Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our "Frequently Asked Questions" section. Below is a list of general question categories, with our most frequently asked questions in each category. Please review the topic which is closest to your question.

If you do not find your specific question listed below, or if it is not answered to your satisfaction, please send us a feedback message. We will attempt to respond to you within one or two business days. Some questions may take longer to research. We appreciate your patience.

However, please be aware that we often receive many feedback messages daily. Therefore, before submitting a feedback question to us, please invest the time in reviewing these FAQs and other information on our website to ensure that your question has not already been answered here.

Chances are you will find the answer to your child sponsorship question here. Find your question below, and then click on it for your answer.
When will my child no longer need assistance?
There is no set age limit for children in our sponsorship program. A child may be in his or her late teens but still need to continue attending school or learning a trade. Also, in many countries children may begin going to school when they are a little older than we are accustomed to in the United States. As long as a sponsored child is in a project associated with World Vision, he or she continues receiving assistance.

We will notify you when your sponsored child is able to work and earn a living, or when the family no longer needs help. At that time, we will offer the opportunity for you to sponsor another child.

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How long will my child remain in the sponsorship program?
The goal of World Vision child sponsorship is to serve as a passage--bringing a child to that happy day when sponsorship is no longer necessary. This is the day when this child and his family are ready to move on--with health, education, training, and hope for the future.

That is the time when a sponsor is offered the opportunity to sponsor another boy or girl and provide the assistance that child and his or her community needs to become more self-reliant.

The length of sponsorship will be different for each child. That is because sponsorship is affected by many factors: the child's age when sponsorship begins, the family and community's circumstances, progress in the sponsorship project, and more.

One of the most satisfying experiences of sponsorship is watching your child and his or her family become healthy and self-reliant, leaving sponsorship behind. That is the moment when you can take the hand of another child who needs your help.

Many sponsors have helped change the life of one child after another. As many sponsors tell us, "Once you sponsor, you'll never want to stop!"
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To whom do I make my check or money order payable to?
Please make all checks or money orders payable to "World Vision."

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May I send packages to my sponsored child?
We understand your desire to send packages to your sponsored child. However, World Vision has a policy not to accept packages for the following reasons:

  • Complexity of foreign postal regulations
  • High duty charges in many countries
  • Slow delivery
  • Possibility of loss, theft, or damage
  • Difficulty getting packages to children in isolated locations (many of our overseas staff walk or ride bicycles to pick up the mail)
  • Possibility of tension created in the community by one family receiving numerous or expensive gifts
If you would like to remember your child in a special way, you may enclose small items in letters to your child or in an envelope no larger than 6x9 inches. Some items which children will enjoy for many months are ribbons, bookmarks, picture postcards, and other flat, inexpensive items.

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How are children chosen for sponsorship?
Most sponsored children live with family members in a community or village. Children of poor families in the project community are selected to be representatives for the child sponsorship program.

Before introducing a child sponsorship program, World Vision workers fully explain the concept of child sponsorship to community leaders. These leaders are then asked to provide a list of needy children, which is verified by our staff.

Families are asked if they want to be part of the sponsorship program. They are informed that their children will not benefit exclusively, but that benefits will be shared by all the children and families in the community.

World Vision also supports some schools for the blind or deaf. In these cases, most of the residents and students would be part of the sponsorship program.

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When or how often will I receive a progress report on my sponsored child?
Progress reports of the children are sent to sponsors once a year.

Also, sponsors usually receive an updated photograph once during the year. It may come with the child's annual progress report or with a letter from the child.

If it has been more than a year since you last received a progress report, please contact us. A representative will be glad to assist you.

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Why did you replace my sponsored child?
We realize that it can be disappointing and difficult to say "goodbye" to a sponsored child--especially someone you have become close to.

World Vision enters a community to provide assistance in areas such as education, health care and income-generating activities. The goal is self-reliance--that the community will eventually be able to sustain itself in these areas. World Vision then moves on to help others who are in even greater need. It is therefore a reason for celebration when a community's environment has been sufficiently improved and families now have the benefits of clean water, educational opportunities, and agricultural development. Unfortunately, such progress usually involves ending a sponsorship relationship.

As we become aware that a sponsorship project is closing, it is our desire to inform our sponsors by mail prior to the closure. We present the situation and celebrate the accomplishments made possible by your support. This letter also encourages sponsors to send a farewell letter to their child if they wish.

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What about visiting my sponsored child?
Meeting your sponsored child face-to-face can be an exciting and moving event for both of you. And if you ever wish to do so, we are here to help you.

Of course, visiting many of the countries where sponsored children live is not always a simple matter. So be sure to contact our U.S. office at least four months in advance by eMail, if possible.

Network of Caring staff in the field and at home will do their best to arrange your visit and help prepare you for your trip. With our help it will be a very rewarding experience.

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How is my sponsored child benefiting from my $30 a month?
The sponsorship money you send is added to that of people who sponsor children in the same community as your child. The type of care provided by your monthly support varies, depending on the specific needs in that area. If sponsorship support is a childcare home, those funds help in the child's total care. In other cases you provide such things as school fees, supplementary food and vitamins, and medical and dental care for the children. The costs of keeping records, translating and forwarding letters, providing case workers, and meeting emergencies are also covered. In addition, your help provides materials for a Christian education program to give your child the chance to learn about Jesus and his love.

In most areas, childcare funds are used to make improvements that will help the entire community. Often World Vision helps dig wells for clean water and provides agricultural assistance. Adults may receive vocational training and classes in nutrition and hygiene. We offer help with these things and more--according to the needs of the community--because, in the end, we have not really helped a child unless we have done something about the environment in which he or she lives.

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Can I send money directly to my sponsored child?
Network of Caring requests that monetary gifts not be sent to your sponsored child. There are several reasons for this.

Our field offices are not equipped to handle funds sent to them directly from sponsors, or to issue receipts. In some countries it is even against the law to have foreign currency in your possession.

It is often difficult for other families in the community to understand why a child or the family received money from the sponsor. This can cause jealousy and divisiveness in the community. In addition, some postal systems are unreliable and there is no guarantee that the monetary gifts will reach the field offices.

Thank you for understanding.

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How do I write to my sponsored child?
You may send cards and letters to your sponsored child at the field office address located on your child's picture folder. This enables our staff there to keep needed correspondence records and protects your address from falling into the hands of professional beggars.

The letters you send will usually reach your child within a few weeks. Our overseas staff will translate your letters into your child's language and give both your letter and the translation to the child to keep.

Letters sent to you from your child take a little longer. Many children receive assistance in our projects, and dozens of projects report to each field office. The handful of project workers and staff members will supervise (along with all of their other responsibilities) the children writing to their sponsors.

Children who are very young or slow in developing writing skills will need more help writing letters. The helper may be a staff member, an older child or perhaps a family member. When a helper actually writes a letter, we encourage our overseas office to note this on the letter so that you will know.

The children's letters are then sent to be translated in the field office which may be located a considerable distance away. The original and the translation will both be sent to you.

We hope this will help you understand why communication between you and your sponsored child may require some patience. If you do not receive a reply from your child within approximately four months after you have written, please let us know. We will then check with the field office for you.

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Am I the only sponsor for my child?
Yes. Network of Caring assigns only one sponsor per sponsored child.

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Can I bring my sponsored child to the U.S. for a visit?
We appreciate your interest in having your sponsored child visit the United States.

There are several reasons why Network of Caring does not permit visits of sponsored children to the United States:

  • The safety and well being of the child.
  • The uneasiness that language barriers can create.
  • The culture shock experienced by the child.
  • The child's readjustment to his or her own lifestyle can be difficult.
If you would like to spend time with your sponsored child, perhaps you would like to consider planning a visit to the child's country. Please contact us, a representative will be glad to assist you.

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What is the address of the national office in the country where my sponsored child lives?
Please send us a feedback message with your name and the ID number of your sponsored child, and we will e-mail you the address of the appropriate national office.

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How can I send a money gift to my sponsored child?
Due to the expenses involved in processing these special money gifts, and to keep cost to a minimum, it is necessary that these gifts be $75 or more. Gifts of less than $75 are designated to the "Childcare Ministry" fund to help unsponsored children in the program.

When special money gifts are received, the field staff will work with the family to determine their special needs. These needs often include housing improvements, farm animals, clothing, and school supplies. You should receive an acknowledgement from the field office within four months telling you how the money gift was used.

If you want to do something more personal for Christmas, or on other special occasions, you can send a card with something small and flat tucked inside of it . . . such as a picture, hair ribbons, stickers, or picture postcards. In addition to the gifts of life and hope, which you are already providing, your sponsored child will be delighted to receive these small gifts from you.

If you have any additional questions or need further explanation regarding these special money gifts, please feel free to send us an eMail.

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Will I receive a reminder to send my sponsorship gift?
Yes. We hope that the World Vision/Network of Caring monthly statements will be convenient and helpful in keeping you informed about your pledge status.

The top half of the form is your childcare response to be returned with your next gift. It has your name and address, your account number, your monthly pledge amount--all the information we need to process your donation quickly and efficiently. When sending in your gift, please be sure that World Vision's name and address (which appear on the reverse side of this form) show through the window of the return envelope.

The bottom portion of the form is your commitment record. It will have a record of the last gift we have received. It also serves as your official tax-deductible receipt.

Also included are your pledge designation and the month through which it is paid. If we have made any corrections or adjustments on your account, they will be indicated the first time by an asterisk (*) next to the gift description.

If you want to send a donation and do not have a pledge form, please feel free to send your gift anyway. Be sure to include a separate note giving us your name and address (with zip code) and tell us how you would like your gifts used.

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Can I contribute by credit card?
Yes. You can make contributions by credit card using our secure contribution form ... or else call 1-888-511-6592 for service. Thank you.

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