Penpals final

Kids Encouraging Kids: Pen Pals
As a child sponsor, we know you and your students care deeply for the most impoverished students in India. To take your
sponsorship to the next level and become an even greater Dalit Freedom Network Champion, your students can write to
unsponsored students in the same DEC and class as your currently sponsored child.
Unsponsored children are at a higher risk of withdrawing from school; we cannot guarantee that your letters will receive a
reply, but we can guarantee that your letters will encourage these children to continue their education and brighten their
lives with words of inspiration and praise. Please read the following instructions to your class.
A Few Suggestions:
Create your own card or letter. Decorate it with pictures and drawings; have fun with it!
Ask your pen pals what their favorite sport is and let your pen pals know what sports or activities you enjoy.
Tell them about your favorite subject and ask your pen pals theirs. Tell them how much you enjoy learning!
Find out about India! Ask them about the climate, see if they follow any customs that are different from yours, or
find out what kind of food they like most.
A Few Guidelines:
Be sure to include your teacher’s name along with your name, the name of your penpal(s), and their code on your
letter or card.
For your privacy purposes, please do not include your address, phone number, or email address. All
communications will go through DFN’s office and be forwarded to you from DFN.
In addition to your card or letter, you can send anything that is flat and fits in a standard-sized envelope. You may
want to send your pen pal birthday cards, photographs of you and your class, stickers, and coloring book pages.
Because of the possible unreliability of international postal services as well as to avoid issues of jealousy between
children who receive gifts and those who do not, we are not able to send gifts to your pen pals. If you are interested in
designating a donation to the school, please email [email protected], or contact our office at
202-375-5000.
Your Letter’s Journey
Sponsors’ letters arrive at our office via post or email, and we process and send them to India on a weekly basis. When our
partners in India receive your letter, up to two weeks later, they sort and deliver it to the appropriate Dalit Education
Center (DEC). Many DECs are in very remote areas of India, so mail can take weeks to reach them. There are often delays
for reasons beyond our control, such as heavy monsoon rains, local holidays, and children being absent from school. When
schools are not in session, our Indian partners hold your letters until the students return to class.
Your pen pals may receive your letter up to two month after you send it. Likewise, when your pen pals reply, their letters
start the long journey back to our office.
Send Your Letter
Either post mail your letter to the address listed below or email it to us at [email protected].