2025 International Orphan Sponsorship Programme
Sansaar Care has supported a number of orphaned children through the International Orphan Sponsorship Programme delivered by Islamic Relief Worldwide.
Delivery Partner: Islamic Relief Worldwide
Status of Activity: Annual Report Update
The programme provides direct financial assistance to guardians responsible for the care of orphaned children in regions affected by poverty, conflict and humanitarian crisis.
The sponsorship support contributes towards the child’s essential needs including food, clothing, healthcare, education and basic household costs. The aim of the programme is to help ensure that vulnerable children who have lost one or both parents are able to live in safer and more stable conditions while maintaining access to education and basic services wherever possible.
The children supported through this programme currently live in areas including Gaza, Sudan and Yemen, where families are facing extremely difficult humanitarian circumstances. Annual reports provided through the programme document the child’s living conditions, education status, health and general wellbeing.
2. Identified Need and Context
The orphan sponsorship programme supports children living in regions where conflict, poverty and displacement have created severe challenges for families.
Several of the children supported by Sansaar Care are currently living in Gaza where homes have been destroyed during the conflict and many families have been forced to relocate to temporary shelters or tents. In many cases there is limited access to electricity, clean water, sanitation facilities and medical care.
For example, one of the sponsored children currently lives in a temporary shelter with siblings after their home was destroyed during the conflict, and the family relies heavily on humanitarian support to meet their basic needs.
Other children supported through the programme live in Sudan where ongoing conflict has forced families to flee their homes and disrupted education for many children due to school closures and displacement.
In Yemen, economic hardship and long-term instability mean that many families struggle to meet basic living costs and rely on charitable support to provide food, clothing and school supplies for their children.
Orphaned children are particularly vulnerable in these environments due to the loss of a parent and the increased financial pressure placed on the remaining caregivers.
3. Beneficiaries and Public Benefit
The beneficiaries of this programme are orphaned children who have lost one or both parents and whose families face financial hardship and unstable living conditions.
The sponsorship programme provides clear public benefit by helping to ensure that these children are able to access basic necessities including food, clothing, healthcare and education support.
In many cases the sponsorship payments provide an essential source of income for families caring for the children. This support helps stabilise living conditions and reduces the risk of children experiencing severe poverty, malnutrition or loss of access to education.
The programme therefore contributes directly to improving the welfare, wellbeing and development opportunities of vulnerable children living in areas experiencing humanitarian crises.
4. Support Delivered
The sponsorship support is delivered through Islamic Relief’s established orphan care programme.
The support typically includes:
- Regular financial assistance provided to the child’s guardian
- Support towards food and household essentials
- Contributions towards clothing and daily living costs
- Educational support including school materials and attendance
- Access to healthcare and medical assistance where required
The programme also provides monitoring and reporting on the child’s circumstances to ensure that the support continues to meet the needs of the beneficiaries.
For many families living in areas affected by conflict, the sponsorship support represents a vital contribution to their ability to meet basic daily needs.
5. Outcomes and Impact
The programme has had a positive impact on the welfare of the supported children and their families.
The sponsorship support has helped families meet essential living costs during periods of severe hardship and instability. In many cases families have indicated that the sponsorship payments provide their only reliable source of income.
The support also helps children maintain connections with education where possible and provides families with the financial means to purchase essential items such as food, clothing and school supplies.
The programme therefore contributes to improving the stability, wellbeing and future prospects of children living in extremely challenging circumstances.
6. Risk, Safeguarding and Governance Considerations
The programme is delivered through Islamic Relief Worldwide, an established international humanitarian organisation with experience in delivering child welfare programmes.
The organisation maintains safeguarding procedures and monitoring processes to ensure that children supported through the programme are properly assessed and that funds are distributed appropriately to guardians responsible for their care.
Annual progress reports are produced for each sponsored child and provide information on living conditions, health, education and general wellbeing. These reports enable ongoing monitoring of the programme and help ensure that support continues to benefit the intended recipients.
7. Learning and Future Application
This programme has demonstrated the importance of sustained support for vulnerable children living in conflict-affected regions.
The experience has reinforced the value of working with established humanitarian partners who have the local presence and infrastructure required to deliver support safely and effectively.
Sansaar Care intends to continue supporting vulnerable children through programmes of this nature as part of its wider charitable activities aimed at improving the lives of children experiencing poverty, conflict and humanitarian crisis.
Summary Table – Sponsored Children
Child Name: Hassan Mohammed Ali Salem
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG341478
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Hassan is a tenth-grade boy who had to stop his education because he does not have the internet required for online learning, even though he loves studying and cares deeply about his future. He enjoys good health, but his days leave no space for rest or play. Instead, he carries burdens beyond his age. Each day he fetches water, helps his mother with housework, charges phones and batteries, gathers firewood, and collects food from the charity kitchen. These tasks repeat endlessly, consuming his time and energy. Hassan lives with his mother and four siblings in very harsh conditions. Their home in Beit Hanoun was completely destroyed, forcing them to flee and settle in a fragile tent in Al Ansar area of Gaza. The tent provides no real protection from the cold or the heat, and it lacks the most basic necessities of life. The family is in urgent need of a stronger tent or rent support, blankets, mattresses, clothing, kitchen utensils, cooking gas, food parcels with flour, hygiene parcels, a battery with small lights for electricity, and a water tank for daily use. Their economic situation is extremely dire. They have no source of income and survive only on small sponsorships and the kindness of generous people, which is far from enough to cover their needs. Prices are very high, flour and essentials are scarce, and they cannot afford to buy even the basics. At the end, Hassan’s mother expresses her deepest gratitude to the kind sponsor who stood by them in this painful time. She says that the sponsorship brought back hope and helped ease some of the burdens they face each day.
Child Name: Yousef
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG341703
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Yousef, a ninth-grade boy, was deprived of his right to education due to the harsh circumstances of war that turned his life upside down. Despite his young age, Yousef is the eldest in his family, which placed on him heavy responsibilities during displacement. He carries out difficult daily tasks to help his mother and siblings secure the bare minimum for survival. He is in good health, has a strong and ambitious personality, loves playing football, and dreams of becoming a doctor to help people and ease their pain.
His most urgent needs include suitable clothing, healthy food, daily and educational expenses, as well as a tablet to help him return to school and continue his education.
The family of five lives under extremely harsh humanitarian conditions. They are from Jabalia and lost their home completely after it was destroyed in the bombing. They were forced to flee to a tent in western Gaza near the port, where they live in temporary shelter lacking even the most basic requirements for a dignified life, especially in the intense summer heat and without privacy.
The family needs a proper tent or rent support, along with blankets, mattresses, clothing for all members, kitchen utensils, cooking gas, food parcels, especially flour, hygiene kits, a battery and LED lights for illumination, and a water tank for daily use.
Their economic situation is extremely poor, with no source of income at all. They rely solely on small sponsorships and some charitable aid, which only covers a small portion of their needs amid soaring prices and scarce resources. Like many families in Gaza, they now depend mainly on the food provided by the community kitchen, particularly lunch, which is often the only meal of the day.
Despite all this hardship, the family expressed deep gratitude to their generous sponsor, whose support has greatly eased part of their burden and provided for some of the children’s needs.
Child Name: Nour
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG341797
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Child Name Nour is a 16-year-old girl who, despite the hardships she has endured, is in good health along with her siblings. During the war, she suffered a severe injury that left her with a broken pelvis, forcing her to remain in the hospital for three months. Thankfully, she has now recovered. Nour lost both of her parents within a short time. Her mother, who had been her guardian after her father’s passing, also died during the war. Since the hospital that issued death certificates was destroyed, the siblings have not yet been able to complete the legal process of transferring guardianship. The family now lives without a guardian and struggles to survive with no fixed income, relying only on humanitarian aid and sponsorship. Nour is in the eleventh grade and maintains very good academic performance despite all challenges. She dreams of becoming a teacher one day. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and reading, finding in them both comfort and hope.
After their home was completely destroyed, Nour and her three siblings moved into a makeshift tent made of tarpaulin near their married sister’s place. The living conditions are extremely difficult, with very limited resources. The family is in urgent need of bedding, blankets, clothes, kitchen utensils, hygiene supplies, and food parcels. Nour in particular is in desperate need of clothing and school supplies, as she lost everything when their home was demolished.
To ease her sister’s burden, Nour helps with household chores such as cleaning, cooking, and laundry. Despite her young age, she carries responsibilities far beyond her years. Her sister, who now cares for her, expressed deep gratitude to the generous sponsor. She confirmed that the sponsorship is their only source of income and support after the loss of both parents. With heartfelt words, she thanked the sponsor and prayed for the continuation of this kindness, which has helped them survive in the absence of any other provider.
Child Name: Hamza
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG341802
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Hamza, the brave heart, is a 17-year-old boy who enjoys good health along with his siblings. He lives with two brothers and a sister after losing both parents during the war. Their father, who had no fixed income, passed away first, and a year later their mother, who was their guardian, also died. Since the hospital that issued death certificates was destroyed, they have not been able to complete the legal process of transferring guardianship, leaving the children without an official guardian.
Due to the ongoing war, repeated displacement, and lack of stability, Hamza is not enrolled in school, although he was supposed to be in his final year of high school. He had been a very good student and still dreams of becoming an engineer in the future. In his free time, he enjoys playing football, swimming, and computer games, small joys that give him relief from the heavy burdens he carries.
Hamza and his siblings now live in a makeshift tent made of tarpaulin near their married sister’s home after their own house was completely destroyed. The family faces severe shortages of basic needs. They are in urgent need of bedding, blankets, clothing, kitchen utensils, hygiene supplies, and food parcels. Hamza in particular is in desperate need of clothes, as he lost everything when their house was demolished.
Despite his young age, Hamza helps his siblings with daily tasks such as shopping and carrying water, showing maturity beyond his years. His sister, who now looks after him, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the generous sponsor.
Child Name: Eilan
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG342373
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Eilan is a 14-year-old girl in good health, as is her family. However, since her father’s passing and the onset of war, she has become more anxious and sometimes reacts with anger toward her siblings. The war has placed heavy emotional and psychological pressure on her young shoulders. Eilan lives with her mother, brother, and sister. Her father, who used to work as a blacksmith with no steady income, was killed during the war.
The family now relies entirely on humanitarian aid and the kind sponsorship they receive. Due to the repeated displacement, lack of security, and the harsh conditions they face, Eilan is no longer attending school. She should be in the ninth grade and had shown excellent academic performance. She dreams of becoming a doctor one day.
In her free time, Eilan enjoys reading, writing stories, and reciting chants. She lives with her family in a tent made from tarpaulin beside her mother’s relatives. They are unsure whether their original home still stands or has been completely destroyed.
The family is in urgent need of bedding, blankets, clothing, kitchen tools, and hygiene and food parcels. Eilan herself is in desperate need of clothes and a few simple things to bring comfort after losing everything. She also helps her mother with cleaning, cooking, and laundry, showing how deeply she cares for her family.
Her mother confirmed that she has received the sponsorship and expressed heartfelt thanks to the sponsor for supporting her daughter. She hopes it will continue, as it is the only source of income they depend on during these incredibly difficult times.
Child Name: Raghad
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG342721
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Child Name Raghad, whose name means softness, peace, and a life of ease, wishes she could live up to that name, especially now. At nearly 16 years old, she has experienced unimaginable hardship due to the war in Gaza. Her father was killed in the war, and with his death, Raghad lost her source of safety, strength, and support.
Her family of four was displaced from their home in Beit Lahia, which was completely destroyed. They couldn’t recover any personal belongings, and frequent displacement made it difficult and costly to move. Eventually, they settled in a makeshift wooden shelter covered with tarps in Al-Nasr neighborhood in western Gaza.
Life there is far from easy. Raghad and her siblings rush to fill bottles with drinking water whenever trucks pass by, or they wait in long lines under the harsh sun. She and her mother go to the market with whatever little money they have to buy a few canned items or a bag of pasta. Some days, they have no food at all, and her younger siblings cry from hunger.
Occasionally, Raghad visits local soup kitchens to collect food. She and her mother cook using small amounts of firewood, which has become very expensive. There’s almost no flour available, and most foods have disappeared from the market entirely. Despite these challenges, Raghad tries hard to keep up with her education. She’s now in 10th grade and studies online using her mother’s phone, as she doesn’t have her own device.
In her free time, Raghad enjoys writing poetry and has a passion for cooking. She urgently needs a tablet for school, clothes, healthy food, and dental care. Her mother also suffers from a slipped disc and requires ongoing treatment, which the family cannot afford.
The mother confirmed that she received the sponsorship and thanks the sponsor for sponsoring her daughter and hopes that it will continue.
Child Name: Harb
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG343467
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Child Name This family is made up of a mother and her two sons. They once lived in their home in an area of Beit Lahia, one of the most heavily bombed and destroyed regions. As the attacks intensified, the family was forced to flee south, seeking shelter in overcrowded displacement camps. There, they faced a life stripped of dignity, lacking even the most basic necessities, enduring daily hardships under dire living conditions.
After a period of displacement, they tried returning to Gaza, hoping to reclaim a part of the life they lost. But what they found was heartbreaking, only the remains of their home stood, crumbling walls and a roof barely shielding them from the weather. Their return was short-lived, as war once again followed them. The mother had to flee again with her children, this time to a shelter center in western Gaza, beginning yet another painful chapter.
The mother, who is divorced, had only recently taken back custody of the children after their father’s passing. Now, she bears full responsibility in a world where survival has become a daily struggle. Life in displacement is no longer temporary for this family , it has become a harsh reality filled with long waits just for a few liters of water or a modest meal from the charity kitchen, if available.
The children have been stripped of their childhood. They are not in school, and their days are consumed by survival. Little Harb, who once loved playing football and running around with toys, now counts water jugs and bundles of firewood, helping his mother cook as best they can. Their tent is not in a school zone or proper shelter, but pitched on a street meant for vehicles, not human life. In Gaza, even the meaning of “home” has changed.
The family expresses deep gratitude to the kind sponsor who has shown them care and compassion in such an inhumane time. Your support brings comfort where there is none, and hope where everything else has been lost.
Child Name: Maria
Sponsorship Reference: APR PAG344093
Country: Gaza (Palestine)
Child Name Maria is a 15-year-old girl living with her mother, brother, and two sisters in a heavily damaged house that has become unsafe to live in. However, with no other shelter available, the family has no choice but to remain there. Maria is a ninth-grade student who studies in a makeshift classroom tent near their home. She is known for her diligence and excellent academic performance, although the hardships of war have caused her grades to drop slightly from excellent to very good. She has a deep love for drawing and dreams of studying design at university. At home, she supports her mother by helping with cleaning and organizing.
The family is generally in good health, except for her sister Rima, who suffers from chronic asthma and requires regular inhalers and medication. They are enduring very difficult conditions, as food is scarce due to the ongoing blockade and closure of crossings, and basic groceries are no longer available in the markets. Even water has become a burden—they are forced to carry it long distances in buckets and containers. The family urgently needs home repairs, plastic sheets to shield against the weather, financial aid, and food and hygiene parcels. Maria, in particular, needs clothes and school supplies to continue her education. Her mother expressed heartfelt thanks to the generous sponsor for standing by them in this time of hardship, praying that God blesses his livelihood and protects him always.
Child Name: Awad
Sponsorship Reference: APR SUD2248842
Country: Sudan
Child Name Awad from Sudan was among 3,026 orphans supported by our Orphan Sponsorship Programme this year. The program provides a regular stipend to families for children’s education, medical, and other needs. Awad lives with the extended family in their own house in good condition. His mother does not work they depend on charitable assistance. He is supposed to complete class three at secondary school but due to the war in Sudan all necessities of life stopped and most of the people moved to secure area seeking stability and safety. The family moved as refugees. The family is thankful sponsor for the kind support and help.
Child Name: Hassan
Sponsorship Reference: APR SUD285327
Country: Sudan
Hassan is supported by our orphan sponsorship Program, which provides a regular stipend to families for children's education, medical, and other needs.
Hassan was studying in primary school when the fighting started in Khartoum last year, and due to the war that is currently ongoing in Sudan, all education facilities in Khartoum were closed.
The war in Sudan has resulted in a significant number of refugees and displaced people seeking safety and stability.
Hassan and his family thank his sponsor for their kind help and support.
Child Name: Fou'ad
Sponsorship Reference: APR YEM295519
Country: Yemen
Child Name Fou’ad is a kind boy. Fou'ad is a student in the same public school, and he is repeating grade seven. The mother paid around 3$ for the annual school fees and around 30$ to provide the orphan’s educational needs such as uniform, stationaries and his daily expenses. Fou’ad goes to school early in the morning and he comes back at 13:30pm. “most of my children has dropped out the school due to poverty and I hope Fou’ad will not be the same” the mother said. After school, Fou’ad enjoys playing football or local games with his friends in the neighborhood. He also, helps his mother by going to the shop and buying the daily necessities. Before, this sponsorship, the orphan’s mother faced some difficulties of having some money. So, she totally depends on the sponsorship fund. “Now, when I withdraw the money of the sponsorship, I go ahead to the market to buy the most important items of the kitchen supplies such as rice, sugar, oil and flour” the mother said. “Since I do have a big family, I do bake the bread at home rather than buy it from the bakery “she added. Also, the mother used the money of the sponsorship to buy new clothes for her children in Al Eid which make them so happy and joyful. In additional of that, the only occasion for the family to eat the meat is when they received it from Islamic Relief during Eid Al Adha meat distribution and they get benefited under Qurbani project.
During the visit, the mother expressed her thanks to the donor for being beside her family during these hard days. She prayed for the donor, asking Allah to bless his life and increase his wealth.
