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Where Most Needed

Where Most Needed

In times of immediate need, Compassion steps in to help children

Give to the current greatest need

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Poverty leaves children without any safety net or protection, so when unforeseen circumstances arise, there is often little hope for recovery.

Why giving to Where Most Needed is so important

Over 3 billion people

Over 3 billion people live on less than $2.50 a day

About 16,000 children die each day

About 16,000 Children die each day before celebrating their fifth birthday, mostly from preventable causes

  860 million people

860 million people worldwide continue to live in slums

663 million people

663 million people — one in 10 people — rely on unimproved sources of drinking water

Sources: UNICEF; UNDP; APPS

Through generous supporters, Compassion church partners work effectively to address the most pressing needs of children in our programs.

The Where Most Needed fund is used to meet a variety of needs that have been identified by our local church partners. It will bring resource and empowerment to every nation we work in.

Compassion’s Where Most Needed fund can be distributed between other Critical Needs and respond in circumstances where additional help for those funds is needed. This includes:

  • Water and Sanitation
  • Income Generation
  • Health
  • Education and Training
  • Mums and Babies
  • Infrastructure
  • Disaster Relief
  • Highly Vulnerable Children
  • Indigenous Initiative in Australia
  • Support for children waiting for a sponsor



See your latest impact through Where Most Needed

See how your generosity changed the lives of children this year.
Download our Where Most Needed Impact Report.

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Where Most Needed Stories

Feature Story
11 Apr, 2024

Blessed in Christ by Grace: David’s Story

“One day, I was reading the Bible, the book of Ephesians, and there is a verse there that says, ‘Some are called to become pastors and teachers’ [Eph. 4:11]. And the Lord spoke to me: ‘You will become like that someday.’”.. Read more

28 Oct, 2020

17 Questions Most New Sponsors Ask, Answered

What can I send to my sponsored child? Can I sponsor their sibling? Can I visit my sponsored child? Here are 17 frequently asked questions from new sponsors. .. Read more

02 Mar, 2020

Four Things You Didn't Know About Poverty

We’re used to hearing about the well-known effects of poverty—but are we missing the less-visible ones?.. Read more

FAQs

  • Where does Compassion Mums and Babies operate?

    Compassion Mums and Babies works in over 25 developing countries to prevent premature death, secure good health and enable positive development in the youngest, most vulnerable children.

    Mums and Babies always operates through a survival project at the Compassion centre in local communities. It is the first phase of our holistic child development model. From age one, children will transition from Mums and Babies into the Child Sponsorship Program.

    You can

    • Give to Mums and Babies
    • Learn more about the Child Sponsorship Program
  • What is Critical Needs?

    The effects of poverty are devastating and affect every area of a child's life. Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program sets the foundation for life-changing opportunities for every registered child. But every child will, at some point, require help beyond sponsorship's reach.

    Critical Needs provides the additional support necessary for Compassion assisted children to be released from poverty in Jesus' name. Through Critical Needs, supporters like you who are passionate about particular issues, such as safe water, or caring for mothers and babies, can help children most in need worldwide, or support specific projects in vulnerable communities. There are nine Critical Needs areas that you can choose to support, each area addressing an essential aspect of a child's health and development.  

    The nine Critical Needs are:

    • Water and Sanitation
    • Mums and Babies
    • Health
    • Education and Training
    • Infrastructure
    • Highly Vulnerable Children
    • Income Generation
    • Disaster Relief
    • Where Most Needed

    Because we believe that poverty is best addressed through the transformation of the individual child, Critical Needs provides support alongside Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program, not as stand-alone community development activities.

  • What is Mums and Babies?

    Compassion Mums and Babies gives young children critical support during the vulnerable prenatal months and first year of life. It cares for mums and their little ones in their own homes, the centre of their lives.

    Combining Compassion’s expertise and the local church’s loving support, Mums and Babies aims to prevent premature death, secure good health and enable positive development for babies and their mothers in over 25 developing countries.

    Your support provides:

    Home-based care for mothers and babies, with perinatal specialists visiting families monthly to offer healthcare, education and emotional support.

    Advocacy for mums to ensure they are treated fairly by local services and can access the essential support they need to thrive, including medical care and birth attendants.

    Community support networks that bring mothers together to combat isolation, learn new ways of earning an income and provide each other with long-term support.

    Compassion centres, where mothers can always turn for support, learning opportunities and expert advice on how to monitor their child’s healthy development.

    When a child turns one year old, the focus shifts from survival to early childhood development, and the child is eligible to join Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program while continuing to receive personalised home-based care until age three.

    You can:

    • Give to Mums and Babies
    • Learn more about Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program
  • If I give to Critical Needs, where will my money go?

    You can choose to donate to one of nine Critical Needs areas: - Water and Sanitation - Health - Infrastructure - Mums and Babies - Disaster Relief - Education and Training - Income Generation - Highly Vulnerable Children - Where Most Needed

    Your donation goes towards addressing that area of need for children in our program globally. For example, should you give to Water and Sanitation, your donation could go towards providing water filters, water tanks or toilets in any of the over 25 countries where Compassion works. Funds are pooled so that children's most urgent needs are met first, as determined by local church partners who know each child and family in Compassion's program. You can also choose to support an entire Critical Needs project. Please contact us if you are interested in discussing this option further. 

    You can:

    • Give to Critical Needs
    • Sponsor a child
  • Can I sponsor a specific mother and child in Compassion Mums and Babies?

    While you can now sponsor a child from age one through Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program, we cannot offer one-to-one sponsorship of mums and babies before a child's first birthday. Compassion Mums and Babies provides urgent survival support for young families in crisis situations. In a child's first year of life, Compassion staff are focused on helping babies survive and families adjust to life with their new arrival. Once the critical first year is over, Compassion staff can turn their attention to child development and establishing the invaluable one-to-one sponsorship relationships that help children grow in confidence and have hope for their future.

    Donations of any amount to Compassion Mums and Babies are graciously received. You will be providing young families with critical support during the vulnerable prenatal months and first year of life.

    Alternatively, Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program is specifically designed for one-to-one sponsorship, offering children and sponsors the opportunity to benefit from a two-way relationship.

    You can:

    • Give to Mums and Babies
    • Sponsor a child
    • Learn more about the Child Sponsorship Program