Impact of Gift Notifications on children, families and communities.

Gift Notification (GN) received by sponsored children brings hope and happiness to their families, the neighborhood and the entire community in which they live. Families that benefit from gift notification always feel cared for and loved.

Gift Notification is when a sponsored child receives a gift in a form of letter, money, greeting card, or item directly from their sponsors. Each time a GN is received by a child in the form of money, the child together with the family decides what to purchase or spend the money on.

Normally, families spend the received money on items that are of a basic need to the child or family as a whole. Items could be teaching and learning materials for the child for the child or food supplies to support the family during lean season. This further prevents sponsored children from travelling to neighboring communities in search for food and money.

For instance, some families receive livestock animals for breeding and are encouraged to donate to other vulnerable families whenever animals litter in order to improve their livelihood. Some children also use their gift notification to buy secondary school uniforms and this motivates them to study hard.

In a nutshell, as a Sponsorship staff, my observation is Gift Notifications continues to make significant contribution in the lives of sponsored children by reducing poverty and improving livelihood not only in a families but the community as a whole.

By: Leatou Djergou

Sponsorship Manager, World Vision Niger