Sponsoring a child

[twiglet59]

Does anyone know the best agency or where to look on the Internet to sponsor a child.
I have been thinking about it for sometime now, but there are so many on the internet. Also, you do hear so much about not all the money going to the intended person.

We're with World Vision for a full sponsorship and CAMFED for an educational sponsorship of a girl.

I can highly recommend Uganda Hands for Hope. I'm airline staff and first came across this place when I was bored down route in Kampala. I went for an hour (with a hangover!) and stayed for the whole day. Since then I have been back to Namawongu every time I have been to Uganda. Hands for Hope is just one small charity trying to make a difference in a country that is struggling with it's own difficulties but which is also a place of relative safety for numerous refugees from other countries such as Rwanda, Sudan, etc. Many poorer ugandans and refugees end up in the slums with no help. Many of them are women who have children but no husband to help them - this happens through no fault of their own - and AIDS is a big problem too. Hands for Hope works to give an education to the children and offers micro loans and business advice to the mothers. Their website tells you all about it. Each child sponsored is one more who is given a small chance to get a head start out of the slum. You really cannot begin to appreciate what a terrible place it is for a child unless you have been there. If you have any more questions give me a shout!

I've been sponsoring through Actionaid for many years and have always had very good experiences with them. It's a great thing to do - I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it at the same time as making a big difference to a community in the developing world.

Marking my place - it's one of my new year resolutions.

Backinthe box - Is there any religeous requirement/information associated with the Uganda Hands for Hope charity?

There is no mention on the website that I can see and most of these sort of schemes seem to insist on it (which is why I haven't found one I am happy to donate to yet...)

The man who set up Hands for Hope is Christian, Gillybean, but he does not require the same faith from either the people the charity helps or it's sponsors. I go to Uganda often with work and have never heard anyone even mention religion at Hands for Hope.