Three ways child sponsorship develops leaders

There are countless ways sponsorship benefits children and communities. In this article, we want to discuss exactly how sponsorship helps ordinary children become extraordinary adults. These points are taken from a recent World Vision research study around communities in Cebu. We’ve taken stories of former sponsored children as well as data from other studies to support our observations on the benefits of child sponsorship.

1. Sponsored children tend to dream bigger dreams. The biggest impact of child sponsorship is on education. Around 3.5 million Filipino children aged six to 18 are considered out-of-school youth, according to a 2017 survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Instead of having to drop out of school or work to help support their families, sponsored children are able to continue and finish their studies. Supported with the proper education, these children begin to aspire for bigger roles as adults – jobs or positions that may have seemed unattainable before. Sponsored children are more likely to end up in salaried positions, helping end a cycle of poverty.

Liezl, 29, Teacher, former sponsored child “I was able to become a professional because of sponsorship.”

2. Child sponsorship encourages volunteerism. World Vision not only provides vulnerable communities and children the support they need. It also encourages involvement and ownership through its many community-based programs and youth activities. By giving sponsored children an avenue to contribute to their communities, World Vision instills in them a spirit of volunteerism and giving back. This increases the likelihood of children becoming community leaders in adulthood. In fact, many child leaders from World Vision have graduated to socially impactful jobs like teaching and public service.

Lemuel, 31, Public Servant, former sponsored child (to include Cebuano/Bisaya quote) “I grew up in a community that was service-oriented and I grew up wanting to use my abilities for my community.”

3. Sponsored children gain more holistic development. World Vision’s programs and activities engage children with others, helping build important life skills. Forums give children opportunities to develop soft skills like communication and relationship-building. The different programs also help strengthen characteristics like self-awareness and resilience – all of which are instrumental in becoming effective leaders. Child sponsorship improves a child’s emotional development just by broadening a child’s horizons and social networks. The child ends up having richer experiences than they otherwise would have.

Rutche, 30, Teacher, former sponsored child “gi ana ko nga lots of experiences sa World Vision kay luoy naka sustain ba sa akong life.” (My experiences with World Vision helped me overcome challenges and sustain me in life.)

These are just some of the insights taken from World Vision’s report, “A Legacy of Selfless Service”. Click to download the report.

Child sponsorship is one way to nurture future leaders that can shape our country for the better. Why not invest in a child’s tomorrow today?



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