Why are my sponsored friend's letters written by someone else?

Q. Sometimes I receive a letter written by someone else. Why doesn’t my sponsored friend write?

A. There are a variety of reasons why a letter may be written by someone other than your sponsored friend. When this occurs, CFCA asks that the person writing the letter clearly identify themselves so you will know.

Letters to sponsors sometimes are written by parents, relatives, social workers or project staff on behalf of the child or aging person. It may be that the parents or project staff want to help a child write a more meaningful letter, or the child may be too young to write.

If your sponsored friend is elderly, conditions such as vision problems, illness or illiteracy may make it necessary for a representative to write on their behalf.

For some people in developing countries, oral communications are the norm and letter writing is a challenge. Composing a simple letter may require the assistance of a family member or a project staff member.