Over the last two months we have shared about the far-reaching impact of sponsorship and what a difference personal letters and relationships can have in the life of a child (and the sponsor!), but is there any hard and fast evidence that sponsorship really improves a child’s chance at success?  

A study published in 2013 in The Journal of Political Economy by three university professors sought to answer that question. The study looked specifically at the effects of student sponsorship in the lives of students in developing countries. The study took place over a 12-year period in six different developing nations.  Here is a summary of their findings:

We find large, statistically significant impacts on years of schooling; primary, secondary, and tertiary school completion; and the probability and quality of employment. Early evidence suggests that these impacts are due, in part, to increases in children’s aspirations.” The authors also cited increases in church and community leadership from children who were sponsored.

In laymen’s terms, the study demonstrated that students who are sponsored:

  • Attend more years of school
  • Complete more years of school
  • Have a much better chance at securing quality employment
  • Become leaders in their churches and community

Awesome!  Although we have seen firsthand the effects of sponsorship in the lives of our WWV students in Haiti, it’s great to have numerical figures and research that really shows the impact that sponsorship can have in the life of a child. The gifts you are giving as sponsors really do make a difference – to the child whose aspirations have grown, the family who is blessed and supported and the community that will eventually begin to thrive as more and more children are educated and built up. Even more impactful are the spiritual effects as these children grow to be leaders in their homes and in their churches – impacting the next generation for the Lord.

Read more details and see the stats and figures at: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/670138