Frequently Asked Questions

Compassion’s holistic child development program activities take place at church-based child development centres. Sometimes activities take place in the church building or the church may have another facility designated for the child development centre. Each centre is within a 30-minute walk of the homes of the children it serves.

Program activities vary in detail according to the culture, environment, or needs of the area where the individual centres are located. However, there are common elements in all Compassion child development centres which ensure that all Compassion-assisted children are given the greatest opportunity to be released from spiritual, economic, social, emotional and physical poverty.

Each child development centre:

Meets on a regular basis.
Uses the facilities of the local church partner through which the program operates.
Provides a programmed curriculum of activities for registered and sponsored children.
Has a committee which provides local accountability and support.
Has a director employed by the church to manage the day-to-day activities.
Employs staff and volunteers selected by the local church.
Operates under Compassion International’s carefully monitored standards and guidelines.
Provides reasonable levels of safety for children relative to the realities of the surrounding community.

If you could sum up our ministry in a phrase, it would be “holistic child development.”

We want to see children grow and flourish in all areas of their life – spiritual, physical, cognitive and social-emotional. Through sponsorship we can help make that happen. Each child is linked with one sponsor that contributes $41 a month to ensure that their sponsored child receives healthcare, education, food, clothing, vocational training, social, emotional and spiritual care. These benefits are provided through activities run through the church-based child development centre.

Our three distinctives make us who we are: We are Christ-centred, child-focused and church-based. We partner exclusively with local churches to implement our programs, because we believe the Church is the most effective in reaching its neighbours. Our holistic child development program is focused on developing children in every aspect of life—physical, social-emotional, cognitive and spiritual. And we do it all in Jesus’ name! We believe that transformed people will transform families, communities and nations, which is why we give children the opportunity to be rooted in Christian community at a local church, where they experience God’s transforming love and have the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Learn more about what makes Compassion different from other organizations.