| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 14:02 | |
| Sponsoring a Child | |
Does anyone have any experience of sponsoring children overseas? Any organisations to recommned or avoid? | |
| Elron_Hubbard Posted on 15/8 14:05 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
They just grow up hating the West anyway, so I wouldn't bother. Third world countries are a dead loss. | |
| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 14:07 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
Okay. Anyone else? | |
| zoec Posted on 15/8 14:08 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
I bet you're really pleased with that helpful piece of advice, FW. Sorry, no experience myself, so I can't help. --- Post edited by zoec on 15/8 14:08 --- | |
| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 14:09 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
You know sometimes how you pause for a moment before starting a new thread, wondering if it's really going to be worth the effort?... Saying that, I know there will be someone on this board with constructive advice. Come on (in Delia Smith type mentalness), let's be having you. | |
| susy Posted on 15/8 14:11 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
I have no experience either of this but I would have thought that oxfam would be a good call to try USPG is also another charity that I know churches help with, so that must be ok too. Hope that helps unlike the comment above!!!! | |
| UndercoverElephant Posted on 15/8 14:12 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
Mrs Elephant and I sponsor a nipper in India at the moment. We're with Plan International, they're really good and encourage you to interact with the sponsor child and their family by letter or even by sending them gifts (small ones though, as most of their journey, they'll be travelling by donkey). When we first signed up we were the sponsors of a child in Nepal. The first letter we were sent listed his favourite pass-time as, "Playing in the mud". After a while we sent him a football (through Plan), the next letter, his favourite game was Football. Hopefully he'll sign for Boro in a few years. Sadly Plan had to pull out of where he lived, so now we're with the Indian lad. Very rewarding. --- Post edited by UndercoverElephant on 15/8 14:14 --- | |
| UndercoverElephant Posted on 15/8 14:13 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
D'Oh | |
| Link: Plan UK. | |
| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 14:14 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
Thanks susy. I do know of a couple of charities, but was just wondering if anyone had any personal experience of this. | |
| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 14:16 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
Thanks UE, I'll take a look at them. | |
| piggy_nichol Posted on 15/8 14:51 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
I sponsored a child through Action Aid about 20 years ago. I cant remember if it was a boy or a girl or even what country. Oddly enough I do remember that it was almost 8 quid a month. Dont know what that says about me really. I think I got one letter from an aid worker telling me how work on the village school was getting on. Not so well I reckon as I heard nothing directly from the kid. I cancelled the subscription after about 6 months when I got bored with it. I also signed up to 'Adopt a Granny' or in my case a 76 year old Tamil bloke. That was four quid a month and he never wrote once. Probably too busy being a terrorist/freedom fighter* That lasted about 6 months too. He would be kicking on for a hundred now. I'll have to dig the stuff out and send him a card. * Delete as appropriate | |
| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 14:58 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
 piggy. Perhaps if you tried adopting a granny now you might end up with some leggy blonde in her thirties. Could set you back a bit more than 4 pound a month though. | |
| zoec Posted on 15/8 15:02 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
I have a granny available, if anyone's interested. Any offer accepted. | |
| Elton Posted on 15/8 15:06 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
I sponsored various children through Action Aid for about 20 years, mainly in West and East Africa. Latterly this has transferred to a more general support of the region rather than directly towards specific children. Initially the act of sponsoring a child is a good first step to getting involved with these type of charities as you can identify better with the problems they face when you receive direct communication from them and/or their case worker. I initially paid about £10 per month but this rose each year with inflation (with my agreement). I pay quite a bit more than this now but I am lucky enough to be able to afford to. Best of luck; I am sure that you will think it is worthwhile. I can wholeheartedly recommend Action Aid. | |
| piggy_nichol Posted on 15/8 15:07 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
I have a vague recollection of you mentioning that you and your granny dont get on zoec. Didnt she lock you in a cupboard or something? I think FW_2's idea sounds a much better bet. | |
| zoec Posted on 15/8 15:11 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
It was the garden shed, piggy. Quite often, in fact. I'm really pleased that someone spiked her homemade jam with marmite at the WI Homemade Preserve Competition one year. | |
| FW_2 Posted on 15/8 15:16 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
'Someone'? Oh, and thanks Elton. I knew there'd be people who could come up trumps. --- Post edited by FW_2 on 15/8 15:17 --- | |
| Stepper_T Posted on 15/8 15:17 | |
| re: Sponsoring a Child | |
Action Aid | |
