Become a child sponsor today!

The Toybox Child Sponsorship Ambassador Scheme is:

• The way you become a child sponsor with Toybox

• A special way to empower children to be the voice for change in their community 

Quite simply, without you doing your bit, we can’t do our bit. Of course, whatever we do, it’s the children that count. It’s the children that have to rebuild their lives and go to school and be very brave in overcoming their past. But all children have needs and that’s where we come in – but we can only do this with your support… Will you help us reach more children in more places? 

Helping street children change the world 

Street Children

For many children in Latin America like Juan, the pavement is their pillow. Begging or stealing food, they live a sad and painful existence out on the streets, without shelter, without hope and without love. Called ‘disposable’ by passersby, children as young as one and two are living out on the streets, fending for themselves in dark and dangerous places.  

There are many reasons why a child may find themselves on the streets: violence, abuse, neglect, poverty, orphaned, abandoned – many factors contribute to such seemingly hopeless situations. Children form gangs and often end up involved in drugs and crime simply as a means of escape from life on the street.  

For many street children, working is a daily reality in order to survive. Thousands of children spend many hours shoe shining, selling, washing buses, dancing, skivvying, involved in the sex trade, running errands for drug dealers – anything that will provide them with some money, however little. Whether working, stealing, begging or just waiting for someone to offer a helping hand, street children have to live in a way that robs them of their childhoods and prevents them from simply enjoying being children.

Children need to know that they are loved and cared for, that they are valued and precious. Many of the children we encounter have never known love and don’t have that security. Through a network of local projects, Toybox is working with thousands of children every month, providing healthcare, food, education, the chance to play and above all, showing the children that they are loved and that they can have hope for the future. 

You can be a part of that future… 

Why sponsor?

By sponsoring a child with Toybox, you can bring hope to some of the poorest children in Latin America. Toybox believes that every child needs the opportunity to experience life in all its fullness and you can be part of this through child sponsorship. 

Every child that is part of the scheme is a Child Ambassador. The Ambassadors are representatives of the children in their project – they are the peer elected spokesperson, so although you have a personal relationship with your ambassador, your financial support goes to benefit the other children in the network as well, enabling them all to enjoy the amazing opportunities that your sponsorship can provide. 

Through regular updates and letters, you can share in the experiences of the children, as well as hear how they are making their voices heard in the communities around them. Your commitment and prayers will mean that they feel loved, cared for and valued – sentiments that some of them have not experienced before.

By making a connection with a child in Latin America, you can benefit all the children in the network that your ambassador belongs to. The nature of street children work means that often we don't know who all the beneficiaries are - street children move around quickly and often within groups. By being part of the Toybox Child Sponsorship scheme, your help can reach the most vulnerable children on the streets. 

If you would like to regularly support the work of Toybox, but do not wish to be a child sponsor, please click here to read about how you can be a best friend. 

How it works

Toybox believes that prevention is better than a cure, and so we have developed a highly successful method of engaging with and supporting these vulnerable children. This method involves a network of small organizations that provide a place for the children to come and receive the help, love and care that they need. The project staff are all trained and resourced so that they can provide the right support for those children that need it most. 

The sponsorship scheme provides support, encouragement and much needed funding for these networks of projects, enabling the networks to train, equip and inspire the staff working with the children. The quality of the care the children received is constantly improved through the sponsorship scheme, enabling more children to be given the love, care and support they so desperately need. Your giving also provides leadership training and activities for the Ambassadors out in their communities as they make their voices heard and speak out about children’s rights. 

What you receive: twice-yearly updates, a new photo every year, letters and pictures from your child  

What you can do: write to the children – both via letter and email, pray for your child, tell other people about the amazing impact your support is making out in Latin America.  

Simply sign-up online or call 0845 466 0010 and you can start helping make a real difference to the lives of children and their families. 

What will happen next? We will send you a special welcome pack with your child’s story and photo, as well as regular news about our work. 

Testimonies

FAQs

What is an Ambassador?

What does my sponsorship money do?

How many sponsors does each child have?

Why do you not run a one-to-one sponsorship scheme?

Can I write to my linked child?

Can I visit the project I support?

What happens if the Ambassador I’m linked to leaves the home or project?

How long should I sponsor a child for?

Information about writing to your sponsored child can be found here.

For more answers to your questions call Becky Low, our Child Sponsorship Coordinator, on 01908 360080 or email rebecca.low@toybox.org or speak to a member of the Supporter Care Team on 0845 466 0010