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Where We Help
Visit the places where we work
- Afghanistan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Iraq
- Kosovo
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Sudan
Connecting With Your Sister
The Heart of the Relationship
As a Sponsor, you already have a bond with your sister. You know her name and she knows yours. You are two people who are connected across miles and across cultures. Your sister also knows that your Sponsorship contributions represent an incredibly meaningful opportunity for her to create a better life for herself and her family
Your letters are incredibly meaningful
Through letters, you can create an even stronger connection, learn more about your sister's life, and to tell her about yours. Many women in our programs have never received a letter addressed to them, so you can imagine the impact it has on their self-esteem.
How letters are delivered
Letters to your sister come through our office and are then forwarded to the office in the country where your sister lives. Your letters are translated into your sister's native language by a member of our field office or by our volunteer staff. And of course, anything that your sister writes to you will be translated as well. It's a time consuming process, which explains why it can take several months for a letter to reach you or your sister.
Communicating with your sister takes a little bit of effort for everyone involved. But for many Sponsors and their sisters, it can also be wonderfully rewarding.
Helpful letter writing tips and topics
Some Sponsors don't want to write to their sisters because they don't know what to say-or because they feel as though the comfort of their own lives will serve as a sad contrast to their sister's lives of hardship. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Your sister wants to get to know you!
So feel free to tell her about:
- Your home and family life
- Why you became a Sponsor
- Ask her questions about her family and community
- Current events and how they affect you
- What you do for a living or at home
It's always inspiring to read letters that sisters have written to their Sponsors, and vice versa.
On our letter blog you'll find a host of letters to read that will inspire you - and remind you of the power that letters have on the life of your sister.
Writing letters is not for everyone
As a Sponsor, you are asked to write letters to your sister. And your sister is encouraged to respond to the letters she receives from you. However, there may be circumstances that make a correspondence extremely difficult for your sister.
She may be dealing with emotional issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder that make letter-writing challenging. Some women are not literate and do not possess the skills to write a letter. For them, learning how to write their name is a huge accomplishment!
Perhaps you're not a letter-writer yourself. If that's the case, you can send cards or photos. Or just be assured that that your Sponsorship contributions are more than enough to express your commitment to your Sponsored sister.
You can also send a Message of Peace to our women in the field in all the countries we work in. Click here to send a Message
Email your letters
To save paper - and to save time - you can email your letters to your sister at letters@womenforwomen.org. Please remember to put the following information on the top of any communication you send to your sister.
- Your full name
- Your Sponsorship ID number
- Your sister's full name
- Your sister's woman group
- Your sister's country.
This information is absolutely necessary to ensure that your correspondence reaches your sister.
A few words in your sister's language
Imagine your sister reading your letter and seeing words in own her native language! She will be touched by your efforts. Here are a few common words and phrases that you can use when writing to your sister:
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