Despite the wide use and scale of child sponsorship by international NGOs, there are surprisingly few studies into its impacts.
This quantitative study differs from existing research for its sheer scale: it analyses child wellbeing in 50 developing countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America. The data come from more than 12 million surveys conducted by Plan International staff and volunteers from 2006 to 2018 among 2.7 million sponsored children, aged from under one to 18 years.
The primary question for the study was: Does Plan International’s child sponsorship model contribute to development outcomes? If yes, how and to what degree does it contribute to development outcomes?
Visit Plan International's website to download a copy of the condensed report (PDF).
Research collaborators
- Plan International
- Professor Gill Westhorp, Community Matters
Research projects
We conduct research that leads to the design of innovative, evidence-based policies that promote sustainable improvements in the quality of peoples’ lives and maximise the benefits from international trade.
