic necessities that they need,” explains Compassion Philippines National Director, Noel Pabiona.

“I’m proud of the Church [in this season]. The name of Jesus Christ has been lifted up. Christ is our provider and when we fear, we can always put our trust in Him.”

Our church partners in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia have been delivering emergency food supplies to families who rely solely on their daily wages to put food on the table.

“Before I got these groceries, I told my children that we may be fasting for days. But, thanks to God, we got the food from the project. It is a huge support that we need in this difficult time,” says Ananda, mum to sponsored child Akhsa, Indonesia.

Our Compassion Bangladesh team describe the COVID-19 pandemic as “shaking every person, young and old, in all spheres of life. It has shaken the economy and spread fear.” During this anxious time, our church partners are going the extra mile in delivering emergency supplies. “Markets are running dry of hygiene items,” explains Compassion Social Worker, Rakhi. “The desperation continues to grow in our village.”

Sponsor a child and give them critical support during COVID-19 and beyond.

The need in Central and South America

Following special permission from the Honduran government, our church partners in Honduras are delivering daily food packages to families in poverty who are currently unable to work due to COVID-19.

“We were able to show the President and his staff how the church is working to let them continue helping the sponsored children,” reflects Compassion Honduras National Director, Yolanda Rodas. “Families can’t wait, so it’s the church who is ready to help them.”

In El Salvador, the most vulnerable families have found themselves struggling. “I am thankful to have this grocery bag because it contains all the essential products that we need,” explains Kirian, mum to five-year-old Adonay. “In this critical time where we are not allowed to leave our homes, this provision will help us to survive the crisis.”

In Nicaragua, life has been challenging for brothers James and Jonny who share their one-bedroomed house with their mother and five other siblings. They’ve been thankful for the constant support of Compassion’s local church partner.

Project Director Raquel explains, “It is important for us to be able to provide families with food, hygiene products and medicines … to help fight this illness … Each member of the project staff is caring for them … praying for them, and we will always help in any way we can.”

James and Jonny’s mum, Geoconda is grateful for their support, sharing “I thank the Lord, first and foremost for everything He has done … I am grateful for the dedication and love [staff] show towards their work in the ministry and the families of the kids they serve.”

Sponsor a child and give them critical support during COVID-19 and beyond..

You can bring long-term hope

By sponsoring a child with Compassion today, you’ll not only provide them with urgent care during this unprecedented season of COVID-19 lockdown, you’ll also give them long-term hope, empowering them to overcome poverty, for good.

Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted in the countries where we work, our local church partners will restart the world-class child development programme that has proven so effective in empowering children to be released from poverty.

Once safe to do so, Compassion church-driven projects will re-open and your vital sponsorship donations will enable your sponsored child to access educational and nutritional support, medical check-ups and the love and care of a local church community. You can learn more about the Compassion programme here.

At that point, you’ll be able to establish a correspondence with your sponsored child and see the impact you’re making over time in the letters you exchange. At the moment, there are some delays in letter writing because of COVID-19 restrictions but you can write an introductory letter digitally to your sponsored child either online or using the Compassion UK App.

Make a difference today

We currently have more than 250,000 children globally waiting for a sponsor. Right now Compassion is supporting these children and their families, but we need more sponsors to sustain this. Could you sponsor a child today, help them through the COVID-19 crisis and then, over many years, transform their life through your donations, words of encouragement and prayers?

Sponsor a child and give them critical support during COVID-19 and beyond.