Wanna help?

A good friend of mine, Lisa Merritt (executive director and co-founder of Inca Link International) posted this article, and I couldn't help but share it. Because I am serving abroad, a lot of my friends and family are interested in helping me help the people I serve. Before I left, people asked me how they could help, what they could send with me, and I wasn't sure what to tell them. I have a better idea now. This article outlines and explains a few examples of aid-gone-wrong:

"The Seven Worst International Aid Ideas"
http://matadornetwork.com/change/7-worst-international-aid-ideas/

Although these altruistic flops may be disheartening, this article presents a good challenge. Instead of helping in ways that make us feel good about ourselves, we are challenged to think critically about how our actions really affect the receivers. Sure, sending toys and socks to children around the world to open on Christmas day makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but hunger is not going to end by spreading Christmas cheer. I acknowledge that there have been circumstances in which lives have been touched positively by these gestures. However, there are more reliable ways to improve the lives of poverty-stricken populations. It's easy to give away things we don't want or need anymore, but the article makes an important point about hurting local economies. Besides, if it's not good enough for you, why should it be good enough for someone else?

Now that we've been through some bad ideas, let's talk what people really need and reliable ways to meet those needs.

I have not completed thorough research on world-wide needs. These are just a few things that I have observed in my own travels, through friends who serve or work in poor areas, and through aid organizations. I think it's safe to say that many people in many parts of the world lack clean water, stable income, and education. Even though it doesn't feel as personal to support projects with funds as sending something you can physically touch to someone else, projects to improve the overall quality of life are most effective... well, as long as the project is well-thought-out and properly executed (ahem, do your research before supporting a project).

There are many organizations working toward providing communities access to clean water. Wine to Water is just one. I know children personally who have benefited from this organizations work in Peru. Visit winetowater.org for more information.

Another great way to support people around the world is through community development projects. Covenant World Relief has many different projects that promote sustainable income. From micro-finance banks in Mexico, to vocational training in Vietnam, to agricultural projects in Ecuador (remember those Sumaco mushrooms?), Covenant World Relief provides grants and other resources to promote a healthy economy. Give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime, right? Check out Covenant World Relief's projects at covchurch.org/relief/projects/cd

A final way to improve communities is to help provide access to education for children. By supporting a child monthly, a sponsor provides "educational fees, school uniforms, tutoring, health care, and, in faith-based sponsorship organizations, spiritual mentorship" ("Cost Effective Compassion: the 10 Most Popular Strategies for Helping the Poor" www.christianitytoday.com... someone did) complete research on this!). Whether you sponsor a child through smaller organizations like Inca Link International (incalink.net/inca_link_international/sponsorship.html), H.E.R.O (haitihero.org), or organizations that work world wide, like Compassion International (compassion.com), you not only improve a child's life today, you give them opportunities and tools to be productive individuals in the future.

These are just a few opportunities that I know about -- there are a lot more out there. Challenge yourself to find an organization or project that not only impacts your pro-social ego but impacts the lives of others in a positive, sustainable, and holistic way. If you're looking for an effective way to help others, these few opportunities are good places to start.