How to Become a Pen Pal for a Child in Need

Becoming a pen pal is easier since the advent of Internet communication. Many pen pal clubs and organizations exist today, thriving on both snail mail and email. One innovation is the possibility of corresponding with a needy child abroad. With the availability of technology in even the most remote areas, children today are able to connect in more ways than ever before.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use a regular pen pal club or organization to search for children in the country you want to learn about. Even the most impoverished or developing countries may be listed because of the global spread of cellular phone and Internet technology, so don't rule these geographical locations out.

2. Search for charity organizations and children's funds that are based within the country of your choice. It's often easiest to connect with children directly if you contact a grassroots or local organization. Look for schools, community centers and other organizations that are based locally in the country you are interested in.

3. Determine the language skills of the children you want to communicate with. If you are contacting schools in South Africa, for example, find out which of the many languages spoken in South Africa that you will be expected to correspond in. If the children want to communicate in English to improve their English skills, make sure that you accommodate their limited language abilities by using simple sentences, vocabulary and pictures.

4. Research protocol for charitable giving before sending money or materials. Find out from the school or organization you are going through if it is appropriate to send gifts. Remember that there may be government customs restrictions on goods sent into the country, so do adequate research prior to sending any packages.

5. Look for needy children in the United States to correspond with. Children in urban areas, extremely rural areas, minority populations and indigenous groups in the United States are all great candidates for charitable pen pal writing, too and have a lot of cultural information to share. Pen pal programs for these children will likely be focused on literacy and language development just like foreign programs.

Resources

• Locate a pen pal anywhere in the world with this global pen pal club.
• Correspond by email with inner-city children learning to read.
• Connect with classrooms worldwide where children are looking for pen pals.
• This initiative connects the U.S. to other countries through pen pals.