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How long does it take for letters to be delivered to sponsored children?

Thank you for making time to write a letter to your sponsored child. Delivery of your message usually takes two to four months, but this time frame varies from country to country.

There are several factors that may affect letter delivery including:

  • Translation and processing times
  • The remote location of some child development centres
  • Irregular local mail systems
  • Unexpected natural disasters or other crises
  • Extreme weather events
  • Government guidelines during health crises such as COVID-19

How are letters delivered?

When you write a letter online in My Account, it is immediately sent to the national office in your sponsored child’s country for review and, if needed, translation. If you post a physical letter to our Compassion Australia office, the delivery process will take a little longer.

Once reviewed and translated, letters are printed and sorted ready for delivery to the corresponding child development centres. Some centres arrange a private courier to collect letters because of the unreliability of local mail services. The journey can be long and dangerous and may involve travel by foot, boat, air, car, motorbike or even elephant!

When your letter reaches the child development centre, local staff will arrange a time to personally deliver your special message to your sponsored child and their family to read it together.

Still need support?

We'd love to chat with you.

Call us on 1300 22 44 53 or email compassion@compassion.com.au

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Compassion Australia ABN 67 001 692 566. Authorised to fundraise in NSW (CFN/10658), VIC (FR0010734), QLD (CH1569), SA (CCP2632), TAS (F1A-208) and WA (20740). No authority to fundraise is required in the ACT or NT.