Everychild

Your questions answered

These are some of the most frequently asked questions, but if we have missed something you would like to know more about, please email our Sponsorship Team or call them on 020 7749 2480 - they will be happy to help.

How can I pay?

Sponsoring a child couldn't be easier. Child sponsorship costs just £15 a month and the easiest and most cost effective way of setting it up is by direct debit. You can arrange for your donations to be made monthly, quarterly or semi-annually or annually. Alternatively you can make your sponsorship donations by credit card, through the Charities Aid Foundation or by standing order.

Does my £15 go directly to the child I am sponsoring?

No. It's important that sponsorship funds are used at a community, not an individual level to make sure that the needs of the children and families are met, and that sponsored children are not seen to be receiving preferential support, which can cause problems. EveryChild's projects focus on keeping all children safe and secure in their family and community, but of course we focus particularly on the most vulnerable.

The child you are sponsoring benefits from the project which they are part of, and your regular donations ensure that the needs of that project will always be prioritised. Sponsors' donations are pooled, so we can help children in communities across all our country programmes. This allows us to reach more children who are too vulnerable or transient to be part of a sponsorship project (sponsored children have to be in relatively stable environments for us to monitor their progress, and manage their correspondence with you effectively). And it also means we can manage our funds efficiently, since costs in one country can be much cheaper than in another, and we can plan projects according to their changing needs as the project develops.

We work closely with communities and listen to the needs of the children and adults themselves. By doing this we can see what is needed most, whether it is support to increase the household income, non-formal education classes or training for social workers in the community to keep families together.

Although your donations don't go directly to the child you sponsor, any letters you might send do, and you'll hear directly from them too.

Can I write to the child that I sponsor?

Children love to hear from their sponsors. If you would like to send a letter a few times a year we know they would really appreciate hearing from you. And in return you will receive two child messages a year, either from the child you sponsor or from someone writing on their behalf, such as a family worker or member of their family.

Can I visit the child and project I sponsor?

We would be thrilled for you to visit the project and child you are sponsoring as it allows you to see first hand the huge changes taking place for the children and families in the project. We of course have a policy in place to make sure these visits are safe and rewarding for both you and the child. If you are interested in learning more about going on a visit, please email our Sponsorship Team or call them on 020 7749 2480.

Read about sponsors who have visited our projects

Can I tell people about the child I sponsor?

Certainly, please tell your family and friends about your child sponsorship. However, the children and families we work with are extremely vulnerable and we have a duty to protect them, so we ask that you respect their anonymity and dignity and refrain from sharing their details with any press or broadcast media, or website. Thank you.

How long will my sponsorship last?

Children usually stay in our projects until they are 18 years old, although there are a number of reasons why they might not need to be sponsored for this long, and so leave earlier. There may well be changes in their family circumstances, they might leave to find work, in some cultures the children might marry younger, or they might move to live with relatives in a different area. We may also reach our objectives within a project and therefore the project will come to a close. Sometimes a child's family circumstances improve so much that they no longer need the help of the project, which of course is wonderful news.

We have a huge commitment to child and community participation to ensure we make lasting changes, so that one day the children and families will be supported by the community themselves. When our projects achieve all that they have set out to, and are able to carry on without EveryChild's help, this means that they no longer need a sponsorship programme to support them. This way, EveryChild can focus on new areas and projects so that we can support even more vulnerable children and families. When the time comes that the child you are sponsoring is no longer in need of our support, we will write to you and offer you the chance to continue your sponsorship with a new child, so that you can carry on giving opportunities to even more children and families.