Secondly, legal and regulatory restrictions make it difficult for international NGOs to operate freely. Algeria’s laws on foreign funding and association are strict, requiring extensive approvals and oversight. This has deterred many global aid organisations that typically run child sponsorship programs elsewhere in Africa. Cultural factors also contribute. Algerian society places strong emphasis on family and community solidarity, meaning that extended families and neighbours often step in to support children in need. The idea of external sponsorship, especially from foreign donors, may be seen as unnecessary or culturally intrusive in certain contexts. Lastly, while poverty and inequality exist, Algeria’s overall development level and social indicators are higher than in many sub-Saharan countries where sponsorship is more common. As a result, the perceived urgency for such programs is lower.

However there remain real issues regarding the emotional well-being of children, many of whom have grown up in the aftermath of a civil conflict that lasted more than a decade, during which some 100,000 lost their lives. There is also the issue of around 165,000 Saharawis from the Western Sahara living in semi-autonomous refugee camps in Algeria, completely dependent on foreign aid. The United Nations reports that 10% of the children there (below) suffer from acute malnutrition, and the camps have limited access to safe water, being desert-based. Matters have been compounded in recent years with flash rains and floods that have engulfed the camps.