Make this festive season meaningful by giving a loved one the gift of sponsorship. Your gift can help more children to get an education, stay in school longer, and stop harmful practices like child marriage.
For your loved one, your gift can spark a unique connection with the child they sponsor as they exchange letters and get a glimpse into each other’s lives.
And when you gift a sponsorship, it’s not just the child you’re supporting. You’re helping their community too. Because a resilient community can support, protect and nurture a child as they grow, meaning more children grow up happier and healthier. 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
Your welcome pack introduces you to the child you sponsor. You’ll find photos and lots of information all about them, their community and the country they live in. Expect your welcome pack to arrive within 4-7 days of signing up.*
Letter writing
The welcome pack also includes a letter writing handbook full of top tips to help you start sharing letters right away. For each letter you send to the child you sponsor, you’ll receive a letter back. You can also share drawings and might get some back too!
Regular updates
We’ll also keep you updated through annual updates from the community. You'll see how they're combining their knowledge with your support to drive change for children.
*Sign up by 17 December to make sure your loved one receives their welcome pack in time for Christmas.
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.
Jenifer's Story
Jenifer, 10, Guatemala, dreams of becoming a nurse. “Studying makes me feel good. I always follow my teacher’s instructions and I want to learn more,” she says.
Life for girls in Jenifer's region is not easy. Poverty, gender inequality and cultural norms create a cycle that restricts their opportunities and well-being.
She took part in a Plan International programme that focussed on empowering indigenous girls, and provided scholarships and school supplies to help girls stay in school. “Now I can do my homework and keep studying,” says Jenifer.
By giving the gift of sponsorship today, you can support more life-changing community projects and help show girls like Jenifer 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. Where they have access to the education, healthcare, clean water and 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. You will form a one-to-one connection with the child you sponsor, and your donations will be used to fund vital projects benefiting whole communities in the country where your sponsored child lives.