Child sponsorship was something that I had seen many times on TV commercials, often thought about doing, yet like many people, never got around to.
However, while living on campus at university, some students came up with the idea of grouping together to sponsor a child. Using this method, everyone could afford to contribute in some way at a level they felt appropriate, while somewhere in the world a child in a dire situation was finally getting the help they so desperately needed. Not only is this a great way of assisting a child, it is a great way to involve everyone around you in this experience. If you live in on campus, in a share house, or even have a close group of friends, it is a great idea to introduce!
Well, after moving on from campus I was no longer involved in the sponsorship, as it moved onto the new students. This way it encourages a whole new group of people to share in the experience, while also encouraging them to continue with some form of charity or sponsorship when they move on.
After reading on this website about the many things that we can, and should be doing in the world, my partner and I decided to take action. This week we decided to sponsor a child, a young girl living in Malawi, through
World Vision Australia. There are many different agencies that offer child sponsorship. The agencies we looked at contribute the majority of your funds directly to the cause, with minimal amounts going towards administration and other costs. Many of the agencies not only help your sponsor child, but also help the community they live in become viable and self sufficient. Most of the details you need on each fund can be found on their respective websites, and a detailed directory can be found on the
Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) website
http://www.acfid.asn.au). After choosing a fund it is relatively simple. For example, sign-up for
World Vision is online, with a number of options for choosing where and who your sponsorship goes to (a word of warning – this can be very hard, as you end up wanting to help everyone listed on the site - but one step at a time), and that’s that! An information pack is sent to you via mail and you also have the opportunity to correspond with your child. But more importantly, you get to take action and see the results of helping someone, somewhere, live a better life.
