Sponsorship is the core of our program. It is more than just sending money for the students’ education. We have a unique program in that you know exactly who you’re sponsoring and where your money is going. You even have the opportunity to meet your student, and their family and see where they live.
What is a sponsor? A sponsor is someone who commits to pay for one or more of our selected students’ education. We recruit students to the program at about age ten, and they generally are in school for 10 – 12 years. We ask that sponsors continue support from elementary to college years. This way, they have the best chance of being successful. However, we understand that circumstances can change, and if you decide to stop your sponsorship, we will do our best to identify a successor, and the child will stay in our program no matter what.
What is involved in being a sponsor?
The most significant contribution of a sponsor is paying for their students’ education. Without your support, our students would likely not be able to receive a quality education, break the cycle of poverty and transform their life. One of our highest priorities is to facilitate a relationship between the sponsor and student. Through our Sponsor-Student Portal, you will receive messages, video messages, photos and school grades. In the portal, you can also send letters, videos and photos to your student. We encourage the whole family to be involved in communicating with your student. Communicating with each other is a wonderful way to get to know your student, hear how they are doing and provide ongoing encouragement. You will hear from your student on average four times per year. However you are not obligated to communicate with your student.
What does it cost to be a sponsor, and what does the money cover?
Sponsorships are $100/month and cover the costs of tuition, books, uniforms, materials, meals, and housing (if needed). This is less than $3.5/day for quality education and the opportunity to transform their lives. Sponsorship covers half of student support. We know that students need more than just an education to be successful. We fundraise to provide the cost of supportive programs such as medical care, food support, computer training, and Life Skills.
Your sponsorship donation is tax-deductible. You can sponsor as many students as you like. Gifts can be made automatically online by credit card, through a Donor Advised Fund, or you can be sent a reminder each year.
How to become a sponsor?
You can read about our students waiting for a sponsor here. You can read more about our waiting students and see their pictures. You will also see how long a student has been waiting to be sponsored. which can help in your decision of the kind of student you want to sponsor (gender, age, what they want to be when they grow up, etc. ).
What if sponsorship isn’t right for me?
We understand sponsoring is a big commitment, and there are plenty of other ways to support our students. You can donate to our Scholarship Fund, which pays for the educational expenses of students in our program who do not have a sponsor. Or you can donate to our supportive programs, such as employment support or Life Skills Training.