Program areas at Compassion International Incorporated
Child Development ProgramsThe child development programs represent costs to assist over 2.1 million and 1.92 million children in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Child development is a lifetime investment. It changes as a child's needs change. It is personal, individualized and relational work that is tailored to the age, gender, health, culture and family situation of each child Compassion serves. Through our child development programs, Compassion equips children with the skills they need to overcome poverty and lead successful, fulfilling lives.Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program (CDSP) pairs compassionate people with children suffering from poverty in the developing world. Through monthly financial support, prayer and letter writing, sponsors invest directly in the lives of children living in extreme poverty. Sponsors provide words of hope and encouragement through personal letters and notes that remind children of their full potential and help them to defeat poverty and pursue their dreams. Compassion processed nearly 9 million letters between sponsors and their children in 2019. Additionally, sponsors and donors have access to a centralized communication center to obtain support and information regarding their sponsorship relationship. Compassion does all of our work through partnerships with thousands of local churches around the world. Local churches are best suited to address the needs of children in their communities, and tailor our holistic child development model to the contextualized need of those children. The children attend church-based child development centers where they receive nurturing care and protection, as well as life-changing opportunities that would otherwise be out of their reach to include, but not limited to: education, medical, meals, curriculum, spiritual development, HIV/AIDS care and education, and bibles. All Compassion-registered children have the opportunity to develop their potential and be released from the generational cycle of poverty.Compassion's Child Survival Program (CSP) is an early childhood initiative that focuses on promoting development and survival of the most vulnerable babies, while also providing education and support for mothers and/or primary caregivers. CSP is implemented through four strategies: home-based care, group-based learning centers, advocacy, and church-based child development centers.Compassion's Youth Development Program (YDP) equips youth ages 12 and older with customized training and educational paths according to their own unique potential, talents and purpose. Through the provision of YDP, students may receive assistance with formal education needs, non-formal education opportunities and income generation training.Compassion deploys Complementary Interventions (CIV) to remove significant obstacles to holistic child development and improved effectiveness in its programs of CDSP, CSP and YDP. These interventions include, but not limited to: infrastructure, safe water, sanitation and hygiene solutions, parent and non-formal education, and disaster relief.