Your questions about child sponsorship answered
Child sponsorship is one avenue through which those living in the Western world can make an impact in the impoverished and disadvantaged lives of children in developing countries. As a form of charity, however, child sponsorship has come under some criticism, in terms of where the sponsorship money goes and the circumstances under which it is distributed. But child sponsorship is one of the most effective ways to make a difference in the life of a child who suffers from food shortages, lack of shelter, disease, limited education and a number of other disadvantages.
So here are a few answers to common queries and concerns over child sponsorship. While all child sponsorship agencies operate differently, aid organisations such as www.actionaid.org.au take a holistic approach to child sponsorship. The needs of the entire community are taken into account to ensure long term development and improvement.
– How does the money donated contribute to a child’s education? Child sponsorship funds are used to address the education and schooling needs of the sponsorship child’s community. Whether there are staffing or infrastructural needs, the funds go towards making lasting changes and improvements to the education system in place.
– Will one child continue to go hungry while a sponsored child is fed? Aid organisations are sensitive to the potential rifts and injustice in feeding a sponsored child while an unsponsored child goes hungry. The funds therefore, are not dedicated to feeding just one child, but go towards the food supply of the child’s family and community. Whether those funds are channelled into animal stock or seedlings to create a sustainable food source, under a child sponsorship program one child will not go hungry when another one is fed.
– If a country is faced with poverty, will a sponsored child’s life ever be improved? It would be ineffectual to purely work on an individual level when many countries have such inherent problems. In Cambodia, for example, many communities’ soccer fields or common areas are still riddled with landmines. The money from child sponsorship, therefore, goes towards ensuring the safety and addressing wider issues that are pertinent to the progress of all children’s lives.
– Why should one child be chosen over another? The key thing to remember when it comes to child sponsorship is that one child is not chosen over another. Rather, the donated funds go towards improving the community in which the child lives. While the one-to-one communication with a specific child is important in knowing that your donation is having a real impact on real children, the funds have a wider purpose and influence.
As a child sponsor, your monthly donation makes a serious impact in the life of the child, as well as to the wellbeing of their wider community. So sponsor a child and make a difference today.
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