Why Sponsor an Orphan?
"Blessed is the wealth of the Muslim, from which he gives to the poor,the orphan and the wayfarer." (Muslim)
What do your children mean to you? And how would you feel if you couldn’t be there to love, guide and protect them?
There are an estimated 200 million children worldwide that have experienced this loss. Many of these children will come from already disadvantaged backgrounds.
So losing a parent can mean that access to education, the protection of shelter, the sustenance of nutritious meals and the chance for a secure future all become an impossible dream. This is why the responsibility of care for the orphan falls on all of us.
Who could be more deserving of our help than the child who has no one?
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Key Facts
Sudan: Fulfilling Their Potential
Ibrahim and Isma'il live in a rundown neighbourhood, where children work in the streets to support their family's income. But with the support of their sponsor, these orphans are getting educated and creating a brighter future...
READ MOREMeeting Orphans in West Africa
When Hazera, a volunteer, raised enough money to sponsor seven orphans in The Gambia and Senegal, she had a rare chance to visit the children she was supporting. This trip changed her life...
READ MOREOrphan Care Worldwide
SMÖØ¿Ú supports close to 11,000 orphans in 18 countriesSponsor an orphan today
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Gambia
Indonesia
Kashmir (IN)
Kashmir (PK)
Lebanon
Malawi
Mali
Mauritania
Niger
Pakistan
Palestine
Senegal
Somalia
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Yemen
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Upon sponsoring a child, you will receive an orphan pack which contains information about the child and a recent picture. Thereafter you will receive an annual feedback report updating you on the child's circumstances, their performance at school as well as a new picture.
Should you wish to be in contact with the child you are sponsoring more frequently, SMÖØ¿Ú recommends sending letters. For more information on sending letters please read the question below.
You can also request an update on how your sponsored orphan is getting on by sending an email to sponsorship@muslimhands.org.uk. Please include your donor ID and orphan ID within the email.
A. With regards to posting a physical gift, it is possible but rarely does this work out. The postal service in many developing countries is unreliable and thus the likelihood of parcels reaching the orphan can be quite slim, not to mention the cost. We recommend sending monetary gifts which we can transfer to the field staff who will safely pass it on to the orphan.
To send an orphan a cash gift simply call in to our donation line on 0115 9117222. You can also donate online: /donate/gifts-for-children/orphan-gift.
If you would like to send a larger gift such as a laptop or bicycle, we can help you make the arrangements for that by calling our donation line.
You will need your orphan ID, which can be found on your orphan pack, or you can give us a call on 0115 911 7222 to find out.
Upon receipt of your donation, we will instruct the local orphan care team who will purchase the gift locally and present it to the child.
If you wish to send a gift for a festive occasion such as Eid, please make the donation as early as possible so we are able to get the gift to the child in good time.
A. We recommend regular communication with your sponsored child, with letter writing being the preferred way. The process is as follows: simply attach a letter to an email, e.g. in Word, and we will get it across to the orphan carer. You should email us on sponsorship@muslimhands.org.uk including your donor ID and orphan ID.
When the child replies with a letter, we will send it across to yourself via email. We do recommend that letters are written in simple English so that they can be communicated effectively.
A. The programme ends once a child reaches 18. This means orphans will be supported until the end of their academic year (so in some instances may turn 19) so as not to cause too much disruption to their studies.
After this, older orphans will be able to apply for funding through our ‘Scholarship Fund’, which will be based on the needs of individuals.
A. From the £29.50 a month received from your generous donations, SMÖØ¿Ú sends £24 to the school the orphan is attending. Where the orphan goes to a non-SMÖØ¿Ú school, the orphan guardian is given the money and entrusted with ensuring the orphans needs are covered. This amount covers various aspects such as school fees, school uniforms for the year, books and stationary, medical and health checks, food and where possible, transport.
The remainder is retained at our field offices for project delivery and for future fundraising and marketing.
A. Supervised visits may be organised after gaining agreement from the SMÖØ¿Ú office, the child and their guardian. Visits cannot be made directly to the orphan’s home in line with our safeguarding Policy, so the meeting will be held in the local MH office. For safety purposes, we will not give out any personal information, such as the child’s address or telephone number.
You would be responsible for your own travel arrangements, providing an up-to-date DBS and paying for the child and their guardian’s travel costs and food costs (if they have to travel a long distance). All arrangements will be made through SMÖØ¿Ú and on your visit, you will be chaperoned by a member of staff.
If you would like to visit your child, please contact us three months prior to your visit either by emailing your request to mail@muslimhands.org.uk or by calling on 0115 911 7222. You will need to provide dates on when you intend on visiting.
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Established in 1993, SMÖØ¿Ú is an aid agency and NGO helping those affected by poverty, conflict and natural disaster in over 20 countries worldwide.