Frequently Asked Questions

A. With regards to posting a physical gift, it is possible but rarely does this work out. The postal service in many developing countries is unreliable and thus the likelihood of parcels reaching the orphan can be quite slim, not to mention the cost. We recommend sending monetary gifts which we can transfer to the field staff who will safely pass it on to the orphan.

To send an orphan a cash gift simply call in to our donation line on 0115 9117222. You can also donate online: https://muslimhands.org.uk/donate/gifts-for-children/orphan-gift.

If you would like to send a larger gift such as a laptop or bicycle, we can help you make the arrangements for that by calling our donation line.

You will need your orphan ID, which can be found on your orphan pack, or you can give us a call on 0115 911 7222 to find out.

Upon receipt of your donation, we will instruct the local orphan care team who will purchase the gift locally and present it to the child.

If you wish to send a gift for a festive occasion such as Eid, please make the donation as early as possible so we are able to get the gift to the child in good time.

A. We recommend regular communication with your sponsored child, with letter writing being the preferred way. The process is as follows: simply attach a letter to an email, e.g. in Word, and we will get it across to the orphan carer. You should email us on sponsorship@muslimhands.org.uk including your donor ID and orphan ID.

When the child replies with a letter, we will send it across to yourself via email. We do recommend that letters are written in simple English so that they can be communicated effectively.

A. The programme ends once a child reaches 18. This means orphans will be supported until the end of their academic year (so in some instances may turn 19) so as not to cause too much disruption to their studies.

After this, older orphans will be able to apply for funding through our ‘Scholarship Fund’, which will be based on the needs of individuals.

A. From the £29.50 a month received from your generous donations, Muslim Hands sends £24 to the school the orphan is attending. Where the orphan goes to a non-Muslim Hands school, the orphan guardian is given the money and entrusted with ensuring the orphans needs are covered. This amount covers various aspects such as school fees, school uniforms for the year, books and stationary, medical and health checks, food and where possible, transport.

The remainder is retained at our field offices for project delivery and for future fundraising and marketing.

A. Supervised visits may be organised after gaining agreement from the Muslim Hands office, the child and their guardian. Visits cannot be made directly to the orphan’s home in line with our safeguarding Policy, so the meeting will be held in the local MH office. For safety purposes, we will not give out any personal information, such as the child’s address or telephone number.

You would be responsible for your own travel arrangements, providing an up-to-date DBS and paying for the child and their guardian’s travel costs and food costs (if they have to travel a long distance). All arrangements will be made through Muslim Hands and on your visit, you will be chaperoned by a member of staff.

If you would like to visit your child, please contact us three months prior to your visit either by emailing your request to mail@muslimhands.org.uk or by calling on 0115 911 7222. You will need to provide dates on when you intend on visiting.