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| Is
all your Christmas shopping sorted yet? If
so, then why not look at buying some presents
for those most in need around the world. Ethical
giving is all the rage, or, at least it should
be, and here ALOVE guides you through 10 options
for conscientious buying for complete strangers.
Why not purchase some of the gifts or work
with others to raise funds for some of the
more expensive pressies? |
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| 1| |
| Bee
Generous |
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In the Democratic Republic of
Congo, bee keeping is a profitable
business and with the right tools
and training, a bee farmer can
create a decent livelihood. In
developing countries, honey’s
a popular source of nutrition
(particularly when other foods
are scarce).
The Salvation Army’s International
Development Office supports a
number of ‘bee-based’
projects, that equip local communities
to create various income streams.
For a few pounds, you can help
The Salvation Army support such
projects. Perhaps you want to
buy a Bee Hive for £12 or
a Bee Suit for £16. Or how
about paying to train someone
to be a Beekeeper for £40?
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| 2| |
| Chick,
Chick, Chick, Chick, Chicken! |
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| Eggs can provide much needed
nutrition and be sold in market
places, but to get eggs, you obviously
need a chicken, or a whole family
of them! Through The Salvation
Army’s International Development
Office, you can help boost egg
production by investing in chickens!
1 chicken will cost £6.50,
or if you’re feeling particularly
‘egged on’, why not
invest in a family of chickens?
For £310, you could provide
6 chickens, 1 Rooster, a pen and
year’s worth of chicken
food! |
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| 3| |
| Your
Time |
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| If you can’t afford to
spend money on alternative giving
this Christmas, consider pledging
some time, which is often a bigger
gift than money. Timebank (www.timebank.org.uk)
are able to put you in touch with
local volunteering opportunities
over Christmas. Alternatively,
get in touch with your local volunteer
bureau (www.vde.org.uk). |
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| 4| |
| Donkey |
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| A donkey can carry large loads
over long distances, which really
takes the burden off fetching
and carrying supplies to and from
market. Also families can harness
him up to pumping equipment to
make irrigating crops easier,
plus there’s the bonus of
free fertilizer! |
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| 5| |
| A
toilet |
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| Looking for a potty pressie
idea? Buy someone a toilet for
Christmas! These simple structures
prevent the spread of deadly diseases
in crisis situations. Expertly
installed, they ensure that the
writing’s on the wall for
cholera and typhoid. You don’t
have to be flush to finance these
facilities either. Spend some
pennies - save some lives. |
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| 6| |
| 100
school dinners |
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| Jamie Oliver doesn’t have
a monopoly on nutritious school
dinners. Oxfam feeds thousands
of youngsters every day, the difference
is that their school lunch may
be the only meal they get that
day. As any teacher will tell
you, it’s easier to feed
hungry minds if you’ve fed
hungry mouths first. As well as
providing nourishment, meals encourage
children to attend school and
help them concentrate and learn
better. Just a few pounds will
buy a dinner for 100 children.
Now that’s food for thought. |
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| 7| |
| Pair
of comfy slippers |
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| Senior citizens, wary of heating
bills, sometimes turn down the
energy and put themselves at risk
of hypothermia. Why not help alleviate
winter’s chill by financing
a comfy pair of slippers for only
£15. |
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| 8| |
| A
cow |
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| Send a Cow is a Christian charity
that enables poor farmers in Africa
to become self-reliant by providing
them with livestock, training
and advice. You can donate however
much you can afford to go towards
buying a cow so this is ideal
if you only have a little bit
to spend. |
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| 9| |
| School
desk and chair |
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| It may not be your idea of the
perfect Christmas present but
a comfortable chair can make the
school day a little easier –
especially on the bottom, and
the desk can add much needed support
for a child’s studies. |
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| 10| |
| A
happy memory |
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| Here you can fund a menu of
engaging experiences for disadvantaged
and disabled children. There are
three levels of activity you can
sponsor: A day of excitement at
a theme park: £20. Second,
exhilaration on horseback: £30.
Third: ecstasy of a glider flight:
£65. You can’t put
a price on a smile. |
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