My sponsored child Davis

Reading the article in Cork News about child sponsorship with World Vision this week made me think about my own sponsored child. As a World Vision employee, it may seem strange that I’m a child sponsor, perhaps even self-serving to some. The truth is that sponsoring Davis in North Rukiga ADP in Uganda is one of the most rewarding and cost effective ways I can use my money to make a difference. I know that only a fraction of my donation (22%) is used to cover the Irish office fundraising and programme quality costs and the vast majority goes to benefit Davis’ community. Unlike most charities, with World Vision I get to see exactly how Davis benefits from my donation and I have even visited him and met his family. The school that he goes to was seriously overcrowded with ramshackle buildings, but thanks to World Vision and partly thanks to my contribution, Davis’ school now has three classrooms. We occasionally write and he lets me know how his life is going and how World Vision is assisting him and his family. My relationship with Davis is a great window into life in rural Africa and one of the most transparent and accountable ways my money can be used.