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Original poster

Sponsoring a child

20 replies

DLI · 17/12/2009 19:17

I am looking to sponsor a child in the New Year but there are so many organisations to go through. Can anyone recommend a good one and also let me know what its really like sponsoring a child?

thanks

OP posts:

thirdisbest · 18/12/2009 10:01

Have sponsored a child for years through ActionAid. We get letters occasionally from the child (which we send to ActionAid UK to get translated). We also send letters to the child.
He lives in Peru. Occasionally the children disappear (for instance the parents move) and you get "allocated" a new child. And the process starts all over again. When the child hits adulthood, you get allocated another child and so on and so on.

The only downside I can see is that ActionAid, once they have your details, do contact you all the time asking for more and more money. Which can become a bit of a pain. In the end I did ask them to stop as I thought it was a bit intrusive to be honest and so far so good.

Hope this helps.

TheBightyMoosh · 18/12/2009 23:24

I sponsor a child with ActionAid too - I only started a few months ago, so I haven't had any letters from my child yet, but I chose ActionAid from recommendations from a few friends. I have heard that more of the money actually goes to the child's community than any of the other charities - and that the work they do is really impressive.

I haven't been contacted to donate more money yet - but I'm sure all the charities are the same in that regard.

Original poster

DLI · 19/12/2009 15:39

thanks, i will have a look at their websites

OP posts:

roisin · 19/12/2009 16:51

ds1's school have a link with a new school/nursery in Rwanda. You can sponsor children there. As it's a smaller set-up, you can get regular updates. (They are on facebook too).

Kinamba Project

We sponsor a child through World Vision, but I'm thinking of sponsoring one in Rwanda too.

Original poster

DLI · 20/12/2009 19:46

what sort of presents can you send with each sponsor group? is there a weight/size restriction?

OP posts:

Hulababy · 20/12/2009 19:48

We sponsor through Abaana

Was recommended to us and they seem very good.

You can send letters and small gifts via the charity.

You can select te child you wish to sponsor fromt he website, or can select by gender/age, or whoever is in most need.

Original poster

DLI · 20/12/2009 20:17

OP posts:

Slambang · 20/12/2009 20:28

We want to do this too and I've been looking in to it.

I am a bit suspicious that Action Aid doesn't actually seem to deal with individual children but uses your money for general aid projects in a region. This is fine with me in principle but it seems a bit like they are conning you to make you feel there is some form of ongoing relationship with a particular child when in fact the child in question is involved to the extent of writing one letter and then is quite often never in contact with you or Action Aid again. They are just (hopefully) benefitting indirectly from the project in their region.

I'm interested in SOS Children's Villages which actually does seem to link you with one particular child (usually an aids orphan ) and your contribution provides them with a home in a 'family' group.
Any experience of them anyone?

Original poster

DLI · 20/12/2009 20:37

i am stuck between plan and sos children,

OP posts:

Slambang · 20/12/2009 21:14

bump - any more info??

Hulababy · 20/12/2009 21:17

Sorry, no experience of SOS. I only use Abaana, and only recently. However I can recommend them so far, the communication with them has been excellent. I wanted to avoid the big organisations and wanted one that dealt with indidivuals, and where the money sent actually all got used by the organisation for the benefit of the children and their families.

wordsonascreen · 20/12/2009 21:21

I sponsored a child from Burundi for 5 years(via Action Aid) The whole village got wiped out in the Civil War (this was 2003) and all I had from them was a letter asking me to sponsor a child from another Country.

TBH I know it wasn't AA's fault but it was treated like a business transaction (like the child had defaulted on a loan) and it left a rather bitter taste.

chickbean · 20/12/2009 21:31

I sponsored 2 children through the Christina Noble Children's Foundation. They are a small charity who support children and projects in Vietnam and Mongolia. I found that they communicated really well, I got progress reports and cards made by the children. My first child was severely disabled and, sadly, died after a few years (I hope that the money made her more comfortable). My second was slightly disabled. When her family circumstances improved, they let me know that she did not need sponsoring any more, thanked me for my help so far, and asked if I would like to sponsor another. As I no longer work, I am taking a break at the moment.

Slambang · 20/12/2009 21:33

Arrgh - have just googled Abaana. It's very -um ... godly, isn't it? I think religion has caused quite enough damage in Africa already. A strictly non religious organisation is what I'm looking for.

nighbynight · 20/12/2009 21:38

I have just begun to sponsor 2 children from a 3rd world country, whose elder sister I know well (she was our au pair). I am looking for 1 other person to help with costs of school fees, so if you are interested, please contact me on t a u p e m a y y a h o o d-o-t c o d-o-t u k, and I will call you/send more details.

Apart from this, our church is in touch with an AIDS orphanage in South Africa, and you can sponsor an individual child at the orphanage. I can post the name if you are interested (it slips my mind at the moment). It is a more personal connection than the big agencies - eg they were selling necklaces made by the orphans at a church bazaar recently, funds going to the orphanage of course, and there are lots of personal contacts.

Dysgu · 20/12/2009 22:07

Over the past 10 years I have sponsored children with Plan uk. We exchange photos and letters - they sent drawings when they were younger. We get annual updates on the individual children and another one that up-dates the work the charity has been doing in the area.

I have recommended Plan uk to friends - i researched them and felt more money actually goes to help the child and their immediate community.

You can select the continent, gender of the child or just the next one in need.

They also produce a catalogue so you can buy stuff to help but can also select gifts from the catalogue to be delivered to the child.

Original poster

DLI · 21/12/2009 07:43

thanks for all your help, i think i am going to go with plan uk. i like the idea of being able to give gifts from the catalogue. i would like to send letters etc to my sponsored child as well as gifts and some organisations won't let you send gifts.

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BrigitBigKnickers · 21/12/2009 08:11

At the school where I work we sponser a child through Plan too.

My old head teacher also sponsored a child in Ghana and one year actually went out there and visited the child and the village where he lived.

She always recommended the organisation very highly.

DrMoo · 31/12/2009 17:50

we sponsor a child through the PLAN
get regular updates on her village and school and photos etc

saltyseadog · 31/12/2009 18:13

I've sponsored a child through Plan since I got my first 'grown up' job. My first child has now grown up ( I am old!), so have been given a new child to sponsor.

I can thoroughly recommend Plan - lots of comms from the child and her family.

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