Sponsorship - The Sponsor's Story

"Receiving Letters from my Sponsored Child Means So Much"

Lynne has been sponsoring Elijah in Kenya for the past 11 years. She explains why she started sponsoring, her experience of it and how she managed to met her sponsored child.

"I have two boys myself - at the time that I started sponsoring they were 11 and 13. I was giving them money to go to the shop and buy themselves some sweets and started to think that for less than 76 cent a day you could be making a difference to another child’s life. Such a small sum makes no impact on your life. So, I decided to sponsor a child.

For several years my husband and I had been corresponding with Elijah. We have regularly exchanged letters in which he tells us how he is progressing at school, how his family is getting on and the latest news from his village. It meant so much for me and my family to receive these letters. It felt like we were having a real impact on Elijah’s life, that with help from our sponsorship, he was able to develop into the person he is today.

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Global Issues Workshops

Workshops in Irish Schools

Children are at the heart of Plan Ireland’s development approach. Our development education programme reflects this with a specific focus on Irish school children. We aim to increase Irish children’s awareness of global development issues by encouraging active learning and dialogue in schools through our Global Issues workshops.

The workshop lasts approximately 40 minutes per class. It incorporates a discussion of global development issues such as poverty and gender equality, along with information about children’s lives in an emergency situation such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

Neither the children nor the school are asked to participate in any type of fundraising event.
The primary objective is to raise awareness of global issues with Irish school children.

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Plan Ireland's Sponsorship Campaign

Sponsor a child with Plan Ireland and make a real difference to the live of a child, their family and community in one of the 50 developing countries where we work.
Please, do something wonderful today.

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Playing hard and dreaming big in Ethiopia

5-year-old Hennock wants to be a pilot when he grows up. “I want to go anywhere I like,” he said. “I want to take my friends to the countryside!”

It’s an ambitious goal for a little boy who lives in one of the poorest countries in the world. Ethiopia is a country where 36 million people are struggling to survive, and a place where most children are denied their right to participate in school. Instead, they spend their time fetching water, tending to crops or caring for their siblings at home.

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Five Reasons Early Childhood Care and Development is Important

Plan International USA is working to ensure all children receive the proper care from a young age.

 

Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) is an integral program area for Plan International. From Africa to Asia Ethiopia to Asia, Plan is working to establish early childhood development centers, educate parents, and provide the proper attention for children under 5 years old.
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Fifth Birthday and Beyond

Did you know that 6.6 million children under 5 years old will not reach their birthdays this year, dying mostly of preventable diseases? And, 18,000 children die a day – 44 percent of whom die during the newborn period?

The numbers are staggering, and it’s hard to believe that they used to be worse. Since 1990, U.S. foreign assistance programs have helped cut in half the annual number of deaths of children under 5. According to UNICEF, in the last 12 years, 700,000 fewer children died of pneumonia; 600,000 fewer children died of diarrhea; 400,000 fewer children died of measles; 300,000 fewer children died of malaria; and 100,000 fewer children died of AIDS.
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Plan Supports Dochas Act Now on 2015 campaign

Plan Ireland seeks your support for the Dochas “Act Now on 2015” campaign to highlight the need for Ireland to deliver on its aid promises to the world’s poor.
At the UN Millennium meeting in 2000, Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, made a commitment to meet the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNP on Official Development Assistance by the end of 2007. This deadline was subsequently extended to 2012 and then to 2015.

In 2008 current Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the UN: “We do not need to make further pledges if we just deliver on what we have already promised.” Since then he has presided over cuts in the overseas aid budget to the tune of 21% and the likelihood is that there is more to come in the next budget.

These cuts are having catastrophic effects on some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people - for example, Plan Ireland has had to cancel plans to build two schools in Mali which means that hundreds of children will not now receive an education.

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When Literacy Brings Light to Life

How a literacy-rich home environment promotes literacy development.

 

In the arid landscape that makes up the region of Zinder, Niger, there is a small village called Arnadi. Here, education has not been a primary focus for the community. Only 75 percent of the adult population of this region is literate, according to the most recent study. Deri Gana Nana, president of the Mothers Association (AME) in Arnadi, Zinder, was one of them.

Deri, like many of her peers, did not get the opportunity to attend school as a girl. Not being able to read or write made life difficult, but she, like others, managed to survive. Deri sold vegetables in the market and raised goats to support her family. She made sure her child was educated, but accepted her lot in life.

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Mothers Take Initiative in Nigerien School

How support for community organizations can inspire sustainable action.

 

The school director in Makéra Guidan Djibo, in south-central Niger, was especially moved by the latest gesture to support his school. It was not a large grant or a new classroom. It was a small but meaningful gift, because it came from the mothers of his students.

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Women Tutoring and Mentoring of Girls Creates a Strong Link Between Literacy and Formal Education

In the village of Noogtenga, Sanmatenga province, 62 women who never attended formal school themselves have become tutors and mentors for school children, most of whom are girls. They are currently doing their best to ensure that students consistently attend classes, earn good grades, and successfully complete at least their primary education in the village’s only school—a school built for them by the BRIGHT (Burkinabé Response to Improve Girls’ Chances To Succeed) project, funded by the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation, managed by USAID, and implemented by NGOs Plan International, Catholic Relief Services, Forum for African Women Educationalists, and Tin Tua.

 

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Her Story Photo Exhibition

In order to raise awareness of Plan Ireland’s work, increase understanding of the importance of gender equality and highlight International Day of the Girl, Plan Ireland has created a photo exhibition called HER STORY.

 

The exhibition was launched by Laura Whitmore and Cherie Blair in Dublin to coincide with International Day of the Girl in October. It then embarked on a nationwide tour, so far, it has been displayed in Kilkenny and Cork with Limerick its next destination.

 

If you are interested in exhibiting Her Story contact Christina Meehan at christina.meehan@plan-international.org or Tel: 01 659 9601.

 

Her Story features images of 36 girls ranging in ages from a few months to 18, from diverse communities across both Ireland and Sierra Leone.  This ground-breaking exhibition shines a light on the girls of the world, by looking into their lives. From the bustling side-streets of Freetown, to the lush farms of Meath, these beautiful images create a fascinating narrative. While opportunities may differ and aspirations vary, one thing remains: each girl has a story to tell – her story.

 

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Plan International Helps Young Refugees Pursue Dreams

A Plan education program is helping one refugee from Mali strive for a better future.

 

When Hawa’s older sister arrived from Mali to a refugee camp in Burkina Faso in 2012, there were no secondary schools for her to attend.

She had no choice but to stay at home, and as a result, her family decided to marry her off. At just 16, she is already a mother.

“In my culture, children do not have the right to object to what their parents decide for them,” Hawa said. “All they have to do is accept it and put up [with it]. This situation is common in our community and a lot of girls like me are already married and pregnant.”

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Parents in Deytagui Village Mobilize to Transform School

How support for community organizations can inspire sustainable action.

 

Last year, the Deytagui-Banikoubeye primary school, in south-western Niger, had about $30 to buy necessary supplies for the year. The schoolyard was not enclosed, meaning that people and animals could wander through at any time and distract students from learning. And, while the community did build additional classrooms with local materials, the process took three months to finish, resulting in a serious disruption to the learning that was supposed to be happening inside.

A year later, things have vastly improved for the students of Deytagui.
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Conflict in the CAR Turns Lives of Mothers and Children Upside-Down

Plan International is working to bring relief to refugees in Cameroon.

 

A young refugee mother from the Central African Republic (CAR) is now depending on the support of Plan International USA to get through a time of uncertainty, turmoil, and heartache.

Kadidja, 15, is one of tens of thousands of refugees who fled to Cameroon to escape the bloody violence in CAR. Along with her 2-year-old daughter, Mariama, she trekked for four months to escape the fighting, completing the arduous journey of more than 600 kilometers amid violence, starvation, and a real threat of death.
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Plan Challenges 2014

The GREAT ETHIOPIAN RUN (November 20th-25th)

The Great Ethiopian Run is an experience to behold. Run at 10,000ft, this 10km route is Africa's highest and most scenic run. This trip is combined with visits to Plan's urban projects in Addis Ababa.

TREK NEPAL (Oct 27th - Nov 4th)

Trek Nepal is a spectacular 9 day trek across the Himalayas in Nepal where you will visit Plan projects along the way in Baglung and Myagdi.

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Why we must do more to end forced marriage

New legislation was announced to criminalise forced marriage in the UK. From Monday 16 June, forcing someone to marry will now be a criminal offence, carrying a prison sentence of up to seven years. Effective domestic legislation is important, and this is a positive step forward. But to end the practice – both in the UK and abroad – a wider effort is required, to change attitudes and prevent forced marriages in the first place.

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Syrian Refugee Crisis: How Can You Help?

Plan International is taking an active role in responding to the needs of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled to Egypt in the midst of ongoing violence in their home country.

Plan has been granted special permission from the Egyptian government to work with refugees in the coastal city of Alexandria where it is currently developing a number of projects, including providing education, health, and sanitation services.

“We will be working with both vulnerable Syrian and Egyptian populations as a key measure to support the peaceful coexistence of the two communities,” said Ruairi McDermott, Plan’s country director in Egypt.

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Plan UK embarks on new three year education partnership with Credit Suisse

A new three year global partnership with financial services organisation Credit Suisse will provide 100,000 girls with financial education and life skills.

The programme will deliver projects in Brazil, China, India and Rwanda, empowering the next generation of women to achieve better futures for themselves and their communities. The formal launch of the new  partnership was marked with events in London, New York, Zurich and Hong Kong last month.

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About Plan Ireland – Childrens Charities

Established in 2003, Plan Ireland is a child-centred community development organisation, part of Plan International which itself was founded over 76 years ago. It is an independent organisation with no religious, political or governmental affiliations.

Plan is one of the oldest and largest international development agencies in the world. It currently works in 51 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas directly supporting more than 56,000,000 children and their families, in over 90,220 communities across the developing world.

Plan Ireland receives tremendous support from the Irish public, over 7,500 of whom sponsor children.

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Plan Works in Rwandan Refugee Camps to Stop Gender-Based Violence

Plan International will have a presence in all Rwandan refugee camps.

 

In an ongoing effort to protect human rights and secure the safety of the world’s most vulnerable people, Plan International announced in May that it would be supporting all of Rwanda’s refugee camps.

Plan will be coordinating its efforts with the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
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World turning away as deadly Ebola epidemic rages in West Africa

West African nations like Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia are continuing to battle a raging epidemic of the deadly Ebola virus, even as the attention of the rest of the world has moved on.

Despite hopes the epidemic had been contained, a second deadly outbreak has killed at least 135 people since 23 May across the three nations. Since the original outbreak in March, at least 364 cases of Ebola have claimed at least 192 lives in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
“The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa is showing no signs of abating. The government and humanitarian agencies are far from winning this battle against the deadly disease. It is a gravely worrying situation,” says Dr Unni Krishnan, Head of Disaster Preparedness and Response for Plan International.

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Plan International Reacts to Water Scarcity for South Sudan Refugees

Mary, a young refugee from South Sudan, needs to wait for hours every day for water.

 

At a refugee camp in northern Uganda, Mary sleeps with her four brothers under a tree. Tired and thirsty, she wakes up in the middle of the night to wait in line for water.

“This place has no water, and on a few occasions, a truck will bring some water and fill up the tank, but it’s a struggle to get it,” she said

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Plan Ireland

Throughout the last year the focus of each month has been different covering all of Plan International's core areas and campaigns: education, health, water and sanitation, protection, economic security, emergencies, child participation and sexual health, including HIV, Because I am a Girl, Count Every Child and Learn Without Fear.

Over the next seven months, until the end of July, the focus will change to specific Plan foundraising countries and what they do.

The focus of July is Ireland.

Angelina Jolie meets Mayra a Guatemalan Youth Ambassador

Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict Situations in London

It’s not every day you get to meet Angelina Jolie.

But for Mayra, a girl from Guatemala, she didn’t just ask for an autograph. Representing Guatemala in London at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict Situations in London,  Mayra shared her life experience as an indigenous girl in Guatemala, a country that suffered a 36-year civil war.

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Cykler for Kenyas udsatte piger

Når bandet Arthur Detour holder pre-release på deres nye album i Roskilde og København, støtter de samtidig udsatte piger i Kenya igennem udviklingsorganisationen Plan Danmark.

Alt for mange piger i Kenya dropper ud af skolen, når de kommer i puberteten. Det er blandt andet mangel på latriner og rent drikkevand, der er skyld i, at pigerne forlader skolebænken.

Derfor sætter det danske band Arthur Detour fokus på pigers skolegang, når de den 21. juni kl. 20 spiller numre fra deres nyeste album ”Omveje” på Bjergtrolden i Roskilde og den 26. juni kl. 20 på PH Caféen i København.

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