Forgotten Children

What Forgotten Children does

Forgotten Children Worldwide (FCW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 by Matt and Barb Hartsell and headquartered in Bluffton, Indiana, that protects orphans and vulnerable children from extreme poverty and child trafficking while empowering them toward self-sufficient futures. Its core offerings include a monthly Child Sponsorship Program at $38 per child (covering clothing, nutrition, education, medical care, spiritual development, and mentorship) and the flagship Kipindi Mpito transition-to-adulthood program in Nkokonjeru, Uganda, which teaches young women life and vocational skills. Supporting programs span orphan home construction (with married house parents caring for 8-12 children each), vocational training (tailoring, baking, hairdressing, small business management), a clothing ministry that ships 40-foot containers of donated goods to Malawi and Madagascar, clean water projects, microfinance and self-sustainability initiatives, and the Be The Hero free VBS missions curriculum for church partners.

FCW operates programs in Uganda, Malawi, Madagascar, Nepal, and India, with orphan home construction reaching an additional Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, Thailand, and South Africa. The business model is a multi-channel fundraising engine targeting individual sponsors, church partners, and business CSR partners. Revenue streams include recurring $38/month sponsorship subscriptions, one-time donations, non-cash asset giving (stocks, real estate, vehicles, crypto, IRA distributions, bequests), event-driven income (annual golf tournament, Christmas in July campaign, spring/fall garage sales), and volunteer-driven in-kind clothing contributions. Distribution relies on the website (forgottenchildren.org), email, Facebook, vision trips to Uganda and Malawi, and church/business partner channels. The organization is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (since 2009), is a member of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (since 2007), and earned a GuideStar Gold Seal in 2020. In 2026, Kody Kumfer was appointed CEO/Executive Director, succeeding founder Matt Hartsell.

Name

Forgotten Children

Legal name

Forgotten Children Worldwide

Website

https://forgottenchildren.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forgotten Children Worldwide is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that protects vulnerable children from extreme poverty and child trafficking across 5 countries through $38/month child sponsorships, the flagship Kipindi Mpito program in Uganda, orphan homes, vocational training, and a clothing ministry serving 40,000+ children.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare Nonprofit

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Child sponsorship programs
• Orphan care services
• Humanitarian aid nonprofit
• Anti-trafficking programs
• International child welfare

Headquarters

HQ city

Bluffton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Child Sponsorship: Monthly recurring donations of $38 per child providing clothing, nutrition, education, medical care, spiritual development, and mentorship. 100% of donations go directly to impacting the child's life.
2. One-Time Donations: General fund donations for protection from poverty and child trafficking, empowerment towards self-sufficient futures, and sharing the love of Christ.
3. Non-Cash Asset Giving: Accepts donations of stocks, real estate, vehicles, crypto, IRA distributions, and gifts in wills to provide tax benefits and increase donor impact.
4. Clothing Ministry: Donated clothing collected, sorted, packed and shipped to Africa and Asia. Funded through garage sales at Bluffton HQ.
5. Events: Annual events including golf tournament and Christmas in July campaign to raise funds and awareness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Forgotten Children Worldwide (FCW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that protects vulnerable children in Africa and Asia from extreme poverty and child trafficking through a $38/month child sponsorship program covering clothing, nutrition, education, medical care, spiritual development, and mentorship. It runs flagship ministry Kipindi Mpito in Uganda, a clothing ministry shipping 40-foot containers, orphan home construction, vocational training, clean water projects, and self-sustainability/microfinance initiatives, while offering free VBS curriculum (Be The Hero) for church engagement.

Product overview

Forgotten Children Worldwide (FCW) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of humanitarian programs focused on protecting vulnerable children from poverty and child trafficking while empowering them toward self-sufficiency. The core offerings include a Child Sponsorship Program ($38/month providing clothing, nutrition, education, medical care, spiritual development, and mentorship) and the Kipindi Mpito flagship ministry in Uganda—a transition-to-adulthood program teaching life and job skills. Additional programs include clothing ministry, orphan home construction, vocational training, clean water projects, self-sustainability/microfinance programs, Be The Hero VBS missions curriculum, non-cash giving options, and I See You sponsorship events. Operations span Uganda, Malawi, Madagascar, Nepal, India, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ukraine, Thailand, and South Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kipindi Mpito: FCW's flagship ministry in Uganda. A transition-to-adulthood program where young women learn critical life and job skills to become confident, independent, self-sufficient adults. Located in Nkokonjeru, Uganda.
• Be The Hero

Products and services

• Child Sponsorship Program Monthly sponsorship program at $38/month providing vulnerable children with clothing, nutrition, education, medical care, spiritual development, and mentorship, including twice-yearly correspondence with photo and letter updates. For individual donors, families, and churches seeking a direct relationship with a sponsored child.
• Kipindi Mpito Flagship Ministry Transition-to-adulthood program in Nkokonjeru, Uganda where young women learn critical life and job skills to become confident, independent, self-sufficient adults. For at-risk young women in Uganda in need of residential life-skills and vocational training.
• Clothing Ministry Volunteer-run clothing collection, sorting, packing, and distribution program shipping tens of thousands of pounds of clothing in 40-foot containers to vulnerable children in Malawi and Madagascar. For community volunteers and donors in the Bluffton, Indiana region.
• Orphan Home Construction Construction of self-contained family-style orphan homes staffed by married house parents caring for 8-12 children each, with running water, warm beds, and food access. Implemented in India, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Ukraine, Thailand, and South Africa.
• Vocational Training Programs Trade training programs teaching tailoring, baking, hairdressing, handcrafting, and small business management skills. Graduates receive tools (e.g., sewing machines) to launch independent livelihoods. For sponsored children and youth transitioning out of program care.
• Be The Hero VBS Missions Series Free 5-part video series with lessons, activities, and discussion guides for VBS programs or Sunday school, teaching children about God's love, extreme poverty, and generosity. For church partners and children's ministry leaders.
• Non-Cash Giving Program Charitable giving program accepting non-cash assets including stocks, real estate, vehicles, cryptocurrency, IRA distributions, and gifts in wills, reducing donor taxes while increasing mission impact. For individual donors with non-cash assets seeking tax-advantaged charitable contributions.
• Clean Water Projects Water access initiatives including well drilling, purification system installation, and ongoing water safety testing with local training for operation and maintenance. For rural communities in FCW's partner regions lacking safe drinking water.
• I See You Sponsorship Events In-country sponsorship events where children themselves select their sponsors, creating personal, agency-driven matches between vulnerable children and sponsor families. For existing and prospective sponsors seeking a deeper personal connection with their sponsored child.
• FCW Garage Sales Seasonal (spring and fall) garage sales at FCW's Bluffton, Indiana headquarters selling donated items, with 100% of proceeds funding vulnerable children's programs. For local community shoppers and donors in northeast Indiana.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ children currently sponsored with monthly support
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO)coreOthersOfficial membership since 2007, indicating commitment to orphan care best practices and community of Christian organizations serving orphans.
• Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)coreOthersMember since 2009, demonstrating financial accountability and transparency standards expected by evangelical donors.
• International Partners (Nepal, India, Malawi, Madagascar, Uganda)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnerships creating hope for hundreds of children across 5 countries. Local partners include James in Malawi/Zomba, Maxwell in Malawi/Thyolo. FCW provides funding, training, and program support while local leaders implement community-based development.
• Seven Sons Farms (Brooks Hitzfield)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness partnership where Seven Sons Farms demonstrates how their partnership with FCW matters for their business and community engagement.
• AdamsWells Internet TelecomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of FCW Garage Sales events, providing promotional support for the fundraising initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• World Vision: One of the largest faith-based child sponsorship and humanitarian aid organizations globally. Overlaps with FCW on child sponsorship, community development, and advocacy against child trafficking, but at far greater scale.

Emerging players

• Bethany Christian Services: Faith-based child welfare organization providing adoption, foster care, and refugee services. Comparable on child protection and faith-aligned delivery model.
• Food for the Hungry: Christian nonprofit combining child sponsorship with community development and clean water initiatives. Comparable to FCW's integrated poverty-relief, clean water, and sponsorship approach.
• Show Hope: Faith-based organization supporting orphans and children with special needs through adoption aid and care grants. Comparable donor base and faith-aligned mission.
• Lifesong for Orphans: Smaller faith-based nonprofit focused on orphan care through sponsorship, adoption grants, and transition-to-adulthood programs. Closely mirrors FCW's Kipindi Mpito-style self-sufficiency model.

Others

• International Justice Mission: Faith-based organization combating human trafficking and slavery globally. Comparable on FCW's stated anti-trafficking mission, though operating via legal/advocacy rather than direct service.

Direct peers

• ChildFund International: International child-focused NGO with monthly sponsorship programs in Africa and Asia. Highly comparable to FCW's model of pairing sponsors with children across multiple developing countries.
• Holt International: Faith-based child welfare and adoption organization founded by the same era as FCW. Comparable on family-based orphan care, sponsorship, and international child services.
• SOS Children's Villages: Global nonprofit operating family-style orphan homes with house parents in 130+ countries. Directly comparable to FCW's "orphan home with married couple house parents caring for 8-12 children" model.
• Compassion International: Large-scale child sponsorship nonprofit with a $38-44/month recurring model operating in dozens of developing countries. Most directly comparable peer to FCW's core sponsorship, orphan care, and poverty-alleviation focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ForgottenChildrenWorldwide
• Xx.com/TheFatherless
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forgotten-children-worldwide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forgotten Children