Is It Time to End "Sponsor a Child" Charity ?

[CEOCambodiaNews]

‘Sponsor a child’ schemes attacked for perpetuating racist attitudes
Using individual children to ‘sell’ schemes to rich donors is similar to ‘poverty porn’ images of past, say experts, as calls grow to decolonise aid
Karen McVeigh
Mon 31 May 2021 07.30 BST

International child sponsorship schemes have come under attack for perpetuating racist thinking, as an apology by a charity to thousands of children in Sri Lanka has sparked a debate over the money-raising schemes.

Plan International last week admitted it had made “mistakes” over its exit from Sri Lanka in 2020, following criticism from donors and former employees that it had failed 20,000 vulnerable children in the country.

It apologised to sponsored children as well as to communities and partners, some of whom, they admitted, felt it left “abruptly” and without sufficient communication.

The controversy has reignited debate over international child sponsorship schemes and whether, amid growing calls to decolonise aid, the benefits they offer can outweigh the north-south power relations they re-enforce.

Carol Sherman, an independent humanitarian consultant who has held senior director roles in international NGOs for two decades, said the schemes perpetuate “racist and paternalistic thinking” similar to the “poverty porn” images of poor black children used by charities in the past.

“For years, we didn’t talk about the white gaze, myself included,” said Sherman. “Child sponsorship is a small part of decolonising aid, but it’s a part NGOs need to change. It is a relic of the past.”

Sherman acknowledges that many large schemes have evolved in recent years to provide benefits to communities, not individuals, while others, such as World Vision, allow the child involvement in choosing a donor. But “tweaking” the model is not enough, she said.

“Many agencies have moved away from sponsors of individual children to sponsors of communities, but they are still using individual children to ‘sell’ to donors,” said Sherman.
“Donors stick a picture of a child on their fridge and think of them as ‘our child’.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-deve ... -attitudes

[Alex]

I think it should be banned.

[Biffsm]

Yeah, just end it and forget them.
Sam Kinnison did a great bit about this issue years ago..
Suggesting the camera man or director give the kid a sandwich or better yet everyone in the World living where there is no food MOVE!
DON'T SEND THEM FOOD...SEND MOVING TRUCKS..
Shit, the Khmer people that work here in my apartment do not have money for food.
My lady overheard them talking about eating rice and fish sauce..She made them fish and chicken soup. Times are tough in Cambodia.
The people supposed to bring home money for food have no food.
These companies across the planet pull at your heartstrings to adopt a kid, a puppy, a cat and most of them spend 90% of the money on their offices, salaries and first class travel.
Not sure where racism factors in?
I remember as a kid my parents would say CLEAN YOUR PLATE..there are starving kids around the World.
People around the World have no idea how poor some Americans are....
Covid has made it so much worse.
china sure as fuck is not going to help ...

[TWY]

Carol Sherman, an independent humanitarian consultant
-----------------------

This is the real problem. If we just took all the money spent on expatriate NGO folks and gave it to the poorest people they would be INFINITELY better off. Too often NGO's perpetuate the issues they claim to care about and give financial support to regimes that are responsible for the conditions that cause the problems in the first place.

Not only do these folks command 6 figure salaries, but their spouses are often guaranteed "jobs", they live far better than those they are there to serve (think private homes and villas), their children are sent to the best private schools (on the dime of the charity), the are "entitled" to travel home twice a year via business class, and frankly a decent percentage of these people DON"T GIVE A DAMN about those they are supposedly serving - it is their career.

Unless your a doctor/nurse working FOR FREE in a part of the world with greatly limited health care, send them all home.

[Apollo91881]

Carol Sherman, an independent humanitarian consultant
-----------------------

This is the real problem. If we just took all the money spent on expatriate NGO folks and gave it to the poorest people they would be INFINITELY better off. Too often NGO's perpetuate the issues they claim to care about and give financial support to regimes that are responsible for the conditions that cause the problems in the first place.

Not only do these folks command 6 figure salaries, but their spouses are often guaranteed "jobs", they live far better than those they are there to serve (think private homes and villas), their children are sent to the best private schools (on the dime of the charity), the are "entitled" to travel home twice a year via business class, and frankly a decent percentage of these people DON"T GIVE A DAMN about those they are supposedly serving - it is their career.

Unless your a doctor/nurse working FOR FREE in a part of the world with greatly limited health care, send them all home.

I hear the expatriate factor is becoming less and less a thing as local nationals develop the skills that expats bring.

Posh schools and salaries aside, you wouldn’t get someone with the skill set to come in for an extended period of time and handoff those skills if it was going to cost them and their family significantly. It’s still a job for the individual and at some point they go back home (allegedly).

[TWY]

Carol Sherman, an independent humanitarian consultant
-----------------------

This is the real problem. If we just took all the money spent on expatriate NGO folks and gave it to the poorest people they would be INFINITELY better off. Too often NGO's perpetuate the issues they claim to care about and give financial support to regimes that are responsible for the conditions that cause the problems in the first place.

Not only do these folks command 6 figure salaries, but their spouses are often guaranteed "jobs", they live far better than those they are there to serve (think private homes and villas), their children are sent to the best private schools (on the dime of the charity), the are "entitled" to travel home twice a year via business class, and frankly a decent percentage of these people DON"T GIVE A DAMN about those they are supposedly serving - it is their career.

Unless your a doctor/nurse working FOR FREE in a part of the world with greatly limited health care, send them all home.

I hear the expatriate factor is becoming less and less a thing as local nationals develop the skills that expats bring.

Posh schools and salaries aside, you wouldn’t get someone with the skill set to come in for an extended period of time and handoff those skills if it was going to cost them and their family significantly. It’s still a job for the individual and at some point they go back home (allegedly).

----------------

Just out of curiosity, how many people have you ever met that worked for an NGO and they told you. I left me career doing XYZ and am doing this for two years and then are going back to the private sector?

The only people that I've ever met that fall into that category are some doctors and a few folks that were building homes. Everyone else that I've met (not just in Cambodia), its their career. Overeducated elitists looking out for themselves would be a good summary IMO.

[newkidontheblock]

Unless your a doctor/nurse working FOR FREE in a part of the world with greatly limited health care, send them all home.

There’s a lot more involved then just showing up and working for free. Doctors and nurses require the medical infrastructure, think medicines, supplies, etc., and have to PAY in get them. Basically, paying in order to work for free.

But medical missions do great work in the weeks and months they are there. Fix kids with cleft palates so they can speak and eat normally. Take out cataracts so the old can see, etc. Make substantial differences in their lives that’s worth the $2k-$10k each person has to pay to work for free.

At least, my thoughts.

[SternAAlbifrons]

Flock! - just give the money to support violent overthrow of their government. Total revolution.
ffs - all this pissing around at the edges..

[Ghostwriter]

Some younger guys are regularly sollicitating random people in my town's streets, with Khmer kids photos display and else.
It's always an opportunity to annoy them by asking to which specific orphanages and else they intend to forward the money, and in which proportions compared to the contribution, and for which purpose it will be used.
Never got clear answers, although their employing structure is quite well-known.

The conversation often doesn't end well, but it ends with more people around us listening to it than when it starts. At this point their team leader usually sticks around, unwilling or unable to give further details.

I'd be glad when it stops for good.

[Anchor Moy]

Some younger guys are regularly sollicitating random people in my town's streets, with Khmer kids photos display and else.
It's always an opportunity to annoy them by asking to which specific orphanages and else they intend to forward the money, and in which proportions compared to the contribution, and for which purpose it will be used.
Never got clear answers, although their employing structure is quite well-known.

The conversation often doesn't end well, but it ends with more people around us listening to it than when it starts. At this point their team leader usually sticks around, unwilling or unable to give further details.

I'd be glad when it stops for good.

Is that where guys hang out around European supermarkets or downtown, and they stop and ask you if you have 10 euros to save a child ? (What! You don't care about children? You scumbag you.) They have a clipboard where they write down your donation and get you to sign, like it's serious, but then you realise that this is not a registered charity but a money-spinner scam.

So, yeah, it's a scam, but it's good that you question them and ask where the money is going, if only because you might get other people thinking. Good for you.