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Sponsor a girl today and provide her with educational opportunities, healthcare support, and empowering mentorship. Together, we can break barriers and empower girls to reach their full potential.
All children living in poverty are vulnerable, but girls face a higher risk of abuse and exploitation.
The numbers are alarming: globally, seven in 10 trafficking victims are women and girls, one in five girls are child brides, and 130 million girls are denied education.
That’s why we’re asking you to partner with Compassion to champion girls, helping them to access a better future and ending the cycle of poverty.
Compassion’s holistic child development programme provides incredible teams of dedicated individuals—tutors, mentors, doctors, social workers, caregivers—all investing in each girl’s life to equip her with the skills and self-belief she needs to overcome poverty for good.
Without support, a girl living in poverty can feel powerless to change her circumstances or dare to dream about a brighter future. But with the proper support, a girl can be empowered with the skills and confidence to overcome the barriers of poverty. Compassion with the local church identifies girls at risk and provides them with ongoing holistic care and protection.
What are the barriers faced by girls and young women living in poverty?
Girls living in poverty:
Are less likely to receive quality education: Globally, twice as many girls as boys will never start school, and more than half of the world’s 781 million illiterate adults are female. Stigma and lack of resources mean 1 in 10 school-age sub-Saharan African girls ‘do not attend school during menstruation’, meaning they miss days of schooling every month.
Have reduced access to medical care: From infancy to adolescence, girls living in poverty are disadvantaged by poor access to medical care. 45% of child deaths are linked to malnutrition. The leading cause of malnutrition in kids under five is diarrhoea.
Are more likely to suffer abuse and exploitation: The statistics are startling:
- More than 200 million girls and women alive today are victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- Globally, one in five girls are forced into child marriage.
- Women comprise nearly half of all human trafficking victims; 19% are under 18.
- Worldwide, 70% of trafficking victims are women and girls.
“My family doesn’t see my education as a good thing. That’s why it is important to me to be part of the Compassion project. I want my daughter to become educated so her house would be a good house. She would be able to sleep in a good bed that is not made of cow skin and she would go to a good school.” Beatrice, 16, Compassion-sponsored girl
Investing in education for girls brings lasting change to the individual child and the whole community indeed, it could change the entire world!
Child sponsorship works: Why Sponsoring a girl makes a difference
Girls in Compassion’s programme receive love and support from Compassion’s local church staff. Thanks to the child sponsorship programme through Compassion UK, your monthly donation means vulnerable children living in poverty receive:
Access to educational support: Which may include uniforms, resources like books and pens, or school fees. Compassion-sponsored children are 41.6% more likely to finish secondary school.
Given medical care: Health care is a key part of the Compassion UK child sponsorship programme. That’s why we provide every Compassion-sponsored girl with a yearly check-up and any necessary additional medical care.
Offered protection from abuse: All staff at Compassion’s church-driven projects are trained in child protection to prevent risks to girls such as FGM, child marriage and other forms of exploitation. Children and youth are also taught about how to safeguard and advocate for themselves. Compassion commits to high-quality systems and processes for handling reports of abuse.
Nutritious food as needed: In addition to annual health check-ups, regular monitoring helps identify and address malnutrition.
Opportunities for long-term employment: Offering educational support and vocational training, Compassion-supported children are 35.9% more likely to get a white-collar job and 75% more likely to be community leaders.
A one-to-one relationship with you, their only sponsor, with letters translated into their native language to bring real hope and positive change.
Additionally, vulnerable children and families are the hardest hit if a crisis strikes – like a natural disaster, pandemic, civil unrest, or economic instability. Compassion comes alongside so children and youth can access emergency aid and necessities like clean water, shelter, clothing and trauma counselling.
“There is a very big difference between girls in the [Compassion] project and the girls who are not. You can even recognise it by looking at those girls. They have a very high self-esteem because they are getting an education. But above all, because they have been attached to a church and to the Compassion project, they are able to get a lot of other skills from seminars, camps and training.” Francis Mbore, Project Director, Compassion Kenya.
Sponsor a girl like Hilda
“My name is Hilda. I am the eighth child in a family of 10 children. We didn’t have much money growing up and we lived in one room. When I was five years old my dad had an accident which left him unable to work. We had no money for food and I was very scared. I felt like no one cared about me and I didn’t matter.
Then everything changed. When I was nine, one of my neighbours told me about Compassion at my local church. I was sponsored through Compassion and started to go to the project every week. I was fed there and I learnt how to care of myself. I learnt I was special and that God loved me.
My sponsor wrote me letters. They loved me so much even though we never met in person. I am so thankful for my sponsor and everything they did for me.”
Sponsor a girl and empower her to overcome poverty
If you’re thinking through the pros and cons of child sponsorship, Hilda’s story is a powerful testimony. Sponsor a girl and empower her to bring change:
- Sponsorship kept Hilda in school. Now she’s a university graduate.
- Hilda is a school teacher, empowering the next generation.
- A respected leader in her church and community, Hilda is even putting her younger sister through university.
Together, we can directly empower girls to overcome poverty.
“I made a difference”
“I decided to sponsor a girl because I am a girl. I know my sponsored child can now get a good education. She can impact her community a very important way. She can help her community to change, to hope.” Eleanor, Compassion child sponsor.
Where to sponsor a girl
Compassion works in partnership with local churches in communities experiencing poverty. Child sponsorship provides resources and support to a child in need, fostering their growth and empowerment for a brighter future and providing them with the opportunities they need to reach their full potential. You’ll make a big difference in a child’s life wherever you choose to sponsor with Compassion.
You may want to sponsor a girl in an area where you or your family already have a connection. You could sponsor a girl in Africa and support a girl in one of the African countries where we’re partnering with local churches; Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Togo, Burkina Faso, Kenya and Ghana.
If you’re looking to sponsor a girl in India or Nepal, sadly, Compassion isn’t currently working in either of these countries, but you can empower a girl living in Asia. You can support a girl in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or sponsor a girl in Thailand to overcome poverty.
Compassion also works in countries across Central and South America, including; Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
How to sponsor a girl
1. Start your sponsorship journey by choosing a girl waiting for a sponsor on our website.
2. You’ll soon receive a beautiful Welcome Pack through the post with a photo of your sponsored child, plus everything you need to write your first letter.
3. Over time, you’ll see the difference you’re making through your sponsored child’s letters and photos, you’ll receive regular updates, and your letter writing will help encourage a young life. You can also pray for your sponsored child and their family. Your sponsorship money will enable your sponsored girl to receive educational support, be fed, protected, and extend a loving support network around her.
Sponsorship costs £32 per month. You can empower a girl to escape poverty.
Visit our FAQs to find out more about child sponsorship.
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