Thank you World Vision
for providing me with a product to review, free of charge.
These are my own honest opinions.

The Holiday Season is a great time to reach out and help those who are less fortunate. In this busy time when purchasing gifts and going to parties can become stressful, it can be helpful to take a step back and realize how lucky we really are. It is also a time to think about those who are less fortunate and try and help out in any way we can.

There are many ways to help locally (food bank, giving toys and clothes to local charitable organizations, volunteer time at a homeless shelter, etc.) It is a bit more tricky to find ways to help vulnerable people in developing countries. Fortunately, World Vision is involved in more than 100 countries to make the life of millions of people a little easier, safer, healthier, etc. They are been doing if for over 60 years so they can be trusted to use the money we donate to help out in the cause that we choose.

World Vision is present around the world and is quick to deploy aid where it is needed. For example, they are already active in the Philippines where a typhoon hit just today, they are also present in countries affected by the Ebola virus to help stop the spread of the epidemic. World Vision is very transparent about where and how the money donated is used. As a matter of fact, World Vision uses 86% of the money they receive to support programs (5% goes to management and 9% to fundraising).

During the Holiday Season, World Vision has a special Gift Catalog in which you will find find unique gifts such as a goat, chickens, ducks, etc. Obviously, these gifts are life-changing for those in need who receive them because they provide milk, cheese, eggs, a way to sustain themselves and earn a living, etc. There are also gifts of clean water, clothing and shelter, education, support to girls and women, to meet the basic needs and better the life of those who need it the most.

What I like the most about the catalog is that you actually get to choose how you want your money to be spent. I think it makes the act of giving to a humanitarian organization more concrete because you can choose a cause that matters to you. Each cause is definitely worth supporting and you can be sure that your money will be well spent no matter which cause you choose to support (you can also choose to make a donation to where it is needed most if you don’t want to make the choice yourself).

In their catalog, there is also a section of handmade items. Basically, people who may not typically have access to a stable job, are taught the skills necessary to create beautiful items such as jewelry, scarves, etc. These items are then sold to people around the world and the money raised is used to support the artisans and support different programs. With a stable income, these people can have access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education. It’s a way for them to become more self-dependent and work toward a brighter fortune for themselves and their family.

For this post, I received a Fair-Trade Coffee Set. It includes 12-oz of whole coffee beans in a blend created by OneCup.org with aromatic flavors  from Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Costa Rice. It comes in a nice fabric bag hand-sewn by women in Africa. There is a slo a hand-carved measuring spoon made of olivewood, crafted to benefit more that 200 orphans of the Kamba tribe. This will be a great gift for my parents who are avid coffee drinkers and they are always looking for new flavors. Plus the fact that it is Fair Trade is great for the planet!

I think World Vision’s gifts would make great presents for the Holidays. They show that you care not only about the person to whom you give the present but also about those who are less fortunate.

Find Out More: Head over to World Vision to see for yourself how your donation can have a big impact. You can also take a look at their Gift Cataglog including a section on handmade gifts. 

Connect: World Vision is connected! Don’t forget to like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and subscribe to their YouTube channel for all the latest news. 

Rachel