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Original poster

Sponsoring a child

29 replies

ScarfLadysBag · 06/05/2020 22:47

Does anyone do this? DH and I have just signed up to sponsor a young African girl. I remember my mum sponsoring an African boy when I was a child and we would get letters from him. She got a lovely one from him after the sponsorship programme had ended to say he had got a university place Smile I remember her having a little weep in the kitchen over it!

Awaiting our sponsorship pack to find out about our sponsored child, but quite excited! Would be nice to hear about other people's experiences.

OP posts:
Italiangreyhound · 07/05/2020 03:16

I sponsor a young girl but have not heard much yet.

ElizabethMainwaring · 07/05/2020 03:48

I've been thinking of doing this.
I'm looking forward to seeing what people post here.
Op, which charity are you going through? How much are you paying etc? Thank you.

Jellyhater · 07/05/2020 03:48

I have been sponsoring a little girl from Uganda for the past 5 years. I get a regular photo and letter written by the community worker, which I assume is dictated by the girl and her family. I write back and send some little things - balloons, craft kits, hair ribbons etc. I like it.

Crowbarred · 07/05/2020 04:08

There are lots of reasons why your money would be better directed to a charity sponsoring community initiatives rather than an individual child.

www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/nov/16/child-sponsorship-ethical-dilemma

Original poster
ScarfLadysBag · 07/05/2020 06:21

I went with ActionAid. The money sponsors the community your child is part of, as I understand it. At the moment, some of the money is going towards dealing with the effects of Coronavirus.

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Original poster
ScarfLadysBag · 07/05/2020 06:22

Oh and it's £20 a month.

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FourPlasticRings · 07/05/2020 06:29

I did it until the kid aged out. It just felt contrived to me tbh, like this tween was being encouraged to pose for a camera and write letters for the good of her community. I thought at the time it'd probably be different if I had my own kid, but under no normal circumstances would I as an adult open a channel of communication with a kid I don't know. By the end I wondered if it was actually exploitative, expecting something from this kid in return for your charity, when it should be given freely. I resolved not to do it again.

lollipoplola · 07/05/2020 06:38

Yes 3 children, 2 of them we get really lovely letters often but 3rd seems much more forced and hit and miss with contact. We're not really bothered by how much contact we get though as the idea was just sponsoring a child with nothing each time we had a DC of our own. Our DC enjoy drawing pictures, helping with the letters and choosing presents.

PaulinePetrovaPosey · 07/05/2020 06:41

My mum used to, but I find the idea intensely uncomfortable. It doesn't sit right that a child needs to be grateful to someone specific but random on the other side of the world for basic necessities.

They're basically trading their cuteness (photos, Children’s drawings etc) for money.

Original poster
ScarfLadysBag · 07/05/2020 06:49

Yeah I get those points, but I think generally people are just more willing to donate money if they can see a tangible cause. In my case, I'm fat more likely to donate money if I can link it to a person and give it a human face. It's £20 a month I probably wouldn't have donated otherwise, so I guess in that regard it's a good thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
ScarfLadysBag · 07/05/2020 06:50

*far

OP posts:
Original poster
ScarfLadysBag · 07/05/2020 06:53

@lollipoplola Yes, we recently had our first child, a little girl, so I felt like I wanted to sponsor a girl child somewhere else in the world that is not fortunate as she is in terms of start in life.

I remember we also sponsored an old man in Nepal I think it was when I was a kid, but we used to get increasingly depressing letters about his health woes until he died Confused

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horseymum · 07/05/2020 07:00

Yes, we do, through compassion, a Christian charity. The charity focuses on the community and families, I guess a child just helps personalise it. I don't think it is too onerous for the child to write a letter ( it's actually a community worker as she is young) it gives a connection which fosters two way understanding. We would give regardless of the letters but it adds to our children's understanding and maybe hers a bit too.

NannyR · 07/05/2020 07:04

I sponsor a child through SOS children's villages - what I like about this charity is that they don't make the children write to you and draw pictures etc, you can write if you want and if the child wants to reply that's entirely up to them. You get a brief report and a snapshot type photo every year.
I'm not bothered about not getting letters, I would much rather he got on with the business of being a normal kid.

Salene · 07/05/2020 07:06

I sponsored a child from Nigeria for a number of years, I then actually started dating a Nigerian. He thought I was some how being conned. His brother who lived in Nigeria still actually only lived a short distance from the address in Lagos I sent my stuff and letter too. So he got his brother to drive there as he was absolutely convinced it was a con and this child did not exist. So his brother turns up at this house to find a elderly lady looking after 11 children and almost totally dependent on the donation. These kids came from the streets and had no one and she took them in and helped give them a family. The brother was so taken by her and the goodness she was doing he then also started sending her some money and use to pop last with toys and bits and bobs for the children,

This was over 15 years ago now. I'm not sure why I stopped sponsoring children , actually I think I might look back into doing it again. Thanks for reminding me

Booboostwo · 07/05/2020 07:35

We do through children international. I spent a bit of time looking into it as there are many charities out there.

It’s worth checking out the charity on one of the websites that rate charities. How much do they spend on admin, etc and how much money ends up with the cause they are supporting? Financial transparency, accountability of directors, etc. are all considered for the final rating.

I dismissed any religious charity as they often expect recipients to attend religious services and basically use the charity to recruit or even force people in the religion. Some American ones specifically avoid funding things like family planning, so there is no way I am supporting that.

Then I opted for a charity that funds community projects through the child’s donation. That way a larger number of people benefit and you don’t have the concerns about one child being privileged in a very underprivileged community.

The little girl writes to us and we write back, but I think her English is very limited.

Luaa · 25/05/2020 09:53

I know this is a slightly old post now, but I was looking yesterday at sponsoring a child through Plan UK so, as with everything, searched mumsnet for thoughts first. I also found an old post suggesting Women for Women where you sponsor a woman for a year and now I'm not sure which to do. Anyone come across women for women before? I think it's partially as people have said, I'm not sure about a child having to write to you, but then maybe the woman doesn't want to write either but still has to.

Verity35 · 24/08/2020 09:49

I know this is very old thread, in really interested in this. Anyone got anymore experiences good or bad or any advice. When I settle into work I’m thinking of doing this

Insertfunnyname · 02/02/2021 20:09

I sponsor a child with Village Africa. I picked them as they’re a tiny charity. No big director salaries. They only operate in one small Tanzanian village. I’ve sponsored the same girl for 8 years and get 1-2 short letters a year from her and a school report.

I like that it’s such a small charity and every penny really goes to the community.

PositiveAttitude · 02/02/2021 20:16

We run a charity that sponsors children to go to school in phnom Penh, Cambodia. We lived with the families in the slums for a few years and when we came back home we still wanted to help in a little way. It makes such a huge difference to the children's lives, but also for their wider families too. When the children grow up and get a good job because of their good education they lift the whole family out of the poverty that they would have been trapped in. I am happy to answer any questions.

PositiveAttitude · 02/02/2021 20:20

Oh and I also meant to add that every penny given to us goes to the child or their family. Neither my husband or I take a penny. We do employ someone to support our children in Cambodia with extra lessons and homework support, but we pay her wages from specific donations for that and topped up by us when needed.

Insertfunnyname · 02/02/2021 21:11

do you have a website?

PositiveAttitude · 03/02/2021 19:13

Hi, yes here it is: helpinghandcambodia.org/2020/
I don't know how to make it linky on my phone, sorry! 😊

PositiveAttitude · 03/02/2021 19:16

That link doesn't work for me, so I will try again.
helpinghandcambodia.org

TheHobbitMum · 03/02/2021 19:25

@PositiveAttitude what great work! I've also been looking for something else to donate too. Can we send donations/parcels to the sponsor child /family too?