You are here:

About us

A girl smiles at the camera

About us

Around the world, we’re working to make sure every child has the same chance in life

Plan International UK is a global children’s charity. We work with girls and boys growing up in some of the world’s poorest communities, making sure they have access to the education, health care, clean water and future opportunities they need to thrive.

We’re also working to create a just and equal world for girls – including here in the UK. Through our Because I am a Girl campaign we’re standing with brave girls everywhere as they take on the issues that matter to them, from child marriage to street harassment and sexual exploitation at work.

We’re fighting for a world where every child, especially every girl, knows their value. We want the communities they’re growing up in – and the world around them – to value them too. And if a disaster strikes we’re there to protect children, keep them learning and help them to recover.

Our approach

To give every child, every chance we're working with:

Individuals

supporting children and promoting girls' rights through our sponsorship projects and programmes

Communities

through economic empowerment and livelihoods projects and disaster relief

Changemakers

using our platform to amplify children's voices and advocate for lasting change
Yollanda, 12, uses her mobile phone to connect with a community educator

Africa

In Zimbabwe, we are helping 13,200 out-of-school girls to access education and vital life skills through our Supporting Adolescent Girls’ Education programme.
Yadira, 18, is a girl leader in her community in the Ecuadorian Andes

The Americas

In Ecuador, 6,000 young people have participated in our Dream Clubs project, empowering them to exercise their rights and to strive towards their dreams.
Girls use mobile phone in Kon Tum province

Asia

In Vietnam, we are improving cyber security skills of 7,500 girls and boys to protect young people against human trafficking and exploitation.
A girl from our Champions of Wales programme

UK

In the UK, we work to support the mental health and resilience of young people and campaign together with girls against public sexual harassment.

OUR STRATEGY 2021–2023

We have seen unprecedented progress in the fight against global poverty in recent decades, but we have a lot of work to do if we’re going to protect that progress against emerging challenges.

Our History

Our History

Photo of a boy writing a letter
Enock writes a letter to his sponsor. He lives in Togo, where Plan International is funding new classrooms at his school. "I want to become a doctor, because in my village many people fall sick," he says.

A pioneer of child sponsorship

In the beginning, the Foster Parents Scheme for Children in Spain asked British people to donate one shilling a day to provide a child with food and shelter. They also asked them to write letters and send photos to the child, to show them that someone cared about them.

This was the beginning of what we now call child sponsorship. Today, 71,000 children in 41 countries are being supported by sponsors around the world through Plan International UK.

Why we're needed

12 million girlsare married before the age of 18 each year

263 million childrenadolescents and youth are out of school worldwide

2 out of 3 girlsin the UK have been sexually harassed in public

Sabina, left, 17, and Sarita, right, 15, are campaigning to end trafficking in Nepal.

Our policy and campaigning work

Through our policy, advocacy and research we’re able to influence governments globally, to realise the rights of children and young people and to promote gender equality and girls’ rights.

We use the evidence and learning from our research and programmes to enable young people to take a stand on the issues that matter most to them – including through our Because I am a Girl campaign, tackling issues from child marriage and sexual exploitation at work to street harassment.

Laura from our Media team

Our people

At Plan International UK, we come to work each day to make sure every child has the same chance in life. We won’t stop until every child can thrive and every girl has a fair, just world to grow up in – a vital step in building a better world for all children.

It’s our people’s passion, commitment, expert knowledge and skills that enable us to create lasting change for children and we’re proud to have young people at the heart of what we do.

Sazeda studies at home in Bangladesh

Safeguarding children and adults

Plan International UK exists to help children and young people, and we therefore take their safeguarding very seriously.

We have well established systems and policies, including training for all our employees, to ensure that we do everything we can to safeguard the children and young people we work with, and that we provide a safe working environment for everyone.

Our commitment to all children

Plan International UK is committed to ensuring that all children and young people, whatever their identity or circumstances, can access their rights.

This includes the rights of trans children and young people. We are therefore committed to being trans inclusive in our work, and as an employer. This enables us to achieve our mission – to achieve children’s rights and equality for girls - more fully. 

Discover more

Education

Protecting every child’s right to an education and challenging the barriers that keep girls out of school.

GIVE EVERY CHILD, EVERY CHANCE

Do something amazing. Start your sponsorship journey today.