Sponsor a child
Spark a connection and give the gift of sponsorship to your loved one. Your long-term gift will support entire communities, helping more children, especially girls, to get an education, stay in school longer and stop harmful practices like child marriage.
Whether it’s a birthday, wedding anniversary or another special occasion, consider giving the gift of child sponsorship. Choose where your loved one would like to sponsor a child below. Then on the form, select 'I’d like to gift this sponsorship to someone else.’
Gift different and give your loved one an incredibly special experience through the gift of child sponsorship. Your gift will inspire a unique connection as they exchange letters and experiences and get a glimpse into each other’s lives. Give the gift of sponsorship.
How gifting sponsorship works
Spark a unique connection
Your donations help a child and their community, while your loved one can build a special connection with that child.
Support the whole community
Your donations fund vital projects benefiting whole communities in the country where the child lives.
From as little as 65p a day
It costs as little as 65p a day to give sponsorship as a gift to your loved one, and transforms a child’s life.
What they will receive
We’ll send these directly to the person you are gifting to, using the address you provide. Your donation confirmation will come to you separately.
Welcome pack and photos
A pack by post introducing them to the child they sponsor and their community. They’ll also receive a booklet which includes handy tips on letter writing, so they can get started right away.
Letters and drawings
The opportunity to write letters back and forth to get to know more about the child they sponsor and their community. It may take a little longer to arrive while we take steps to keep communities safe from coronavirus, but they’ll see it’s worth the wait.
Updates about their progress
An annual progress update in the post, showing how communities are making positive changes to children’s lives, together with their local knowledge and your donations.
Layza's Story
12-year-old Layza lives in a rural community in Maranhão state, Brazil. Nearly 1,000 families live in this community without basic sanitation or access to healthcare. With just one school in the community, access to education is also limited.
Layza took part in a Plan International child protection project and learned about her rights. “This was a very important programme for me. We played, we talked about bullying and abuse. Now, I even know how to identify when someone is looking at me in a weird way, I know how to protect myself.” says Layza.
By giving the gift of sponsorship today, you can support more life-changing community projects and help show girls like Layza that their futures are theirs to decide.
What your gift will do
Your gift of sponsorship will help a child and their whole community
Protect children during emergencies
Providing essentials when an emergency strikes – like access to water and training to prevent the spread of disease – or how to shelter during a disaster. You’ll also help communities to grow more resilient to future crises.
Provide education and vocational skills
Your gift will provide essential learning materials and uniforms for children whose families cannot afford them, and train local teachers, so every child has the chance to learn and achieve their dreams.
Protect girls from abuse
It will help prevent harmful practices like child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and enable girls to access period hygiene products. Vitally, you’ll help educate boys to value girls, so that everyone benefits.
WHY SPONSORSHIP MATTERS
Over 34 million children
are currently displaced by natural disasters or conflict
Every three seconds
another girl becomes a child bride
Over 263 million children
worldwide are out of school
Hear from our sponsors
Jane has been a sponsor with Plan International for over 15 years. This has given Jane and her family the opportunity to develop a unique connection with two boys in El Salvador and Guatemala.
“I liked the idea of helping people in need of support whilst also forming a connection with another family across the world. Sponsoring with Plan International has been a very positive experience, they do a great job at mediating the relationship between the sponsor and the child. It’s a very heart-warming experience. I look forward to receiving letters and drawings, which give a taste of their daily life on the other side of the world and what they might see.” Jane, Plan International UK sponsor.
Why choose Plan international?
About us
At Plan International UK we’ve been advancing children’s rights and equality for girls for over 85 years. We’re working to create a world where every child is safe and protected from violence and have access to the education, healthcare, clean water and future opportunities they need to thrive.
We use local knowledge
Our pioneering child sponsorship programme supports communities to protect and empower children and champion girls’ rights. We work closely with children, girls and local communities, listen to the challenges they face and combine our expertise with their knowledge to find long lasting solutions together.
We strive for lasting impact
By choosing to sponsor with Plan International UK, you will help create lasting change for children who need it most. Your loved one will form a one-to-one connection with the child they sponsor, and your donations will be used to fund vital projects benefiting whole communities in the country where the sponsored child lives.
Frequently asked questions
How does the sponsored child benefit?
The sponsored child will benefit greatly from the development work we do in their community. Your donations will go toward getting the basics that every child needs; they’ll be more likely to grow up in a safe and resilient community, with the chance to learn and thrive – so they can go on to achieve their dreams.
How are my donations spent?
Your donations support community-based development projects. Every year we spend at least 80% of our money on charitable activities including our emergency response work and long-term development projects. The rest helps us raise vital funds for the future.
How do you keep children safe?
Your support will help end harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). Safeguarding children and young people is at the heart of everything we do, which is why we have well-established systems in place to make sure the children we work with are protected.
How can I request more information?
Our Supporter Engagement team are happy to answer any questions you have about sponsorship and our work. You can reach them on 0300 777 9779 or [email protected]
How will the welcome pack reach the person I’m gifting it to?
We’ll send a welcome pack directly to your loved one in the post, to introduce them to the child they are sponsoring and information on how to start writing to them.
When will their welcome pack arrive?
We aim to send out your loved one’s welcome pack within ten to fourteen days of setting up your new sponsorship, using the information you have provided on the form.