Sponsorship FAQs

How Does Sponsorship Work?

You select a child, living in either the village of Mairowa or Kondoa, who needs a sponsor. Photos of children are usually available at the time of selection. You may sponsor more than one child.

As a sponsor you agree to provide 35 dollars per month that will be used to transform the life your child and his or her family through better nutrition, health, education, Bible teaching, and meeting needs in their village. You also agree to send a letter or card to your child at least biannually and to pray for the child and their family regularly.
In Kondoa, your sponsorship will allow a child from a poor family to attend Kondoa Integrity School. Scottsdale Bible assisted several local pastors in building this Christian primary school. The school opened in 2005 in this 95 percent Muslim village. Students at KIS are taught English by Christian teachers from kindergarten through 7th grade.

In the very poor Maasai village of Mairowa, your sponsorship provides nutritious, high protein meals, medical and dental care, clothing, clean water from a 300 foot deep well, and weekly Bible teaching. It also provides help for families with school expenses, as needed. In 2008 Mairowa Integrity School opened and English is taught in all grades. As preschool sponsored children reach school age they are eligible for enrollment in kindergarten.

What is expected of me as a Sponsor?

• Prayer: The children and their communities have many needs. The Tanzania Sponsor Communications and Tanzania Prayer teams will provide regular, ongoing communication with sponsors, via email and the Scottsdale Bible website, regarding needs and blessings in the villages and in the lives of the children and their families so sponsors will know how to pray, specifically, for their child and the villages. Prayer calendars are also available quarterly to guide you in how to pray for the current needs of the children and the communities.
• Financial support: Regular, consistent financial support will help to ensure that the needs of sponsored children and their communities are met in an ongoing and timely manner. We do not provide monthly reminders for payment. We urge you to keep track of your contribution schedule. You may give monthly, quarterly, annually, or by direct withdrawal from your bank. We will send periodic reminders and annual financial reports.
• Communication: We encourage you to send letters, postcards and family photos sent to your sponsored child. These are taken to the children with our short term mission teams when they visit the villages throughout the year. The children and their families eagerly anticipate receiving communications from sponsors.

What do I write to my child?

Simple one page letters or bright colorful cards are perfect. When you communicate with your sponsored child consider their age, environment and culture. When you write please include your sponsored child’s full name, village and ID# so we can get your letter or card to your child.

Can I send my child a gift?

We discourage gifts sent to your child. Tanzanian culture is not as “materialistic” as ours. We do not want to “teach” our sponsored families that we are primarily sources of gifts. Also, in the African culture, children may not have the right to receive and keep a gift. The parents may sell the item or give it to another family member. The Imara mission staff is also concerned about problems that arise when some children receive gifts often and others none. We restrict gift giving to Christmas time, when gifts are sent to all sponsored families and to gifts given by sponsors when they visit sponsored children in their village.

Annual Christmas Offering

We provide you with an opportunity to give a Christmas gift to your sponsored child and their family at the annual Sponsor Appreciation Dinner held in October. The suggested amount is 25 dollars. This will be used to purchase gifts such as warm sweaters, blankets and food.

Can I visit my child?

Absolutely! We are delighted when sponsors wish to meet their sponsored child face to face. Several times each year Scottsdale Bible sends out short term mission teams to visit the children and encourage the teachers and staff at our schools. In November check the Scottsdale Bible website for the next year’s short term mission team dates.

How often can I expect updates on my child?

Each year you will receive a progress report as well as an updated photo of your sponsored child. At the Tanzania Annual Child Sponsors Dinner updates regarding the impact your financial contributions are making in each village will be shared. Our Finance department will send you a financial statement detailing your contributions annually that can be used for tax donation purposes.

Where does my money go?

The sponsorship program is administered entirely by Scottsdale Bible volunteers. This helps ensure that nearly all sponsorship donations are available to support programs that benefit these villages. A very small amount of your support is used to cover expenses to keep sponsors informed about the communities and sponsored children. In Tanzania, we work with Imara Foundation, a small Christian mission staffed primarily by Tanzanians. They oversee and administer the sponsorship, schools, Bible teaching, and community development programs in partnership with Christian pastors in both villages. Sponsorship funds provide salaries for the Imara African Christian staff to oversee and operate the sponsorship programs and support beneficial projects local pastors and Scottsdale Bible leaders have identified, such as emergency food for the village during this current drought crisis.

How long does Sponsorship last?

Quality accessible education in the country of Tanzania is not available to most children. Illiteracy is among the highest in the world. The goal of the sponsorship program is to provide support for sponsored children through completion of secondary or trade school. Sponsors have an opportunity to continue support for this period of time and see how God has worked through them and their faithfulness to change the life of a child. A minimum three year sponsorship commitment is preferred but not required. What happens if I have to stop my support? If you need to discontinue your support, we will immediately look for a new sponsor for your child and continue the child’s support, without interruption. If possible, please provide at least 60 days notice if you must discontinue your sponsorship to allow us time to find a replacement sponsor for your child.