The Gift of Giving

Although I love Christmas, there are certain people I always find it very difficult to buy for. My father and brother do not need anything and my friends do not have space for any more stuff.

On top of this, a few years ago I started to feel a lot of guilt buying unnecessary gifts when there were so many people around the world who were in desperate need.

So for the last few years, instead of giving to those who do not need, I now make a donation in their name to a charity that helps children and families.

One of the easiest charities to donate to is World Vision. Every year they come out with a beautiful gift catalogue. You buy gifts for children, families or underprivileged communities around the world. What I love about World Vision is that you can cater your gift to what matters most to your friend or loved one.

Want to help a family become self-sufficient?
- buy two hens and a rooster or a goat

Believe every child deserves and education?
-help send a child to school or stock a classroom

Want to provide medical care?
-stock a medical clinic

There is no life without water
-provide clean water and protect children from diseases like cholera and typhoid

Want to help traumatized children recover?
-help sexually exploited children, girls in crisis or rehabilitate a child soldier

A child just wants to have fun!
-buy soccer balls or toys for underprivileged children

There are just a few examples. The hardest part about giving from the World Vision catalogue is deciding what to give - there are so many wonderful ways in which you can improve the lives of others!

After the Holocaust, after Rwanda, the world said "Never Again" but for the last five years a horrific genocide has been going on in Darfur. Support these organizations which are pressuring governments and the UN to take action and stop the genocide in Darfur"

Save Darfur Canada
Save Darfur

War and the threat of murder, torture and rape makes people flee their homes for the temporary safety of a refugee camp. These refugee camps are usually under-equipped and lacking in the basic necessities of life like proper food and medical care.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger in more than 70 countries, including in refugee camps. Tbey help those in the most desperate conditions.

The two biggest killers of children in the world are malaria and AIDS (in that order).

Every 30 seconds a child in Africa dies from malaria. This can be dramatically reduced by providing families with insecticide treated mosquito nets. As many as 500,000 lives a year can be saved and the incidence of malaria reduced significantly. World Vision is one organization that provide mosquito nets to African families.

AIDS killed approximately 2 million people in 2007, including 270,000 children. There are many charities that are working to eradicate AIDS and help those affected. My favourite is the Stephen Lewis Foundation which was founded by Stephen Lewis, the former UN envoy to AIDS in Africa and the author of "Race Against Time - Searching for Hope in AIDS-Ravaged Africa". A man whom I greatly respect and admire. This foundation supports grassroots, community based organizations and since 2003 has funded over 300 projects in 15 countries. One campaign, "Grandmothers to Grandmothers" brings together grandmothers from all over the world to ease the burden of the thousands of brave African women raising their orphaned grandchildren.

Children should be protected. When I think or read about young children living on the streets, fending for themselves, it makes me want to cry. No child should be alone. One excellent organization that reaches out and helps these children is Street Kids International.

There are so many worthwhile charities that work to improve the lives of millions of men, women and children around the world.

All the charities I have listed are ones that I believe in and support. I am sure you have your own.

Give a gift that will change a life and maybe your gift will influence your friends and family to do the same.

Season Greetings