India update

“On 15 March 2017, Compassion’s programmes in India will be closed. We are all deeply grieved by this and I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who stood with us during this long and difficult journey. Compassion opened its doors in India in 1968 and we can gratefully reflect on all that’s been achieved in those years. It is with great sadness that I say goodbye to Panda, my sponsored child in India. Despite our programmes closing, I believe that generations of children like Panda will go on to have a positive impact in the lives of their families, their communities and their country because of Compassion’s work across the nation. And even though Compassion can no longer walk side-by-side with these children, we know with confidence that He is with them always. We do not grieve without hope; we trust that God will continue to work through His people in India in remarkable ways, practically serving the ones who need it most.” Justin Dowds, Compassion UK CEO

Our time in India

Due to a lack of funding resulting from government restrictions, Compassion has been forced to close its sponsorship programme in India. Compassion exhausted every possible avenue to try to resolve this situation but to no avail. We are deeply grieved by this situation but stand in faith that one day, Compassion will be able to work in India again. Since 1968, Compassion has worked with local partners to provide holistic child development to children in poverty. Over the last 48 years, more than 280,000 children have participated in our programmes. We are thankful to have been able to reach so many children to break the cycle of poverty and we take hope from the local church continuing to stay and minister to their communities. While we are distressed by this outcome, we are still determined to continue empowering children in poverty to overcome their circumstances.

Thank you

We want to say thank you to everyone who stood with us on this journey. Thank you on behalf of the millions of children around the world and the 145,000 children in India. Your support has meant these children know what it means to be a child - to play, to look beyond the walls of poverty. Your investment in these children has not been wasted and we stand in faith that the seeds sown over the last 48 years will bear fruit in their lives.