world vision? anyone??

[Deleted User]

I just met up with a neighbour who has arrived home after meeting with a little girl that they sponsor in Africa, via world vision. She is still moved to tears by the welcome she got and on seeing how well the sponsorship is being used. I am thinking of linking up with world vision. Has anyone else any experience?

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

Hi Kittie,

I have been a sponsor to a little girl in Cambodia for 4 years now and it has been a very positive experience. I wanted to do something when my mum died and this seemed the perfect thing as when the anniversary of her death comes round I always seem to receive a letter from the little girl with drawings and news about how she is progressing.
You get sent a photo every year too and its nice to see how she is doing. You can send small items over and pictures too. It is quite a humbling experience when you first sit down to write a letter (you get tips and guidance btw) as you realise that our world is so vastly different to theirs. I find I don't complain anymore!
It has also been a good experience for my 2 children as they have been involved too and often wonder what life is like for her.
At Christmas you can send a bit extra if you like and they always send a newsletter saying what the money has been spent on.
I reckon its money well spent and a bargain as the money you send buys so much.
My advice would be to go for it, I haven't met them but have heard lots of positive stories about people who have.

Cat72

Yes and unfortunately not a good one. I used to buy gifts of sheep etc for presents for people and so decided to sponsor a child in africia for my mother in laws 60th birthday.I told world vision I would pay the payments and it was a gift- no problem.However they totally harrassed my mother in law- phoning her up for more donations and sending in cards asking for more money- fair enough they asked for money for presents for christmass & her birthday.But it was constant- money for cards, money to help with this & that,My mother in law is a pensioner on a low income and cant afford to be giving constantily- plus it should be her choice wether or not to donate not by constant bombardment. Eventually I got disgusted by it all and decided to cease my sponsorship- purely because I disliked world visions hard sell tatics.Even after this they continued to telephone my mother in law asking her to sponsor herself , using hard sell and guilt approaches, and she still gets mail from them- when it was cancelled in february .To be honest I was totally disgusted at their approach and would never use them again .This year I will be using a different charity to make donations through .
I will also mention that the letters fromthe sponsored child are not that often, are wrote by an adult and you have to pay airmail for them as you have to send the letters to world visions headquaters abroad- and they forward them on.So the actual communication with the child is very slow & mimimum.

[Deleted User]

I have signed up to sponsor a 3 year old child in Africa and I have sent a couple of alternative gifts eg sanitising a well. It`s nothing to the £140 I spent on clothes this morning (I feel guilty too) but I spoke to my friend afterwards. I have decided that I want alternative gifts for my 60th. I have everything I need here so why spend on me

SIGH!! the downside is going to be the hard sell

davepitchford

World Vision UK is part of one of the largest charities in the world. It's pretty transparent in its dealings (see Intelligent Giving profile) but you should know that it has a clear Christian ethos, which doesn't always sit comfortably with people in developing countries.

Plan International offers similar child sponsorship schemes but has a secular background (and is even more transparent).

Good luck

cindyhove

We have sponsored a child thru plan international for about 12 years now.
Only positive things to say about them
If this is the way you are thinking of going I would highly recommend them.

shamac

We have sponsered with plan as well as we wanted a secular approach. They are an excellent company and I would recommend them.

EmmaJ_3

I would like to sponsor a child through Plan if I can afford it - however I can't see on their website anywhere how much they ask for, without putting my details in first. How much is it to sponsor a child? Or can someone post the link if I'm being really blind!!!??

scottn

"Can you spare £18/month?" according to the TV advert currently running in Scotland.

shopaholicsan

I sponsored a little boy in Senegal with World Vision for 4 years. Unfortunately this month I had to make the difficult decision to stop as I could no longer afford it. It is £18/month and I don't find the organisation "hard sell" at all. I received information on how to make a donation for birthdays and Christmas along with the card but I think it is more of a way to explain what would be most appreciated. If I could afford it I made a donation, if not I didn't. They were very understanding when I rang to cancel too.
I found it a rewarding thing to do and when I can manage it I will be sponsoring again.

GiveItBack

Charities do try different styles of asking, and different people do find the same things different. What some people find 'hard sell' others don't.

Someone that has donated to a charity before is more likely to give than someone who hasn't (it makes sense if you think about it), so charities do ask if you've given. If you don't want to be contacted often, or at all, contact the charity and tell them, and they should be able to start doing so. It often takes a few weeks for this to go thru their systems, but they *should* be able to do it, and hopefully not make mistakes (although they sometimes do happen)