Have you ever sponsored a child? Or thought about it?
I’ve considered it. But it’s a more complex thing than people often realize.
When it comes to international development, the question of who gets to make a decision is always a big one. And a challenging one.
When you’re donor funded, then of course donors get a say in where their support goes. But also, development should happen WITH communities, not AT them. And the organizations that connect donors to communities should be able to leverage their expertise and structure in the most helpful way.
That’s why I’ve been intrigued by World Vision’s newest campaign. Instead of sponsors picking kids, it’s the other way around. I love the efficiency this brings to a program as large as theirs, and I love the way this creatively challenges assumptions about who makes decisions and why.
Even if something has historically produced great results, you can still re-examine it and see how to make it better with some creative compassion.
And I know I write long posts over here, but they’re still not long enough to capture my full reaction to them flipping their child sponsorship program upside down. So I took to IGTV/YouTube. It’s been a minute since I sat down in front of a camera.
Choose Your Sponsor