What Happens to My Sponsored Child After They Graduate?

Through your faithful partnership with Compassion, you provide your sponsored children with a support system that is vital to their physical, emotional and spiritual growth. Sponsored children are not only uplifted by a Christ-centered community while they are under Compassion’s care, but they are also equipped to support themselves, maintain a relationship with Christ and thrive in their community, even after they’ve graduated from the Compassion program.

The thought of your sponsored child graduating from the program may seem daunting. It’s bittersweet that they are transitioning out of what has doubtlessly been such a powerful, encouraging season in their life. But there is also great hope and joy in the fact that they have been shown Christ’s love and equipped to thrive on their own after graduating from the program.

Graduating With Goals

The Compassion program is designed with goals to support and prepare sponsored children to flourish among their own families and communities. Some of the objectives that are set for each sponsored child to achieve are:

• Experience the love of Christ in their lives.
• Support themselves and share with others in need as part of their economic training.
• Be responsible members of their family, church, community and nation as part of their social training.
• Maintain their own physical well-being.

Each sponsored child works toward these goals during their time in the program. Center staff use various indicators to assure that each child is well-equipped to graduate, with the aim that each child:

• Has had the opportunity to learn from the Bible.
• Has improved health.
• Completes a primary education.
• Has strong relational skills.
• Learns and uses an income-generating skill.

Apart from general skills, each sponsored child is encouraged to set personal goals for themselves. Center staff help sponsored children create a plan and take practical steps to pursue these goals during their time in the program.

Graduating with hope

After graduating from the program, many sponsored children have stronger social skills and a higher level of education and have been equipped to financially support themselves. Compassion graduates have many newfound opportunities to seek further education, pursue rewarding careers and enrich the lives of their families and local communities.

After Aldo graduated from the program, he received a college scholarship from Compassion that helped him earn an international business degree. Aldo grew up in an isolated rural community that suffered from extreme poverty, and he never even dreamed that a college education would be an option for him.

“I was a poor boy from a cold, faraway, mountainous community. I look back, and I cannot believe I have made it this far!” Aldo shares.

Graduating with a legacy

Many Compassion graduates go on to partner with Compassion and serve at local centers and churches, creating lasting impact in their local communities and the next generation of sponsored children.

After graduating from the Compassion program, 25-year-old Jhoel was able to pursue his dream of attending culinary school. Compassion continued providing spiritual mentorship during his studies, and Jhoel now serves as a volunteer at his local center.

“The biggest contribution from the center in my life – aside from all of the support I received – is a spiritual legacy. It’s a treasure,” Jhoel shares.

Conclusion

Your sponsorship has a lasting impact in the life of your sponsored child and their community. Even after graduation, Compassion continues to provide community, spiritual mentorship and educational and career opportunities. We’re so grateful for your sponsorship and the powerful difference you are making in the life of your sponsored child and many generations of sponsored children to come.