Sponsor a Child: new microsite

SOS Children have today launched a new UK child sponsorship microsite to encourage more people in Britain to sponsor a child. On a per capita analysis Britain has well over half a million "missing child sponsors" compared to other countries in Europe and the Commonwealth. SOS Children include on the microsite explanation about different child sponsorship charities in the UK and where the money goes. In an unusual move SOS Children lists and links to the sites of its main competitors to give people the best possible chance of finding a charity to suit them. The site also highlights the wide range of different countries where sponsorship is available (over 100 in total and 44 child sponsorship countries in Africa from SOS Children alone) and the importance of the income from sponsorship for children in real need.

Rapid growth in sponsorships

In very hard times people tend to remember those even less fortunate and SOS Children grew our child sponsorship income by another 26% in 2009 despite the credit crunch. We continue to enjoy rapid "word of mouse" growth without needing cold mail, cold calling, TV adverts or much print advertising. Thanks are due to everyone who links to us, emails about us and sponsors a child. The number of children really needing help however is still far greater than money allows.

The potential of the UK market is massive and the reason why so few people in Britain want to help deprived children is a mystery. There is a real opportunity to transform the lives of children in the third world if "one would tell another and she would tell her friends".

"We would obviously prefer it if people sponsored through us" said Andrew Cates, SOS UK CEO "but if we don't suit them then we would rather they helped through another charity than not at all, which is why we list and link to other main UK charities offering sponsorship"