Are financials available specifically for money spent on Because I am a Girl?
Plan Canada publishes Annual Financials and Detailed Financial Statements of our work, and these documents are available at
plancanada.ca/financials. We do not break down our financial reporting by specific project or fundraising campaign.
Can I make a one-time donation to support girls?
The best way to make a one-time contribution is through our Gifts of Hope Because I am a Girl items. From baby chicks that help girls and women earn an income, to hygiene kits to help girls in emergencies, to scholarships to help girls continue their education, there are many choices for you to direct your contribution to help girls today.
A one-time donation to the Because I am a Girl fund results in a multiplier effect because girls take what is given to them and benefit those around them. Plan's extensive infrastructure and expertise ensures that your gift will have a profound impact in the developing world. You will be changing the world for – and through – girls everywhere.
Can I visit my sponsored child?
Yes – visits to your sponsored child are warmly encouraged! Many sponsors find that such a visit is the trip of a lifetime: it's a wonderful opportunity to see first hand the impact of your contributions, and it helps to build a stronger relationship between you and your sponsored child.
All visits must be arranged at least 10 weeks in advance through our Toronto office, and all visits require satisfactory clearance of a police records check before they can go ahead to satisfy Plan's child protection measures. There are no exceptions to this policy.
If you would like to plan a visit to your sponsored child, please call us at 1-800-387-1418 and a Donor Support Representative will help to answer your questions, provide the forms you need to complete, and get you started on the process of preparing for the trip of a lifetime.
Can I bring presents?
Our work benefits all members of a community. In that spirit, you are welcome to bring a gift that can be shared among the childrenand families in the village or town you'll be visiting. Gifts for the school, for example, work best and are appreciated by all. Gifts directly to sponsored children are discouraged.
Can I volunteer?
Volunteers help Plan Canada deliver support that helps children, their families and their communities in the developing world. Volunteers are very important to our organization through their contribution of time, energy, commitment, new insights, and experience in diverse areas.
We always have work that needs to be done at Plan Canada headquarters in Toronto and we have a group of volunteers who help us on a regular basis.
How to become a volunteer?
Step 1 Download our
volunteer application form.
Step 2 Complete the application form and return it to Plan Canada. You will be asked to provide two telephone references. These people must have known you in a work, volunteer or community role, for a minimum time of six months. Supervisors, teachers or managers make the best references as they are able to speak to your personal character and skills. Friends and relatives will not be accepted as references.
Step 3 If we have an opportunity that might be a fit with your skills and background, we will contact you to set up an interview.
To contact Volunteer Resources:
getinvolved@plancanada.ca
Do my contributions help only young girls, or do they also help women in the community?
Our projects benefit all girls and many women in the community.
If I donate to Because I am a Girl by sponsoring a project, what specifically does my donation go towards? If you sign up to make monthly contributions to Because I am a Girl by sponsoring a project, your donations will go to support a new 5-year project in Colombia. This project will impact approximately 97,000 conflict-affected children in Tumaco and Cartagena, with a specific focus on girls. We will work to protect their rights by providing things such as birth registration, education, access to clean water, and health and sanitation training.
We will send you an update every six months to report on what has been achieved with your contributions.
If I donate to Because I am a Girl by sponsoring a project, will I receive updates on the progress of programs I donate to? If you sign up to make monthly contributions to Because I am a Girl by sponsoring a project, your donations will go to support a new 5-year project in Colombia. This project will impact approximately 97,000 conflict-affected children in Tumaco and Cartagena, with a specific focus on girls. We will work to protect their rights by providing things such as birth registration, education, access to clean water, and health and sanitation training.
We will send you an update every six months to report on what has been achieved with your contributions.
What is the difference between sponsoring a girl and sponsoring a project?
When you sponsor a girl, your donations will go toward community projects where your sponsored child lives – projects like schools and clinics, water and sanitation systems, microfinance, training, and more. Through your sponsored child, you will have a personal perspective on a journey of positive change. You will learn what life is like for a girl, family and community living in poverty, and witness how your support is helping to improve their lives. You'll receive annual updates on your sponsored child and the progress of projects in her community.
If you sign up to make monthly contributions to Because I am a Girl by sponsoring a project, your donations will go to support a new 5-year project in Colombia. This project will impact approximately 97,000 conflict-affected children, with a specific focus on girls. We will work to protect their rights by providing things such as birth registration, education, access to clean water, and health and sanitation training. We will send you an update every six months to report on what has been achieved with your contributions.
Why is Plan Canada focusing on girls – why not boys?
Girls in the poorest regions of the world are among the most disadvantaged people on the planet. They face unique barriers to survival and development, simply because they're girls. And yet, it's proven that investing in girls is the key to reducing global poverty.
As one of the world's leading international development agencies, Plan has launched a nation-wide campaign in Canada to raise awareness of the plight of girls around the world and the unique role they play in the fight against global poverty.
Because we know the power of girls to bring about positive change, our goal over the next five years is to enlist one million girls in Canada – and everyone who matters to them – in our Because I am a Girl campaign to support girls' rights around the world. Check out the girl issue to learn more about the movement.
What is Plan doing to support girls?
Plan operates a wide range of programs to improve the status of girls and give them equal access to health care, education, protection, independence and an opportunity to participate in society. We:
- Encourage and facilitate education for girls
- Invest in life skills, vocational training and financial literacy so girls have market-relevant skills
- Support young women as entrepreneurs
- Provide girls with training in media and a chance to broadcast their views.