Sponsor a Child

Make a Lasting Difference

Sponsor a child with HOPE

Child sponsorship builds futures and changes lives. It makes a real and positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged children, the communities in which they live, and the sponsors themselves.

By signing up as a child sponsor with HOPE, you will give a street-connected child in Kolkata, India, the chance of a brighter, independent, and secure future.

100% of your annual donation of $300 will be used to ensure a street-connected child’s access to education, nutrition, and healthcare, giving them a better start in life and helping them to reach their full potential.

How does child sponsorship work?

Sign Up

Once you sign up to be a child sponsor, you will be allocated a child who has been identified to be in need of support by HOPE staff in Kolkata.

You will receive information about the child, as well as their photograph.  

Support

Your annual donation of $300 will secure the child’s education, nutritional, and healthcare needs.

We will provide them with books, school materials, uniforms, and personalised support, to ensure that the child stays in school and progresses with their learning.  

Correspond

You will receive an annual progress report and a handmade card or letter, made by the child, at Christmas.

You will have the opportunity to correspond with the child via the Child Sponsorship Coordinator, and to visit them in Kolkata, if this is something you wish to do.  

What does child sponsorship achieve?

There are many reasons why a child might live or work on the streets of Kolkata, including extreme poverty or a breakdown of family relations. Sadly, this reality leaves children very vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, and abuse.

HOPE’s child sponsorship program achieves many positive outcomes for disadvantaged children:

Security
Child sponsorship provides much needed security to street-connected children and allows them to enjoy the basic rights that all children should have access to.

Education
Child sponsorship makes a positive and lasting difference by giving disadvantaged children the gift of education, opening up opportunities for employment and self-sufficiency.

Empowerment
Child sponsorship helps children reach their full potential. We have worked with children who have become doctors, civil servants, and make-up artists. These individuals are then able to invest back into their communities.

Nutrition and healthcare
Child sponsorship also provides nutrition and healthcare support, which builds healthier, more resilient children.

Strengthened communities
Child sponsorship builds stronger, well-informed communities who protect and support children – many of whom are first generation learners – in their education. This reduces the occurrence of societal problems such as child labour and child marriage.

Child Sponsorship Impact Stories

Sraboni’s* Story

After her father passed away from an AIDs-related illness and her mother was diagnosed with HIV, life became very difficult for Sraboni. She was malnourished and suffering from allergies when a HOPE case worker found her.

Support through child sponsorship opened a range of opportunities for Sraboni. Now aged 21, she is in her final year of further education and currently receiving on-the-job training at a care home for the elderly.

*Name changed

Jotish’s* Story

Jotish dreamed of becoming a doctor. He worked hard to prepare for medical college entrance exams and scored enough to gain a place at a private medical college. But it was impossible for Jotish to fund his place.

The fees for state-run colleges were much lower, but the required score was much higher. Jotish approached HOPE for sponsorship support. Karen, who was already a child sponsor, decided to support his journey. Her support was a game changer for Jotish.

*Name changed

Aanshi’s* Story

Aanshi* was just a young child when her parents abandoned her at a local organisation. When the organisation closed in 2014, Aanshi was placed into one of HOPE’s Residential Childcare Centers.

With care from HOPE staff, personal determination, and support from a generous sponsor, Aanshi thrived. She is now working in a bakery, renting her own home, and aspires to become a make-up artist.

*Name changed

What HOPE’s child sponsors say

I have sponsored a child at a HOPE Child Protection Home for nearly 20 years now, ever since I had the opportunity to visit a home in person in Kolkata in 2004. It is a totally rewarding and delightful experience.

It costs just about $300 a year to provide a former slum or street dwelling child with a safe home, food, education and health care. Every year, our family gets a photo and lovely hand drawn card, along with a complete update on how the child is faring. We already have seen one girl through from age 8-18, when she was able to get a job, get married, and move on. We now sponsor a little boy and also sponsor a child as a yearly Christmas gift for my brother and his family.

We also love how HOPE involves any living family members in the child’s life. They are a part of the journey, so your donations impact a greater community of people, as well. It is deeply satisfying to know that for the cost of about one Starbucks drink a week, you can completely change a child’s life forever.

I have so enjoyed watching my sponsored child grow up into a young woman. I have always found the child sponsorship report, which I receive each year, a joy to read. I get Nabodita’s* school report as well as lots of wonderful details about her hobbies and interests.

The monthly cost of supporting a child I think is amazing. I enjoy getting cards from my sponsored child and to hear about her progress is amazing. I think the work HOPE does is wonderful and gives chances to kids that we just take for granted.

Why sponsor a child with HOPE?

Our History

Founded in 1999, The Hope Foundation (HOPE) is dedicated to helping disadvantaged street-connected children and their families to thrive.

Set up by Maureen Forrest to initially provide protection to 13 young girls, the charity has since positively touched the lives of 3 million individuals in Kolkata and the surrounding areas.

Our Local Knowledge

HOPE employs in excess of 450 national staff on the ground in Kolkata who have in-depth knowledge of the communities within the city and the factors impacting their wellbeing.

We have strong ties to local communities through community outreach programs and partner organisations.

Our Lasting Impact

We know that each child and their circumstances are unique. We therefore take a personalized approach to ensure that each child can reach their full potential.

Our support does not end when a child turns 18-years-old; our staff and programs continue to support and nurture these individuals if they need it. We also work closely with communities as a whole to drive societal and long term change.

Child Sponsorship FAQs

How do you choose children to be sponsored?

HOPE staff and community workers on the ground in Kolkata identify children who are most in need and require sponsorship. Sometimes families approach HOPE directly to enquire about the sponsorship program.

When you decide to sign up to sponsor a child, we do advise that it is important to support the child who is in greatest need or who has been waiting the longest for sponsorship. However, if you have a preference for a particular age and/or gender of child to sponsor, HOPE will allocate a child to you based on your preference.

Each child has only one sponsor (unless a sponsor wishes to include a family member or a friend as a co-sponsor).

Does my money go directly to the child?

100% of your $300 annual donation goes directly towards the education, nutritional and healthcare needs of your sponsored child. No overheads or other expenses are deducted by HOPE from your donation.

Is sponsorship like adoption?

No, the child you sponsor will, in most cases, have a family of their own.

Will I get to know my sponsored child?

Every December you will receive an annual school progress report, a letter written by your sponsored child (or drawing depending on age), together with a handmade Christmas card that they have created. 

You are welcome to email your sponsored child, via the Child Sponsorship Coordinator, but being a sponsor does not oblige you to communicate directly with the child. 

If sending correspondence, here are some general guidelines:  

  • Keep it short and simple. In most cases the email will be read or translated by someone whose first language is not English.  
  • Please do not include your address, to keep your personal information private and confidential. 
  • Sending an email or attaching a scanned photo or drawing is the quickest way to communicate with your child. Simply contact Child Sponsorship Coordinator, Yvette, on yvette@thehopefoundation.org.uk
Can I send a gift to my sponsored child?

Across all our programs, HOPE endeavours to celebrate individual children’s birthdays with a party, and they receive a small gift to mark the occasion. We appreciate the gesture of a gift to sponsored children, but do not encourage gifts, money, or goods to be sent to individual children for several reasons: 

  • This might cause jealousy and unhappiness because not all the children within our programs / communities are sponsored.
  • Some sponsors might send gifts that are unsuitable in nature or value.
  • The postal service in India can be unreliable, and we cannot guarantee that a parcel will arrive at its destination intact or in a timely manner.
  • Additional resources may also be involved, as customs duty may be payable. These costs often outweigh the value of the gift.
  • Should you still wish to provide a gift, HOPE staff in Kolkata will, wherever possible, purchase items locally; this not only ensures better value for money but also contributes to the local community and economy.
Can I visit my sponsored child?

Yes, you can visit your sponsored child. For many people, a visit to Kolkata to meet their sponsored child is a once in a lifetime, transformative experience. It is also the best way to see how the sponsorship is making a difference. We are happy to assist in arranging a visit and can coordinate with HOPE centres and projects in Kolkata, to arrange for you to meet your sponsored child. Please get in touch via info@hopefoundationusa.com if you would like to discuss planning a visit.  

 Note: In accordance with our Child Protection Policy, sponsors are not allowed to take children out of their Residential Childcare Centre, if they reside in one, for outside visits, and there are strict rules around sharing photos and information. A HOPE staff member from the centre or project will closely supervise all visits. 

How do you keep children safe?

Safeguarding and Child Protection is paramount and there are robust systems in place to ensure the children in HOPE’s programs are safe.  

Note: In accordance with our Child Protection Policy, sponsors are not allowed to take children out of their Residential Childcare Centre, if they reside in one, for outside visits, and there are strict rules around sharing photos and information. A HOPE staff member from the centre or project will closely supervise all visits. 

Can I sponsor a child in another part of India?

HOPE only operates in Kolkata, so the children in our programs live in the West Bengal region of India. 

How long will I sponsor a child for?

Ideally, child sponsorship is a long-term commitment throughout the period of the child’s schooling, which can typically last until the child is 18-years-old, or longer, if the child continues with full time further study.  

Regular communication and transparency are the key components of our sponsorship program, and we will keep you informed of your sponsored child’s future plans when they are approaching 18 years of age. 

Despite best intentions, sponsorship can end earlier for many reasons. These include:  

  • When your sponsored child finishes school and begins to earn an income 
  • If your sponsored child’s family moves away to another part of India, making it difficult for HOPE to monitor their progress. In this instance, you will be given the option to transfer your sponsorship to another child.
  • Your sponsored child goes on to higher education or vocational training. This depends on the individual student’s results in their final school examination. At that point, the sponsor can choose whether to continue the sponsorship or not.
Can I sponsor the child’s siblings too?

If a sibling of your sponsored child is in the sponsorship program (four years and above) and is awaiting sponsorship, you would also be able to sponsor the sibling. 

What happens to children that aren’t sponsored?

While awaiting sponsorship, some children can access education with funding received by HOPE as general donations.  

Can I cancel my sponsorship at any time?

A sponsor can cancel at any time, for any reason with no penalties. We understand that people’s circumstances can change, and we do not necessarily need to know your reason for cancellingHowever, if you do need to cancel your sponsorship payments, please let us know as this will enable us to keep our records up-to-date and help secure new sponsorship for the child so they can continue their education. 

What happens to the child if I stop sponsoring?

If you need to cancel your sponsorship, we will endeavour to find a new sponsor for your sponsored child.  

How can I request more information?

Please contact info@hopefoundationusa.com with any questions or if you require more information. 

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