Starter charities

[kif]

What's a good charity to start a 5 year old on?

We found some money on the ground, and agreed that we should send it to 'help poorly children in England'. Plan A is to stick it in an envelope to Great Ormond Street.

However, given that a small impressionable child is involved, what I'd really like is a charity that ... sends something back. Y'know, like those adopt a koala bear things in the zoo. "Dear Dd, thank you for sending some money. I have now some extra tasty bamboo treats. Well done. Lots of love, your friend Baby Koala".

Anyone have any suggestions for charities that are good at this sort of thing?

i don't, but wanted to say what a lovley thing.
bump

for personal thing pick a small charity local to you and enclose a note explaining situation . or find an online charity gift shop and buy a tree or football or half a goat or whatever that comes with a gift card.

I think Unis' suggestion is a brilliant one. Good Gifts and Oxfam have online catalogues of things you can select, which will really engage a child, I think.

My favourite charity, though, is Kiva.org. They need a minimum donation of $25, about 16 quid, though, so not really suitable for this occasion unless you're in any kind of position to top it up (I know at the moment lots of people aren't). Basically they act as a conduit between you and a person in the developing world who needs money to build or develop a business of some kind. They loan the money and it is slowly paid back - and actually default rates are very low, so you can then reinvest the initial stake back into the scheme with another individual or family over and over again, so it's a hugely effective way to give. It's a way for people to get themselves and their families out of poverty, when such loans are either unavailable to them or only at loan shark rates. It directly benefits individuals, as well as the economy of a developing nation. It's a great feeling when you see them begin to repay it because you know it's going well for them, and their business is growing, and it will be an ongoing interest for your dd as well. We plan to give DS an account there for his 4th or 5th birthday, so he grows up with a bit of an understanding of how privilege is based on luck - that there are talented, skilled and hard working people everywhere, who through an accident of birth need a break to make good.