Sponsor with Compassion

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Kiswendsida 

Burkina Faso flag
Burkina Faso

Birthday

July 11, 2010

Age

Age: 14

Gender

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Girl

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Djay 

Haiti flag
Haiti

Birthday

January 25, 2011

Age

Age: 13

Gender

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Boy

child portrait

Jun Sen 

Indonesia flag
Indonesia

Birthday

November 14, 2010

Age

Age: 13

Gender

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Boy

child portrait

Atsufui 

Ghana flag
Ghana

Birthday

July 26, 2018

Age

Age: 6

Gender

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Girl

Portrait of Kiswendsida

Meet Kiswendsida

Kiswendsida is 14 years old and lives in Burkina Faso.

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Country: Burkina Faso

Birthday: July 11, 2010 (14 years old)

Gender: Girl

Global food crisis icon showing a globe with plants growing within it.

Burkina Faso has been identified as country that is highly vulnerable to food shortages during the global food crisis. Sponsorship can help Kiswendsida and his family get the nourishment they need.

I live with my mother and father in the Kaya area. The primary language where I live is French. My mother is sometimes employed as a homemaker and my father is sometimes employed as a farmer. At home, the chore I'm responsible for is animal care. I like hide and seek. My favourite activity at church is Bible class. My favourite activity at the centre is playing games. I am in the equivalent of grade 7. My favourite subject is Math.

Kiswendsida's Country Details

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in western Africa. It is a dry, tropical country of hills and plains located south of the Sahara, with grassy savannahs in the north and sparse forests in the south.

Most people in Burkina Faso work in agriculture, but fragile soil and unpredictable rainfall make it a hard living. With no coastlines or ports and scanty natural resources, the country has struggled to develop. High population density and few opportunities within the country regularly drive many people to seek employment as seasonal farm workers in neighbouring countries. HIV/AIDS has had a major impact on the country, but deaths and new infections have declined rapidly over the last ten years, thanks to treatment and education. French is the official language of Burkina Faso, although native African languages are spoken by most of the population. Most people practise Islam or Christianity, but many people also follow Indigenous beliefs in tandem with them.

The Mossi and Gurma kingdoms established themselves in the land that would become Burkina Faso sometime around the 15th century. A French protectorate was established in the area in the late 1800s. Originally part of the same territory as Mali, Burkina Faso became a separate French colony in 1919. It became autonomous in 1958 and achieved full independence in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Violent protests caused the fall of the government in 2014, but a new government was elected and established by the following year.

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 giving them the opportunity to hear about and experience the love of Jesus from caring local church staff and volunteers.

How does sponsorship help kids?

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Formal and non-formal educational opportunities Compassion 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 food Kids 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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The love and support of a local church and the opportunity to hear about Jesus Because Compassion partners with local churches, children are connected to a local Christian community where they have the opportunity to hear the gospel from caring church staff and volunteers.
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Personal attention, guidance and love Children 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.

Is sponsorship still relevant during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis?

During the pandemic, we saw firsthand the impact of crises on children in poverty. We also saw how powerful sponsorship can be in equipping local churches to respond in specific, effective and life-changing ways. As we continue to see multifaceted crises impacting children around the world, we know that the need for sponsorship remains urgent. We are more confident than ever that your commitment to sponsorship truly allows children, families and communities to be deeply known, loved and protected through it all.

Why do you work with local churches?

Compassion works exclusively with local churches because they know the names and faces of the children in their community and can best understand and respond to their challenges. They are known and trusted by their neighbours and are able to reach those in the greatest need with compassion and through the love of God.

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. In this way the physical, spiritual, emotional and relational needs for children are met as they are empowered to overcome poverty in all its forms.

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

Absolutely not! We encourage children and families of all faiths and backgrounds to register in our programs and would never require or coerce anyone to convert to Christianity.

Learn More

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!