Child Sponsorship FAQ

Learn more about how child sponsorship works

By clicking on a specific question you may have, you will learn more how child sponsorship works

Sponsor Relations Associates are available to take your calls between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. PT, Monday — Friday. Our number is +1 714 512 4074. Or you may send an e-mail and a member of our team will respond as quickly as possible.

How can I reach a member of LAHI sponsorship team?Close

No. Children or their families are not required to be Christians or to become Christians. However, students will participate in Christian-based programs and activities, and in some cases, children attend Christian schools.

do children have to be christians to be in the program?Close

Generally, $40 per month will cover the needs of primary school children in our programs. In some fields, $70 per month will cover the needs of students attending a boarding school or high school.

How much does it cost to sponsor a child through lahi Close

Only 15% is used to cover administrative expenses, which are essentially the costs of running the program. Without these expenses, the program would not be able to operate. The remaining 85% of funds go toward providing and maintaining safe program facilities, medical care, spiritual development, nutritious meals, and school fees, which can cover uniforms, supplies, textbooks and teacher salaries.

how much of the sponsorship fee is used for administrative expenses?Close

Children in our sponsorship program receive an education, nutritious meals (or nutritional supplements), medical care, and guidance in both spiritual and social development. Studies show that these children are more likely to gain a higher education and/or develop specific skills that will enable them to gain meaningful employment and rise above a life of poverty.

What specific benefits do children receive during the time they are sponsored?Close

Generally, a child can have only one sponsoring person, couple or family. We do allow relatives and/or small groups to collectively sponsor a child, but there still must be one individual selected to be the primary sponsor of record. Only the primary sponsor (or couple or family) will receive communications from and information regarding the child. Secondary sponsors will still receive their own receipts and statements for their support gifts.

Can a child have more than one sponsor?Close

Once you’re ready to select a child, click here to browse profiles of children who still need a sponsor. You can follow the prompts to process your sponsorship once you have chosen a child. Once your sponsorship is started you will receive a packet of information to help you in beginning a special relationship with your sponsored child.

Additionally, you can engage your church through a child sponsorship event! We provide everything you need so anyone in your church can choose a child to sponsor. They can look through profile cards with pictures on-site, select a child by age and gender, then sign up to sponsor him or her. If you are interested in hosting an event, you can email us at info@lightandhopeinitiative.org.

How do i get started sponsoring a child?Close

Your child should write to you at least once a year to let you know what is going on in his/her life. In addition, LAHI will notify sponsors any time we are made aware of a major event that occurs in the life of your child.

how frequent will i receive updated information about the child I'm sponsoring?Close

Due to cultural differences, family issues, illness and harsh living conditions, children may stop attending school, often without any warning. While we hope that your child remains in LAHI’s child sponsorship program until his or her schooling is complete, we can’t promise that your relationship with one particular child will be able to continue indefinitely. We can promise, however, that your sponsorship plants a seed of hope and faith in the heart of your child whether she attends school for one week, three months or years. And if your child leaves the program for any reason, we will let you know that information as soon as possible, and immediately provide a new child to you so you can continue to participate in the blessings of transformation.

Our team makes every effort to return a child to the program if they stop attending for any reason. We give children a three-month grace period if they stop attending school. During this time, the social workers and program managers are doing everything possible to get the child back in the program. During the time that a student is not attending, your donations continue to go toward covering the costs for children in the program. If the child doesn’t return after three months, we officially remove them from the program and connect you with another child in need of sponsorship.

What happens if my child leaves the program?Close

Children in developing countries often do not start school at the same age as children in the United States, so it is hard to define a specific age range. In most cases, children can be recruited into the program as young as pre-school age and can remain in our program up to a year after graduating from high school.

How long can children be sponsored?Close

Yes! If you will be traveling to the area where your child lives and would like to arrange to meet him/her, please contact our office at least one month in advance to make arrangements. If you are traveling with a short-term mission team, please be sure to work with your team leader to plan time for meeting with your child.

Is it possible to meet my child?Close