Christmas is the time for giving and for many people this often means more than giving a gift to your loved ones. Christmas is known as the time when people are at their most generous, in fact, records show around 36% of people in the UK donate to a charity around Christmas time. Despite the fact we're all busy buying presents and treats for those closest to us, many people take Christmas as an opportunity to donate to a worthy cause. This could be helping children, helping to fight disease or even donating to animals. Giving a selfless donation is what the true spirit of Christmas is all about, after all, it is called the season of goodwill.
This year, however, has been difficult for everyone, but this is why your gift could be even more crucial this Christmas. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected children all over the world, and their need is greater than ever. While we appreciate that for many finances are tight, for those that are able, sponsoring a child this Christmas could be the gift that will change their lives forever. It won't just be a one-off present to them, but a magical life-changing opportunity.
Here are just a few reasons why you should consider sponsoring a child this Christmas:
You feel a personal connection
When you sponsor a child, your charitable donation is much more personal and you can quite literally put a face to it. You are the sole sponsor for a child, and therefore you're responsible for changing their life. You'll be able to see the difference that your money is making in a child's life and build up a relationship with them; you'll receive updates which will mean you're able to see their progress first hand. Unlike other charitable donations, you're updated and kept in the loop; so sponsoring a child is a gift that keeps on giving for you too.
You can encourage and support your sponsored child financially, but also emotionally by sending them letters and building up a relationship with them. Your support enables them to feel loved, supported and part of a family; it shows you believe in them and want them to succeed.
You're helping their family
While the money you give when you sponsor a child will go to helping that child to build a better future for themselves, it will simultaneously help their family. By sponsoring a child in Cameroon this Christmas, you're helping them to carve a better future which will mean that they can take care of their parents, brothers and sisters. However, you'll also help this child to access food, clean water and healthcare which can take some financial strain away from their families, helping to relieve the daily pressures in the coming year.
You're giving the gift of education
Education is an invaluable gift. Having access to a good education is something that we take for granted, but for children in Cameroon, it could be truly life-changing. In countries such as Cameroon, it's rare that children complete school as they have commitments to their family have financial struggles which mean they can't afford school fees or are often forced into marriage at a young age. Sponsoring a child helps them to overcome these barriers and attend school, especially in Cameroon when secondary education is not free for all students. Having access to education opens up the potential career opportunities so that our children can achieve their dreams of becoming lawyers, doctors, teachers and more. It's a truly unique opportunity to change a life this Christmas.
You're helping to fight poverty
When children have access to education, it's the first step in them breaking the poverty cycle. There are millions of people suffering in poverty worldwide and 30% of people in Cameroon live below the poverty line. Having the chance to go to school and eventually work to earn more money for their families can break this cycle. If children don't have access to school, they cannot see the potential for their lives to change which is why the poverty cycle continues. These children and their families are stuck in survival mode; doing what's necessary. Living in poverty means that these families cannot access healthcare or in extreme cases even have access to food. However, just a single year of primary school increases wages earned later in life by 5% to 15%, your Christmas gift could provide this.
You could change the world
Children have so much potential, and in sponsoring one of our incredible young people, you could help to change the world. It only takes one individual to change the world, and by providing a child with an education, they could be that person. You're giving a child an opportunity to stop worrying about taking care of their family or going into marriage and instead allowing them to achieve their dreams and ambitions.
Countries like Cameroon are in desperate need of more doctors, lawyers and teachers; they're in short supply. In helping to educate the next generation of these professionals, you could also change the future of Cameroon and help the country to become a more wealthy and financially stable nation. Imagine the child you sponsor going on to save lives, find cures for diseases, or helping educate more children and break Cameroon's poverty cycle. The possibilities are endless and the face of the country could change thanks to your contribution.
While sponsoring a child may seem like a relatively small contribution to you, its effects could be groundbreaking and have a real impact not just for the child you sponsor but for the economic future of Cameroon.
During this season of giving, we hope you will consider changing the life of one of our children and helping them to achieve their dreams. If you're looking to donate to a charity, why not choose a cause which can make a real difference and one that you can see with your own eyes. Sponsoring a child can be just as rewarding for you as it is for the little boy or girl that your money goes to; which could make it the perfect Christmas gift for you.
If you'd like to help change the life of a child in Cameroon this Christmas, you can donate, sponsor or volunteer with us.
Tamsin Clover is running a fundraiser to help ensure our children can receive a Christmas dress this year. If you are unable to commit to sponsorship, this is a great way to make a child smile this Christmas. To find out more about Tamsin's fundraiser, visit her GoFundMe page or read our blog post.