Why sponsor a child?

Purpose

Millions of children, especially girls, are denied access to education, health care and the freedom to choose their own futures. Sponsor a child to support their right to go to school, to be healthy and to enjoy equal opportunities for a better future.

Connection

Sponsor a child and share letters, drawings and photos to build your personal one-to-one connection from around the world. You’ll hear firsthand from your sponsored child how your support is making a difference in their life.

Progress

When you sponsor a child, you’ll receive inspiring updates about them, their community and country, and the achievements your support helps make possible for children’s rights and equality for girls.

Community

As a child sponsor, you partner with entire communities to lead sustainable, community-wide change, like improving schools or boosting family income sources. Sponsor a child, and your donations support that child and the whole community around them.

Sponsorship search

Sponsor a child today to start creating life-long change around the world. *Leave blank to meet children enrolled the longest and most in need.

Hi, my name is

Mohamed

Gender: Male

Location: Sudan

Age: 2 years old, Born, March 15, 2021

Hi, my name is

Abdoulatif

Gender: Male

Location: Niger

Age: 2 years old, Born, August 31, 2021

Hi, my name is

Almoustapha

Gender: Male

Location: Niger

Age: 6 years old, Born, December 04, 2016

Impact stories from sponsored children

Child Sponsorship creates sustainable change for children and their communities. Hear from some of these inspiring sponsored children and community members.

Ronald (centre) with his brother Alfred, 13 (left), inside his piggery in Uganda

Desiree Buitenbos

From sponsored child to agricultural expert: Ronald's story of success 

Watch how Child Sponsorship enabled Ronald to kickstart his own thriving pig farm, unleashing potential years later.

The power of Child Sponsorship

Over 1.3 million sponsored children are supported by Plan International globally. Every day, this support helps remove barriers so children can live, lead, decide and thrive. Sponsor a child to start making a difference today.

In sponsored communities, more children are attending school.

In conflict settings, sponsored children are more likely to be birth-registered and more likely to stay in school.

Children have more access to improved water in districts with sponsorship programs.

The Power of Child Sponsorship

Child sponsorship map

A map of Child Sponsorship in action

See Child Sponsorship programs in action through children’s lens with our new interactive map! Discover the positive impact made possible when you sponsor a child and watch as children who participate in sponsorship activities, like mobile journalism training, share a window into their global communities through personally filmed videos.

View interactive map 
Quote icon

I am a role model for girls in my community, showing them that they can make it too. As an empowered woman, I am able to empower other women through my work as a health worker.

Thoko,

21, former sponsored child now working for the Ministry of Health in Malawi

Quote icon

After communicating with my sponsor by writing letters over the past few years, I have become courageous and self-confident. I really appreciate my sponsor and Plan International for offering me such a great platform.

 Lanlan,

sponsored child in China

Quote icon

The project tells us about violence and women’s rights while teaching us how to play football. Thanks to the projects they sponsor, I have become wiser about my rights.

Sanmya,

sponsored child in Brazil

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to your Child Sponsorship questions.

View full FAQs

How does Child Sponsorship work?

Child Sponsorship provides you with a special opportunity to have a unique one-to-one connection with a child and their family in one of the countries where Plan International works. As part of your sponsorship, you can exchange letters and photos, and build a meaningful connection. Each year, you’ll receive updates on the progress of your sponsored child and their community so you can see how your sponsored child is growing and learning. Child Sponsorship programming allows us to combine sponsor contributions to increase impact and establish a trusted presence within communities. This helps secure further grant funding from institutional and government donors to grow community-based development projects, like building schools or water taps, which supports sponsored children and their entire communities.

If I sponsor a child, how long of a commitment do I need to make?

The length of your commitment is up to you. Many sponsors have been with us for many years, which allows us to make long-term commitments to our partner communities. If you choose to end your sponsorship for any reason, please inform us at 1-800-387-1418 so we can introduce your sponsored child to a new sponsor.

Do sponsorship contributions go directly to one child?

No. When you sponsor a child, your contributions not only support the child you are sponsoring, but they also support the whole community! Your contributions collectively support a wide range of programs in your sponsored child's community. With more than 80 years of experience, we know that the best way to help every child unleash their potential is to engage families and entire communities in the change, so they can carry on – and further – the positive impact for many years to come.

Sponsor a child

Sponsor a child and begin helping create change today.

Meet the children 

Join our mailing list to receive updates

By signing up you agree to receive our emails.