FAQs

• How is the global food crisis affecting children in poverty?

  As food prices climb, so do hunger and malnutrition in young children. The impact of childhood malnutrition is catastrophic and has both short and long-term effects. The increased risks caused by malnutrition include:  

  • Diabetes, cardiovascular problems and cancer later in life

  • Growth stunting and wasting

  • Poor academic performance and intellectual development

  • Increased prevalence of attention deficit disorders  

  • Child marriage, as girls are offered in marriage arrangements for dowries that will feed their families

  • Child labour, as children leave school early to support their families

  • Premature death 

• What is food insecurity?

  Food insecurity occurs when a person doesn’t have regular access to enough nutritious food. It’s caused when food simply isn’t available or when a person doesn’t have enough resources to obtain it, as is often the case for families living in poverty. At its worst, severe food insecurity means a person has had nothing to eat for a day or more.  

  Among the countries where Compassion works, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Uganda, Togo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Columbia and Ghana have been identified as experiencing increased food insecurity, though this list continues to change and grow. To identify countries most heavily impacted, we use external data sources such as Trading Economics data, Famine Early Warning Systems data and World Food Program Hunger maps.

• Doesn’t my sponsorship help provide food for my sponsored child?

  Yes, it does! Your sponsorship contributions help provide supplements to fight against malnutrition, which may include a meal or snack at the child’s local child development centre, depending on the local context and the child’s individual needs. Because our Child Sponsorship Program provides for a child’s holistic needs, your sponsorship giving also covers education support, healthcare, tutoring and mentoring, skills training and Christ-centred guidance.  

  The global food crisis is increasing the cost for Compassion’s church partners to provide meals for children as part of normal programming—and many families are now even more reliant on those meals. The cost of providing this urgent support exceeds what sponsorship giving alone can provide, which is why additional funding is needed to cover the shortfall.  

• How is Compassion helping children facing hunger during the global food crisis?

  Compassion’s 8,500 local church partners across over 25 countries are already responding to the global food crisis. They are equipped to provide routine health screenings for children so they can respond immediately to new or developing nutritional needs. In most cases, participants receive health support before wasting, stunting or severe malnutrition occur.

  To meet the changing needs of children and families facing increased food insecurity, our local church partners will respond in two ways:

  1. Provide immediate food packages and/or unconditional cash transfers to households deemed vulnerable to food insecurity. This includes children and families in Compassion’s program, local church partner staff, pastors and community members.

  2. Provide long-term food security through distributing seeds, fertiliser, livestock and training on how to build and maintain home gardens and small-scale farms.

  Despite the global food crisis, programming will continue as normally as possible at Compassion centres, aligned with local COVID-19 guidelines. If there is violence or political unrest, each country’s national office will modify the delivery of the program to best serve the participants.   

• Can I give a food package directly to my sponsored child?

  We really appreciate your desire to help your sponsored child through the provision of a food package. The funds raised through this campaign can’t be directed to an individual child. Instead, they are pooled together to provide food packages for the Compassion assisted families most in need of nutrition support across over 25 program countries.

  Please be assured that our local staff understand your sponsored child’s unique needs, including their nutrition, and they are trained to identify malnutrition and provide immediate support.

  However, you can choose to give an additional financial gift to your sponsored child or their family anytime and they will receive 100 per cent of your gift. Local workers will help your sponsored child and their family to purchase a gift that assists with their greatest needs.

  You can give a child or family gift online in My Account or by contacting us on 1300 22 44 53 or at compassion@compassion.com.au