Sponsor a Child in Africa

Sponsor a Child in Africa

Sponsor a child in Africa
Sponsor a child in Rwanda
Sponsor a child in Africa to go to school
How can I sponsor a child in Africa

There are proven ways to fight poverty and many of the challenges that come with it because of the years of research and service done by many organizations. One of those methods is through the sponsorship of children. When you sponsor a child in Africa to go to school, it is a partnership between the donor, the family and the service organization.

Children International reports these staggering statistics about children in Africa:[1]

  • 40% of Africa’s population are children under 15 years old.
  • One in every four malnourished children live in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Upwards of 30 million children under 5 contract vaccine-preventable diseases in Africa each year.
  • 500,000 of those will die from those illnesses.
  • The African continent is expected to more than double by 2050, straining all resources with the weight of poverty being loaded up even more on the shoulders of children.

“Across the world, about 1 billion children are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack necessities as basic as nutrition or clean water,” reports UNICEF. “The consequences are grave. Worldwide, the poorest children are twice as likely to die in childhood than their wealthier peers. For those growing up in humanitarian crises, the risks of deprivation and exclusion surge.” [2]

The World Bank zeroes in on Africa to note that “Sub-Saharan Africa – with limited social safety nets – accounts for two-thirds of children living in households that struggle to survive on an average of $2.15 a day or less per person – the international measure for extreme poverty. South Asia accounts for nearly a fifth of these children.” [3]

Children who are simply surviving day to day are likely not thinking about the importance of school in their lives. Their parents may know the kids should be in school, but difficult decisions often need to be made when resources are never quite available. Families struggling to simply endure each day do not have the luxury of dreaming of futures filled with hope and purpose.

Ragna, a child in similar circumstances in Asia, understood this firsthand. At just 11 years old, she was the oldest child in her family and many household responsibilities were heaped on her small shoulders. Whenever her mother became pregnant, Ragna was tasked with taking care of what her mother could not, including her brothers and sisters. She collected firewood and water for cooking and cleaning, too. All of these chores meant no time for school.[4]

Ragna’s father, Deryck, worked hard labor, bringing in very little money. He knew that education was the key to his children’s future but could not see a way forward for Ragna or the others. However, her mother, Roseda, struggled to agree that it was what Ragna needed.

A local GFA worker named Selyne explained to both parents how the GFA World Child Sponsorship Program would help Ragna get an education. Knowing how to read, write and do arithmetic can lead to better-paying jobs, perhaps even higher education and more opportunities. But Roseda resisted.

“The three-kilometers walk to the school will mean traveling [alone] for Ragna, and the time spent at school will mean a huge loss of help at home for me,” Roseda pointed out. “I do know that some girls are going to school in our community, but what’s the point? Girls have to eventually end up at home after marriage. Look at my situation. Why waste Ragna’s time at school? And who else will help me? Are you going to provide for our needs?”

Ragna’s father persisted and accepted the offer for his eldest daughter to enter the sponsorship program. The program helps ensure that the child goes to school, gets assistance with homework, receives other vital help like nutritious food and other basic necessities.

“If girls could walk long distances to cut wood from trees, then why couldn’t they walk to school? It was time to cut down the roots of wrong mindsets,” Ragna said. “I was always told that going to school didn’t matter, especially for girls, as their education would not be of any use to their parents. Now, I know better. [I] will go to school and attend the [sponsorship program]. I want to study further and dream to carve a different future for myself.”

In time, Roseda saw how the program was blessing Ragna and agreed for their son to be enrolled, too. These children’s futures were already taking a different course because of the donor, the family and GFA. The program worked, and the family could see the difference in their children and their circumstances.

You may be wondering, “How can I sponsor a child in Africa?” For just $35 each month, you can change the life of a child like Ragna and her family. You might sponsor a child in Rwanda or one of the other destitute areas GFA World services in which are full of children needing help.

Sponsor a child in Africa for a brighter future. GFA World is your answer!

Learn more about modern day slavery in Africa

[1] “Poverty in Africa.” Children International. Accessed July 21, 2023. https://www.children.org/global-poverty/global-poverty-facts/africa.
[2] Child Poverty. UNICEF. Accessed July 21, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/social-policy/child-poverty#:~:text=Across%20the%20world%2C%20about%201,poverty%20due%20to%20COVID%2D19.
[3] “1 in 6 Children Lives in Extreme Poverty, World Bank-UNICEF Analysis Shows.” World Bank. October 20, 2020. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/10/20/1-in-6-children-lives-in-extreme-poverty-world-bank-unicef-analysis-shows.
[4] “Education Opens Doors for Girls Future.” GFA World. Accessed July 21, 2023. https://www.gfa.org/news/articles/education-opens-doors-for-girls-future-wfr23-02/.