what is child sponsorship?

Did you know that you can help transform a young life for less than the price of a can of coke a day?

“Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world” Nelson Mandela

We believe that every child has the right to an education and that enabling universal education is a powerful tool in bringing about sustainable transformation to Uganda. At Amigos we have created a scheme that provides sponsorship for needy and/or orphaned children who are cared for in their own communities by members of their extended family. There is huge need in the rural parts of Uganda and our child sponsorship scheme is designed to help some of the most vulnerable children in Uganda and in some of the poorest regions. We support children in Kampala, the northern district of Lira, an area devastated by the brutal conflict that raged for more than two decades, and the much neglected area of Masindi.

Uganda’s cities and larger towns are heavily populated with children living rough and many are orphans from the northern districts who have travelled to the towns out of desperation in search of a better life, in many cases living alone and losing touch with their families. Through supporting children where they are, Amigos hopes to ensure that children can remain with their extended families. Parentless and disadvantaged youngsters benefit greatly from the opportunity to stay in, or around, the family’s home and land, remaining involved with the life of their extended family and local community and so able to grow up learning the skills that are part of everyday community life.

We don’t aim to pay all the school costs for the child, as we believe that this would compromise the dignity of the children’s family and we want to encourage the families and relatives to remain the primary care givers of their own children; instead, we seek to provide a supporting role. Through our child sponsorship scheme we aim to pay a large percentage of school fees and scholastics, and in some cases a very important school dinner, all for just
£16 a month.

Only 1 in 4 Ugandan children complete secondary school, Amigos is currently supporting more than 250 children in Uganda through primary or secondary school. And our first two children have just enrolled in university! here

By sponsoring a child through education, their life can be changed; to hear more about how lives have been changed do read some of the stories from some of our children. Sponsoring a child can also affect your life, and you can read some stories written by those who have sponsored children in Uganda here.

“The idea of being able to really make a difference in the lives of children anywhere in the world is something I couldn't ignore.  When I came across Amigos I felt compelled to become a sponsor, and the satisfaction of knowing that my husband and I are creating a brighter future for even just a few children is a reminder that there is good in the world and it's up to us to make a change”. Vicki and Ian (Dorset)