About Us

Becoming a child sponsor is a meaningful way to change a life. Follow these simple steps to select and sponsor a child through our platform:

Step 1: Visit the Sponsorship Page

Go to children.safinternational.org/sponsorship.

Here, you'll find profiles of all the amazing children awaiting sponsorship.

 

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Step 2: Search for a Specific Child (Optional)

If you have a specific child in mind or want to narrow your options:

• Use the Search Bar or Filters on the page.
• Search by name, age, gender, community, or reference code.

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Step 3: Explore the Child’s Profile

Click the "My Profile" button on the child's profile card to view detailed information, including:

• A brief history of the child.
• Their current living conditions.
• How your sponsorship can impact their life.

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Step 4: Sponsor the Child

When you’ve decided to sponsor a child:

1. Click the "Sponsor Me" button below their picture or on their profile page.
2. On the next screen, click "Add to Order" to confirm your selection.

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Step 5: Proceed to Payment

You will be guided to the payment page to complete your sponsorship.

• Choose your preferred payment method.
• Review your information to ensure everything is correct before finalizing.

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Step 6: Sponsor More Children (Optional)

If you’d like to sponsor additional children:

• Return to the Sponsorship Page and repeat the process for each child.
• All selected children will appear in your order, and you can proceed to pay for multiple sponsorships in one transaction.

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Step 7: Confirmation

Once payment is completed, you will receive an email confirmation with details about your sponsorship.

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Tips to Help You Decide

• Browse multiple profiles to learn about the children and their unique stories.
• Consider exploring children from diverse communities to make a broader impact.

For any questions or assistance during the sponsorship process, please email us at support@safinternational.org or call us at 1-888-324-7454.

By sponsoring a child, you are joining our mission to uplift lives and create brighter futures. Thank you for your generosity!

Eligibility

Tax receipts are issued only to donors with an address in Canada or Australia.

Annual Tax Receipts

A tax receipt is issued in February for all child sponsorship donations made during the previous calendar year. These receipts are mailed to eligible donors in Canada and Australia during this time.

Starting January 2025, donation receipts for Birthday Gifts purchased for your sponsored children will no longer be issued immediately through our automated system. Instead, the amount will be added to your annual consolidated tax receipt. This change ensures all your donations are captured in a single, comprehensive document for ease of record-keeping.

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Keeping Records of Tax Receipts

As per the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) regulations, organizations are required to keep tax records for only two years. Therefore, SAF International cannot provide receipts for donations made beyond this time frame.

To avoid issues with record-keeping, we strongly recommend saving your tax receipts digitally once you receive them.

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Accessing Old Tax Receipts

You can access your past tax receipts by logging in to your SAF account:

1. Log in to Your SAF Account
2. Select "My Tax Receipts" from the menu.
3. View and download available tax receipts directly from the portal.

Important Note: Not all receipts may be visible on the donor portal. If you cannot find a specific receipt, please reach out to our support team for assistance.

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Need Help with Tax Receipts?

If you require further assistance, including tracking down missing tax receipts:

• Email Us: Send a message to support@safinternational.org with the subject line "Need tax receipt for Year [XXX]".
• Call Us: Contact us at 1-888-324-7454 during our office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (PST).

Thank you for your support and cooperation!

Track Donations Via Your SAF Donor Portal

If you would like to track previous payments, you can do so by visiting your donor portal. To access the portal simply login to your SAF account.

Once in your account, you will see a list of options to choose from. Click on "My Donations and Orders" and you will be taken to a page that lists all of your previous donations and orders.

From the same menu, you can also access your past tax receipts by clicking on the "My Tax Receipts" tab.

Lastly, If you are making monthly donations, you can view these by clicking on the "My Recurring Payments" tab from the donor portal menu.

If you cannot access your portal or if you need further assistance, please email support@safinternational.org.

Sending Gifts

As a sponsor, you can send your sponsored child a birthday gift each year.

Outside of this, we also have a gift catalog that allows anybody to send a gift to a community in need.  This allows us to channel the generosity of our donors into meaningful gifts that can uplift a community in need.

Sending and Receiving Letters

As a child sponsor, you can send up to 3 letters to your sponsored child(ren) a year. To do this, you will need to mail your letter to our India office. The address is listed below:

Plot no.1&2, Avtar Nagar,

Threekay road, Near BS Model School,

Ludhiana, Panjab 142021

India

Once our team receives your letter, it will be sent to our office in India. Our team in India will read the letter to make sure that it adheres to the following guidelines.

• No personal contact details
• No request for sensitive information
• No inappropriate language
• No discussion of sensitive topics

Things to Consider Before Writing Your Letter

In the best interest of the child's well-being and their family's privacy, we screen all letters from sponsors to ensure that the content is appropriate. With that in mind, we ask all sponsors to keep their conversations casual and to avoid asking the children any questions that may reveal sensitive information or make them feel uncomfortable.

 

If you're stuck on what to say in your letter, here are a few ideas:

1. Explain where you are from and what you do for a living.
2. Talk about your family. If you have kids, let your sponsored child know.
3. Ask about your sponsored child's schooling and what class they enjoy the most.
4. Motivate them by letting them know you believe in them.

If you wish to read more information about our Letter Exchange program, you can also log in to your account at the SAF International website. Upon login, you will see a tab on the left-hand side labeled, "Letter Exchange."

If your letter is accepted by the India team, a member of staff will translate it into the child's first language and then deliver it to them. If and when the child responds, their letter will be sent to you directly from our India office.

Please note: Scheduling deliveries and translating documents can take several weeks.

How to Cancel Your Child Sponsorship with SAF International

We understand that circumstances change, and sometimes donors may need to end their sponsorship. Our Donor Relations Team is here to help you with the process.

 

How to Cancel Your Sponsorship

1. Email Us (Preferred Method)To cancel your sponsorship, email us at support@safinternational.org with the subject line: "Request to Cancel Sponsorship".

   Please include the following information in your email:

   • Your Full Name
   • Your Donor ID (if available)
   • The Child's Name or Sponsorship ID
   • A brief note indicating your intention to cancel.Our team will respond within 1-2 business days to confirm the cancellation or request any additional details.
2. Call Us (Alternate Method)

If you prefer to speak with someone directly, you can call our Donor Relations Team at 1-888-324-7454 during the following hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (PST)

Receive Confirmation

Whether you contact us via email or phone, you will receive a confirmation email from our team once your cancellation is processed.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I cancel my sponsorship online through my donor portal?

A: At this time, cancellations cannot be processed through our online portal. Please contact us via email at support@safinternational.org or by phone.

Q: Do I need to provide a reason for cancellation?

A: Sharing your reason is optional but greatly appreciated, as it helps us improve our donor experience and programs.

Q: Can I adjust my donation instead of canceling?

A: Absolutely! If financial constraints are the reason, we can help you adjust your donation amount. Please email us at support@safinternational.org to discuss options.

Q: Can I sponsor again in the future?

A: Yes! You’re always welcome to restart your sponsorship. Whether it’s the same child (if still available) or another, your continued support is always valued.

 

Sponsorship Cancelled by SAF International

If your sponsorship has been cancelled by us, it is likely because we were unable to process your payment. Here's what happens in such cases:

1. Failed Payment Notification:If a payment attempt fails, we will notify you via email and attempt to contact you by phone to update your payment information.
2. Follow-Up Attempts:We will make several attempts to reach you for updated payment details. If we are unable to get a response or process the payment after repeated efforts, your sponsorship will unfortunately be terminated.
3. Impact on Sponsorship:Once your sponsorship is terminated, the child you were supporting will become eligible for sponsorship by another donor.

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How to Avoid Cancellation

To ensure your sponsorship continues uninterrupted, please keep your payment details up to date. You can update your information easily through your donor portal.

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Restarting a Sponsorship

Unfortunately, we cannot reinstate a sponsorship once it has been cancelled. If you wish to become a sponsor again, you will need to start a new sponsorship.

Please note that there is no guarantee you will be able to sponsor the same child as before, as they may already have been matched with a new sponsor.

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If you have any questions or need assistance with your payment details, feel free to contact us:

• Email: support@safinternational.org
• Phone: 1-888-324-7454 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM PST)

Thank you for your understanding and for supporting children in need!