Sponsor a child in Ethiopia

Your sponsorship will help bring clean water, education, nutritious food and hope to a child and their community.

Meet Yoftaha

WAITING 1485 DAYS FOR A SPONSOR LIKE YOU

Watch my video

Hi, I'm Yoftaha. I am a 8-year-old boy and live in Ethiopia. My birthday is 06 February 2018.

I like
playing hide and seek
I help
Picks up papers
My education
Primary

I like
playing hide and seek
I help
Picks up papers
My education
Primary

Other children to sponsor:

£30 / MONTHLY

Donations over £30 will help wherever it\'s needed the most.
£34 / MONTHLY

Donations over £30 will help wherever it\'s needed the most.
£50 / MONTHLY

Donations over £30 will help wherever it\'s needed the most.

Donations over £30 will help wherever it's needed the most.

£30 / Monthly

Why children in Ethiopia need support Lemo Project, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country of many contrasts, from vast fertile lands to jungles and rivers. Despite its beauty, it is one of the world’s poorest countries.

In Lemo, children are at risk of all kinds of challenges. Parents often don’t understand why common practices such as child marriage or child labour are harmful to children. Food can be scarce due to natural events impacting crops, and children often have to walk long distances to fetch dirty water for drinking. This makes them ill and miss school.

Keab is one of our team helping children in Ethiopia

87%

Without safe, clean water

UK: <1%

37%

Affected by stunted growth

UK: <1%

40%

Affected by child marriage

UK: <1%

Keab, a World Vision Ethiopia team member

Source: WHO/UNICEF JMP, Joint Malnutrition Estimates, UNICEF Child Marriage

How sponsorship works in Ethiopia

Child Sponsorship isn’t about handouts. It’s about empowering children, families, and communities with the tools they need to thrive. With your support, children like Yoftaha can access clean water, nutritious food, education, and the opportunity to shape their own future. Because poverty isn’t inevitable. Together, we can help children grow up safe, healthy, and full of hope.

Your monthly donation will help provide:

Access to clean water and safe sanitation
Education that opens opportunities
Better nutrition for growing children
Health support for children and families
Safer environments and stronger child protection

Lemo Project

Ethiopia

My greeting video

What will you get when you sponsor a child from £30 a month?

Sponsoring a child in Ethiopia gives you the opportunity to build a meaningful connection with your sponsored child. Through letters, photos, and regular updates, you can follow their journey over time.

You’ll also see how your support contributes to real, positive change within their community - from improved access to essentials to new opportunities for the future.

Here's what you can expect during your sponsorship.

Sponsors looking at My Child Sponsorship on a computer and mobile phone

My Sponsorship account

This week, you’ll get access to your online My Sponsorship account, where you can explore updates, photos, and videos from your sponsored child and their community. You can start connecting in a way that feels right for you, whether that’s sending a message, sharing a photo, or simply learning more about their everyday life.

A child in Uganda using a mobile phone to take photos and video of their community

Welcome video and intro to community

Within your first week, you’ll receive a video introducing your sponsored child’s community. It will offer a glimpse into their daily life, surroundings, and the wider context your support contributes to.

Welcome pack

Within two weeks, your welcome pack will arrive. It will include a photo of your sponsored child and everything you need to get started, along with a postcard to help you send your first message.

A young girl in Zambia writing a letter to het sponsors

Letters and drawings

Within the first 12 weeks, you’ll receive your first letter from your sponsored child, a special moment that brings your connection to life. You can reply anytime, online or by post, with messages translated and shared.

Young girl in Nepal, looking at her birthday card from her sponsor

Project updates from the community

Once a year, you’ll receive an update from your sponsored child’s community, helping you understand the progress being made and the role your support plays over time.

Two children being shown their photos by a World Vision staff member in Peruographs on a camera

Photos of the child

You’ll receive an annual photo update, so you can see how your sponsored child is growing and changing as time goes on.

Opportunity to send a birthday card

Each year, you’ll have the opportunity to send a birthday message. This is a simple, meaningful way to celebrate your sponsored child and stay connected.

The impact of Child Sponsorship in Ethiopia

Before World Vision partnered with her community in Ethiopia, 12-year-old Emabet often missed school because her family struggled to grow enough food.

"I remember missing half of my classes each day to go in search of food," says Emabet. "The situation was dire, and education seemed like a distant dream for many of us."

Through the support of child sponsors, families in Emabet's community received agricultural training and support to grow a wider range of crops, including papaya, mango, avocado and guava.

Today, her parents can earn a reliable income from the food they grow, giving their family greater stability and security.

"My parents can now provide for all our needs, including those of my siblings and myself," says Emabet.

With enough food to eat and the supplies she needs for school, Emabet no longer has to choose between learning and survival. Instead, she can focus on her education and look forward to a brighter future.

Emabet with her mother, Tsehay, and brother, Hirnan — Emabet (right) with her mother, Tsehay, and brother, Hirnan

Why sponsor a child in Ethiopia with World Vision?

Every child sponsored

means four more benefit from our community-wide approach.

75 years of experience

Join a trusted global Christian charity with decades of experience

Nearly 100 countries

Be part of a global movement supporting children worldwide

Community-led change

Be part of change shaped by communities themselves

FAQs

You can select one of the children above to sponsor a child in Ethiopia, or visit our main Sponsor a Child page to choose from another country.

Alternatively, give our Supporter Care team a call on 01908 84 10 10 for help finding a child to sponsor.
Sponsoring a child in Ethiopia costs from £30 a month - that’s less than £1 a day. Because our sponsorship model is community-led, a small donation makes a big impact. Your support extends beyond one child and will help transform a whole community.

What does your money achieve?

• Clean water systems are built and maintained.

• Schools are equipped and teachers trained.

• Clinics are stocked and health workers supported.

• Families learn new skills to earn a stable income.

By strengthening the whole community, children are more likely to thrive – and stay thriving – even after sponsorship ends. It’s a smart, sustainable way to help.
The donation you give doesn't go directly to your sponsored child or family.

For maximum impact and efficiency, your monthly donations are combined with those of other sponsors to ensure consistent support for your sponsored child and their community, as well as other sponsorship communities around the world. This means your donations go much further.
All of World Vision's work begins with listening to communities.We work with community representatives to identify the local areas where the needs are greatest and the community then chooses children from those areas for sponsorship.

Sponsored children are chosen from the most vulnerable families and being sponsored often gives them increased visibility and importance in the community.

Participation in all World Vision programmes is voluntary, and sponsored children and their families choose to be a part of the programme. We always respect the rights of families to make decisions about this.

Your sponsored child, along with other children in their community, benefits from the changes made possible by your donations.
If your circumstances change and you need to stop sponsoring a child, you can do so at any time. If you are thinking about cancelling your sponsorship, please get in touch with us, as there may be other ways in which you can continue your support. The child you sponsor will continue to benefit from the changes in their community and we will do our best to find a new sponsor for them.

More FAQs