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Highly Vulnerable Children

Highly Vulnerable Children

For the world’s most vulnerable children, life can be a struggle for survival and safety

Give to protect children living in high-risk situations

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Every child in poverty is vulnerable, but some children are at risk of the most deplorable situations in the world.

Why Highly Vulnerable Children is so important

150 million children live on the street

150 million children live on the street

Trafficking victims in Africa

In Africa, 7 in 10 trafficking victims are children

World-wide child labour

168 million child labourers worldwide

Ethiopian orphans

4.5 million orphans in Ethiopia alone

Sources: UNESCO; UNODC; ILO; Huffington Post

Children whose parents have left, died, or are unable to provide for them, children exposed to exploitation and children with special needs are highly vulnerable. They often find themselves on the edge of extremely dangerous situations like child labour, gang violence, trafficking, and life on the street.

Through generous supporters, Compassion’s Highly Vulnerable Children fund offers a lifeline to children in our programs facing unthinkable hardship. The fund goes beyond the normal response of sponsorship to provide the additional safety and care these children require. This could include:

  • Immediate housing arrangements where needed
  • Nutritional supplements and provision of food
  • Essential living supplies such as bedding, clothes and house supplies
  • Trauma counselling and psychological or social support
  • Legal support in the case of human rights violations

Through your support, these precious children are pulled from the brink of unacceptable situations and given the extra care, nurturing and love they need.



See your latest impact through the Highly Vulnerable Children Fund

See how your generosity changed the lives of children this year.
Download our Highly Vulnerable Children Impact Report.

See my impact

Highly Vulnerable Children Stories

Feature Story
16 Apr, 2024

Never Forsaken: Vicky’s Story

From a young age Vicky was abused by her father and her eldest sibling. Her mother later abandoned her, leaving her in the care of her grandmother. Even when those who should have loved her the most abandoned her, God did not... Read more

10 Jun, 2020

What is Albinism? Five Things You Should Know

Born with albinism, Selinah, Grace, and Yona face real challenges. Here are five things they want you to know... Read more

31 Mar, 2020

How to Fulfil the Biblical Call to Care for Orphans

The Bible instructs us to help orphans and take up the cause of the fatherless, but how do we do that? What if we don’t know any orphans or aren’t in a position to adopt? .. Read more

FAQs

  • Can I sponsor a specific mother and child in Compassion Mums and Babies?

    While you can now sponsor a child from age one through Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program, we cannot offer one-to-one sponsorship of mums and babies before a child's first birthday. Compassion Mums and Babies provides urgent survival support for young families in crisis situations. In a child's first year of life, Compassion staff are focused on helping babies survive and families adjust to life with their new arrival. Once the critical first year is over, Compassion staff can turn their attention to child development and establishing the invaluable one-to-one sponsorship relationships that help children grow in confidence and have hope for their future.

    Donations of any amount to Compassion Mums and Babies are graciously received. You will be providing young families with critical support during the vulnerable prenatal months and first year of life.

    Alternatively, Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program is specifically designed for one-to-one sponsorship, offering children and sponsors the opportunity to benefit from a two-way relationship.

    You can:

    • Give to Mums and Babies
    • Sponsor a child
    • Learn more about the Child Sponsorship Program
  • Why does the cost to support an entire Mums and Babies survival project vary between countries?

    The care that families receive from Mums and Babies is specific to them, and differs between countries based on children’s needs and the availability and accessibility of government or other support services. This means the cost to support an entire Mums and Babies survival project also varies between countries ($15,000 - $25,000 per year), and has been determined by the price of local services, families' specific needs and currency conversions.

    For example, in Thailand, free universal healthcare is available to families—but not always accessible, especially in remote areas. Instead of replacing existing services, your support empowers Compassion staff to assess and meet each family’s individual and most urgent needs. For children in Thailand, this includes providing educational and health support to increase rates of breastfeeding, helping to prevent undernutrition and stunting for newborns.

    You can support Mums and Babies for $12 per month or another amount of your choosing. You can also give through a one-off financial contribution. These contributions are pooled to support mothers and babies all around the world.

    If you are interested in supporting an entire Mums and Babies survival project, please contact us.

    You can:

    • Give to Mums and Babies
    • Contact us for more information
  • How much does it cost to give to Mums and Babies?

    You can give to Mums and Babies for $12 per month or another amount of your choosing. You can also give through a one-off financial contribution. These contributions are pooled to support mothers and babies all around the world. As a Mums and Babies supporter, you will receive updates containing highlights, stories and statistics.

    You can also fund an entire Mums and Babies survival project, or launch a survival project in a new community. The cost to support an entire survival project varies by country, between $15,000 and $25,000 per year. Please contact us to discuss these options further.

    You can:

    • Learn more about Mums and Babies
  • Can I give to Critical Needs if I do not sponsor a child?

    Yes, you can give to Critical Needs if you do not sponsor a child. Critical Needs is essential to overcoming obstacles for children living in poverty and your donation to Critical Needs will go towards helping thousands of children. Choose an area of need that you are most passionate about meeting, and then all you need to do is decide whether your donation is a once-only or a recurring gift. Thank you for your partnership to share a hope more powerful than poverty!

    You can:

    • Give to Critical Needs
    • Sponsor a child
  • What are the current ways of supporting Mums and Babies?

    You can support Mums and Babies in a number of ways, either with a once-only donation or ongoing support.

    Here are some of the ways you can choose to give:  

    • A once-off donation of your choice to Mums and Babies will support young families worldwide and provide emergency care for vulnerable children.

    • $12 per month, contributed to Compassion's Critical Needs alongside child sponsorship, supports Mums and Babies globally and provides emergency care for vulnerable children.

    • A $20 once-off donation for a Care for a New Mum Gift of Compassion™, which will be used where support is most needed.

    • A $40 once-off donation for a baby essentials kit through GIFTSOFCOMPASSION™ gives a mum all the necessary supplies to care for her newborn, such as blankets and soaps.

    • A $260 once-off donation for a Start of Life Bundle. This GIFTSOFCOMPASSION™ provides an expectant mum living in poverty with crucial ante and postnatal care.

    • $15,000 once-off donation through Gifts of Compassion™ will nurture a Mums and Babies survival project in a specific community and provide life-saving support to vulnerable mothers and their babies.