When you think about disadvantaged children your thoughts may automatically turn to Africa but, in fact, there are children throughout the world who need our help. Nepal and Romania are two of the countries in which a community of business people, Business against Poverty, are helping through some of their projects.
The Way of Joy Project
This project in Romania is supported by a range of businesses in the UK, including independent companies and larger organisations from a wide range of industry sectors from jewellers through to childcare providers.
In addition to the child sponsorship programme, they also contribute to various other projects such as micro farming, providing a medical centre for disadvantaged people and the Feed a Child project which aims to provide regular hot meals for malnourished children. According to UNICEF as many as 3,000 children may be living on the streets in Bucharest alone, putting them at risk of violence, health problems and illiteracy.
Charity representatives also visit Romania on awareness trips and Malcolm the Monster, a character created by participating firm monster.travel reminds everyone on his Facebook page to make sure that passports are valid before travelling. If yours has expired, don’t panic – HM Passport Office offers a premium service so that you can collect a replacement within 4 hours of your application being accepted or a fast track service by which it will be delivered to your home within a week following acceptance of your application.
Through child sponsorship schemes, firms such as monster.travel are working with others to improve the lives of extremely poor children who may have been orphaned or simply abandoned. The money enables the child to access education, to benefit from regular meals and provides basic medical care. They also receive small but essential treats such as outings, birthday and Christmas celebrations. The Transport project transports food and takes children on visits to countryside camps and medical appointments.
The Starlight Centre in Kathmandu
This project in Nepal is also supported by Business against Poverty. It has emulated Romania’s Way of Joy project and involves ensuring that poverty stricken children are given nutritious meals and learn social skills. Children who have been rejected by society attend the community hub every week for a meal. They stay to play, and by teaching them social skills the scheme aims to reintegrate them into society.
There is also a child sponsorship scheme to support individual children which currently supports 27 children in the area, many of whom have lost one or both parents. Sponsoring an individual child means that you will be able to follow their progress. You can communicate with them by letter and may even be able to arrange a visit to the project in order to meet them on an Awareness Trip.
Both businesses and individuals can help these underprivileged children by sending a one off donation or by signing up to a child sponsorship scheme.
