Topic: sponsor a child

[emmy1978]

I have been considering doing this for a long time, have actually been too skint to allow any more DD's though! A few weeks ago a leaflet from Plan www.plan-uk.org came through the door and i've hung on to it as i'd really like to do it. Has anyone had experience of this, do you do it etc. I'm half wary of charities, I met a guy once who'd been a fund raiser and he said he left due to total disillusionment with all charities that say they help at grass roots, he says agencies only want the glory jobs, fight with each other over it, keep stores in sheds for weeks while they wrangle about who gets to distribute it etc. I thought then that child sponsoring would be a good way of giving as you get to write to your child and their community and they write to you. You have some contact ad get to see what you're working towards. Or that's the idea anyway! So, what do you think?  I'd be very grateful for your opinions and experiences!

[sarah]

i have. i'll pm you when i get a mo and we can have chat. plan international do good work at grass roots level for the whole community not just the child you sponser.  you can sponser for as little as a fiver a month.  it makes a big difference.

[Jeannine]

Hi, I sponser a child in Kenya, he is 8 . His Dad died and Mum is very ill. I do it direct not through an agency. I work with a social worker who has a direct contact there,three of us sponser three kids,We pay for their school fees and send a few gifts, we have direct communication with the head teacher and the children.

I used to sponser woth Foster Parents plan of Canada,  it was fine but we had very little contact with anyone.

With the way we are doing it every pennny goes to the child, we can even telephone and have regular e mail contact.

There is   a bit of trust involved as we send our money to the school but we do have the direct involvement of the social worker who goes over there 3 times a year too.

I have never had a problem.

I think it is an excellent thing to do, this will be our 21st year if we count Foster Parents,and it is so little for us to give and means such a lot to those we help.

Well done to think of joining us, it is a wonderful thing to decide.

XX Jeannine