The best way to change a child’s life is to change the world in which they live. World Vision Child Sponsorship is a child-focused and community-based programme, which aims at helping the sponsored child’s family and the community address the root causes of poverty, and build a self-reliant community for the child in the long run.

Through Child Sponsorship Programme, World Vision pools the monthly contributions of sponsors to implement Area Development Programmes in sponsored children’s communities. Partnering with local leaders and villagers, World Vision helps improve areas of water, agriculture, healthcare, education and economic development in the community based on its needs.In return, sponsored children will have access to clean water, nutritious food, basic healthcare and a chance for education. World Vision also carries out HIV and AIDS work focusing on prevention, education and caring services in the community to protect sponsored children from the pandemic.

When you sponsor a child, your HK$220 monthly donation is used to implement the Area Development Programme in your sponsored child’s community and cash will not be given directly to your child or the child’s family.

To help a child grow up in a healthy environment and be free from poverty, it is necessary to empower the community in achieving sustainable development, instead of just meeting the child’s individual needs. For example, we won’t use your donations to buy water from afar for your sponsored child, but we will help the community dig wells and train up villagers to maintain the water supply system, so that the whole community, even the next generation, can have access to clean water. This is the most effective and long-lasting way to change the child’s life.

For the financial year 2008, World Vision Hong Kong's administration cost was only 1.6% and fundraising cost was 2.2% of total income while 1.0% was used for public education. This means 95.2% of the total income was used on global relief and community development programmes, providing direct benefit to the people in need.

Asia: Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka
Africa: Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone

With the help of community leaders and villagers, World Vision identifies the vulnerable and needy children in the area. When a child is sponsored, his/her brothers and sisters, and all children and families in the community can also enjoy the benefits. For example, everyone can enjoy clean drinking water and medical care when a new well is dug, and a health clinic is built in your sponsored child’s community.

World Vision implements Area Development Programme in sponsored children’s community to help their families and the communities gradually alleviate poverty, usually a span of 10-15 years. When the community becomes self-sustainable, your sponsorship will come to an end. Hence, the duration for sponsorship varies depending on the progress of the community’s development.

However, changes in a child’s circumstances may affect the duration for sponsorship. Your sponsorship will end when your sponsored child finishes school, gets married, moves out of the community*, or his/her family has achieved better living conditions.  Besides, political instability in the child’s community may also lead to the cease of your sponsorship.

In these cases, we will call you or give you a written notification, and invite you to sponsor another child in need so to pass on your care and love.

On the other hand, if you would like to discontinue your sponsorship, please contact our Donor Services Department for the sponsorship termination. We will try to find another sponsor for the child as soon as possible.

Yes. World Vision Hong Kong is a tax-exempt charity of the HKSAR Government, so your donations are tax-deductible. To encourage charitable donations, the HKSAR Government exempts up to 35% of assessable income or profits on approved charitable donations.

With our official receipts, child sponsors in Macau can also enjoy tax deduction according to the tax ordinance of the Macau SAR Government.
 
Receipts are issued for all donations. In order to reduce administration costs and better utilise our resources, an annual receipt listing the total donations in the past fiscal year will be issued to Hong Kong and Macau child sponsors in every April and January respectively.

You can use direct debit, credit card, PPS (Payment by Phone Service), crossed cheques, our on-line donation service or visit our office in person to make your sponsorship payments.

Direct debit is the most effective donation method to help reduce our administration costs, follows by credit card. Also, annual payment, when compared with monthly payment, can help us keep our overheads at the minimum so that more resources can be allocated to our ministry.

A child’s photo does not always show their needs. When your sponsored child’s family knows that the photo will be sent to the sponsor, they will make sure their child look their best for photo-taking, even it means they have to borrow clothes from their neighbours or relatives.

After one year’s sponsorship, you will receive an annual progress report and an updated photo of your sponsored child, informing you about the child’s growth and the latest development in the community. We encourage you to write to your sponsored child to know more about his/her latest situation and send your greetings to the child.

In addition, you will receive another report that keep you informed of the achievements of the development projects under the Child Sponsorship Programme all over the world

Yes. We encourage you to write to your sponsored child to build a unique relationship and know his/her latest situation. Your child loves to hear from you and will feel being loved and cared.

However, you should not be too worried if you are unable to write to your sponsored child. Every year, we prepare greeting cards for sponsors to send to their sponsored children during Christmas or at their special local festivals.

You can send small gifts such as stationeries, bookmarks, and postcards to your sponsored child. However, please do not send cash or expensive gifts, e.g. watches, electronic goods, jewelries, clothes, dolls, and food, because this may create jealousy and conflicts amongst the children and their families. Also, many developing countries have import restrictions and impose high tax on these goods. Indeed, your monthly donation has already provided your child with essential necessities through the Area Development Programme.

Yes. Children are delighted to hear from their sponsors and will write back. As most children live in remote areas where postal systems are not well developed, and the letters are handled by our office for translation, verification and delivery, it may take three to four months for your sponsored child's letter to arrive in your hands.

Yes. World Vision organises supporter tours regularly to enable donors to see our work and understand the local needs; and for sponsors to visit their sponsored children if the country is where their children live. Please refer to our bi-monthly magazine Shi Qing and browse our website for details.

You can also visit your sponsored child by yourself, with the exception of China. Please contact our Donor Services Department at least two months before departure to allow better arrangement with the field office on your visit.

According to China’s child protection policy, sponsors can only visit their sponsored children in China by joining our supporter tours.

In addition, visitors are required to sign and comply with our Visitor Guidelines to ensure the security and privacy of visitors and the sponsored children.