Advise needed re sponsoring a child

We sponsored a little girl in India via Action Aid for a few years back in the 80s. Then we had a letter from Action Aid explaining that they had decided to stop running the scheme in her area of Mumbai because it was causing difficulties in the community. I haven't kept the letter but as I remember it the families benefitting from the scheme kept demanding more and this was leading to problems both between neighbours and with adjoining areas. It put us off really, and it was sad to think that "our" little girl would lose her support, so instead of starting up another sponsorship we switched to a UK homeless charity.

I sponsor 2 children with Plan but I also support Mary's Meals who do a fantasic job of feeding children in school which gets them an education too...over 90% of all money they recieve goes direct to the children in need

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we have a sponsored many child through several orphanage. thanks for sharing a great information.

Can't get through to your Facebook page Isponsordirectly. Says it's been removed or only available for a closed group.

I sponsor a little girl through Friends of Slum Children in India The annual money goes towards education, dental and health needs, vitamins, and food and school clothes, it's only £80 a year which is the price if a couple of nights out
My daughters friend goes out every year to volunteer with them so I know it is all above board and all the money goes to the child
My little girl has a dad who works but earns pennies in the slum

Hope Public Charitable trust is a Non-Profit organization located at
Ambattur, Chennai, India. Our organization strives to “Promote the living
conditions of challenged community by providing Special Education, Vocational
training and Rehabilitation services”. Hope aims in removing stigma, creating
awareness and empowering mentally challenged community. It also strives for the
empowerment of marginalized women through various skill training programs. Our
logo symbolizes “Hope” which means “Providing Self-confidence along with service
to face life’s challenges to lead a meaningful life in the society”

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Same here mishap we were involved in the Shoebox scheme at my children's primary school where I was a governor. The children were enthusiastic, but I felt a little uncomfortable when I googled the charity. Fundamentalist Christians who sent a bible with every shoebox. Same charity by the way are provider of Academy schools in certain areas, rather Creationist in their philosophy. Sorry, was a little off subject.

If you had an option to send all 100% of your donation to those in need or only a certain portion of it what would you chose? Have you ever asked the orphanage you sponsor how much money they actually get?

I have been in direct contact with the orphanage - I know exactly what they children need and like and I send it to them. We get all the great stories on how much the children enjoy the presents from the orphanage founder. It works great for all of us. We have been asked to be God Parents for all the kids, just to give comfort to them that there is someone that looks out for them. We've also received some presents from them - just because they wanted to give us something.

For a long while I wanted to do something charitable for others, but sending money to an organization and not knowing what is happening to it didn't really cut it for me. Direct sponsorship ticks all the boxes for me and I would recommend that to you too!

I sponsor a child with Plan international. It's more about the community than the individual but they do some good work particularly about rights for girls (and women)

plan-international.org/girls/

I share the reservations about religious charities, however worthy their work. A gift should be a gift and given freely with no strings. I do of course recognise the good work that they do.

It is for this reason that I will not fill Christmas shoeboxes as they often have a bible or tract added to them before being sent out to the recipient.

Ariadne very interested to read your post ^
I am also wary of any overtly Christian (but it would apply to any other religion) charity, because evangelism plus charity is, I feel, a dangerous combinational^

There was one particular organisation that I stopped supporting for this very reason, perhaps a topic for conversation next time we meet up?

You can always sponsor a child or an entire orphanage directly - I am doing just that and it's a real eye opener and great experience. You can talk to the people running the places- the people who have suffered a lot through civil war or genocide. They appreciate a lot a direct contact as they don't get that often. I am involved in supporting a few charities - but we're a group of 2 and it will take us some time, so if you want to feel that you are making a real difference in children' lives I recommend direct sponsorship. Here are a few orphanages:

Sierra Leone
Name of Orphanage: The Needy Today
Web Address: www.orphanage.org/africa/sierraleone/tnt/index.html
Details: Houses 191 orphans between the age of 5 and 13 affected by the Civil War

Rwanda
Name of Orphanage: L’esperance Children’s Aid
Web Address: lesperancerwanda.org/
Details: Houses 70 orphans between the age of 6 months and 12 years affected by poverty and genocide.

Cambodia
Name of Orphanage: Sok Orphanage
Web Address: www.sokorphanagetour.org/vision.html
Details: Houses orphans affected by extreme poverty and political conflicts

Vietnam
Name of Orphanage: Duc Son Orphanage
Web Address: www.ducsonorphans.org/
Details: Houses orphans between the age of 2 months and 37 years affected by extreme poverty,

our new facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/sponsoranorphanage

I have sponsored several children through World Vision, but had to withdraw for financial reasons when I divorced and retired.
These days I support www.deki.org.uk/, which I heard about on GN. I always choose to lend to women who are working to fund their children's education, or have taken in orphans. I initially lent to one person, but have lent and been repaid many times, so that the same outlay has helped dozens of families. I find it very rewarding to help those who are working hard to better themselves.

I think people fall into two camps Petallus, those who feel uncomfortable with contact and feel patronising and those who love to hear how the child is getting on. When there is a "message collection" from children to their sponsors all children get to write a message so generally there isn't any jealousy. They sending of gifts is not allowed for the same reason, but if a sponsor really feels that they want to send something there is a Gift Fund so general things can be bought in country for the children in the village, like footballs, colouring things etc.

I sponsored a child in Africa with Plan for many years.

I was happy to do it but what I did not like all that much, and was not prepared for, was having to be in regular contact with the child and her parents.

It felt very patronising on my part, and I felt guilty that I had so much when they were so poor, and I wondered if the family wanted to hear from me or were coerced into doing it because I was paying a monthly amount.

I have heard that more recently Plan have stopped contact between sponsors and children because it was causing jealousy between them and their siblings and other children they knew.

So I could recommend Plan if you want to sponsor a child abroad. The money goes to the village, not the child, to provide fresh water and so on.

I was lucky my youngest daughter did a years voluntary work in Zimbabwe and I inherited a few children they gradually dropped off over the years but one stayed with me he's now 28 I don't sponsor him any more and he's now working and married and wants to pay for me to go over for a holiday I don't feel up to that long travel and the heat but its lovely to know he's on his way in life

That's really interesting Sandy. I haven't been fortunate enough to visit any of the children I have sponsored but I know that Plan International work in the same way, ie the money goes to the whole community rather than the individual child. When I spoke of changing an individual child's life I really meant that its nice to make the link via one child in the community. It sounds as though the charities all work in similar ways nowadays, and things have changed a lot over the last 15 years or so.

Thanks Sandy217 - it confirms what we feel we know about Action Aid's child sponsorship scheme. We have sponsored two children in Burma (Myanmar) since a visit to Burma 18 months ago. It's very personal for us as my mum was of mixed race, born and grew up in Rangoon until the family were forced to flee in 1942 when Burma was over-run. My mum and her sisters survived thanks to the generosity of strangers and without them, I wouldn't be here. Such a beautiful country, and despite atrocities in some areas we fell in love with Burma and it's people.

I worked for ActionAid for 17 years and was lucky enough to visit a few areas where they work with children and the communities. I think it's a very worthwhile charity and I saw first hand the benefits the whole community receives through sponsorship. The important thing to remember is that your money doesn't go directly to your sponsored child but to the community they live in. Therefore if little Joe is sponsored but his sister Susan isn't they will still both receive the same benefits, depending on what priority was set by their community, whether it be safe water, education or something else to help them. The child is the key to helping the whole community. It was amazing to see. Sorry, I've gone on a little, but my visits were life changing for me and I just wish others could share in such things

Thanks All, it's narrowed the field considerably and given me points to ponder especially Ariadne's point about the religious aspect. Guide Dogs have persuaded me to continue supporting them until the present pup is trained this summer, so I've time to do my homework.

We have been sponsoring with Action Aod for many years, and, like the rest of you, do not do the communication bit, for the same reasons as you.

I am also wary of any overtly Christian (but it would apply to any other religion) charity, because evangelism plus charity is, I feel, a dangerous combinational.

I have done it through Action Aid for many years and feel they always keep us well-informed as to where the money is spent.