Child sponsorship: criticism and problems
"Child sponsorship deals with development on a case by case basis. Consequently it deals with the symptoms of economic injustice rather than the root causes." (Anglican Journal)
Because many organisations are so dependent on child sponsorship, there is a reluctance to criticise it. Even organisations that have abandoned or avoid it themselves won't speak out against child sponsorship.
- Why you should not sponsor a child (New Internationalist, 1989)
- the "pamphlet" summary - nine problems with child sponsorship
- Please do not sponsor this child (NI, 1982)
- "What is certain is that there are better ways to help. The organisations without the sponsorship burdens have much sharper and more cost-effective operations."
- One child at a time (NI, 1985)
- "One-to-one sponsorship does not create genuine personal bonds between donors and foster children. ... However well-intentioned such aid may be, the kernel is the creation of a paternalistic relationship which is unnecessary and potentially harmful."
- Sponsor a Child? Maybe not (Caritas)
- "We in the wealthy countries need to ask ourselves why we donate money. Is it to tackle injustice in our world, or just to make ourselves feel better?"
- Letters to a god (NI, 1989)
- "other organizations are taking a hard look at their approach to child sponsorship"
- A funding tool for sustainable development? (INTRAC, 2000 - PDF)
- "whilst sponsorship is a growing phenomenon capable of raising large amounts of relatively stable longer-term funding, little empirical research-based evidence is available concerning its impact"
- Debatabase
- child sponsorship as a debate topic