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Gifts that Give Back

Gifts that Give Back

Issue 95 August 2012

Eid is a time for family, and the giving of gifts has been a longstanding tradition to bring joy to one another. Share this happiness by opting for unique gifts that give back to others. 

Words Fatema Zehra

 

Microfinance

Microfinance projects are a great and innovative way to make a difference. There are a wide range of projects to support, often directly related to the region the project works around. For example, by supplying a month’s yarn to regions such as India, Pakistan and Rwanda, you can make a real difference not only in terms of employment for an individual, but also by bringing formerly hostile communities together over a common cause. The knitted items provide much-needed warm clothes for children, the elderly, orphans and street dwellers.
There are several charity projects that provide the physical tools and skills to communities, as well as the know-how to improve local businesses. For example, training a beekeeper in the latest yield-boosting production methods and marketing techniques will help maximise their profits and enable them with longstanding tools for a successful business.


Helping a young person can change the future of an entire generation. By supporting teenagers who have missed schooling due to poverty and giving them a second chance as willing apprentices, your gift can make a real difference. Vocational training as metal workers, hairdressers, dressmakers or bike repairers equips them for the future.

 

Health

We often get consumed by a world that bombards us with consumer products and urges us to spend our time and money on material goods. Gifts that can make a difference with visible results often are the simplest, such as providing those less fortunate with the means to basic health care. Physically strengthening a community enlists them for a fighting future to improve their quality of life.


Many of the basic things we take for granted, such as the ability to see, can leave many others struggling needlessly due to a lack of means. The removal of cataracts is a simple procedure, yet life saving and the results are almost instant. With a gift of a cataract removal operation you will be granting patients the opportunity to see clearly and unobstructed.

 

Equipping health carers can be just as important. For example, if a midwife in a developing country owns a bike, she is able to visit more villages. The local price of bikes can be approximately £45, but its life-improving qualities far exceed this price.

 

UK Based

There are countless projects closer to home that work tirelessly to help local communities within the United Kingdom. Supporting a session at an afterschool club can make a huge difference to latchkey children around the UK. These clubs work to inspire and motivate young people through a very impressionable age. Those key hours can have a huge effect on their life path.


We often take for granted the fact that we’re blessed with great family that can look after us and support us in our old age. But this isn’t always the case for many of the elderly who find themselves in vulnerable situations requiring a small helping hand. By providing a gift of weekly groceries delivered to their house, you can guarantee this will make a huge difference in their lives.


Some of the best gifts are not necessarily the most exciting and can often cost very little, yet they go a long way to helping out those in our local communities and wider afield.  

 

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