Compassion’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to push millions of children and families deeper into poverty, erasing hope for the future and years of hard work. It is estimated that 27 million more people will fall into poverty as a result of the pandemic, the first increase in the global poverty rate in more than 20 years.

Please continue to pray for those deeply impacted by this pandemic. Our Compassion staff, volunteers and frontline church partners across the world are working diligently and creatively to address immediate needs and to help vulnerable children and their families rebuild from lasting effects of the pandemic. Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

Below, you can find the most up-to-date reports from the regions where we work, including current letter and gift delivery statuses. Please continue to check this page for further updates.

Africa

Asia

Central America &
the Caribbean

South America

How Can You Help?

A pandemic like COVID-19 plus the challenges of poverty equals disaster. Our partner church workers around the world are courageously helping children and families who face ongoing challenges created by COVID-19. You can help provide food essentials, medical care, educational support and more by giving toward Compassion’s Critical Program Needs Fund. Thank you so much for your willing heart!

FAQ About Compassion’s Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak

During this time, we are working alongside our frontline church partners to adapt how we minister to children in poverty. The mission has not changed, but many of the methods have. Below are answers to some questions we’ve received about how Compassion and our field staff are operating during this crisis. For more information on Compassion’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, including updates for each country where we work, please visit our COVID-19 updates page.

What is the status of my child’s Compassion center? What does that status mean?

Starting in December 2020, we began receiving notifications of the status of each center, and we are working to keep sponsors updated of changes. If you want to know the current status of your child’s center, please call 800-336-7676, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. MT, and one of our sponsor care representatives will be glad to look up that information for you.

If you do know your child’s center status and would like to know more about what that status means, please refer to the definitions below.

Distance Only: Staff and volunteers are not able to go to children’s homes due to local restrictions and safety precautions. Therefore, all communications are being done through virtual means. Staff at many distance-only centers are using video lessons, broadcasting lessons on local radio stations, and making regular phone calls to identify family needs and ensure that each child and family feels known and loved. Staff are also delivering supplies, including food and hygiene items, as they are safely able.
Home Visits Only: Staff and volunteers are able to visit children and their families in their homes. Many are delivering grocery packs and hygiene supplies as well as lesson packets. Their visits serve as a time of education and encouragement for the children.
Meeting in Small Groups: Children have been able to gather at the Compassion partner church in small groups with a tutor, staff member or volunteer. In these small groups, they receive lessons and get valuable social time with their friends and the center staff. Staff members continue to identify needs of the families they serve and distribute food and hygiene supplies where appropriate.
Normal Program Activities: The center has fully reopened and normal program activities have resumed. These centers have been deep cleaned and are implementing extra precautions — per local guidelines — such as social distancing and mask wearing to ensure children and staff stay safe and healthy.
Unable to Report Status: At this time, your child’s center has not been able to report its status. This could be for a variety of reasons, including poor internet connection. Please know that even if your child’s center status is unavailable, your child is being checked on by workers from the center. Partner staff are identifying needs and ensuring that families have access to hygiene supplies and food.

Has Compassion experienced deaths due to COVID-19?

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.

Is my Compassion child affected by the COVID-19 virus?

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.

How is Compassion protecting children from the virus?

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.

How are you using my sponsorship funds right now?

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.

Can I give to help protect children from COVID-19?

Can I still send letters to my child? Will I receive any back?

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.

Will my birthday or family gift get to my child?

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.