Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program works towards the holistic development of children so that when they graduate they are:

• Healthy and able to make wise decisions about their health
• Motivated with skills to be economically self-supporting
• Able to interact with others in a healthy and compassionate manner
• Given the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel message

To ensure that the child reaches these goals, Compassion uses specific indicators or guidelines to determine the child's spiritual, physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. Some examples are:

• Experiencing better health
• Completing primary education (at a minimum)
• Showing good relational skills
• Learning and using an income-generating skill
• Knowing and understanding God’s incredible love for them

These indicators help our local church partners identify which goals children have completed and which they need to work on. A child may continue to participate in our sponsorship program if he or she still needs time to reach a personal or programmatic goal as long as they haven't reached the maximum participation age. The maximum participation age varies between countries and is between 18 and 22 years old.

Sometimes, a young person may be part-way through their further education, such as university or a vocational course, when they graduate from Compassion’s program. Our local church partners work closely with children and youth throughout the course of their sponsorship to ensure they can finish the program well and continue their other pursuits. This support, combined with the prayer and encouragement from a loving sponsor, helps children to confidently transition into adulthood with a strong plan for their future.

When a child graduates from the Child Sponsorship Program, sponsors can choose to give a final gift, of which 100 per cent will go directly to the child. This financial gift will be directed towards the child’s greatest need at the time, whether that be covering costs associated with their continued education or helping to address other urgent needs that stand in the way of their continued studies.

You can:

• Write a letter to your sponsored child
• Find out when sponsored children graduate from Compassion’s Programs
• Contact us