World’s Children assists the most desperate children—orphans, abused or abandoned children, and children with HIV/AIDS. Many are girls from poor families who are not loved or wanted.
These are the main reasons the children we support live in an orphanage. For the child’s privacy and security, we will help you choose the child you want to sponsor. When you sponsor, we will share the child’s photo, name and personal information with you.
The children’s homes are like large families. As with any family, it is important that all the children feel loved and nurtured equally.
Your sponsorship fee is sent directly to the home where your child lives to buy nutritious food, clothing, medicine, books, supplies, and other necessities. Your donation is pooled with other donations to support all the children in your child’s orphanage.
Throughout the year you will receive a minimum of one photo, one letter, a drawing and detailed progress report from your sponsored child.
You can send emails with attached letters and photos to your child. You are under no obligation, but many sponsors find unexpected happiness when they build a relationship with their child through emails.
Sponsor a child with great need ($39/month). We will help you choose the child that is right for you.
Help a disadvantaged student attend school ($39/month), college or vocational training ($55/month) or give to the Education Fund.
You can help all the kids living in a family-style children’s home in Mexico, Haiti, Kenya, or Zambia ($25/month suggested donation).
One of the best ways to understand the impact you can have through the World’s Children sponsorship and scholarship programs is to read the true stories of those who have lived it – in their own words.
Shailaja’s mother died while giving birth. Her father remarried and he and her step-mother abused her both physically and mentally. At one point she became injured and had to go to a doctor. The doctor took Shailaja to a children’s shelter supported by World’s Children where she lived from 2010 until she went to college. A sponsor helped fund Shailaja’s college through the World’s Children’s Scholarship Program.
Letter from Shailaja: “Greetings from your sponsored student, Shailaja. I am going to complete my Bachelor of Science in Nursing 4th year. I am working in the surgical ward of our hospital while also attending the online classes.
I really extend my sincere gratitude to you who stood by my side up to now. Above all, its through your hands I grew up to become an adult with a mission to change my life with a career. I am who I am because of what you did for my life. Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” -Shailaja
“In 2007 I lost both of my parents. My grandfather did not have the ability to care for me, both physically and financially so he brought me to the children’s home in the year 2008, when I was 8 years old. All my needs were met and I was well taken care of. The sisters [nuns who run this home] are like parents. I felt very happy to be there from my childhood.
“Recently, I completed my post graduation and I attended the interviews. Finally I got a job in Hyderabad. Now I am able to stand on my own feet. It’s all because of your love that allowed me to focus on my education and enjoy my time in the college.
Confidence in my abilities has strengthened my resolve. I will remember your generous help towards my future. I am the luckiest to have you all who cared enough to donate funds to people like me who struggle.”—Rajini
World’s Children supports orphans and vulnerable children who live in an orphanage or children’s home due to a wide variety of circumstances. Your sponsorship fee is sent directly to the home in which your child lives, and is used to purchase nutritious food, clothing, medicine, books, supplies, and other necessities. Many of our children’s homes are like (very) large families. As with any family, it is important that all the children feel equally loved and nurtured. So when you sponsor a child, your donation is pooled with that of other sponsors and used to support ALL the children equitably – both sponsored and unsponsored.
Equally important to the physical help you provide to all the children, is the psychological and emotional support that your sponsored child feels. When they know that someone cares about them and wants them to succeed, they prosper. Sponsored children often do better in school and are more motivated to plan and pursue long-term goals than their unsponsored peers; never underestimate the emotional impact your sponsorship will have on your child.
Call us old-fashioned, but we prefer to work with each sponsor individually to match you with a child. Please do let us know if you have preferences about the child you wish to sponsor (for example, a child close in age to your own, or a child from a country with which you have a connection). We are happy to do what we can to match you with the “right” child for you.
If you do not indicate any preferences about the child you will sponsor, we will match you with the child who is in the greatest need of support. We know our kids, and we know who needs you the most. Once we match you with a child, we will send you a welcome packet with information about your child, and what to expect as a sponsor.
We take the safety and privacy of our children seriously. Please read our Child Safety Policy.
You are under no obligation to correspond with your child, but many sponsors find an unexpected happiness when they build a relationship with their child through the exchange of letters and photos. Rather than send paper letters, we have an email for the kids where sponsors can attach letters and photos. This save a lot of time and money and the children enjoy the instant communication.
The children themselves do not have email addresses, but the administrator of the children’s home oversees the email communication for all the children.
Children in our homes are very curious about their sponsors and what their lives are like. Most of the children are timid about asking their sponsors personal questions, but you can be sure they will be extremely curious about you. They love to receive letters in which you tell them about your family and your life. They enjoy learning what you like to do, what your job is, what your favorite games and recreational activities are, the names of your family members, and even pets. If a sponsor sends a personal or family photo that photo is treasured by the child and carefully kept with their belongings.
We work hard to make sure that the children we support are in the situation that is best for them. Usually, this is living in the children’s home and attending school. But occasionally, a child leaves the home and is no longer able to be sponsored through World’s Children. Most of the time, this is a happy occasion (such as graduating from school and getting a job, or reuniting with a family member who can provide a loving home). Other times, a child may leave because his guardian doesn’t see the long term benefit of an education, or she is needed to help care for an ailing relative. The orphanage administrators act as advocates for the children in these cases, and will make sure whenever possible that if they are leaving, they will be cared for properly.
If your sponsored child leaves for any reason, we will contact you and explain why your child has left. We will also ask if you would like to transfer your sponsorship to another child in need.
Yes. You do not sign a contract with us and you are under no obligation to continue your support. Most sponsors like to see their child complete their education and then decide whether to sponsor another child or not, but the choice is always yours. You can cancel sponsorship at any time. To cancel, please call or email to let us know that you want to end the relationship you have with your child, and we will try to find them a new sponsor.
Some donors may not wish to have a one-on-one relationship with a particular child. We are equally grateful to those individuals who make a regular monthly donation to help an orphanage. When you sponsor an orphanage, we will send you a group photo of the children and a newsletter about the orphanage once a year. The orphanages we support always need extra funding for infrastructure, staff for running the orphanage, medical expenses, and educational expenses for the children. Your donation can help give these children a happy and healthy childhood and a solid education. You can experience the joy of uplifting all the children.
World’s Children uses your donation for your sponsored child (or the orphanage you sponsor) and your donation is pooled with other sponsor donations so all the children are cared for equally in that home. World’s Children is committed to honoring your stated preferences for sponsorship donations. In some circumstances, such as an unforeseen change in the orphanage status, your contribution will be used for the greatest need of vulnerable children living in poverty.
In 2021, 92% of donations went to program services. For more information about our finances, please visit our Financials page.
World’s Children has received the highest ratings from Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and Better Business Bureau.
World’s Children is committed to honoring your stated preferences for donations.
In some circumstances, such as overfunding of a project, your contribution will be used for the greatest current need of vulnerable children.
WORLD’S CHILDREN IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT REGISTERED IN THE US UNDER EIN 20-5276353. ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.
2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Loretta met David Purviance on a chance trip in 2006, while seeking to be of service to the vulnerable children in India. Since then, Loretta has been a longtime supporter of World’s Children as a donor, sponsor, and previous Board member. She had the wonderful opportunity to return to India twice to visit several World’s Children orphanages, and even identified the Happy Home orphanage and petitioned to bring it into the WC family. Loretta raised funds to build a well at Happy Home, where it now has clean water for all the children and staff.
Loretta currently works with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services as the Program Manager for the six Medical Hubs – the child abuse evaluation clinics for the County. She also serves as the Program Manager for the County’s Gender Health Program, serving patients seeking gender-affirming care in a safe environment. Before her work with Los Angeles County, Loretta spent many years serving non-profit organizations in CA and in MN, her last as the Executive Director of a statewide non-profit in MN. She has a long history of volunteer work including Board Member and Board Chair service, grant writing and fundraising experience, program development, and creative leadership, all serving our most vulnerable and disenfranchised populations.
Loretta holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, a Master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. She lives in Los Angeles County with her partner, Myck, and their rescue kitties, Scooter and Thunder.
