Why class sponsorships?

1. Equality: We want to withdraw from giving the impression that only certain children deserve help. We currently do not have sponsors for each child in the school; in fact less than half have a sponsor and in our school community setting it can become confusing why one child is sponsored but another is not.
2. Community: Through sponsorship of a class, we can share that an individual abroad cares for a community of children, hoping that as a model, those in the community will think beyond paying only for their own child and join in caring more for the school as a whole, thus emphasizing community sacrifice.
3. Open Communication: We hope to improve communication between sponsors and students. We realized that in the past it has been difficult to have communication between sponsor and child. In a class environment, students are not singled out to respond to a letter. We are also working to improve regular communication between Sudan and USA by developing a blog you can view which will be updated regularly with stories, prayer requests, developments, challenges and the daily operations of the school.

Will my class know my name?

Yes, unless you prefer for your support to be anonymous. Not only will they know your name, but you can send a photo of yourself by email and we will forward it to our staff in Sudan. If you want to send a printed photo, see directions how to in the question “Can I write to my class?”

Can I write to my class?

Yes! You can write to your class by sending an email ito sponsorships@empoweringlives.org. Just write the class grade in the subject heading of your email. We prefer you to send greetings to your class by email because it will arrive in Sudan faster than post mail. If you are sending a letter via post mail, address it to ELI, PO Box 67, Upland, CA 91785. The letter will be received by our office and we will hand it to an ELI staff member or short term team member heading to Kenya. Once the letter reaches Kenya, it is given to the next person heading to Sudan. Once the letter is received by a staff member in Sudan, it will be given to the class. People travelling to Sudan are not frequent since it is a remote area, only accessible during the dry seasons; the letter could take several months to reach our school in Sudan, so, your patience is appreciated.

How do I set up automatic payments via Credit Card or Banking Account?

1. Visit www.empoweirnglives.org and click on “give to ELI”.
2. Click on the link for “re-occurring gift” and fill in your information.
3. When you get to the “Giving Information” section, click on “Education” and choose “Sudan” from the drop down list.
4. In the “Comments” section, type in “Class Sponsorship”.
5. Don’t forget to choose whether you would like your credit card or banking account to be charged monthly, quarterly or annually.

Can I donate via check?

Yes! While we accept checks, cash and money orders, we prefer online giving since it saves paper and administration costs.

1. Write your check to Empowering Lives International (EIL) and write “Congo Class Sponsorship” in the memo section.
2. Send the form and check to ELI, PO Box 67, Upland, CA 91785.

Do you send bills each month?

No, but, you will receive a receipt letter for every contribution you make that can act as a reminder for your next donation towards your class. You can receive receipt letters via email or post mail. Just let us know by indicating on a note when you send your check or when you donate online. We do email or post mail friendly reminder letters to donors who are behind in payments.

Will I receive updates on the children?

Yes! We will send out updates via email. You will automatically receive updates if we have your email address. We are also working to improve regular communication between Sudan and USA by developing a blog you can view which will be updated regularly with stories, prayer requests, developments, challenges and the daily operations of the school.

Thank you for helping change the course of these needy lives and this community by your support and prayers. We hope that we have answered your questions. In case of any other questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact us! sponsorships@empoweringlives.org PO Box 67, Upland, CA 91785 909.931.1311

Sponsor a Class Now! (Link to Page 1B1)