Lawrence, who once was so shy he was considered a “cry baby,” now bursts with confidence at Makerere University Business School in Uganda.

The first day he went to the university, with support from our Leadership Development Program, he could not believe it. He marveled at the expanse of the campus, gaped at the beautiful buildings and thanked God for this opportunity of a lifetime. He was determined to achieve his dreams — among them a passion for leadership.

Lawrence had grown up a very shy boy. In fact, many times he was a victim of false accusations but he never defended himself. He simply cried. He grew up with his parents and three brothers. They struggled through life. His father, a fisherman and sole earner in the home, contracted cancer and painfully passed away when Lawrence was 10.

Life was tough. Lawrence’s mother did not have a job but depended on peasant farming. The family had little food. They skipped breakfast, had a cup of porridge for lunch, and usually ate posho (mingled maize flour) with avocado or greens for supper. On a good day they would eat beans and posho.

This was their routine. The boys grew thinner each day and often fell sick.

“Whenever we fell sick, Mum bathed us with herbs and told us to sleep and cover ourselves till we were warm. She could not afford medication.”

When Lawrence joined the Lugazi Child Development Center, it was a great relief for his family. The first thing he did was seek treatment for a terrible toothache that had bothered him for more than seven months because of lack of medication.

He received lots of love at the child development center and anticipated going back every Saturday.

At the center, children were given milk, eggs, bread and bananas for breakfast. At lunch they received rice and meat or matooke (plantain), beans and peas. Sometimes they enjoyed sodas. It was like he was experiencing a whole new life.

“Our director, staff and volunteers at the center loved me very much. The director treated me like his own child.

When I was in primary grade 2, they taught us about Jesus and the things He did when He was our age. I liked Jesus very much and I gave my life to Him.”

With support and love from our staff, Lawrence discovered his God-given potential and self worth. Little by little he gained confidence in himself and stopped being so shy. He joined the school choir and always stood in front.

Lawrence also learned at an early age to take on leadership positions and to always act with integrity. Later, when he joined the university, he believed he was the leader the students needed. Today he perceives himself as a leader of integrity who adds value to his followers.

In his first year at the university Lawrence became the representative for Baganda Nkobaza Mbogo Student Association. In his second year he was elected as the speaker; now in his third year he is the chairman and leads more than 500 students in the association.

The Baganda Nkobaza Mbogo Student Association is a national association aimed at preserving the culture of the Baganda, a people group living in central Uganda.

It is not an easy thing to balance culture and the teachings of Jesus Christ. And not many people understood how Lawrence could say he was chairman of this association and yet confess Christ as his Lord and Savior.

“I believe that as Christians we should take up all positions. Perhaps if someone who is deeply rooted in the culture was chairman, many evil practices would be encouraged. But I bring change and I can influence fellow students. They see my walk in Christ and I believe I influence them a lot.”

Lawrence is also the chairperson for the Family of Christ Ministry, where he leads 53 students. On top of that, he leads the Leadership Development Program fellowship at his university and is the treasurer of the gents ministry called Men of the Original Image.

He is grateful to all of his sponsors and to his church because, without this support, it would have been hard for him to make it in life. Lawrence is excited at what God is doing and once he is out of university he hopes to start his own businesses in coffee and dairy.

He also aspires to join national politics. His initial target is the seat for Member of Parliament for his home area, Buikwe West, in 2016.

Lawrence is grateful to Compassion and to his church for loving him.

“I have seen Compassion International struggle to see that I reach where I am today. They have given me so much support and so many things. From the time I joined the ministry, I felt like there was an invisible hand holding me up. I was so happy!

I am in the Leadership Development Program and I feel you are really investing in me. You want me to be the best leader, the best future parent, and an honest and compassionate person.

The Leadership Development Program has shaped me well and I am very grateful. Now I feel ready to face the world and contribute to it.”

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

We began our ministry in the Dominican Republic in 1970 as a relief program donating food, medicine and money for children selected by the local churches.

This relief program transitioned into a school program in the 1980s. In this program, children in the Dominican Republic gained access to education through the local church. In 1994, we started our Child Sponsorship Program. The Leadership Development Program started in 2004, followed by the Child Survival Program in 2006.

In the Dominican Republic we have a strategic partnership with the Evangelical National University to offer higher education to our staff, Implementing Church Partner staff and church members in holistic child development and child advocacy in order to train leaders to be child advocates.

Country Director

Kleber Isaias Lora Bautista joined us as Country Director in 2005.

Prior to coming to our ministry he held various positions including Child Sponsorship Program Manager at Food for the Hungry and a consultant for the Institutional Strength Project.

Kleber graduated with a degree in computer engineering from INTEC Technological Institute of Santo Domingo in 1990. He also earned a masters of business administration from the University of Quebec, Montreal in 2004.

As a young person, Kleber was the founder of the Christian Church in his community and later became the youth pastor and a staff member of their Bible seminary.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in the Dominican Republic with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  The Dominican Republic is very open to the gospel and the church has a strong voice in the community. Youth delinquency is a major challenge in many communities; because of that the church is widely accepted and welcomed in the hope that the church will encourage and embrace the youth.

  As a result, the church in the Dominican Republic is experiencing numerical growth.



• Unique Challenges
  It can be challenging for churches to find and train professional staff as the quality of education in the Dominican Republic is quite low. Once they are trained, the market often offers better salaries and benefits than Implementing Church Partners can offer. Also, most churches must rent their space because land is expensive and neighborhoods are very crowded.
• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide construction and labor for the facilities as well as volunteers who offer their time and service in their specific field of expertise, such as medicine or social work.
• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners in the Dominican Republic through training in accountability and sponsorship processes as well as leadership meetings with pastors and project directors.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  Literacy is taught at the caregiver meetings once a week using an adult literacy method by ALFALIT. ALFALIT is an international Christian non-profit organization that specializes in eliminating literacy and offering education and development opportunities with the purpose of strengthening families in need.
• Income-generating Skills
  We offer a workshop once a week on various topics such as baking, jewelry making, hair dressing and beautician’s skills, and making pajamas and undergarments.

  These are skills that the caregivers can use in their homes while also taking care of their children.



• Health Care
  For vaccinations, medical consultations and follow-ups, mothers and babies go to public or private health centers that are located in their communities or nearby. We reimburse the Implementing Church Partners at various rates depending on whether the beneficiaries received care at a public hospital, semiprivate center or a private center.
• Nutritional Support
  Each month we assess which families are in need of nutritional support, then we deliver food and micronutrients for those families. Usually we do not deliver to the same families month after month, but occasionally that is needed for families living in very difficult conditions.

  We also provide an orientation on nutrition and subsequent follow-ups.

• Involvement of Fathers
  We encourage fathers to participate in group meetings and home visits. At the group meetings, we will often have a counseling professional come and talk to the couples about parenting and family dynamics.

  Implementing Church Partners also organize yearly retreats for Child Survival Program mothers and their husbands where they go away for three days and enjoy being together, meet new people and hear speakers teach on various topics.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  When children reach the age of 2, the Child Survival Program Implementers organize group activities where the children sit together around tables, draw and paint and have a nutritional meal together to help them get acquainted with the Child Sponsorship Program classroom and activities.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We would like to expand into the southern region of the Dominican Republic because that is the poorest area of the country.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

Your sponsorship of a child in the Dominican Republic provides a variety of benefits.

Based on our curriculum, this has been the most appropriate schedule for the children.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 8 hours a week spread out over 2 to 3 days
• 6 to 8 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 9 to 11 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 12 to 14 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 15 to 18 year olds: 2 hours a day, 2 days a week
• 19 +: 2 hours a day, 2 days a week



• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives a meal every day that they attend the child development center, which is about three times a week. A typical meal consists of rice and milk, wheat flour and milk, rice and chicken, oatmeal with bread, fruit juice and cookies, or cornflakes and milk.

  We give a meal or snack each time they attend the center because although the government schools do sometimes offer food, it is not consistent nor is it always safe and clean.



• Vaccinations
  Development center staff advises all parents to vaccinate their children. A health professional does an annual checkup and checks that these vaccines have been completed.

  In some cases, Implementing Church Partners have agreements with other non-governmental organizations or governmental agencies that provide vaccinations when needed.



• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children are able to participate regularly in sports, camps, arts, field days, museum visits, book fairs and field trips to historic sites, various companies and recreational places.
• Vocational Activities
  Vocational training in skills such as computers, handicrafts, driving, beauty, English, cooking, baking, welding, carpentry and sewing are offered depending on the local community. Many of the vocational training courses are certified, allowing the students to grow professionally in a given technical professional field.

  We also offer spiritual guidance and support, counseling, and opportunities for long-term development such as “My Plan for the Future” which is completed by each student.



• Parent Involvement
  We offer quarterly parenting classes on topics such as healthy parenting, family violence prevention, nutrition, literacy, vocational training and health.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We would like to expand into the south and northeast regions of the Dominican Republic. The south is the most impoverished area in the country, and the northeast is a region where we do not currently have any church partners.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Leadership Development Program students attend governmental, private or Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  Most of the universities are located in the capital city or in other large cities. There are several regional campuses spread throughout the country that offer a limited choice of degrees.
• Working Students
  There are a few Leadership Development Program students who do work, but generally these students are about to graduate.
• Service Opportunities
  Many students go back to their child development centers and churches to serve, while others serve at orphanages, nursing homes and schools or by doing community evangelism and missions.
• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  Leadership Development Program students hold an annual Advocacy Conference and an annual Youth Forum. The Advocacy Conference is a large meeting in which the students invite child development centers from various regions to bring their children and adolescents so the Leadership Development Program students can speak to them on specific topics related to child development.

  The Youth Forum is a forum where students invite leaders and professionals in various fields of social service to speak to them and other youth. They also meet quarterly in their Leadership Development Program care groups, which are smaller groups divided up by region; this is when they usually meet with the program specialist.



• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  When students enter the Leadership Development Program, they are required to complete the “Leadership Development Program Academy.” This is a one-month training program with specialized teachers in subjects such as math, writing, speed reading, and Christian worldview.
• Mentors
  Some of our staff members in the Dominican Republic are mentors for the students. They also assist other students in finding mentors through their connections with leaders from their churches.
• Career Placement Assistance
  We offer workshops to help the Leadership Development Program students choose their careers based on their interests and the labor market demands. We also give a vocational test administered by a psychologist to every student.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed, such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Typical Complementary Interventions in the Dominican Republic include vocational training, reliable water using water purification systems, dental care, promotion of sports practices and major medical interventions

Highly Vulnerable Children

The primary needs in our Highly Vulnerable Children population are nutrition, hygiene and reliable water. It has been shown that focusing on prevention is the most efficient way to address the needs of Highly Vulnerable Children.

As a result, we concentrate our efforts within the Child Survival Program to improve and promote care and hygiene in newborns, infants and mothers. Child Survival and Child Sponsorship Program beneficiaries are eligible for medical support through Complementary Interventions.

In some cases of severe malnutrition, help and food is provided regularly. Funds are also used for adult literacy and nutrition/health education. In the event of a disaster, food, water and other resources are available for Highly Vulnerable Children.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Rossy is a sweet and active 8-year-old. She is God’s literal miracle of life for her family.

Rossy comes from a family of six. She has three older siblings and they all live with their parents in Cantel, Quetzaltenango, located about four hours northwest of Guatemala City.

Quetzaltenango is known for its cold weather and very nice people.

Rossy’s siblings Orfa and Eleazar are enrolled in our Child Sponsorship Program. Rossy’s parents wanted her to attend the same center too, but there were no available spots for new children.

Nevertheless, another child development center in Cantel, located only several blocks away from their house, had available spots.

One of the benefits Rossy received as a sponsored child was a medical checkup. Our ministry provides two medical checkups a year for younger children. And it was during Rossy’s first medical checkup that the doctor identified a suspicious murmur in her heart.

The doctor asked our staff to take Rossy to a cardiologist in Quetzaltenango. However, Rossy did not seem or act like she was sick.

After an echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram and X-rays, the cardiologist confirmed that Rossy had a heart problem and told us not to wait until she had symptoms to treat it. The doctor recommended we travel to the city that offered a special cardiovascular surgery unit called UNICAR.

The child development center nurse, Ruth, tells us,

“The doctor explained that Rossy had a small hole in her heart; even though she had no symptoms she still needed the appropriate treatment.”

Our staff at the child development center talked to Rossy’s parents. They offered financial support through a Partners of Compassion fund, but Rossy’s parents did not follow up with us.

Rossy’s father, Ipolito, explains,

“I was really scared. I had no ways of paying for her surgery. I had also heard how many children die during surgery. She did not look sick, so I did not want to risk her life in a surgery that I thought was not needed. I was hoping for a miracle.”

Even though her symptoms were not noticeable to her family, Rossy noticed them.

“I would get really tired and short of breath. On my daily walk back home I could not walk up the hill without having to stop many times to take a breath.”

A year after her doctor visit, everything changed for Rossy and her family when she started bleeding from her nose and mouth and it would not stop.

Rossy’s parents took her to the hospital and for the third time Rossy’s heart problems were confirmed. The first time was when Rossy was just a baby. The doctor had told them about her heart murmur, but due to the lack of resources they did not give her the treatment needed.

In addition to her bleeding, Rossy started developing purpura, a condition were purple-colored spots start showing on the skin.

It was during this time that her parents realized the importance of the surgery.

“My wife and I argued a lot, because I did not want Rossy to have surgery. I was very afraid.”

After realizing his daughter was only getting worse, Ipolito accepted help from the ministry.

“I went back to apologize to the child development center staff. I was wrong. Rossy needed help and I did not take advantage of it on time.

“The brothers and sisters at the center have been of great support, not only financially, but spiritually too. They were always praying for us. Through Compassion, God gave me the miracle I had been waiting for.”

Rossy went to UNICAR and during her first appointment the doctor diagnosed her with Tetralogy of Fallot, a cardiac anomaly involving four related heart defects. Rossy needed open-heart surgery. The doctors warned her family that there was a great chance Rossy would not make it because of how long they waited to treat her.

The doctor asked Rossy to go to the dentist before her surgery. She needed to not have any cavities to prevent infections. She also had a catheterization to make sure her veins and capillaries were in good shape before the surgery.

Finally, Rossy’s open-heart surgery took place.

The staff at the child development center made sure that Rossy’s family felt cared for and loved during this time. One person from the center was with Rossy and her mom at all times while they were at the hospital. Others would visit her father and siblings at their house.

Children at the center started a “Rossy’s Fund” to raise funds for her surgery. They also had a prayer and fasting week for her.

Rossy responded really well to the procedure, and two weeks later she was on her way home.

The doctor recommended Rossy rest a lot so her heart and sternum could fully heal. Rossy was not happy since it meant she was not going to attend school or the child development center. But, she is now back at the center and school.

Today, Rossy is a girl filled with life. She loves to play with her dolls and kitchenware toys. Her favorite subject in school is math. She loves to go to the child development center. She likes to read her Bible, especially the book of Genesis.

Rossy tells us,

“I like the project because it is where I learn about the Word of God. My favorite Bible story is God’s creation, especially the part where Adam and Eve disobeyed. It helps me remember that we always need to be obedient.”

Center Director Abigail also wants us to know,

“Rossy is very smart and likes to participate in contests or special activities. She is the one who gets the medals and awards every time. She had a perfect attendance score.

“She is an outstanding 8-year-old. We are so grateful for her life. There are no words to thank all the people who donated money for her surgery. Please know that it was not in vain. Your donations saved a life. You saved Rossy.”

Thanks to you, Rossy has a promising life ahead of her. A life full of dreams, dreams like being a doctor. She wants to be a doctor who helps children when she grows up.

Thank you for giving life, literally.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

The property now housing the Simonette Child Development Center used to be a “peristil,” or Voodoo temple, where a well-known Voodoo priest named Sore ruled for several decades.

Sore was such a famous Voodoo priest that people from different regions in the country came to see him every day for different reasons. Pastor Monas had to face fierce opposition from Sore when he was called by God to start his ministry there 21 years ago.

Just a few months after Pastor Monas began his ministry in that area, Sore, the Voodoo priest, gave his life to Jesus. Many of his followers also turned over their lives to Christ. Before he passed away, Sore dedicated the property to the Lord for the local church and different ministries, including the school.

Currently, Simonette Christian Church is the first partner to benefit from the ministry’s reconstruction program after the 2010 earthquake that destroyed the inadequate school infrastructure that existed.

Pastor Monas shares,

“I give thanks to God that among the 44 projects that were destroyed by the earthquake, Simonette is the first one that benefits from the reconstruction. I have been facing big challenges in my ministry here during the last 21 years, but I can now testify that our partnership with Compassion (10 years) has opened the door to long-term development for our community.”

Before Pastor Monas’ ministries started in Simonette, none of the children in that area had the chance to reach the seventh grade. The reason for that was the location of existing schools. It took some children three hours to walk to the nearest town for school.

The Simonette school has made a great difference in the community as it allows more than 300 children, 280 of them sponsored, to benefit from the best education.

“Before I started my ministry in Simonette, the whole community was under the domination of Satan. As a result, many children died before reaching grade six. Because of the gospel, the devil has now no power over the children and their parents.”

Parents and children were brokenhearted when the earthquake destroyed the only school in the community. This new construction with 12 classrooms and other infrastructure brings hope again, as it will allow more children to benefit from a better education.

Ricardy is an orphan who became sponsored at 5 years old. Now, at age 15, he is in grade nine and has big dreams for the future because of our ministry’s help. Ricardy tells us,

“I like Compassion very much because were it not for its assistance, I would never been able to go to school since I have no mother and no father.

“I like my school because it is near my house. During recess time, I go to my house, eat a little something, and come back to class. If it was far away from my home, my grandmother would not be able to find transportation money to send me.

“After the earthquake, we were gathering under a tent for class. Right now I am proud of my school because it is the most beautiful school in the whole community.”

Pastor Monas is proud to see that his vision is being accomplished through the years. The reputation of the church is increasing every day because of the quality of our program. The academic performance of sponsored children is higher than the national average.

In the latest statistics, our students ranked an average of 74% in the grade 12 final exams compared with the 50% country average, and 86.11% in grade 13 final exams compared with the 86% country average.

Pastor Monas ultimate’s goal is to see that all of the children from his community have the chance to attend school and become accomplished adults. He also would like to see the whole Simonette population turn their lives to Jesus before he passes away.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

We began our ministry in India in 1997 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2003, we started the Child Survival Program, and the Leadership Development Program followed in 2004.

Country Director

Paul Asveen joined our ministry as Country Director in 2010. Paul came to us with 22 years of combined experience from both the corporate and ministry worlds. For 16 years Paul worked in the banking industry with Citibank – 10 years in India and 6 years in Indonesia. In 2003, Paul decided to devote his energy fully to Christian ministry.

After six years of serving in ministry in Singapore, Paul and his family felt the call to return to India. Paul joined the Christian Institute of Management as their Executive Director in January 2009, a position he held until joining our ministry.

Paul holds a bachelor’s of commerce degree from Loyola College Chennai, a master’s of business administration degree from the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, and a master’s of divinity degree from Trinity Theological College in Singapore.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in India with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  Ninety-three percent of the population is Hindu, and India is often called “Hindustan,” meaning the “land of the Hindus.” The Christian church fights for basic rights and struggles against Hindu religious extremist groups. While Christians in most areas in India face only occasional persecution, there are scattered areas that face adverse persecution.

  However, this has only resulted in growth and unification for the church. The church has grown in number every year as a result of ministry programs.

  We have faced charges of trying to convert people to Christianity, but we have handled these charges with sensitivity and caution thus far. It is likely we will continue to face such charges.

  It is challenging to mentor the beneficiaries who become Christians because they are unable to boldly profess their faith for fear of being thrown out of their homes and punished by the local community. They lose all benefits provided by the government once they become Christians.

  For example, the government provides subsidies for education and employment for those living in poverty and those from lower castes. However, these subsidies will not be provided if a person becomes a Christian.

  The church also struggles to compete in providing services due to the lack of funds. There are new commercial institutions that are providing services, not necessarily from a heart of service, but in order to gain profit and good standing in the community, and many are choosing to seek services at these institutions rather than from the church.



• Unique Challenges
  One challenge unique to our Implementing Church Partners in India is how to make the program relevant to an area that is very large geographically and highly varied culturally. Each Implementing Church Partner is unique, and it is difficult to generalize the program enough so that it fits all Implementing Church Partner’s needs.

  Generally, our church partners can be classified as urban, semi-urban, rural and tribal and each has its own challenges and opportunities.

  Another challenge is retaining qualified staff with the resources provided.

• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the facilities used for the program, ongoing maintenance and recurring expenses for the facilities as well as spiritual materials and other resources.
• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners in the following ways:
  • Partner consultations: We encourage the sharing of best practices and learning experiences among Implementing Church Partners and with the field office.
  • Compassion Partners Conference: We hold an event to challenge the churches to address current issues that the children face.
  • Bi-annual meeting: The leadership of the ministry in India meet for a minimum of one hour with each Child Development Center Director to provide guidance in handling local issues and to keep the Implementing Church Partner informed about progress and/or expected changes.
  • Regular Partnership Facilitator visits with the church leadership.
  • Vision casting exercises: These are done with the church leaders and pastors to help them develop growth plans.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  Literacy classes are held monthly during the cognitive development portion of the program. We also offer need-based literacy training because literacy rates vary greatly between caregivers. The caregivers learn the alphabet, how to write their name, and how to deal in the local currency proficiently.
• Income-Generating Skills
  Income-generating skills, such as tailoring, weaving, basket making, juice making and goat rearing, are offered either weekly or bi-monthly depending on the caregivers’ needs and the availability of the trainers.

  Some development centers have utilized Complementary Interventions to supply machinery and tools for the training.



• Health Care
  The Child Survival Program assists every caregiver in accessing and receiving health care. This includes an annual checkup performed by a medical doctor for all caregivers and children, financial assistance for major medical treatment if needed, regular growth monitoring of the children done by Child Survival Program staff, maintenance of an immunization chart for every child, and monthly health awareness programs on topics such as the prevention of waterborne diseases and good hygiene practices.

  Caregivers and children receive medical care and immunizations at the local government hospitals and primary health centers, and the Child Survival Program staff follows up to ensure they are utilizing these health services.

• Nutritional Support
  Caregivers and children are provided with nutritional supplements during all regular meetings at the Child Survival Program. They also receive training on healthy eating and the use of inexpensive healthy fruits and vegetables. Additionally, we encourage kitchen gardens to improve their nutritional intake at home.



• Involvement of Fathers
  A variety of activities are offered for fathers to encourage their participation in the Child Survival Program including special meetings to discuss the role of fathers in the family, awareness programs on alcohol and substance abuse, family retreats that focus on family dynamics and healthy relationships, and counseling, if needed, during the regular home visits.
• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  When a child reaches the age of transition from the Child Survival Program to the Child Sponsorship Program, Child Survival staff meet with the parents to inform them of the criteria and guidelines of the Child Sponsorship Program.

  Mothers are asked to attend the monthly parents’ meetings for the Child Sponsorship Program, and once the child is registered into the program, the Implementing Church Partner staff conduct regular home visits to inform the mothers of their child’s progress.

• Areas of Expansion the Child Survival Program
  We plan to expand into northern and southern India based on infant mortality rates.

Child Sponsorship Program

Your sponsorship of a child in India provides a variety of benefits.

The schools and Implementing Church Partners are in close proximity to each other, so children are able to spend a good amount of time at the child development center. They enjoy coming to the child development center because their needs are met there.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 6 to 8 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 9 to 11 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 12 to 14 year olds: 3 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 15 to 18 year olds: 3 hours a day, 2 days a week, and 4 hours on Saturday
• 19 +: 6 hours on Saturday and public holidays



• Nutritional Support
  Most child development centers provide one nutritional meal per day to the children. A typical meal consists of locally available grains, cereal, vegetables and eggs; meat and fruit are sometimes provided once or twice a week.

  We provide meals because many children only receive one or two meals a day at home, and those meals are often not nutritious. We also provide special food for children who are malnourished.



• Vaccinations
  The Indian government provides certain vaccinations to all children free of charge, and if there are other vaccinations that are needed, our ministry covers the cost. The Implementing Church Partners have good relationships with the medical staff in their communities, so they are sometimes able to negotiate with the local hospitals to receive the needed vaccinations at a discounted price.
• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children participate in sports, camps and outreach programs. Some children are given the opportunity to visit nursing homes where they spend time with elderly people.
• Vocational Activities
  The child development centers network with other organizations to offer vocational training. Students who excel in academics are encouraged to pursue higher education. Some Implementing Church Partners conduct a “multiple intelligence” test to prepare the students to make decisions about their future.

  All adolescent children receive some type of vocational training in addition to life skills and English education. Vocational skills offered include carpentry, welding, electronics repair, mechanics, driving, plumbing and electrical work.

• Child Sponsorship Program Alumni Activities
  Some Child Sponsorship Program alumni volunteer at their former child development centers, encouraging the registered children through their own testimonies. Some even sponsor beneficiary siblings, meaning they support siblings of sponsored children at the child development center. They also participate in outreach and evangelism together.
• Parent Involvement
  Parent meetings are held on a monthly basis and cover topics such as parenting, social issues and the importance of education.

  Most Implementing Church Partners also have self-help groups, which are small groups of parents organized for various activities such as income-generating projects.



• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We plan to expand into the north, tribal belts, city slums and areas with high numbers of highly vulnerable children. Much of the development in India is focused on the south, and tribal areas are the last to be considered. Development is also focused on urban areas, resulting in over-population and poor conditions in the city slums.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Most students attend government universities, but a few attend private Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  Universities are spread throughout the country.
• Working Students
  Students do not work while attending university.
• Service Opportunities
  Students have the opportunity to join a national organization that has branches on all college campuses, encouraging them to participate in community service activities.

  They also join service clubs at their university; some students, such as nursing students, are required to do some type of service in their field of study.



• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  The larger Leadership Development Program group meets twice a year to cover curriculum. They also meet every summer to participate in a six-day work camp where they attend special training sessions focused on spiritual outcomes and other country-specific topics. The students hold a two-day outreach campaign as well.
• Specialty Curriculum Topics or Resources
  We cover abstinence, sex and sexuality, friendship, courtship, dating and marriage. We also bring in qualified people to discuss health issues, such as HIV/AIDS.
• Mentors
  We network with program alumni, existing mentors and Implementing Church Partners to assist students in finding mentors.
• Career Placement Assistance
  We work with prominent Christians who are in human resources positions as well as placement agencies to train the students on job placement skills. This helps guide the students and inform them of any job openings.
• Leadership Development Program Alumni Group
  The alumni group meets at least once a year to revisit their mission and vision. The group is divided into chapters by region since they are spread throughout the country.

  Each chapter participates in advocacy activities at the child development centers, mentoring and encouraging children at the centers by sharing their own success stories. The alumni also participate in Leadership Development Program care groups, engaging with the current Leadership Development Program students and, in some cases, serving as mentors.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed, such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Complementary Interventions in India include:

• Livelihood opportunities such as agriculture, animal husbandry, skills training
• Access to clean, potable drinking water within 1⁄2 kilometer from the child’s home
• Sanitation, including proper sewage and drainage, disinfecting the environment weekly, segregation of animals, networking with local health organizations in the area of sanitation and community involvement
• Malaria awareness training and mosquito net distribution
• Disaster relief including food supplies, clothing, shelter, tarpaulin sheets, clean drinking water and medicines

Highly Vulnerable Children

The primary Highly Vulnerable Children needs are orphans and semi-orphaned children who are affected by HIV. Our strategy to meet these needs is to focus on home-based care and only consider replacement care in extreme circumstances, to provide for housing needs on a case-by-case basis for child-headed households, and to provide vocational training for beneficiaries to increase their ability to become employed.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Meet Arun. Arun grew up in the slums of Bangalore, India, packed in a little one-room house with his father, mother, brother and sister.

Arun woke up each morning not knowing whether there would food for the day. The effects of poverty were very real in his life.

Arun’s father, Chellakannan, worked as an auto driver and struggled to provide food for the family. Stretching the budget to meet their daily needs seemed hard enough, let alone educating the children!

The family was forced to survive on less than Rs. 2,500 per month (U.S.$50). Adding to the struggles, Arun’s father was an alcoholic. He seldom gave money to provide for the family needs. Oftentimes, he didn’t go to work. This resulted in frequent quarrels between Arun’s parents, destroying the family’s peace.

To make ends meet, Arun’s mother, Pushpalatha, sold old newspapers in exchange for a plate of food. She went without her own meals to feed her children, but at times all of them went to bed with hungry stomachs.

It was at this time that Arun was fortunate enough to be registered at one of our child development centers. Arun tells us,

“Initially I attended the development center just for a plate of food, hunger was so fierce.”

Arun’s future seemed gloomy. Despite scoring 82 percent in 12th grade, his parents’ income was barely sufficient to provide for their daily needs, let alone his education.

However, to his astonishment, Arun was selected for the Leadership Development Program. He was assured of attending university and earning his bachelor’s degree in business management. His entire fees were taken care by our Leadership Development Program.

Arun completed his degree and was named the best student of Baldwin Methodist College. Today, Arun is working at a reputable company while simultaneously pursuing a post-graduate certificate in management.

The Leadership Development Program taught Arun a great number of things. He learned about time management, Christian discipline and social awareness. Most importantly, Arun learned how a Christian must respond to contemporary issues…issues like corruption.

Speaking Out Against Corruption

Corruption is an issue that is at the forefront of India’s national poverty concerns. In some places in India, people are forced to bribe officers in the government office to get a death certificate. Among politicians, corruption is an everyday phenomenon.

Arun has given several speeches regarding corruption, and his thoughts on this issue are inspiring. He challenges others to stand up against corruption and make a difference in India.

“Many of us complain and blame corruption as a reason for poverty in India. But I want to ask a question – who is actually responsible for this?

“We simply cannot keep blaming others all through our life. We need to change ourselves. Stop bribing so that people will stop taking bribes. These days, many people doubt that you can succeed in life if you do not give bribes. But you can be the change you want in this world.”

As Christians, Arun believes that we need to witness Jesus through our lives. He reflects on his thoughts on curbing corruption and proclaims,

“Let my life speak and not just with words!”

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Anne was one of those children at Bugolobi Child Development Center who gave their lives to Jesus Christ every day after the altar call at the center. She had done this for the three years she was part of our Child Sponsorship Program.

As a Child Development Officer at the center then, I did not know whether Anne and the other children took salvation seriously or, better still, whether they understood what salvation was. It was not until Anne turned 10 that I understood that God honors a child’s commitment to Christ, and He gives such a child His Spirit, too.

I remember that it was an ordinary Saturday. Because Anne was 10 years old, her mother, a police constable, deemed Anne old enough to come to the center and return home on her own.

After attending the center program with a host of other children on that Saturday, Anne boarded a 14-seat commuter taxi that evening for Kitintale, the suburb where she lived with her mother.

My colleagues and I were stunned when at dusk Anne’s mother appeared at the center premises concerned that her daughter had not returned. We immediately reported the matter to the Bugolobi police.

We put announcements on radio describing the little girl and asking if anyone knew her whereabouts. We did not get any response from the public.

After five days, Anne’s mother called the center informing us that Anne was at the Jinja police station. The kidnappers had abandoned her in Bujagali. Bujagali is located about 100 kilometers (80 miles) east of Kampala near Jinja town; it is a lonely spot famous for the whitewater rapids of the River Nile.

Eventually we did meet the little princess and she narrated her ordeal. Anne said that when she entered the taxi, she assumed that the two women were passengers going home after a busy day.

“They were friendly. They gave me a book with pictures to read.”

Anne did not remember what happened next except that it was morning and there was a loud sound of gushing water coming from the neighborhood. She saw a big river that she recognized. We had once taken all the children at the center to see the Bujagali rapids.

Anne continued to share with us in tears, wiping her eyes all through,

“I was taken to a small hut. The man inside the hut saw me and told the women that his spirits did not like the Holy Spirit inside me. He said that the women should go and bring another child to sacrifice.”

The two women ushered her out of the witch doctor’s shrine and ordered her to walk ahead of them. That was the last Anne saw of the women; they disappeared into the bushes lining the footpath.

In Uganda, most footpaths reconnect to the main road. Anne trekked until she reached the Kampala Highway. It was the most tormenting journey of her tender life!

At the highway, she asked for the nearest police station. A Good Samaritan took her to Jinja police station whereupon the police made connection with the Bugolobi police.

When we got Anne back, we took her for trauma counseling. She found strength to testify before fellow children at the center. Her testimony moved the one hundred and fifty plus children in attendance that Saturday to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and ask God to give them His Spirit.

Anne reiterated to the fellow children that when children give their lives to Jesus, God gives them His Spirit!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gerald Kateu served as a child development officer with the Bugolobi Child Development Center for seven years before joining our Uganda field office as Sponsor and Donor Services Associate in July 2008.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

We began our ministry in East India in 2002 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2006, the Child Survival Program began, and the Leadership Development Program followed in 2009.

In just eight years of ministry, we have had a great impact on impoverished urban areas and poverty belts in East India. We have also networked with other agencies to bring together resources and raised awareness about child issues in the local churches.

Country Director

D.G. Jebaraj joined us as the East India Country Director in 2004. Before coming to the ministry, Jebaraj worked in various positions at World Vision for 13 years.

His last position there was as National Tuberculosis Coordinator.

Jebaraj holds a bachelo’rs degree in English and a master’s degree in social work from Madras Christian College and a master’s of philosophy from Annamalai University.

He is currently pursuing research on the effect of sibling rivalry in sponsorship programs toward community transformation. This research is being done through the Oxford Center for Mission Studies under the University of Wales.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in East India with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  East India is dominated by Hindus and Muslims. Throughout history Christians have been persecuted in India. In spite of this, Christian mission work continues to be carried out by committed missionaries. There are laws that exist that were created to provide support to minorities, but churches in India do not get adequate support from them.
• Unique Challenges
  There are many challenges we face in East India including anti-Christian movements, civic unrest, lack of qualified and committed staff, poor infrastructure, health issues, natural disasters, and Naxalism (a Maoist Communist group that has been categorized as a terrorist organization).

  Naxalism is an antisocial movement that is well-established throughout Eastern India. The government is constantly working to try to curb these rebels and bring peace and security. Naxalism creates terror among people and inflicts injuries, death and damage to public property.

  To ensure the safety and security of our children and to ensure visitors are not threatened, we must conduct our activities sensitively. The Naxalites do not harm our child development centers; however, due to disturbances they cause in the region where our centers are located, we occasionally have to put activities on hold for a day or two.

  Natural disasters such as flash floods, drought and hail storms are also a challenge. These disasters put our development efforts at risk as well as make our children and their families extremely vulnerable to migration, displacement and loss of livelihood, assets, and even their lives.

  We experience high numbers of departures due to natural disasters, which poses a challenge to achieving our outcomes as well as to the quality of the program implemented by our partners.



• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners provide the infrastructure for the child development centers. They also take care of most of the spiritual development activities which are led by church volunteers. Some Implementing Church Partners provide curriculum modules as well.
• Partner Development Activities
  We develop partners through training, focused capacity building, timely support, and conferences designed to equip them with the knowledge needed for holistic child development, child advocacy and other child-related issues. Partnership Facilitators visit child development centers to analyze and better understand unique challenges.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  We use material from the government-sponsored National Adult Literacy Program to teach mothers in our Child Survival Program. This program includes vernacular language learning, small stories and simple mathematics.

  Literacy classes are held weekly in most Child Survival Programs, but in others they are held twice a week. The Implementing Church Partners receive training from non-governmental organizations such as Child in Need India.



• Income-Generating Skills
  Two to three times per week we teach skills such as tailoring, embroidery, craft items, food processing, candle making and soap making.
• Health Care
  We connect mothers to the local primary health center to ensure they receive prenatal care, health screening, immunizations and delivery assistance.

  If there is no primary health center in the vicinity, the ministry pays for monthly checkups for pregnant mothers and children as well as costs for labor and delivery. We work to raise awareness of health issues such as hygiene, immunizations, nutrition, common illnesses, disease prevention, family planning, and HIV and AIDS. We also provide hygiene items.

• Nutritional Support
  Child Survival Program beneficiaries are provided with a nutritious meal during every visit. Dry food is provided at home. They also receive regular teaching on nutrition.
• Involvement of Fathers
  Fathers are expected to attend the parents’ meetings, which are held either bimonthly or quarterly. They are also expected to be at home during the home visit with the Child Survival Program Implementer.

Sometimes special programs such as a couple’s get-together or a family day are organized. Fathers are also encouraged to attend Christmas programs and graduation.



• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  Because of quota limitations, not every child in the Child Survival Program will be transitioned into the Child Sponsorship Program.

  Mothers are informed about this beforehand and no assurance is given that their children will be immediately transitioned into the Child Sponsorship Program upon graduation from Child Survival Program.

• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We will open additional Child Survival Programs in Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

  Due to high rates of illiteracy in these areas, the general population has extremely low awareness of proper prenatal and postnatal care.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

Your sponsorship of a child in East India provides a variety of benefits.

Children come to the child development centers either before or after school depending on their school schedules. Saturdays are set aside for service opportunities as well as clubs such as prayer, music and dance.

• Meeting Times:
• 3 to 5 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• 6 to 8 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• 9 to 11 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• 12 to 14 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 hours on Saturday, and 2 additional hours for special tutoring
• 15 to 18 year olds: 2 hours a day, from Monday through Friday, 4 to 6 hours on Saturday, and 2 additional hours for special coaching
• 19 +: 4 to 6 hours a week, the days and/or times vary depending on the students’ schedules, and 4 to 6 hours on Saturday
• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives one nutritious meal every day. The menu usually consists of rice, beans and vegetables. Eggs and meat are provided once a week.

  We hope to counter the children’s nutritional deficiencies by providing this food.



• Vaccinations
  Medical checkups are conducted twice a year by medical professionals at the child development centers. Vaccines are administered at the centers when needed. If a child has an emergency medical situation, he or she is sent to a nearby public health center.

  Hepatitis vaccinations are given in the areas that have the highest incidence of hepatitis.

• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  Children are given several opportunities for extracurricular activities and community service, the most common being dance, music, art, sports tournaments, and cleaning at the development center and in their villages. We also conduct awareness programs on malaria, alcoholism and adult literacy.
• Vocational Activities
  Vocational training programs are selected based on each child’s interests and capacity to learn. The intention of vocational training is not to undermine the value of formal education, but to help those children who are not doing well in formal education. This training helps these youth earn an income for their families.

  Activities such as soft toy making, quilting and embroidery are offered at the development center. Certified courses such as computer training, motor vehicle repair and electrician training are offered at nearby recognized institutes.

• Child Sponsorship Program Alumni Activities
  The Alumni Association meets twice a year to focus on spiritual development and to reconnect the students with one another.
• Parent Involvement
  Parent meetings are held either monthly or bimonthly depending on the center. We have programs on subjects such as child rearing, alcoholism, HIV and AIDS, malaria, adult literacy and income generation.

  Because many parents are day laborers, we schedule these meetings according to their availability.



• Areas of expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We plan to expand into northeast India, because this is a needy area, there are potential church partners, and the region fits our strategic growth plan.

Leadership Development Program

• Universities Attended
  Leadership Development Program students attend government, private or Christian universities.
• Location of Universities
  The universities are located mostly in the state capitals.
• Service Opportunities
  The students are given many opportunities to participate in community service activities. They can participate in awareness programs, blood donation drives, university functions, church activities and university business fairs. They are also given the opportunity to visit nursing homes, teach children at their child development centers, help clean up the centers and teach children who live in the slums.
• Leadership Development Program Meetings
  The larger Leadership Development Program group meets for training programs, summer camps and Christmas programs.

  They cover their program curriculum, have individual health screenings, participate in cultural programs and morning exercise, have sharing and worship times and complete their program requirements such as My Plan for Tomorrow.



• Mentors
  It is the responsibility of the students to find mentors; however, if they are having difficulty, then the Leadership Development Program Specialist will help.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Typical Complementary Interventions in East India include:

• Water
  Tube/bore wells provide drinking water for children. We also provide water storage tanks, rain water harvesting and water supply for toilets.
• Malaria Prevention
  We provide awareness training, insecticide-treated mosquito nets for Child Survival and Child Sponsorship children and their families.
• Disaster/Crisis Relief
  We provide assistance to churches who experience persecution in Orissa. We will also provide assistance in Aila-West Bengal floods, droughts and food crises.
• Solar Power
  Many of the child development centers in remote areas are using solar power provided by our ministry in collaboration with the West Bengal Renewable Development Agency.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Cindy is a little bit shy but always smiling. Her mother, Ana, is a fervent Christian who wants the best for Cindy and Antonio, her two children.

Ana enrolled Cindy at the Generación para Cristo (Generation for Christ) Student Center, knowing her daughter’s life would be blessed, but she never imagined the reach that blessing would have.

The Majucla community, where this story takes place, is a poor urban community on the outskirts of San Salvador city, El Salvador. In the words of Pastor Rodolfo whose church runs this center,

“This community is a place where people live either because they are poor and cannot afford to live some other place in the city, or live in rural areas and decide to move to the city to look for job opportunities.”

Though most of the area is urban with paved roads, street lights, and houses built with bricks, many homes lack other basic services such as water and electricity, because they cannot afford them. Most of the residents do not own the houses either, but they work hard to pay the $40 or $50 in rent every month.

Most of the people living in Majucla are hardworking people, from women selling tortillas in the streets or vegetables in the local street market to hardworking men working in construction or as bus or taxi drivers.

But Majucla has a stigma.

Its walls tell a story, with graffiti that claims a territory. To think of the name of the community is to think about gangs. To grow up in a place like this is to carry the stigma that most likely a boy will become part of the gang and the girl will become the wife of a gang member.

That means most teens in this community have one of three futures: the jail, the hospital, or the cemetery. The root of this shadowy environment lies in one key element: broken families. This was true for Cindy, but not anymore.

When Cindy is asked about the best thing she has received from sponsorship, it takes her a while to answer. After a few seconds in silence, her eyes become watery and a knot in her throat makes it difficult for her to speak.

She sobs for a few seconds and says,

“I prayed a lot that my dad would stop drinking and would become a Christian. I never gave up.”

The beauty of Cindy’s relationship with her sponsors was the support of their prayers. Cindy had the confidence to ask her sponsors to pray for her family which was on the edge of disintegration. The support they gave to Cindy showed up through the letters they sent.

While other young teenagers in the community were joining gangs (where they could find a “family” for protection, a “family” to give them nice clothes, a roof and food in exchange for lifelong loyalty), Cindy was at church, praying for her father. One day Cindy wrote to her sponsors,

“I want to thank you for your prayers, because now my dad does not drink anymore. Now he leads a small praying group, and he is a servant at church.”

Through the years, Cindy has received special opportunities, including math workshops, computer courses and learning to work in a bakery. Because she could make bread at a young age, Cindy could provide some income for her family.

Cindy and some of her classmates receive a percentage of the bakery’s sales. Other teenagers and mothers in the Child Survival Program help sell the bread in the community, so the workshop is self-sustaining and a source of jobs for the people in the community.

All this has contributed to Cindy’s development and to her family’s wellbeing, but it was in the hardest hours that Cindy’s sponsorship was a blessing for her and her family. Soon after her father became a Christian, the family struggled again.

Wendy, Cindy’s tutor tells us,

“It was hard, because you might think that since the father just became a Christian, things would go well, but it was not the case.”

Ana shares,

“The church has been of great support. Not just materially, they have been of great support emotionally.”

Since Cindy’s father did not have a steady job, it was the the Child Sponsorship Program that supported Cindy with basic things such as school uniforms and shoes, and also the family with staples during those times.

Cindy’s father spent almost two years without a steady job. Part of those scarce times he spent in bed, ill. The money from the bakery workshop and the aid from Cindy’s sponsor and the church helped the family stay afloat.

Things finally got better for the family. Antonio got a job, and now the family can cover their basic needs.

It is Sunday afternoon, and the whole family is dressed up and ready to go to church. Cindy’s father is one of the volunteers at church. They now look like the family God planned them to be.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

 Compassion began its ministry in Tanzania in 1999 with the Child Sponsorship Program. In 2008, we added the Child Survival Program.

In just over 11 years, Compassion Tanzania now works with 236 Implementing Church Partners in 12 regions of the country. We have been growing at an average of 30 percent per year and currently serve almost 64,000 children.

Country Director

Joseph Mayala Mitinje joined our ministry as a senior accountant in 1999 and also served as an operations coordinator, human resource specialist, and program implementation manager. He was appointed country director in 2009.

Prior to Compassion, Joseph worked at the Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania as a bank clerk before being promoted to business development manager and account relationship manager.

Joseph holds a bachelor’s degree in advanced accounting and auditing from Shivaji University in India; a post-graduate diploma in human resource management and international relations and stock market & exchange control from the Central Institute of Management in India; and a diploma in computer programming from India’s Space College.

He also holds a MBA from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute.

Joseph is a board member with Haki Kazi Catalyst and previously served as a church elder and chairperson of evangelism and missions for the Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions at the African Inland Church.

Implementing Church Partners

Implementing Church Partners are local churches in Tanzania with whom we work to deliver child development programs and frontline ministry in the field.

• Spiritual Climate
  Christianity is strong and the gospel is preached throughout the country, but superstitious practices still exist. For example, some believe that albino body parts will bring wealth.
• Unique Challenges
  One challenge that Implementing Church Partners face is retaining their child development center workers. The salary and benefits offered are low relative to the market, specifically for health workers. Thus, staff turnover is high.
• Contributions
  Implementing Church Partners make financial contributions for Children’s Day and provide the classrooms and kitchens.
• Church-to-Church Partnerships
  We have one church-to-church partnership between an Implementing Church Partner and a sponsoring church in the United States. The benefit is that the Implementing Church Partner has assurance that the children in their child development center will be sponsored. Also, it is beneficial for the children of both churches to share experiences with one another.



• Partner Development Activities
  We develop our Implementing Church Partners through training, facilitation and partnership meetings.

Child Survival Program

• Caregiver Literacy
  We offer literacy classes for the Child Survival Program caregivers three times a week using government curriculum.
• Income-Generating Skills
  We offer monthly training in income-generating skills to the caregivers in our Child Survial Program.

  These skills include agriculture, cooking, small-animal keeping, poultry, embroidery, tailoring, gardening and catering.



• Health Care
  The Tanzanian government provides prenatal care free of charge to mothers, and Compassion Tanzania pays for ongoing follow-up consultations for the mothers and children as well as any medications needed.
• Nutritional Support
  We provide nutrition education to Child Survival Program caregivers on a regular basis.
• Involvement of Fathers
  We hold group seminars during which Child Survival Program fathers are encouraged and challenged to participate in Child Survival Program activities.
• Transitioning Out of the Child Survival Program
  We work mainly with the Child Survival Program caregivers to make them aware of how the Child Sponsorship Program works and prepare them for their child’s transition.
• Areas of Expansion for the Child Survival Program
  We plan to expand into the Mara, Tabora, Iringa and Singida regions of Tanzania because these areas are extremely impoverished.

Child Development Through Sponsorship

Your sponsorship of a child in Tanzania provides a variety of benefits.

The children are busy with school during weekdays, but they have time on Saturdays to attend their respective child development centers.

• Meeting Times:
• 3- to 5-year-olds: 6 hours on Saturday
• 6- to 8-year-olds: 6 hours on Saturday
• 9- to 11-year-olds: 6 hours on Saturday
• 12- to 14-year-olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 15- to 18-year-olds: 8 hours on Saturday
• 19 +: 4 hours a week



• Nutritional Support
  Each child receives a meal on the days they come to the child development center. A typical meal consists of milk tea, eggs, bread, rice, beans, meat and fruit. We also provide supplemental food for children who are malnourished.

  Our goal is to provide healthy food for the children and to encourage program attendance.



• Vaccinations
  In Tanzania, when a child is born, the government provides vaccinations and monitors adherence.
• Extracurricular Activities or Community Service
  At our Compassion-assisted child development centers, we offer arts and crafts, music, sports, games and income-generating activities (such as tailoring) every week. We also offer annual camps and community involvement.
• Vocational Activities
  Adolescents participate in entrepreneurship and apprenticeship activities, and they also go camping together. The public schools do not offer these activities so we hope to fill the gap and expose the youth to additional opportunities to have fun and learn important vocational and social skills.
• Parent Involvement
  We hold parents’ meetings, offer parenting classes and conduct training in entrepreneurship, health and HIV/AIDS prevention twice a year.

  Parents also cook for the children weekly.



• Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program
  We plan to expand into Dar es Salaam and Tanga, which are in the eastern and northeastern regions of Tanzania. These are some of the neediest areas of the country with many children living in poverty.

Complementary Interventions

Compassion’s core Child Sponsorship Program, while comprehensive, cannot address all obstacles to a child’s healthy development. Thus Compassion’s Complementary Interventions program works in harmony with the holistic child development model to provide additional services as needed such as the AIDS Initiative, Bibles for All Children, disaster relief and water projects.

Complementary Interventions in Tanzania are most commonly implemented to provide insecticide-treated, anti-malaria mosquito nets; water systems; infrastructure such as toilets, classrooms and kitchens; income-generating activities for families; and medical treatment for children if regular funds are not sufficient.

Highly Vulnerable Children

The primary needs for Tanzania’s highly vulnerable children include food, clothing, shelter, parental care and support, and social integration. To meet these needs, we have foster care, cottages and counseling available.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates