FAQs
What is Children of Cameroon?
Children of Cameroon is an Exeter-based charity that helps children living under the poverty line in Cameroon gain access to education through sponsorship. We work closely with Goodness and Mercy Missions in Cameroon to find and help children in vulnerable communities. We connect the children with sponsors who will support them in their education so that they can break free of the poverty cycle.
What is the aim of Children of Cameroon?
We believe that education matters. It is one of the most effective ways to combat poverty because it helps to break the cycle of poverty for individuals and their communities. Education can provide safety, equality and a future for children living in impoverishment.
This is why we connect vulnerable children in Cameroon to sponsors who will support them. Our aim is to help end poverty in Cameroon by providing an education for the children who need it most.
Why Cameroon?
Cameroon is one of the most culturally and geographically diverse countries in the world. It is also a country with extremely high rates of poverty and vast inequality, with many children in rural and impoverished communities unable to go to school.
When our founder and director Christina Clover visited Cameroon a number of years ago, she recognised the communities’ complex needs - in particular, the number of children that are born into low-income families, unable to afford education - and started looking for ways she could help families to break the cycle of poverty.
Christina and Teh started working closely together, finding sponsors and helping one child at a time to look forward to a better future.
How can I help Children of Cameroon?
If you’d like to help us change the lives of children in Cameroon, you can donate, either by making a one-off donation or by sponsoring a child through their education with us. Every penny makes a difference.
If you want to create positive change, but don’t have the funds to donate or sponsor, we always want help from volunteers who share our passion for fighting poverty through education.
For more information on the ways you can help us in our mission to end poverty for children in Cameroon, from donating to volunteering, please visit our How You Can Help page.
Why should I sponsor a child?
Sponsoring a child is one of the most fulfilling actions you can take to create positive change in the lives of others. When you sponsor a child, you not only give them a better chance at breaking free of the poverty cycle, you also build a strong personal connection with them and supply them with a sense of hope for a brighter future with your support.
Child sponsorship is also an extremely flexible and transparent way of making a difference. Unlike other forms of donation or volunteering, sponsoring a child can be done from anywhere in the world and you know that the money you give is having a direct impact on your sponsored child. At Children of Cameroon, we guarantee that 100% of the money you give each month goes to your sponsored child. None is used to pay for administrative costs or for general causes.
If you’re considering child sponsorship, we’ve written a blog post exploring the different reasons why sponsoring a child might be for you.You can also find out more about our sponsorship programmes on our About Us page.
What happens when I sponsor a child?
When you sponsor a child with Children of Cameroon, we want to ensure that you and your sponsored child have the best experience possible and build a lasting relationship. This means we let you decide on the child you wish to sponsor. Once you’ve chosen a child to sponsor, all you need to start the sponsorship process is to fill out our Sponsor a Child form.
After sponsorship begins, we’ll ask you to fill out another form, this time about you. This is so that your sponsored child can get to know you at the beginning of the process and in return, you’ll receive a sponsorship profile about your sponsored child.
You’ll then be sent a sponsorship report each month, which will include photos of your sponsored child, updates on what they’ve been up to and a financial breakdown covering exactly how your money has been spent throughout the month. To help build a personal connection between sponsor and child, we also include a letter from your sponsored child to you and we encourage our sponsors to write too.
How long does sponsorship last?
For as long as possible! There is no set time period for sponsorship, but generally, children are sponsored until the age of 18 and we hope that our sponsors will support our children throughout their education. Longevity in sponsorship is important as it can provide a child with stability and hope, which is why we place such an emphasis on building a personal connection between our sponsors and children.
If for whatever reason you can no longer sponsor a child, however, you can stop sponsorship at any point. If you are thinking about ending your sponsorship, please contact us and we can discuss any further ways you can help your sponsored child.
We also support older children and young adults who are facing difficulties after sponsorship with appeals which you can donate to. Visit our Appeals page to find out more.
How can I donate to Children of Cameroon?
If you wish to make a one-off donation to Children of Cameroon, you can give to us directly on our donation page. All you need to do is select the currency, amount you’d like to give and send us a message if you’d like. You can also support older children and young adults in Cameroon gain access to education and training by making a one-off donation to one of our appeals.
If you’re thinking of making a regular donation to Children of Cameroon, you may wish to consider sponsoring a child with us. Sponsorship can make a profound difference to a child’s life and starts at £15 a month. More information on our sponsorship programmes can be found on our About Us page.
To start sponsoring a child, simply fill out our Sponsor a Child form and include your contact details along with the name of the child you wish to sponsor, the amount you wish to donate each month and your method of payment.
How is my money spent?
Transparency is key to the work we do at Children of Cameroon. We think it’s essential that our sponsors and donors know exactly how their money is being spent.
When you sponsor a child with us, we guarantee that 100% of the money you give every month is spent directly on your sponsored child. We offer a financial breakdown as part of your sponsorship report, which goes into the details of exactly what your money has been spent on each month.
Your sponsorship money will typically be spent on school fees, supplies such as books and stationery, food for the child and their family, healthcare, clothes and, where possible, extras such as toys and books.
When you donate to Children of Cameroon, you have the option to tell us how you would like the money to be spent. For example, some donors ask for their money to pay for a particular child’s school fees. Others request that their money buys food for several families. Alternatively, if you’d prefer to leave the decisions to us, we will ensure that your money is well spent. Where possible, we provide donation reports to all donors, showing them where their money has gone and the difference it has made.
How do I become a volunteer?
We’re always looking for help from people of all backgrounds who want to join us in our mission to ensure vulnerable children gain access to education. Volunteering for Children of Cameroon is completely remote, so you can do it from anywhere and in a way that’s convenient for you. All you need is an internet connection and a computer. If you’d like to help, regardless of your skills, you can look at our current volunteering opportunities on our Do-It page, or contact us.
I have further questions - how can I contact Children of Cameroon?
If you have any more questions and would like to get in touch with us, we’d love to hear from you. You can send an email to info@childrenofcameroon.co.uk or visit our Contact Us page.
