Girls And Education: Why Education For Girls Is So Important

We all know that education is one of the most important factors in improving the life chances of children. But for many around the world access to education is limited or non-existent, and often this is based on factors such as family wealth, whether they live in urban or rural areas, their ethnicity and their gender. 

Sadly, when it comes to girls and education the statistics are worrying to say the least. Worldwide 1 in 5 girls are denied an education. In Africa as a whole about 43% of girls are in lower secondary education, and in certain countries and regions these numbers are much worse. 

What many people don’t realise is that educating girls has an enormous impact on more than the individual. If a girl is educated, even just to primary school level, it has stunning implications for their

Rebuilding the Philippines

In the wake of the utter devastation left by the path of Typhoon Haiyan, the Philippine’s is in desperate need. Entire villages and cities were brought to utter desolation by the storms and flash floods, and now relief efforts attempt to provide millions of displaced families with accommodation, medication and food.

Charities like Plan UK are doing all they can to supply the victims of this disaster with clean drinking water, food and vaccinations, but much more still needs to be done. Many people have been left with absolutely nothing, as the storms were too strong for the majority of buildings in their path, leading to extensive damage to homes and livelihoods, often beyond repair. In these cases, temporary accommodation is needed. However, in some cases not all has been lost. A shelter kit can help a family rebuild their lives, but this is only possible through much needed donations. 

Extra staff from other charity offices in Asia are flying into the Philippines to help colleagues with aid distribution in what is potentially the worst natural disaster the country has ever experienced. Although typhoons, floods and earthquakes are expected in the Philippines, nothing of this magnitude has ever struck before in living memory. The Philippines was already in need of aid, having just suffered the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol in October. Now, as a result of Super Typhoon Haiyan, this need has become even more desperate. 

Homes, schools and family livelihoods have been completely destroyed in many cases, leaving children without a sense of stability and parents with no source of income. Temporary schooling has been constructed in many afflicted areas and school resources have been replaced, allowing children to return to a sense of normality and allowing teachers back to work. Make-shift hospitals have also been set up where necessary to administer much-needed vaccinations and prevent the spread of infection. Even basic necessities, such as clean drinking water, were unavailable to the victims of this disaster before help arrived.

You too can be a part of the solution by helping these charities to continue to give much needed aid to those affected in the Philippines. Anything you give will be appreciated and will make a difference to these people’s lives. Just £4 will cover the cost of a water kit for one family for an entire month, providing parents and children with much needed clean, safe drinking water. You can help to keep these children and their families healthy with £25 for a hygiene kit for a whole family for one month. If possible, you could also help to rebuild the Philippines, as £80 provides a full shelter kit for one family.

No amount of money is too small to give, and every donation helps to rebuild people’s lives. Contact a charity such as Plan UK today to see what you can do to get involved and help rebuild the Philippines. 

Visit http://www.plan-uk.org.

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Make 2014 a Better Year for Someone

Our New Year’s resolutions are always the same, aren’t they? Get fit, lose weight, give up smoking…

Self-improvement is all very well and good, but what if you could do more? What if you could make someone else’s life better in 2014? 

With child sponsorship, you can do just that, and bask in the satisfaction that at least one of your resolutions will be going to plan. 

Charities all over the UK use child sponsorship programs to help change the lives of children worldwide. Being a child sponsor gives you a unique insight into the life of a child in a developing country, and over time you will be able to watch your sponsored child benefit from your kindness and generosity as they continue to improve their lives. 

Letters, photos and reports from your sponsored child and charity will help you see the difference you are making in that child’s life and the impact your contribution has. 

You are free to write to your sponsored child and see how they are doing. In fact, most charities encourage this, as the letters help to improve the child’s literacy skills and help you to establish a connection with your sponsored child. Also, reading a letter from someone miles away who cares about them and is willing to support them is priceless to these children, and can help to motivate them in their ambitions. 

Start off the New Year by making an immediate improvement to a child’s life. When you sign up for child sponsorship, you will be given the choice of sponsoring either a boy or a girl. You will receive a profile of your sponsored child as well as photos of them and their family. You will also receive guidance on writing to your sponsored child as well as writing materials. 

Just knowing that someone else cares about their fate and is sending some of their hard-earned cash to help them improve their lives means a great deal to these children and their families. For the minimal cost of 50 pence a day, you could help change a child’s life forever. 

The money you donate goes towards projects that will best benefit your sponsored child and the needs of their community, be it agricultural training, renovating wells for clean water, building and restoring schools or providing immunisations. Most importantly, the emphasis is placed not on hand-outs, but on helping the community to take ownership of these projects so they can help themselves out of poverty and become stronger as a community for the benefit of themselves, their children and future generations. 

Make your New Year’s resolution one you won’t give up on this year, and help change the lives of a child and their family for the better. Your contribution will make a difference not only today, or for the next year, but for many years to come due to the projects that your generosity can help fund and sustain. 

Visit http://www.plan-uk.org/sponsor-a-child today.

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Child Sponsorship Charities - Where do your donations go?

Many of us are aware of the term ‘chuggers’ - you know, those delightfully chirpy people who have volunteered to spend their time raising as much money as they can by approaching you in the street. Love them or hate them, they do a lot of good and raise some well needed funds for a variety of extremely worthy causes.

But what actually happens to your money once you’ve handed it over? Many people give their donations in good faith that they will be spent responsibly. However, there are urban myths surrounding some of the larger charities that suggest that more than 75% of the money raised goes towards advertising for more donations.

Image source Plan UK

That said, Plan UK have decided to combat this uncertainty by publicising exactly how every single penny is spent when a person is good enough to sponsor a child through their scheme. Firstly, you’ll be very pleased to know that just 17% of their total income is spent on further fundraising and administration. The remaining 83% goes directly to the communities and developments they are supporting. They have provided some very in depth figures on their finances – a great example for other charities to follow. If more of them were so forward with the books, then perhaps more people might be willing to donate.

Of course, there is a slight misconception about sponsoring a child, too. People don’t sponsor a single child, with all donations going directly to that one person. What actually happens is that donations are pooled to provide materials for building schools, buy books and training teachers, even digging a new well or providing healthy crops. What matters is the community, the framework and support system for the sponsored children to live a fulfilling life.

While donors might like to think our money has got to help a specific individual, what’s important is that the right amount of people have access to clean drinking water. It’s not unusual for us to want a connection with another human being to feel justified in donating money, but the bigger picture is far more valuable. To say ‘I contributed to building a prospering new community’ is a very important statement and, of course, it’s down to charities across the world, which help make it all possible.

To find out more about what they do, or even just to take a look at their numbers, 

visit www.plan-uk.org.

Plan - sponsor a child and make a difference

If you are looking at helping others more or donating to a charity this year Plan UK may be the perfect option for you.

You can find out a little more on Plan UK and how your support will help:

If you wish to sponsor a child or find out more information on Plan, you can head over to their website.

http://www.plan-uk.org/sponsor-a-child/