Orphan sponsorship in the UK has become proper massive over the last decade, and it’s not hard to see why. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “I and the one who looks after an orphan will be like this in Paradise,” and he joined his index and middle fingers together (Bukhari).
That hadith hits different when you realise there are literally millions of orphans across the Muslim world – and thousands right here on our doorstep in Britain – who need food, clothes, education and just someone to show them they matter. Sponsoring an orphan is one of the easiest ways to get that reward every single month without having to move to Gaza or Somalia yourself.
What Actually Is Orphan Sponsorship?
It’s dead simple: you pledge a regular amount – usually £30–£80 a month depending on the charity and country – and that money goes straight to looking after one specific child (or sometimes shared between a few). Most proper Islamic orphan sponsorship programmes in the UK give you a photo, name, age, and little updates about “your” child so it feels personal.
The cash normally covers food, rent for the family home (because 9 times out of 10 the mum is a struggling widow), school fees, uniforms, medical care, and sometimes even Eid clothes and presents. It’s basically being an uncle or auntie from afar.
Top UK Charities for Orphan Sponsorship in 2025
There’s bare options now, but the most trusted ones that are fully transparent and have proper Islamic oversight are:
- Islamic Relief UK – £45 a month, massive global reach, you get yearly progress reports and photos.
- Muslim Aid – £35–£50 depending on the project, very strong in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Yemen.
- Human Appeal – £50 for their “One-to-One” sponsorship, proper detailed updates and they let you write letters.
- Penny Appeal – £33 a month for their famous “OrphanKind” programme, one of the cheapest but still high quality.
- Orphans in Need – £60 a month but that includes the widowed mother fully, and they’re big on education and marriage grants later.
- Muslim Global Relief – £40, very popular with the Desi community, strong in Kashmir and Rohingya camps.
- Read Foundation – focuses on schooling, £30 sponsors a child’s entire education in Pakistan.
All of these are registered with the Charity Commission, give Gift Aid (so your £40 becomes £50 for free), and most importantly, they’re 100% sharia-compliant – no interest, no mixing funds.
Can You Sponsor an Orphan Living in the UK?
Yeah, course you can! People always think orphan sponsorship is only overseas, but there are thousands of Muslim kids in the UK who’ve lost one or both parents. Charities like Muslim Foster Network, Penny Appeal’s UK projects, and smaller local ones in Bradford, Birmingham, East London and Manchester run domestic sponsorship programmes.
It’s usually a bit more expensive (£70–£150 a month) because cost of living here is mad, but it goes towards foster care support, tutoring, therapy, and making sure the kids don’t end up in non-Muslim care homes. Proper important work.
Is Orphan Sponsorship Counted as Zakat?
This is the big one everyone asks. The straight answer: it depends. If the orphan (or their guardian) is genuinely poor and eligible for zakat, then yes, you can pay your zakat through orphan sponsorship and it ticks your zakat box completely.
Most of the big charities above will clearly say “This project is 100% zakat eligible” or they’ll let you tick a box when you sign up. But if the child is already well-off (rare, but happens), then it only counts as sadaqah, not zakat. Always double-check with the charity – the decent ones are dead honest about it.
Why Monthly Sponsorship Is Better Than One-Off Donations
One big donation is nice, don’t get me wrong, but orphans don’t just get hungry once a year. School fees come every term, rent is every month, kids grow out of shoes every six months. Monthly sponsorship means the child isn’t yo-yoing between “we’re alright this month” and “we’ve got nothing again”.
Charities hate having to tell a kid, “Sorry, your sponsor stopped,” so the good ones beg you to commit for at least a year or two. If you genuinely can’t afford it anymore, just ring them and they’ll find another sponsor quick – no child gets dropped.
FAQs
Can I visit the orphan I sponsor?
Overseas – sometimes yes (Human Appeal and Orphans in Need run sponsor visit trips), but you have to follow strict safeguarding rules. In the UK it’s trickier because of child protection laws, but some charities can pass on letters or arrange supervised meets.
What if I want to sponsor more than one child?
Go for it! Loads of brothers and sisters sponsor 3, 4, even 10 orphans. Some mosques have “sponsor an entire orphanage” schemes where the whole congregation chips in.
Do I have to sponsor a child from my own country?
Nah, pick whoever Allah puts on your heart. Plenty of Turks sponsor Palestinian kids, Somalis sponsor Rohingya, Pakistanis sponsor Yemenis. It’s all one ummah.
Can my kids “share” a sponsored orphan instead of pocket money toys?
This is beautiful and loads of families do it. £1 a week from each child adds up, and it teaches them early about looking after the ummah.
What happens when the child turns 18?
Most programmes run until 18 or until they finish education. Some (like Orphans in Need) then give a marriage grant or business start-up fund so they don’t fall back into poverty.
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