Children's welfare
Orphan care
Keep orphaned children with family, fed, in school and looked after.
Illustrative photo: Oyemike Princewill / Unsplash
Objective for the 2026 funding round
Keep 250 orphaned children living safely with relatives, fed and in school, and make their households self-reliant within three years so support can move on to the next family.
Who it reaches: Children who have lost one or both parents, and the grandmothers, aunts and older siblings raising them.
Target$60,246
Funding for this cause closes in
From $70: two months of food for one child living with a relative.
The need
When parents die of AIDS, malaria or accidents, children usually go to a grandmother or an aunt who is already stretched. Without help, older children leave school to work and younger ones go hungry. Institutional orphanages are rarely the answer; supported families are.
Why give to this cause
- A grandmother raising four grandchildren on a small farm cannot cover food and school costs alone; a modest, steady gift closes that gap.
- Support goes to the family, not an orphanage, which is what child-welfare experts recommend for children's long-term wellbeing.
- Caseworkers visit every household monthly, so your gift reaches the child it was meant for and problems are caught early.
What your gift does
- $70two months of food for one child living with a relative
- $90school uniform, shoes and a year of supplies
- $400a year of caseworker visits, food and school costs for one child
Where your donation goes
The planned budget for this cause. Every quarter, the field report shows what was actually spent against each line.
- Monthly food packagesMaize flour, beans, oil and fortified porridge delivered to each household and signed for.38%$34 of $90
- School costsFees, uniforms, shoes, books and exam registration.24%$22 of $90
- CaseworkersLocal caseworkers who visit every household monthly and follow up on health and safety.20%$18 of $90
- Savings groups for guardiansTraining and starter capital so households can stand on their own.10%$9 of $90
- Monitoring and reportingIndependent checks, data collection and your quarterly field report.8%$7 of $90
How we do it
- 1
Local caseworkers identify children who have lost one or both parents, with village leaders and schools.
- 2
Each child's guardian gets a monthly food and school package, delivered and signed for.
- 3
Caseworkers visit every household monthly to check health, schooling and safety.
- 4
Guardians join savings groups so the household can stand on its own within three years.
The impact your gift will have
- Children grow up in their own families and villages instead of institutions, keeping their language, land and relatives.
- Older children stay in school rather than leaving to earn, so they finish with the qualifications that lead to work.
- Guardians build savings and income, so within three years the household can carry on without outside help.
What we measure and report
Targets for the 2026 funding round. Results against each one are published in the quarterly field report sent to every donor to this cause.
| Measure | Target |
|---|---|
| Children supported in family care | 250 |
| School attendance of supported children | 90%+ |
| Households visited every month | 100% |
| Guardians in savings groups | 80% |
Join in the cause today
Make an impactful change in Africa.
Donate to orphan careFund orphan care
Your gift goes to this programme. You'll get an email receipt now and the field report every quarter.
Funding for this cause closes in
Choose an amount
- $70two months of food for one child living with a relative
- $90school uniform, shoes and a year of supplies
- $400a year of caseworker visits, food and school costs for one child
Gifts start at $50. Choose your own amount on the next page.
More children's welfare causes
Children's welfareKeep children in school
Fees, uniforms and supplies for children about to drop out.
$50 exercise books, pens and school bags for two pupils.
Target$45,203
Donate
Children's welfareSchool meals
A hot lunch that brings children to class and helps them learn.
$75 a term of school lunches for one child.
Target$73,551
Donate
Children's welfareChild sponsorship
Monthly support for one child's schooling, health and meals, with updates.
$78 two months of sponsorship.
Target$133,616
DonateQuestions donors ask
How can I sponsor a child in Africa from the United States?
Choose Child sponsorship and give online in US dollars. Your support covers one child's schooling, health checks and meals, and you receive regular updates on their progress. Choose a cause, enter your amount in US dollars and pay securely by Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay or cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and 100+ coins). You get an email receipt straight away and a field report every quarter.
What is the best way to help orphans in Africa?
Supporting orphaned children within their own families, rather than in orphanages, is what child-welfare experts recommend. Our orphan care programme gives guardians food and school support and sends caseworkers to visit every household monthly.
How much does it cost to feed a child at school in Africa?
School meals cost very little per child. The School meals cause shows exactly what each gift buys, such as a term of hot lunches for a pupil, and we report the number of meals served.