This information will give you yet a deeper look into the sponsorship process with Lahash. If any of your questions remain unanswered, please don’t hesitate to contact the Sponsorship Team at sponsorship@lahash.org, and we will be in touch with you personally!
How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
Sponsorship is $37 a month.
When will I receive my Sponsorship Welcome Packet?
You can expect to receive your Welcome Packet within a week of signing up to sponsor a child. The Welcome Packet includes a booklet with all the information you’ll need to begin sponsorship, plus a profile of your sponsored child, and a letter from the child.
What specific benefits will the child I sponsor receive? What does my money provide?
Your funds help provide holistic care. Children receive spiritual care as staff lead the children in spiritual instruction and times of worship. (We encourage and celebrate spiritual growth and faith in Jesus, but fully respect each child’s unique decisions.) Children receive educational care through payment of their school fees and through providing uniforms, tutoring, or other support when needed. Children receive physical care that may include housing, food, clothing, and medical care. Children receive emotional care and support through counseling (if needed) and individual attention.
Will I be the only person sponsoring the child?
Yes. Our Sponsorship Program is one-to-one: only one sponsor per child.
How can I communicate with the child I sponsor?
You’ll receive at least two letters a year from your sponsored child. You are welcome to write as many letters as you’d like and mail them to our Portland office, and we will send them to the partnership location in East Africa. We encourage you to communicate with the child you sponsor through letters, photos, and perhaps even travel.
Will my sponsored child write me?
Yes. Depending on their age and skills, someone may help them, but you can expect at least two letters a year. Our
partners try to have the children respond to any letters they receive, so the more you write, the more likely you’ll hear back!
In what other ways will I learn about this child?
Every year, you’ll receive an update from Lahash with a new photo and a letter from the child. You’ll also receive monthly newsletters via email with stories, updates, and ways to stay engaged.
Can I send gifts or packages?
In short, no. Gift-giving happens through your additional donation to the Christmas Giving Program each year. Program staff in East Africa use these funds to purchase local goods that meet specific needs for your sponsored child. We can’t facilitate the sending of packages, but you’re welcome to include fun items like stickers, coloring sheets, and photos with your letters.
Can I be friends with my sponsored child on social media?
No. We require that communication is done through Lahash, to protect you and the child you’re sponsoring. The children agree to this policy as well. However, once the child exits the Sponsorship Program, you are free to connect with each other on social media.
Can I visit my sponsored child?
Yes! Lahash loves to lead trips to East Africa where sponsors can meet the children in the program, share meals, and even go on home visits. Please contact the Sponsorship Director if you are interested in traveling.
How long does child sponsorship last?
Our hope is that each sponsored child remains in the program through the completion of high school (referred to as “secondary school” in East Africa). The ideal scenario is for the sponsor/child relationship to deepen over the years, and even continue long after the child has completed the Sponsorship Program. However, our program exists to serve extremely vulnerable children, so there are many potential obstacles to this ideal outcome. When a child exits the program or graduates from school, you will receive a letter to let you know that your sponsorship commitment to this child has ended. You will then be asked if you would like to begin a new sponsorship relationship with another child.
Can I continue a relationship with the child I sponsored after they exit?
It is our hope that the relationship formed between sponsor and child will continue even after a child exits the Sponsorship Program. This will not always be possible due to obstacles of distance and other individual circumstances. But for those who do have the opportunity to pursue communication after the sponsorship stage of the relationship ends, we’ve developed a document to help you navigate what this might look like, and will mail it along with your exit letter when the child exits the program.
Does my monthly donation go directly to the child I sponsor?
No. Children do not receive cash directly. Sponsorship funds are pooled together to provide holistic care for all the children in the program, and are spent at the discretion of program staff.
If I must discontinue sponsorship, what happens to the child?
Lahash will do everything possible to ensure that the child you sponsored is cared for until we can connect them with a new sponsor.