April 2006---RAWA is expanding its successful child sponsorship program in Afghanistan. As a result of world-wide support, RAWA has substantially increased the number of sponsored children in recent months and immediately needs to add space to house and educate more children.

As part of RAWA's plan to expand the child sponsorship program, individuals and organizations are now invited to become orphanage founding sponsors. As a founding sponsor, donors will be able to make it possible to completely change the lives of hundreds (if not, thousands) of children over the coming years. Donors need only support the initial cost of setting up the orphanage since the ongoing costs will be covered by others.

Costs at the orphanages in Pakistan have dramatically increased recently for many reasons including the over 50% increase in rents due to the recent devastating earthquake. Unfortunately, these costs are even higher in war-torn Afghanistan. Even though the orphanage operating costs are still lower in Pakistan, RAWA has made the decision to work toward going home. The programs in Pakistan force staff and children to live as refugees and they could be compelled to leave at any time by the Pakistan government. As well, the children deserve to live in orphanages close to their native homes where they can visit their remaining relatives as often as possible. Unfortunately, due to the recent increase in operating costs, the sponsorship rates do not support the all of the expected operating expenses for Afghanistan or Pakistan based orphanages.