The Salvation Army
Media Release

1000 Children on Child Sponsorship Books

Wellington, 03 August 2007 - The Salvation Army's overseas child sponsorship scheme has reached the major milestone of currently helping 1000 poor and disadvantaged children.

Cherish a Child Secretary Major Glenys Heese says that the programme has helped thousands of children since it began in New Zealand in 1991, but this is the first time 1000 children were being sponsored at one time. The 1000th child is seven-year-old Manilyn from the Philippines.

'Manilyn's dad is unemployed because of a serious work injury and her mum struggles to support the family, which includes four other children, by doing laundry and ironing work,' says Major Heese.

'The sponsorship is helping to keep Manilyn in school by paying her school fees and other education requirements.'

Major Heese says that countries with the highest number of children sponsored are Fiji, Tonga and Zambia. Individual and group sponsors come from all over New Zealand, with even a few from Australia. One individual is sponsoring 10 children.

'People make a commitment to sponsorship because they want to feel that they are doing something concrete to help children in need. They also form an attachment with their sponsored child, with many sending gifts and letters.

'Our sponsors have made and continue to make a real difference in the lives of poor and disadvantaged children in the Pacific, Africa, Asia and South America who often don't even have the basics of life.

'The scheme helps these children to reach their potential through support for practical things like clothing, accommodation, food and schooling. The kindness and generosity of sponsors helps these children develop into healthy, happy and fulfilled young people.

'The scheme currently has 740 sponsors, so our next goal is to reach 1000 active sponsors.'

Cherish a Child sponsors undertake to donate $25 a month for at least a year. The money is then sent to Salvation Army personnel in the child's country, who use it towards the care of the child. Sponsors receive news about the child's development and can also correspond with them via The Salvation Army.

ENDS

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