Safeguarding
Keeping children safe when you sponsor an orphan
Photos, letters and visits: what good programmes do, and the lines they never cross.
Safe sponsorship, in one line
News, letters and gifts all go through the organisation. Nothing goes straight between you and the child.
The Charity Commission expects every charity in England and Wales to put safeguarding first.
DonateOpenly shows how to sponsor a child, month by month.
What to expect when you sponsor an orphan
Photos
A child’s face, name and village go to you only, with the carer’s consent. Never post them.
Letters
Read by the organisation, then passed on. That protects the child and you.
Gifts
Never sent directly, so every child in a family is treated fairly.
Visits
Supervised, planned and agreed with the family. Never alone.
Honouring their dignity
Orphans are to be treated with honour: not oppressed (Quran 93:9), and never deprived of what is theirs (Quran 4:2). Appeals that show children in distress without care for their dignity are a warning sign.
If something worries you
Tell the organisation first. If it is a charity in England and Wales and you are not satisfied, report it to the Charity Commission through GOV.UK.