Region: Asia

Sponsor a child in Timor-Leste

Sponsoring a child in Timor-Leste with Plan international is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

You help tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Meet Jenadia – a sponsor child in Timor-Leste Play Video

Key Challenges for children in Timor-Leste

 

  • Timor-Leste has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world; 40 percent of the population is malnourished.
  • More than 5 percent of all children die before the age of 5.
  • 1 in 4 people do not have access to clean drinking water.
  • 19 percent of girls are married before they turn 18; 24 percent have a child by the time they turn 20.

 

Timor-Leste

How your support is helping children like Novelia

Each morning, eight-year-old Novelia’s family traveled down the hill from their home to fetch water for the day. An arduous and time-consuming task, it was also dangerous. The stream below was not clean, and the water wasn’t safe to drink. Novelia and her siblings all suffered from waterborne diseases over the years.

But now, with the support of donors like you, Novelia and other families in rural Timor-Leste have access to safe and reliable drinking water, piped to a tap close to their home.

“I am glad that now I have water near my house,” Novelia said. “I can spend more time studying and playing with my friends.”

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in Timor-Leste and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Timor-Leste

Sponsor a child in Nepal

Sponsoring a child in Nepal with Plan International is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

Child sponsorship helps tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Sponsor a child in Nepal Play Video

Key Challenges for children in Nepal

 

  • Nepal is vulnerable to landslides, floods, fires, and earthquakes. The country is still recovering from two massive earthquakes in 2015 that killed thousands of people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, significantly setting back Nepal’s economic development.
  • 43 percent of girls in rural areas marry before the age of 18.
  • Despite the abundance of lakes and rivers, much of Nepal’s water is not safe to drink, contaminated by industry and domestic waste, as well as untreated sewage. This was made worse in 2015 after the earthquakes destroyed existing water and sanitation infrastructures.
  • Over 3 percent of all children in Nepal die before the age of 5. One of the top causes of death for young children is waterborne illness, such as diarrhea.

How your support is helping children like Sarita

 

Sarita, 15, is a Plan International Youth Advocate devoted to doing all she can to end child trafficking in Nepal. “Children are not only the future of our country but they are the present too. When they are trafficked, I fear my country may never be able to develop or flourish.”

After participating in anti-trafficking and child rights training, Sarita began sharing her knowledge with peers in her adolescent girls’ group. But she didn’t stop there. Sarita and her fellow advocates began to lead workshops and awareness-raising events for parents and children in their community, helping them understand the dangers of trafficking and what to do if they are ever targeted.

“Child trafficking is a denial of their rights. That’s why I would like to ask everyone to come together to help stop child tracking,” Sarita explained. “Our country can only develop and flourish to the fullest if child trafficking is stopped.”

 

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in Nepal and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Nepal

Sponsor a child in Indonesia

Sponsoring a child in Indonesia with Plan International is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

Child sponsorship helps tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Meet Matica – a sponsor child in Indonesia Play Video

Key Challenges for children in Indonesia

 

  • Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to flooding, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, forest fires, and volcanic activity.
  • Wildfires, rapid urbanization, and reliance on solid fuel, such as wood or charcoal, have exposed many to dangerously high levels of air pollution. Acute respiratory infections, like pneumonia, are leading causes of death for children under 5.
  • Out of a population of more than 260 million, nearly 26 million Indonesians live in poverty, with approximately 20 percent just marginally above the poverty line.
  • One in three children under age 5 has experienced stunted growth due to chronic malnutrition and from diseases such as diarrhea and malaria

How your support is helping children like Novi

 

Thanks to your support, girls like Novi, 14, are taking charge of their futures! Through Plan International’s Better Life Options and Opportunities Model (BLOOM), girls are learning about their rights, reproductive health, and how to protect themselves against trackers. Young women are also working with community mentors who challenge them to think critically about education, goal setting, and career planning, as well as how to complete job applications and interview professionally.

Novi and her friends plan to finish school and pursue careers before they get married – and their families and communities are solidly behind them. “BLOOM is an important opportunity for us girls,” says Novi. “We get to apply what we’re learning in school to real life… and plan for the future.”

 

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in Indonesia and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Indonesia

Sponsor a child in India

Sponsoring a child in India with Plan International is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

Child sponsorship helps tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Meet Archana – a sponsor child in India Play Video

Key Challenges for children in India

 

  • Torrential rain during the monsoon season makes travel and outdoor activity difficult.
  • Vulnerable to destructive flooding, droughts, and earthquakes
  • India’s water is more polluted than any other major nation; 70% of fresh water is contaminated.
  • Diarrheal diseases are the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5.
  • More than 75% of India’s population is exposed to air pollution levels four times higher than recommended by the World Health Organization.

How your support is helping children like Seema

 

Young women like Seema, 14, are joining together to challenge harmful gender norms, tackle unequal power relations, and create safer cities where girls are able to learn and thrive without fear.

“I got involved with Safer Cities program more than a year ago and have learned a lot about dealing with many of the challenges that I and other girls like me face with regard to safety on a daily basis. I have learned that suffering in silence only makes the suffering worse. I have learned to speak up and have seen that when girls come together they can be stronger and have a more powerful voice”, says Seema.

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in India and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in India

Sponsor a child in China

Sponsoring a child in China with Plan International is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

Child sponsorship helps tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

Key Challenges for children in China

 

  • China is particularly vulnerable to typhoons, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and droughts.
  • 30 million people are still living below the poverty line, especially in rural areas.
  • Many water sources are polluted due to untreated waste.
  • Despite recent government efforts to reduce industrial pollution, smog and air pollution contribute to nearly 1.6 million premature deaths a year.

How your support is helping children like Fang

 

Outdated books and a lack of resources meant many school libraries in rural China were barely used, and kids rarely read for fun. But thanks to you, Plan International’s Library Information Management Program is breathing new life into libraries by updating materials and recruiting student volunteers.

Youth are learning how to catalog and check out books with kid-friendly software, and making library cards for fellow students to encourage them to read. Teachers are joining in by incorporating reading activities and contests into their lessons.

Fang, a library volunteer, is hooked. She’s discovered a deep love of reading and an exciting new career path too.

“When I grow up,” Fang says, “I want to be a college librarian and develop a great software to help people read more!”

 

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in China and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in China

Sponsor a child in Cambodia

Sponsoring a child in Cambodia with Plan International is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

Child sponsorship helps tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Sponsor a child in Cambodia Play Video

Key Challenges for children in Cambodia

 

  • 1 in 4 people do not have access to clean water.
  • Access to clean water is particularly scarce in rural areas, due to polluted water sources and limited sanitation facilities.
  • Cambodia is vulnerable to flooding, typhoons, occasional droughts during the dry season, and climate change.
  • Nearly 3% of all children die before the age of 5.

How your support is helping children like Veasna

 

Veasna, 17, is using the dramatic arts to demand change. Along with her fellow Plan International Youth Advocates, Veasna performs plays at community centers and festivals, tackling very serious topics such as the dangers of child trafficking.

Veasna also participates in monthly council meetings, where she raises issues she finds concerning, including girls’ rights and gender equality.

“Together women and men can do so much more,” Veasna says. “I’m convinced that they can lead a village equally well.”

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in Cambodia and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Cambodia

Sponsor a child in Bangladesh

Sponsoring a child in Bangladesh with Plan International is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

Child sponsorship helps tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Sponsor a child in Bangladesh Play Video

Key Challenges for children in Bangladesh

 

  • More than 3% of all children die before the age of 5.
  • Neonatal death and maternal mortality rates remain high, primarily because most deliveries take place at home without access to proper medical care.
  • Bangladesh has one of the lowest rates of birth registration in the world, making it difficult to protect children from trafficking, child labour, and child marriage.
  • Twenty-six million children live below the national poverty line.
  • Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to flooding, cyclones, and tornados.

How your support is helping children like Mosamat

 

Mosamat, 17, is a Plan International Youth Advocate supporting girls’ rights in Bangladesh. She works with other teens to educate parents, peers, and their greater community on the importance of keeping girls in school.

“We’re helping girls learn instead of being forced to marry by their parents,” says Mosamat. “This way girls in our village can contribute to our community.”

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in Bangladesh and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Bangladesh

Sponsor a child in Vietnam

Sponsoring a child in Vietnam with Plan international is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

You help tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Meet Luyen – a sponsor child in Vietnam Play Video

Key Challenges for children in Vietnam

 

  • Air pollution is the most critical environmental challenge and causes high mortality rates.
  • Lack of clean water leaves children and families at risk for disease.
  • Rural communities depend on agriculture, but often grow unprofitable crops like rice and maize.
  • Natural disasters affect the most disadvantaged regions, and easily destroy the already poor infrastructure.

 

How your support is helping children like Lan*

Lan* faces immense pressure from her family to be more “like a girl.” She’s constantly told she should grow out her hair and wear more dresses. She doesn’t think she should have to change who she is. And, she doesn’t think that’s what it should mean to be a girl. “I keep hearing, ‘a girl should act like this’ or ‘a girl should act like that,’” Lan says. “But I am a girl, and I’m different. I like to be outside and play sports, and people always tell me I’m a boy.”

Lan is one of 700 Youth Team Leaders in her school, who raise awareness about bullying and discrimination. The youth club is a part of a Plan International program that works to address the root causes of gender inequality and ensure schools are safe. “Now, in the club, I feel more encouraged to be myself,” Lan says. “I want to become the strongest version of myself.”

*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the individual

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in the Vietnam and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Vietnam

Sponsor a child in the Philippines

Sponsoring a child in the Philippines with Plan international is one of the easiest ways to improve the lives of all children and to make sure girls have access to equal opportunities.

 

By becoming a child sponsor, you guarantee a child – and all children in their community – have everything they need to grow, learn and plan for their futures.

 

You help tackle the root causes of discrimination, exclusion and vulnerability, and support some of the world’s most vulnerable children to thrive.

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Meet Roxanne – a sponsor child in Philippines Play Video

Key Challenges for children in the Philippines

 

  • The Philippines is the fourth most disaster-prone country in the world, vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones, landslides, and tsunamis. In 2022 we provided life-saving relief supplies to communities devastated by Typhoon Rai.
  • More than one-fifth of the population is living below the poverty line. This percentage can be as high as 75 percent in certain areas in the southern Philippines.
  • Water pollution is another major concern, with many water sources contaminated by industrial and domestic waste, as well as untreated sewage.
  • One out of five Filipino children under the age of 5 is malnourished.

How your support is helping children like Jessa

 

Jessa, 16, believes all citizens, young and old, deserve to be heard and respected. This is why she is proud to be a member of Plan International’s child-led Social Protection and Monitoring Team.

Along with her peers, Jessa is empowered to not only claim her own rights, but to advocate for the rights of marginalized groups in her community. With guidance from Plan International, the team designed questionnaires to evaluate the effectiveness of social protection programs for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

They learn how to facilitate focus group discussions and to analyze the data they collected. Bringing fresh insights for policy and program improvements to the table, the team presents its findings and recommendations to local government officials.

“As young citizens, it is important that we are involved,” Jessa explains. “Because we too have opinions to express, and we know about the issues.”

Yes, I’ll sponsor a child in the Philippines and support a whole community to thrive

Sponsor a child in Philippines