These holidays... give a gift of hope
With a real project gift from Plan you are giving hope to the children and families whose lives are being threatened in communities throughout East Africa.
Find out moreHow Child Sponsorship works
Through child sponsorship, Plan brings together people of different
cultures and countries, building a global commitment to the needs
and rights of children.
- Where does my money go?
- How does Plan choose which communities to work in
- How are children selected for sponsorship?
- How long will my sponsorship last?
- How is Plan different from other sponsorship organisations?
- As a sponsor what do I receive?
- Can I visit my sponsored child?
- Which countries can I sponsor a child from?
- Why doesn't Plan publish photos of children to be sponsored?
- Can I choose the child that I want to sponsor?
- What are my payment options?
Questions and Answers in Full...
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Your money is used to fund Plan programs in your sponsored child's community. These projects benefit all members of the community - for the long term.
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How does Plan choose which communities to work in
Communities are chosen by Plan through detailed research over many months.
We spend three to six months consulting with communities we are looking to partner with to understand their challenges and priorities.
We then run a pilot program of six to twelve months to see if we can work with the community for the long term. If this is successful, a child sponsorship program can begin and potentially run for many years to assist the community in meeting its goals.
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How are children selected for sponsorship?
Plan conducts group meetings within the community where children volunteer to be a part of the program with the support of their family.
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How long will my sponsorship last?
For as long as you choose to support the community where your sponsored child lives.
We hope that you will want to be part of Plan's work for some time. Our work is long-term and committed support from sponsors allows us to achieve lasting results.
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How is Plan different from other sponsorship organisations?
Plan is non-religious and non-political and is respectful of local religions and culture. We have no agenda other than helping children to realise their potential.
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As a sponsor what do I receive?
We like to keep sponsors engaged with our work and their sponsored child’s community. As a sponsor you receive:
- A welcome kit with a sponsored child introduction containing photos and an area overview of where your sponsored child lives plus
- Your Guide to Child Sponsorship
- An annual update on your sponsored child, their family and community
- Global Child - our bi-annual magazine
- Quarterly ezines
- An annual tax receipt.
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Can I visit my sponsored child?
We can arrange a visit in most communities. Visiting your sponsored child's community is a wonderful experience. Many Australian sponsors have made the trip and have found it incredibly rewarding.
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Which countries can I sponsor a child from?
Plan has child sponsorship programs in 47 developing countries in Asia, West Africa, East & Southern Africa and Central & South America.
All countries with available sponsorships appear in the drop-down selection during the online child sponsorship sign-up process.
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Why doesn't Plan publish photos of children to be sponsored?
Plan does not encourage people to sponsor a child on the basis of their physical appearance. The best way to choose is to compare the statistics and information on our work in each region.
It is of utmost importance that the safety, privacy and dignity of sponsored children are protected at all times. We take child protection very seriously and this includes the sharing of children’s images.
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Can I choose the child that I want to sponsor?
When you decide to sponsor you will be given a choice of the country you would like to sponsor a child in and a preference for age and gender. If you are happy for us to select a child on your behalf we can locate a child in a community with the greatest need.
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You can pay by credit card or direct debit. If you pay by direct debit we require that you complete a Direct debit authorisation form. We will either email or mail the form to you when you complete the online sponsorship form.