PATH International is a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization registered in the state of Oregon, recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3). All contributions are tax-deductible.

Yes. As a sponsor you will receive at least two letters a year and two pictures. However, students typically write more often when they receive letters from their sponsors. You may send letters via email or standard mail. For mailing information, visit our Contact page.

Keep letters simple. Content is a personal decision but here are some suggestions: Encourage them in their studies. Describe your family and include a photo. Please be discreet and avoid sending pictures that could be offensive. (It is a very modest culture.) Share your hobbies, work or school, family holidays and customs. Provide general info of where you live but do not include your address.

Over many years of working with orphans in Africa, we have discovered that the most treasured items the children receive from sponsors are often photos of their sponsors and their families. However, if you want to send something more, you may send them through the US Postal Service. Small flat items that fit in an 11×14 envelope should arrive in two to three weeks. (However, package delivery in Africa is never guaranteed.) Be sure to include the child’s name and number. Some ideas are: small plastic toys, soft dolls or stuffed animals, coloring books, paper, colored pencils, notebooks, stickers, school bags, jump ropes, stencils, balloons, hard candy, puzzles, small games, a small sewing kit. PLEASE DO NOT SEND: money, perishable items, gum or soft candy, liquid or fragile items, battery powered or electronic items, large or expensive gifts, colored markers or Sharpies.

For packages or letters to Uganda:
Otino Waa Children’s Village
POB 117
Lira, Uganda, East Africa
(Please include your child’s name and #)

To email your child:
ugandaletters@pathinternational.co
(please include child’s name and number)

For packages or letters to Ethiopia:
PATH Ministries International
P.O. Box 321
Chiro, West Hararghe Ethiopia
(Please include your child’s name and #)

To email your child:
ethiopialetters@pathinternational.co
(please include child’s name and number)

To write to your child using our web form, visit our Contact Us page.

No, it is not recommended you communicate with your sponsored child through social media. The kids are not allowed to have or use cell phones in residential care. However, when the kids are home with families on semester break they do have access to cell phones and the internet. There have been instances when kids have found their sponsors on Facebook and used the opportunity to make unreasonable requests. This rule is to protect you and the children.

Depending on their age when they start school, children usually graduate out of the program between the ages of 18 to 22. While we love to see consistency in sponsor/child relationships, we fully understand that life circumstances change, and sponsors are free to cancel a sponsorship commitment at any time.

Graduates are encouraged to apply for our Elevate program. Elevate seeks to identify each student’s aptitude and interests, and then appropriately equip them for a financially productive and sustainable future. The three training branches of Elevate are Advanced Education, Vocational Training, and Microfinance. Many sponsors decide to continue with their student through the completion of their Elevate training.

Yes! Several short-term teams visit each year. We would be glad to work with your group to arrange a visit, or alternatively, we offer two times a year that individuals may visit.