Compassion’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Our hearts break with the knowledge that some persons in the global Compassion family have succumbed to COVID-19. This pandemic has brought death to the doors of our frontline and supporting church partners, ministry partners, volunteers, and even our children and their loved ones. Please continue to pray for those who are impacted directly by this pandemic. Medical professionals predict the worst may be yet to come for the low-income world, which is far more underprepared for testing and caring for COVID-19 patients than we have been in higher-income nations. This means that tracking the full impact on our ministry, the children and their families will be increasingly difficult in the weeks and months to come. We are doing our best to keep you informed of the effect this crisis is having on our ministry, but always while respecting the privacy of those who serve alongside us. Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

This global pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another. Compassion staff and volunteers are doing everything they can to minimize the impact to the children in our program.

When the pandemic first began, Compassion had to temporarily close child development centers and halt group activities in all our field countries. Starting in October 2020, some centers have been able to reopen, and we are working to keep sponsors updated about the status of their sponsored children’s centers. Some centers remain closed. In some areas where restrictions have been eased, students are meeting in small groups at the centers. In some communities, centers have been able to reopen fully. (For more information about what each of these statuses means, see the first question on this page.) Regardless of status, staff are working with families to identify and meet their most urgent needs and help them rebuild from this time of crisis.

Because we are committed to protecting each child and maintaining their privacy, we do not disclose children’s health information. However, you can learn more about how COVID-19 is impacting your sponsored child’s country on our COVID-19 crisis page.

Compassion staff are taking every precaution to protect the children in our program. We have suspended all nonessential international travel to national offices and frontline church partners until travel restrictions have been lifted and it is safe to travel again. This means we will not be permitting any international visitors to meet sponsored children, visit Compassion child development centers or visit national offices.

As a regular part of our program, we continue to teach hygiene to registered children (and moms in our Survival Program), which reduces the spread of illness. Staff are also educating families about social distancing and mask wearing and, in many communities, are actively distributing masks and hand sanitizer to families.

Because of COVID-19, funds previously used at the child development centers can now be directed as needed to children and their families for necessities throughout the pandemic. During this time, your child sponsorship donation support provides:

• The stability and love of local church staff who know your child's story and unique poverty context.
• A caring team of people checking in on your child and their family.
• Additional help and supplies when local resources or support cannot be secured, including:
  • Food kits with nutritious essential items like rice, eggs, meat, milk, corn and other nonperishable dry goods.
  • Hygiene and sanitation supplies.
  • Personalized services like rent payment assistance, household items, emotional support and trauma counseling.
  • A watchful eye for child protection and prevention of abuse.
  • Opportunities to experience and learn about the love of Jesus.

Thank you for your heart and willingness to help. Our local church workers around the world are courageously coming alongside children and families, helping them face the ongoing challenges COVID-19 has created. You can help provide additional resources for physical, educational, and medical support. Make your donation on the Critical Program Needs page.

Each national office continues to receive letters, but for many, the translation and distribution process has slowed or completely paused. We hope you continue to write letters of encouragement and prayers to your child, but please know that it will take longer for your letters to be delivered, and your child will likely not be able to write back immediately if his or her center is still closed. Click here to see what the letter status is for your child’s country.

When a birthday or family gift is given, Compassion’s normal process is to have a local staff member consult with the family and then purchase and deliver your gift. During this time, however, that process creates additional burdens and dangers for our field staff.

Because of that, we are now encouraging field staff to disburse monetary gifts to an appropriate, verified caregiver (usually a parent or relative). This applies to family gifts and beneficiary gifts, including birthday and final gifts. Families may spend the gift on whatever they consider most important to meet family needs. The caregiver will be notified whether a gift has been designated as a beneficiary gift or family gift. The caregiver will decide the best use of the money, recognizing that sometimes purchasing food or paying rent is in the best interest of a child. In countries where there are fewer restrictions, some staff have been able to purchase and deliver gifts using the normal process. Click here to see what the gift status is for your child’s country.

Thank-you letters will be delayed until children can safely return to their centers, and photos of gifts will not be required during the crisis.