Sponsor a child
Stand alongside the Church to see a child released from poverty.
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Why your child sponsorship support is effective
Poverty is complex. It’s more than a lack of material resources, and it looks different in every community. That’s why our holistic approach helps children develop in all aspects of their lives—economic, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual.
Through locally led initiatives run by our church partners, activities are tailored to the specific needs of children and their wider environment and cultural context. For £32 a month, you can:
Empower a child to overcome physical, spiritual and emotional poverty, for good.
Ensure a child receives nutritional support, regular check-ups and the support of their local church community.
Give a child living in poverty the educational support they need for a brighter future.
Why choose Compassion UK for sponsoring a child?
For more than 70 years, we've been working to amplify the work local churches are already doing to transform the lives of children living in poverty. The impact is undeniable. More than 2.3 million children are part of life-changing Compassion programmes, run by 8,900 local church partners in 29 countries.
As children receive practical support and learn of Jesus' love for them, lives are changed, families are strengthened, communities are transformed, and the impact continues for generations. And it all starts when we follow Jesus’ lead and move with compassion.
Our world-class child development programme:
Protects children & youth
Sponsorship helps protect children and youth from threats like gangs, trafficking and child marriage.
Supports health & well-being
Sponsorship supports children’s health and well-being.
Promotes long-term education
Sponsorship helps children stay in school longer.
Inspires hope
Sponsorship inspires hope and helps children believe in a future free from poverty.
Makes a spiritual difference
Sponsorship makes a meaningful spiritual difference, showing God’s love through their local church and sponsor.
Fosters community change-makers
Sponsorship equips children and youth to be change-makers in their communities.
Excellent stewardship
As a registered charity, we’re committed to excellent stewardship and are registered with the Fundraising Regulator. We conduct regular internal and external audits in our field offices and in the UK.
Typically, for every pound given in child sponsorship donations:
88p spent on charitable activities (8p support costs)
12p spent on fundraising and finding the next sponsor.
Trusted charity since 1952
Compassion is a leading authority in Christian holistic child development.
Church-driven
We run our child sponsorship programmes exclusively in partnership with local churches staffed by local people who fully understand their local communities.
What will your child sponsorship donations actually change?
You'll help the child you support access:
School resources and uniforms to help defeat illiteracy and provide critical skills.
Medical check-ups to fight back against disease and keep children healthy.
Nutritional meals and additional nutritional support where needed.
Christ-centred guidance through the local church to overcome fear and hopelessness.
Vocational training to equip them for the future.
Recreational activities to improve self-confidence, social and emotional skills.
A one-to-one relationship with you their only sponsor, with letters translated into their native language to bring hope and positive change.
How child sponsorship works
1. Our church partners reach the children in the greatest need
Staff who know their communities inside-out identify the children most in need of sponsorship support.
2. We start searching for a sponsor, like you
Once registered in the Compassion Programme, we look for a sponsor to support each child.
3. One Compassion sponsor starts to empower one child
You sponsor a child directly! Your donations will immediately begin to equip the child you support in every area of their lives and improve their well-being.
4. Letters provide vital encouragement
Sponsors provide encouragement to the child they support through the exchange of letters. What’s more they often receive uplifting messages and prayers in return.
5. The cycle of poverty is broken
Alongside a local church, you help bring lasting change. Formerly sponsored children (known as Compassion graduates) are empowered to live free from poverty and bring change to their family and whole community.
What can you expect when you sponsor a child?
We’ll provide you with everything you need to encourage the child you support as they grow and develop.
Compassion UK App and myCompassion to build connection
Use the free Compassion UK App or myCompassion online account to write letters and view photos and information about the child you support.
Welcome journey and photo
When you sponsor a child today, you'll be able to follow a welcome journey detailing more information about the child you're supporting. Plus, you'll have the option to be sent a physical photo of the child or young person you sponsor.
Encouraging letters and drawings
Receiving personal letters and drawings from the child you sponsor will give you an insight into the child’s life and their culture and community. Have the privilege of speaking encouragement into their life.
Project updates from the local community
Once a year, you’ll receive an update from the project the child you support attends. Learn more about the impact your sponsorship is making in the wider community.
New photos of the child you support
Photo updates of the child or young person you sponsor will show you how they’re growing and thriving. You’ll also receive news about what they’re learning at their project.
The opportunity to visit and meet
Where possible, Compassion offers you the chance to visit the child you support either on a group trip or individual visit. Make treasured memories and be inspired by how the local church is bringing hope to the whole community.
Child sponsorship testimonials
Join 86,000 others who are changing lives within Compassion UK.
Compassion child sponsorship is a beautiful way of connecting us to our global neighbour and reminding us that loving the poor is at the core of the gospel.
Andy Hawthorne | Founder & CEO, The Message Trust
We would encourage anybody to sponsor, it's so easy to spend money on coffees, magazines and treats without really thinking about it. But for the same cost each month you could change a child's life and make a real difference, not only to them but their whole family.
Paul and Linda Coleman, Norwich
We had the opportunity when we went out to the Dominican Republic to go to our sponsored child’s Compassion project. I remember asking the project administrator, can I see Darwin’s sponsorship file. He pulled it down from the rack and there it was - two pencils, so much, half a pound of rice, so much, two pairs of socks, so much.
David Woods, Surrey
How to sponsor a child
Begin your child sponsorship journey today by finding a child on our website who is waiting for a sponsor.
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