As a child sponsor, you can write to your child. These letters mean a lot to sponsored children. They often tell us how encouraging it is to receive a letter from their sponsor. The letters help them know that they’re not just getting an education: someone cares for them, is interested in them and thinks of them.

It’s very simple to write to your child!

We’ve got plenty of letter templates below, which you can use digitally with Adobe PDF or print off to fill out by hand. You can either email us your letter, or post it to us at 2 Dugdale Road, Coventry, CV6 1PB. We’ll then scan your letter in and forward it to the project your child is part of. These get printed off by our projects and given to your child.

Letter templates for your sponsored child

Download our templates today. Explore our FAQs below to find out more about how this works!

Frequently asked questions

How often should I write to my child?

It’s up to you! Some people like to write regularly to encourage their sponsored child. Others prefer just to write once or twice a year. We’ll always email you at Christmas encouraging you to write then. You might also want to write at Easter and for your child’s birthday.

What should I say?

It can be tricky to know what to write, so we’ve put a few handy guidelines together to help you!

• Keep your letters simple. Think about the age of your sponsored child and try to keep your handwriting as clear as possible.
• Introduce yourself; eg. I am a teacher, a dentist, I am retired, etc.
• Tell them something about your life, family and hobbies, where you live (but don’t reveal any more than the city or region).
• If you sponsor as a family, feel free to draw pictures or decorate the letter in the space provided.
• Try to keep to subjects the child will understand – school, games, hobbies, pets, family.
• Keep your letters positive and ask questions – What’s your favourite subject? What games or hobbies do you enjoy?
• Your standard of living will be very different to theirs, so try to avoid any topics which will highlight the comparatively rich lifestyle in the West.

For your protection and for the protection of the children and our project staff, please do not include your home address or email address in any correspondence.

Why are the templates in black and white?

Not all of our projects have access to colour printers. You are welcome to colour in your picture, but we can’t guarantee that they will be printed off in colour.

Why can’t you post things to my child?

Postage to our projects can be very difficult and often takes an extremely long time. It’s also very expensive. By emailing your letters, and receiving your child’s letters by email, we’re able to communicate much faster and more cost effectively with your child.

Will I get a response from my child?

Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that you’ll get a response every time. This may be because of the project’s capacity while managing the many sponsored children in their care. It also may be because of the abilities of your sponsored child.

However, you will hear from your child at least once a year. And we encourage our sponsors to write regardless of hearing back: in amongst the often daily struggles your child will face, your letters brighten their day!

I’m ready to download a template