Change a Child's Life with Save The Children
Benjamin Arnulf
Senior Director, Product Strategy, Analytics at Oracle | OCI, AI, Analytics, Data Intelligence, Data Visualization
Like many other people, I support different international organizations such as the ASPCA, UNICEF, Kiva, Animal Humane Society, and Mercy for Animals. I want a part of my wages to support others. 3 years ago, I discovered the global organization Save The Children and started to support it. After a very successful experience, I decided to share my personal experience and to promote this organization!
The Organization
Save The Children is an International organization investing in childhood, every day, in times of crisis and for their future. In the United States and around the world, they give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection.
Last year, Save the Children worked in 120 countries and helped more than 185 million children.
The focus of their child sponsorship program is primarily on the below:
- Maternal and Child Health
- Early Childhood Care and Development
- Basic Education
- School Health and Nutrition
- Adolescent Development
- Innovation
Save The Children is not like other organizations, you get involved to change the children's lives and to personally impact the course of their future. The main difference with other organizations is that while the money you send is pooled with the gifts of other sponsors to support programs that benefit all children in the community, you get to build a relationship directly with one of the children in that community by writing letters, investing time and receiving child updates.
This is more specific and more human, this is not just a credit card transaction on your bank account.
Personal Journey
The first step of your journey is to go on the Save The Children website.
You will have to select the region of the world you want to contribute and the child you wish to sponsor. Finally, you select which contribution you want to give every month.
Usually at this stage, most of the other organizations will send you a welcome email, then a thank you email and finally 2 to 3 advertising emails per month...
This is where Save The Children is different. First, you will receive a picture of the child you sponsor. You are encouraged to build a friendship with your sponsored child. They are eager and excited to hear from you, about your life, and happy to share about theirs. In my case, I started receiving a picture of Roselyn from the Philippines when she was about 5 years old. I do not have a child so the first letter was a little bit difficult for me to write!
Letters and drawings from your sponsored child will allow you to learn more about daily life in their own words and experiences. Roselyn being from the Philippines, a translation was provided by the staff. Roselyn likes noodles and wants to become a teacher. Well, on my side, I'm a huge fan of noodles too and my sister is teacher, so... I guess it was easy, the bond was already here! ;D
You can write letters via the online portal or send mails directly to the address provided. You can also send gifts for Birthdays or Christmas or any other local celebrations. Depending on which country is the child, it might be a challenge for the delivery. Once gifts are received, some countries will even send a photo of the child holding the gift!
Credit: Savethechildren.org - Roselyn with some of the Christmas gifts.
This is really amazing to receive news from your sponsored child as they grow and prosper. Communication is really key and you can see the evolution photo after photo, and letter after letter. I wish I was a bit more regular on the letters but I guess the intention is here! I really recommend to have this experience and to help a child around the world. The staff and members of the organization provide an excellent work exceeding all expectations.
It's not taking a lot of your personal time in your life but you might have a clear positive impact on a child's life like Roselyn!
Go to the Save The Children website and start improving a child's life today!
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Author: Benjamin Arnulf
Fondatrice de l'agence HERITAGE 1875 | Manager Marketing & Commercial | Event & Merchandising | Conseils et stratégie de communication
8 年Thank you for sharing your experience. I have been supporting World Vision for almost 10 years now and their organisation is pretty similar to what you described. it does not take much to make a difference ??