How does child sponsorship work?

Child sponsorship is still one of the most powerful ways to help break the cycle of poverty. 
Until the 1970s child sponsorship looked very different to what it does today. Since people started sponsoring children through charities in the ‘30s, children and their families received direct handouts, similar to a welfare system from sponsors in wealthier countries. Research and smarter ways of supplying aid to developing countries showed this wasn’t only unsustainable; it often created tension among communities when some families received money or gifts, and others didn’t. 

Today, child sponsorship is set up to benefit all children. But how? 

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An important message to all the world’s dads

One of history’s most influential thinkers once said: “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” We couldn’t agree more, Sigmund Freud.

Our work to break the cycle of poverty often starts with family and equality of opportunity for girls and boys in areas of health, education, and in their careers and communities.

So to bring about change, we need to start at home. Fathers in many of the countries where we work are regularly considered the head of the household or key decision makers. They play a key role in influencing decisions and opportunities of their daughters, sons, wives and community as a whole.

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The girls of Hatibandha: See life through their eyes

When you're 13, you have your whole life ahead of you – school, university, your career, family and your friends. Life is full of potential and your future is vast. But when you're 13 and living in Hatibandha, Bangladesh life looks different, especially for girls.

Life isn't easy for girls living in Hatibandha. Located in northern Bangladesh, reaching secondary schools and health clinics is difficult. The walk can take hours and during monsoon season, the commute is only possible by boat.

As a result, the majority of girls will drop out of elementary school and marry while they're young. Lacking a basic education, these girls have little chance at becoming independent women and breaking the cycle of poverty in their families and community. 

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6 things keeping girls out of school and what Plan is doing about it

66 million girls around the world are not in school. Of that, 39 million are between the ages of 11 and 15.

Without education, girls are more likely to marry young, have children early, and spend their life in poverty. Yet, when girls are given the opportunity to receive an education, they are more likely to improve their own lives and those of their families, helping to break the cycle of poverty.

So what’s the problem? Find out what’s keeping girls out of school and what Plan is doing to help.

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Before she's ready for motherhood

Ayatollah is only 15 years old as she talks about her marriage to an old man that she has always had known as her neighbor. This is her story.

"I loved going to school and playing with my friends, but when my father said that girls do not need to go to school, I found myself herding cattle from sunrise to sunset as well as performing other household chores," says Ayatollah.

"One day, when I was playing outside, my father accompanied by an old man who is a contractor and our next door neighbor, came over to me and warned me to stop playing like a child as I had reached an age suitable for marriage."

"Two days later and to my disbelief, my mother told me that my father had married me off to the same old man in order to save the family from poverty," she recalls.

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Plan International's VLSA loan aids teen mother

Denise has a daughter named Sandrine who is three-years-old. She got pregnant unexpectedly at 19, while she was still in school.

“I wasn’t expecting to get pregnant. I met someone and then, because I was poor and didn’t have enough money to support myself or buy the things that I needed, I got pregnant. We were neighbors –he was older than me, about 25 years old. When I found out about the pregnancy I asked him to support me, but he didn’t have enough money."

“I was rejected by my family because it was a disgrace for them. I was living with my mother and I gave birth there, but then I moved into my aunt’s home with my baby. I got involved in the loans program because people were talking about a local NGO who was helping young people to get out of poverty."

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5 ways to end poverty around the world

World leaders recently committed themselves to cutting the number of people living in extreme poverty in half by 2015. That includes people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

This is no easy feat, therefore working together is crucial. Countries from all over the world must work together to help end the cycle of poverty.

Poverty is passed from one generation to the next. Through our work, Plan gives children, families and communities the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty. 

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A kid's perspective: Why a quality education matters

Every child has a dream growing up – to be a doctor, a scientist, an artist or a sports star. When you're a kid, possibilities are endless and the world is your oyster, but this isn't the case for children living in the developing world.

Here at Plan, we help children around the world realize their full potential by promoting quality educationand child participation.

Millions of children are missing from school, including 75 million girls. A lack of quality education is keeping these children from escaping the cycle of poverty and improving their own lives.

To get to the heart of the matter, we asked our kid experts to tell us why education matters.

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The cycle of poverty: hvad er det og hvordan er Plan med til at bryde den?

Fattigdom begynder i barndommen, når babyer bliver født af fattige, fejlernærede mødre. Fordi de er født ind i familier der er fattige, går disse børn ind i en cirkel af fattigdom der er svær at bryde. Men der er håb. 

Plan giver børn, familier og lokalsamfund de værktøjer de behøver - f.eks. uddannelse, sundhedspleje, og adgang til rent vand og sanitet - til at bryde denne cyklus og bygge løsninger til at forbedre deres egne liv. 

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