We talk a lot about sponsoring a child and the positive impact it can have in fighting poverty. Sponsoring a child is one of the most personal and direct ways to make a difference in the world. In sponsoring a child, your support will change some of Cameroon’s poorest communities. You have a chance to truly transform the life of your sponsored child and other children growing up alongside them.
Unlike donating to many charities, when sponsoring a child you can see the impact that your donation has made. You’ll receive regular updates about your sponsored child and see how their life has changed as a result of sponsorship.
However, it’s dawned on us that until you sponsor one of our children, you cannot see the true impact that the money has.
As you may already know, our charity aims to help children in Cameroon achieve a better quality of life by finding sponsorship. But, how exactly does this sponsorship impact a child’s life? This blog explores the positive impact that your sponsorship could have on one of our children, so you can understand a little bit more about why it’s so important.
Provides access to education
The most important aspect of sponsoring a child is giving them access to education which may not have been possible before. Having a solid education can have a huge impact on a child’s life and future.
In many countries across the world, Cameroon included, education is not free for all children. This means many poorer families miss out on the chance to learn. In Cameroon, primary education is free for all, but families are expected to provide uniforms, books and school supplies. Secondary education, on the other hand, requires the payment of school fees as well as for uniforms and school supplies. As you can imagine, for many families the cost of schooling and any extras which come with it is something that they simply cannot afford. However, not having access to education severely impacts a child’s future. Having sponsorship can allow children to achieve their dreams, establish careers for themselves and break out of the poverty cycle.
Most of all though, you could help a child to discover their passion. They could find their favourite book, realise they’re great at maths or even discover a passion for science all because your sponsorship helped to send them to school.
Improves access to healthcare
Sponsoring a child also helps them and their family to access healthcare. In countries like Cameroon, demand for all types of health services and equipment is high and constant, but accessing these services can be difficult and equipment is often outdated.
Your sponsorship can stop families worrying about having to afford healthcare, and can allow families to live their lives without fear of getting sick and not being able to afford treatment.
Sponsoring a child helps them to access these services but also puts more money into communities, which in turn helps them to build more facilities and provide a better quality of care. It’s a cycle! Plus, with more children accessing education, there will be more nurses, doctors and midwives in the community helping to provide better healthcare for more generations. Just think of the impact your sponsorship could have!
Helps to keep them safe
In war-torn countries like Cameroon, sponsoring a child helps to keep them safe as it gives access to child protection programmes, provides humanitarian assistance and ensures they are taken care of. Cameroon has seen schools set on fire, children attacked walking miles to school and also sees many girls enter child marriages which can have devastating impacts on their lives. Sponsoring a child helps to put a stop to this. Sponsoring a child also provides them with access to clean water and nutritious food, keeping them safe from diseases, infections and illness.
It means they can go about their lives with less threat, focusing on their childhood, growing up and learning - as a child should! No child should be living in fear, and sponsorship provides opportunities for safety.
Helps the whole community
Sponsoring a child gives families the tools they need to give that child and their siblings their best chance in life. It means older children won’t need to drop out of school and work to support the family. Girls will be able to finish their education rather than marry young.
However, helping to build a better future for a child through sponsorship, doesn’t only help a child and their direct family but their community as a whole too. Giving a child from a poorer community the gift of sponsorship means that they can go to school and build a better future for themselves. However, once they have this future it’s likely that they’ll use their successes to give back and help to improve the area where they came from.
The children you sponsor today could be tomorrow's doctors, lawyers, scientists, nurses and teachers, helping to shape communities and build a better future for everyone in Cameroon. Your sponsorship doesn’t just help one child to go to school and get a job, it has implications across the wider community which could continue for decades.
Builds relationships
Sponsoring a child is a personal and effective way to fight poverty. It allows you to not only see first hand how your donations are helping to transform a life but it’s a chance for children to build relationships with their sponsors. They can write letters and keep in touch, improving their communication skills and building relationships.
To sponsor a child with us and help to change a life, take a look at our children currently searching for sponsorship and get in touch with our team today.
You can also help us raise awareness for our work by following us on social media, you’ll find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Plus, you can sign up to our newsletter to make sure you never miss an update about our work helping the children of Cameroon to achieve a better quality of life. Our volunteers work to find sponsors as well as help the children to access safety, education, nutritious food and basic health and safety.
If you’d like to volunteer at Children of Cameroon and help us to find sponsors which can change our children’s lives, take a look at our open opportunities.
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