Sponsorship FAQs
What will I get as a sponsor?
Within two weeks, you should receive a Welcome Kit that includes photos of your sponsored child, information about his/her family and community, and details on how your sponsored child will benefit from sponsorship. Plus: Regular statements from Friendship Society Nepal with helpful points on how to get the most out of your child sponsorship.
In the following couple of months, you should receive a letter directly from your sponsored child introducing him or herself and her family (we will translate their letter into English for you and both copies will be sent to you. If your sponsored child knows English then he/she can send it directly to you.) Annual ""report cards"" on your sponsored child's well-being and education will be sent along.
How are the children chosen for sponsorship?
First, we make a short-list of children based on their needs, i.e. their affordability of quality education. The children then have to sit through a number of exams to establish their academic eligibility (merit-based) as well as commitment and dedication to get enrolled in Bhairabi School. We make final selections based on these criteria and engage in matching the children to perspective sponsors.
How is my sponsored child benefiting from my monthly contribution?
Your monthly contribution provides school fees, uniforms, pens, pencils, books, basic health care and quality English-medium teachers.
Am I the only sponsor for my child?
Yes - Friendship Society Nepal assigns only one sponsor per child.
Can I send packages to my sponsored child?
We understand your desire to send packages to your sponsored child. However, Friendship Society Nepal has a policy not to accept packages for the following reasons:
- Complexity of foreign postal regulations
- High duty charges in Nepal
- Slow delivery
- Possibility of loss, theft or damage
- Difficulty getting packages to children in isolated locations
- Possibility of tension created in the community by one family receiving numerous gifts
Can I send money directly to my sponsored child?
Friendship Society Nepal requests that monetary gifts not be sent to your sponsored child because of the difficulty in monitoring proper use of the money. Our field offices are not equipped to handle funds sent to the children or their families directly from sponsors, and subsequently to issue receipts.
Moreover, it is often difficult for other families in the community to understand why a child or the family receives money from the sponsor. This can cause jealousy and divisiveness in the community. Also, the Nepalese postal system is not very well known for reliability and there is no guarantee that the monetary gifts will reach the beneficiaries.
How do I write to my sponsored child?
You may send cards and letters to your sponsored child at the field office address located on your child's picture folder. This enables our staff there to keep needed correspondence records and also protects your address from falling into the hands of impostors. The letters you send will usually reach your child within a few weeks. Your letters will be given to the child to keep. We will translate your letter for the child if they don't understand English. Letters sent to you by your child takes longer to reach. Many children receive assistance in corresponding. The handful of project workers and staff members will supervise the children writing to their sponsors.
We hope this will help you understand why communication between you and your sponsored child may require some patience. If you do not receive a reply from your child within approximately two months after you have written, please let us know. We will then check with the field office for you.
Can I visit my sponsored child?
Meeting your sponsored child face to face can be an exciting and moving event for both of you. If you ever wish to do so, we're here to help you. Be sure to contact us at least three months in advance; you can contact us via e-mail or by calling our staff.
When will my sponsored child no longer need assistance?
There is no set age limit for children in our sponsorship program. A child may be in his or her late teens but still need to continue attending school or attend college. As long as a sponsored child is in a project associated with Friendship Society Nepal, he or she continues receiving assistance.
We will notify you when your sponsored child is able to work and earn a living. At that time, we will offer the opportunity for you to sponsor another child.
How long is a child in the sponsorship program?
The length of sponsorship is different for each child as sponsorship is affected by many factors: the child's age when sponsorship begins, the family and community's circumstances, progress in the sponsorship project and so on. One of the most satisfying experiences of sponsorship is watching your child and his or her family become healthy and self-reliant. That's the moment when you can take the hand of another child who needs your help. Many sponsors have helped change the life of one child after another. As many sponsors tell us, ""Once you sponsor, you'll never want to stop!""
Gift FAQs
Can I contribute by credit card?
Yes, you can make child sponsorship contributions via credit card. Unfortunately we don't have electronic facilities but we are able to email you a copy of the form which you can return via fax. (Check with your bank on the depositing fees; you may want to send a year's amount if the bank fees are expensive.)
Are there other donation options?
You could set up a monthly electronic contribution from your bank account to ours. Please contact us for further details.
Can I send more than one month's amount toward my sponsorship support?
Your pledge gift may be prepaid quarterly or annually; whichever is most convenient for you. When you send gifts for more than one month, it saves you time and postage.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Friendship Society Nepal is a registered non-profit organization in Nepal, but we are not an international NGO to be approved the tax deductible certificate.
Will I receive a receipt for my donation?
Anyone who makes a donation will receive a receipt upon contribution along with a follow-up letter and an acknowledgment letter.
Can I donate my old computer, clothes, books, etc.?
While we appreciate your generosity, shipping and importation costs prohibit us from efficiently utilizing your donation. Our resources are better spent purchasing goods in Nepal, which contributes to the local economy and provides our students here with large quantities (and quality) of current materials.
