Since students are learning English as a second language, please keep your letters brief.

Consider writing about:

• Your family: children, parents, siblings, cousins, etc.
  • List their names and ages
  • Share age-appropriate stories about your family
• Hobbies, activities, or sports you enjoy
• Your own childhood (include some favorite memories or funny stories)
• Your job, or if you’re a student, what you’re learning
• Describe where you live, the climate, interesting facts about your city or state

Please avoid:

• Making any promises, including any verbal or written commitment to future support or visiting in the future (even casual references to future travel may be misunderstood as a promise)
• Suggesting they visit you or the United States someday (can be misconstrued as a promise you’ll sponsor them to visit or study in the U.S.)
• Asking about the Rwandan Genocide or their ethnicity
• Discussing politics of any kind (U.S., Rwanda, etc.)
• Elaborating on your material possessions; please practice sensitivity to the student’s material poverty
• Using slang or colloquialisms that are difficult to translate or understand
• Describing pets as family members (animals are often viewed differently in Rwanda)

Additionally, do not share any personal contact information, including your phone number, email, address, or social media. 

• Tell them you’re thankful for them and explain why
• Let them know you care for them and their future
• Encourage their character by promoting kindness, peace, and love
• Encourage them to live a productive and purposeful life
• Encourage them to serve their communities
• Express your pride in their accomplishments
• Reiterate the importance of education
• Encourage them to invest time into their studies and to do well in school
• Encourage them to respect and honor their elders

• Talk about your relationship with Jesus
• Remind them that there is hope in Jesus for their future
• Ask if they have prayer requests and share your own
• Remind the student that you pray specifically for them
• Talk about your own faith journey
• Tell them that Jesus cares deeply for them and encourage them to seek Him
• Encourage them to pray and read their Bible everyday
• Share the importance of the church body
• Share Bible verses (include notecards with some of your favorite verses that the student can keep)

Adding Kinyarwanda to your next letter is a great way to connect and show interest in your sponsored student’s culture! Click here to learn some helpful and important phrases.

Here are things you could ask your sponsored student to deepen your relationship with and encourage them:

• What is your favorite subject in school?
• What are you learning at church and at school?
• What are some of your favorite Bible verses and/or Bible stories?
• What are your prayer requests?
• What do you like to do outside of school (favorite sports or games)?
• What are your parents’/guardians’ and siblings’ names?
• What chores do you have at home?
• What is your favorite food?
• What do you want to do after you complete school?

We encourage you to write letters to your sponsored student and ask questions of them. We are not able to provide information on your sponsored student’s clothing size, specific needs, or information about their family. Information regarding your student’s family will be found in the first letter they send you, and we encourage you to ask follow up questions about their family in your reply letter(s).

Sponsored students write letters at Center Days, which take place once a month in each community. You can expect to receive an annual update letter from your sponsored student at the end of every summer. If you write to your sponsored student more, you will hear from them more often. You are welcome to write up to four times a year, and you will receive reply letters within 8-12 weeks electronically.

That depends on its size and weight. You can check online using the USPS Postal Price Calculator or by visiting your local post office. You can also use a Global Forever® stamp to mail postcards or 1 oz letters, but you’ll need to ensure that your letter doesn’t exceed the maximum length, height, or thickness.

Do not send money to your sponsored student. Africa New Life does not give money directly to your sponsored student’s family, nor can we exchange money sent in letters to your student in Rwanda. This is due to a Rwandan government request and logistical challenges. Donations sent to the U.S. office for a gift for a sponsored student will be designated to items available online that best correspond with the amount given (unless an order form is included). Checks or cash sent in letters to Rwanda will be returned to the sponsor.

Students are not allowed to communicate with their sponsors outside of letter writing through Africa New Life. Social media, phone, and email communication are strictly prohibited to protect both students and sponsors. Do not connect with your sponsored student or their relatives through phone, email, or social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. This helps us protect both sponsors and students from inappropriate or confusing situations.

Students sign a communication agreement upon registration and can be removed from our program for violating this policy. Please read our communication policy for more guidance.