Sponsor with Compassion

Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program gives children the skills and
opportunities to overcome poverty.
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81
Days Waiting
child portrait

Benjamin

  • Country: Burkina Faso
  • D.O.B: March 31, 2014
  • Age: 4

  • Gender: Boy
56
Days Waiting
child portrait

Valeryn

  • Country: Colombia
  • D.O.B: September 11, 2015
  • Age: 3

  • Gender: Girl
45
Days Waiting
child portrait

Heitor

  • Country: Brazil
  • D.O.B: May 21, 2017
  • Age: 1

  • Gender: Boy
46
Days Waiting
child portrait

Mark

  • Country: Philippines
  • D.O.B: April 8, 2015
  • Age: 3

  • Gender: Boy
Portrait of Benjamin Sirima
Meet Benjamin Sirima
Benjamin is 4 years old and lives in Burkina Faso.
BF4950160 | Days Waiting: 81
Country: Burkina Faso
Birthday: March 31, 2014 (4 years old)
Gender: Boy

Benjamin lives with his mother and father. Benjamin's mother is sometimes employed. Her occupation is: Homemaker. Benjamin's father is sometimes employed. His occupation is: Mechanic. Benjamin has siblings living in the household. Benjamin helps with the following duties at home: No Household Duties - Too Young.Benjamin's favourite activities and interests include: Group Games, Hide and Seek, Soccer or Football.Activities that Benjamin enjoys through the church are: Bible Class. At the compassion centre Benjamin's favourite activities are: Playing Games.Benjamin does not attend school. He is in the equivalent of kindergarten.Benjamin's family lives in the area of Gouin in Burkina Faso.

Benjamin's Country Details

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in western Africa. It's slightly larger than Colorado and is mostly flat with undulating plains and hills in the west and southeast. The country's climate is tropical with warm, dry winters and hot dry summers.

Burkina Faso, with a population of 13 million, is one of the poorest countries in the world. With no coastlines and ports, the country has few natural resources, fragile soil and a highly unequal distribution of income. About 90% of the population is engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture, which is vulnerable to variations in rainfall. Nearly a half million people in Burkina Faso have HIV/AIDS. French is the official language, although native African languages belonging to the Sudanic family are spoken by 90% of the population. Most of the population practices indigenous religions the rest are Muslim and Christian.

Originally colonized by the French, Burkina Faso gained its independence in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Every year, several hundred thousand seasonal farm workers seek employment in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana and are adversely affected by instability in those regions.

African children playing

Compassion’s ministry is focused on what we call holistic child development. This means developing children in all the different aspects of their lives—their minds, bodies and relationships while discovering God’s love for them in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How does sponsorship help kids?

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Formal and non-formal educational opportunitiesCompassion assists children with their primary school education and gives opportunities to attend secondary school, as well as providing vocational training opportunities and extra-curricular activities such as sports, field trips, music and computer training.
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Health care, hygiene training and supplementary foodKids get a healthy snack or meal when they attend program activities, receive regular health check-ups, and learn how to take care of their bodies and form healthy relationships.
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Age-appropriate Christian teaching and discipleshipChildren are introduced to the good news of how God has shown his love for the world by sending Jesus Christ and how this good news changes everything in our lives.
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Personal attention, guidance and loveChildren are cared for and invested in by members of their own communities, who encourage them to discover their unique gifts, passions and abilities. Their sponsors also play an important role in this through their prayers and letters.

Why do you work with local churches?

Compassion works exclusively with local churches because they can best understand and respond to the challenges in their communities. They are known and trusted by their neighbours and are able to reach those in the greatest need. We equip our local church partners with the resources, training and expertise to help children escape poverty. Each church is empowered to implement the program in a way that meets the specific needs of the children they serve.

Do kids need to be Christian to be in Compassion’s program?

Compassion helps people in a way that protects their dignity as human beings made in the image of God. That’s why we accept people of all faiths into our programs and don’t require or coerce them to change. However, ending poverty requires dealing with every aspect of people’s beings—including telling them about God’s love for them in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Learn More

Does child development really work?

You bet! According to independent research, Compassion kids are:
  • 27–40 per cent more likely to finish secondary education;
  • about 35 per cent more likely to have white collar employment as adults; and
  • 40–70 per cent more likely to become church leaders
…than their unsponsored peers. When you sponsor with Compassion, you are making a significant and long-term difference to your child’s future!

At Compassion, we take financial stewardship seriously.

As certified members of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities, Compassion Canada is committed to handling the finances entrusted to us with the utmost integrity. This year, 84.7 per cent of funds were used for program activities benefiting the children we serve, and 15.3 per cent for support services.

Today, children around the world are discovering that poverty doesn’t have to be their future. Help one more do the same by sponsoring with Compassion!

Children running and smiling