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Many years ago I used to work very closely with several aid organizations in East Africa. Many of these organizations truly lived up to their reported aim, and their employees and volunteers made sure that as much as possible of sponsors donations was actually spent on aid projects.

This could not be said of World Vision who spent most of their money on an office suite in the most expensive property in Nairobi, exorbitantly high salaries for its staff, and the latest and most expensive cars. I can attest this to be true because I saw it with my own eyes.

I could recount MANY more stories, but since they are not first hand, that would not be fair. Having said that however, I will mention one anecdote because I saw the end result, and the person who told me the first half was well known to me and had no reason to exaggerate.

He was involved in several aid projects in Northern Kenya, near the Ethiopian border. One day several World Vision 4WD vehicles arrived. They were very interested about the work he was doing and asked lots and lots of questions. He was flattered by all this interest (most relief work goes unrecognized) and he enthusiastically gave them all the information they wanted. They ended up giving him a donation of $1000.00 Now a thousand bucks was a lot of money 25 years ago and he was overwhelmed. They asked if they could make a film of what he was doing, and of course he agreed.

Lots of film gear was unloaded, and they spent several hours filming in the area. He noticed however that they only spent a few minutes filming him, and this puzzled him.

Flash forward more than a year – I am now in the States, and one evening on the TV is an appeal from World Vision for donations to help support all the projects they were “funding” in various countries. To my surprise, one of the projects they featured was this territory in North Kenya which I knew so well. Now, they certainly did not actually say that it was an actual “World Vision” project, planned and executed by them, but that was the impression that the short film gave. It looked as if World Vision was changing the life of thousands! They never showed my friend at all.

So in essence what they did is was pay $1000 so they could film an existing project, and then use this film to raise funds.
I am sure in their minds they see nothing wrong with this, but if they were not afraid to give the whole truth, why not acknowledge it.

So, when you give funds to World Vision, who benefits most – the project they are showing, or World Vision?

When giving money to any aid organization ask what percentage actually goes into “aid.” The answer is invariably very high – around 90%. But if you now ask if that figure includes salaries, vehicles, fancy housing and high office rents in the country where the “aid” is being dispensed, you might find them not so forthcoming.

Hello there
I am keen to make contact with Jack. He may be able to assist me with some research I’m doing.
Cheers
Mary Ann

I have been sponsoring a girl in the Jeju Area Developmentproject in Ethopia for 10 Years.
I just received the lastest “update” from World Vision on the child I sponsor. Her favorite subject is English and her hobby is drawing. She is in Grade 6 going to 7.
1) If she is learning English how come she never writes, its always “translated and written” by a worker.
2) Her drawing is a square box. I would think a grade 6 girl would have a better imagination.
I think she does exist, but that World Vision has people in offices just filling out these from and sending them out to sponsors. $33 per month is not much to help a child in developing countries, but I hate to be scammed. Could the money be put to better use??

Have recently traveled to Rwanda as a world vision volunteer and was able to meet my sponsored child of over 8 years. Can’t speak highly enough of the work world vision is doing in this community. Anyone who understands poverty knows you can’t hand over cash to one particular family- you need to work at a community level, pool the money and raise up the child’s entire neighbourhood. There is never a quick fix and World Vision pays a few local workers to make this amazing transformation. You rarely get qualified people who can work for nothing! Many others do it on a part time basis for little or not pay and together they use the funds provided by the sponsors to “teach a man to fish” so to speak. WV believes in hand up not hand out. As for the comment about WV pulling out of the community- well that is always their goal. After about 15 years they plan to have the community self sufficient and yet the sponsors are not needed anymore and they are invited to move on to another community where their are children who need them. As for children not knowing their sponsors- I was also surprised that many people who send money every month to sponsor a child never acutally write or correspond in any way to the child so they don’t actually know who is sponsoring them- they just reap the benefits that their community is able to provide ie; school books and uniforms, training for their parents, loans to start small businesses etc. WV financial records are transparent- yes they need offices and paid staff- how else do you run a business?

My friend “Connie” had sponsored a child in Uganda for several years. While travelling she decided to find this girl and approached the local World Vision distribution centre. They kept putting her off, concerned about security, her motives for meeting the girl, etc. One of the workers caught up with Connie on the street and told her the name of the village and that the girl had died two years earlier. Connie had been receiving translated letters and drawings supposedly from the girl, after her death. She went to the village, met with the family and was told the girl had been given a pair of flip flops, a pencil case and pencil and a shot from the travelling nurse (they did not know what for). Connie left them with some money to help make purchases at the local market of needed supplies for the family. That is the last dime this scam organization will receive from anybody I know.

In August, I went to Cusco, Peru to go visit my two sponsored children in the Calca ADP (Area Development Project) and I was amazed at what I saw. Not only did I get to legitimately meet my two sponsored children Rosmery and Edison, the WV staff even showed me how the project had been benefited by all of the money that the sponsors had been giving to the community. Guinea pig farms had been built, small businesses had prospered (one with the most delicious honey I had ever tasted!) and even some developments on the local schools. Not only that, but the WV staff in Calca were so grateful for my little 360 dollar a year contribution. I know for a fact that my children in Peru are definitely getting the help that they are promised!

As for the story above, I too was curious about this and inquired about it. What they told me made sense to me. The child that he thought was his was NOT in fact his. He went to go “meet” her by himself without the help of World Vision and he may not have even been in the right village. This is why if you want to meet your sponsored child, that they ask you to do it through them so that they can schedule the whole trip for you and so confusions like the story above do not happen.

As for the stories mentioned here, I’m sure that there is a second side. In the remote villages of Kenya and Uganda, mail constantly gets lost and tampered with and it is possible that some of the offices don’t receive all of the information that is needed because of this problem. I mean some mail has to be transported even by canoes! So in that case, you may want to cut them a bit of a break.

Oh and as for the Playboy bunny comment above, I don’t believe that for a second!

I am concerned. I was going to buy some “gift” donations for friends at Christmastime, as I have in the past. If WV are not giving the help they say they are and are wasteful with people’s donations, who would be better to donate to?

Maybe I should of come here before I purchased the Giving Cards for Christmas gifts

I’m sure there is good and bad in any charity organization. What you have to ask yourself is, do I send someone money in hopes that it is used for good – without any true assurances? The truth is that it’s a gamble and if it’s a gamble you wish to take with your money, then no one should stand in your way. Because when your money is gone, no one will be there to give you more – whether it was used for good or not. Ultimately, it will always be your call.

read world vision response, and it leaves you to wonder about reporting research.

http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/World_Vision_Response.htm

I do understand that it may be difficult to contact a specific child within WV. They do make it know that monies donated go to the community a sponsored child would live in. I use to sponsor a child in Uganda through WV, sponsored him for 8 years. Yes I will confess I did not write to him very often but every year they sent me a photo and it never looked like he had grown at all. When I pressed WV for current information I was advised he had left the program. I agree you should not just donate money or “cast your pearls before swines”. I know the Lord wants us to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to us. As He said “the poor will always be with you”. I think it is best to do your research into the organizations you are funding and choose which ones provide the best bang for your buck. After all, the giving is part of softening our hearts and caring for others. If you want to feed the hungry, why not give to the organization that is most efficient.

Ken B.

If you read the details on your world vision sponsorship it tells you the money goes to the community. I have been getting photos of my sponsered child and it looks to me like he is growing up and looking much more healthier. He is in Mongolia. I know that things in Africa are very corrupt and I believe sometimes mail does not get to where it needs to go. My parents saw it first hand. As per the person about I agree if they are so corrupt HOW DO WE get tax receipts. I pray to god that I am not wrong. I know that there are some charities a whole lot worse then World Vision who really do line there pockets.

I just became a sponsor tonight. I like the idea of sponsoring a specific child, but realize that a water well for many to share is a valuable addition to the individuals in the community.

I’m concerned after reading some of these comments, but feel I have to really look into this – because if these letters aren’t correct… real children will suffer if people just click on through or end up not trying to help these people at all.

I don’t want to waste $35 a month if it could really help someone in a different organization, so I’m going to look more, and read more… and if it takes 3 months and I lose $105 because it’s a scam, I’ll live with it – I’ve wasted more than that on a night out with my husband… and then I’ll find another place to help.

I hope this is a good organization. I’m reading Richard Stearns’ book right now and I just don’t see that guy not caring about these kids. If it isn’t, then I’ll move my donations elsewhere. In the meantime – I know kids are hungry and in need, and no one in my town is taking corn to Mozambique in the next few months, so I’ll chance it for a little while, anyways.

I’m really more concerned with helping the kids than getting pictures and letters… Yes, that would be nice emotionally, but I can’t see not providing water and clinics to children just because I got an old picture, or it wasn’t that particular child. Is it somehow a rip off if a DIFFERENT starving, sick, poor child gets the benefit of your 30 bucks?

I do not work for World Vision. I’m a writer and homemaker in western Pennsylvania.

I was recently hired by a company named TNI in Toronto. They are contracted by world vision to send people like myself door to door to find sponsors for children in the third world. Thinking it was a worthy cause I approached the job with enthusiasm only to find out what a scam sponsorship is. Only yesterday I found the same child I had seen someone sponsor in the file box, either he has a twin with the exact sane name or this charity is deceiving people. After reading some if the great comments here from good people doing work in the third world who have seen world visions so called ‘work’ first hand I have decided to use my last day I their employ to expose their abhorant scam to as many people as possible. Never let people working door to door fir them guilt you into doing it, they hire predominantly cocky, smarmy and self satisfied morons to do this, their is no depth too low they won’t sink to to get people to sponsor a child, lying, deception and manipulation is what they teach you to do, tell them swiftly to ‘fuck off’ and ignore any bullshit they may say in response. Find a smaller or local charity where your money is actually used to help people.

I have been a World Vision sponsor since 2003. I received a letter in response to every letter I sent. Most letters were written by an adult but I also received short letters from my child. I was also able to visit my child. I saw first hand what World Vision had been doing in her village. When ever I sent packages she thanked me and listed what it was that I sent. If I sent extra money they, World Vision, sent me a picture of my child and of what the family purchased with it. I give World Vision a thumbs up in the country my child is in. But there are many corrupt countries and that will feed down to the local offices where they employ local people. Which is part of the reason the people are in trouble and need our help. I do believe World Vision needs to oversee some of these local offices in problematic contries a bit better. An organization is only as good as the people working for it.

World Vision is such a scam… most charities are. As a person who has chosen to dedicate my life to education, humanitarianism, and the enviroment I have witnessed first hand more times than I care to mention just how corrupt the vast majority of organizations are. Nearly all the funds are embezzled away as “administrative costs”… it’s disgusting. As far as I’m concerned sending your monthly check will do nothing, the money will disapear and line the pockets of the wealthy, you truly want to change the world? Get up and do something. Volunteer at your local food bank, you don’t have to go to Africa to see starvation firsthand. Instead of going to a resort for your vacation spend your time volunteering instead. Be choosey about which charities you support and remember any money you give to a charity is tax deductable so don’t worry too much about your $30 and give another charity a try before you get too disillusioned.

Ian: Please check out the link below; you’ll see that your figures are an urban legend:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_charities_salaries.htm

I am Christian, I believe in charity, and I believe in stewardship. I found this forum as I was researching how I could help with the situation in Japan. Should I donate to the Red Cross? After reading about how only 25% of the funds raised for Haiti made it to the ground, I was very hesitant. Now I’ve come across this forum.

My impression is some of these arguments are like the arguments of “I don’t give to the homeless on the street because they’ll only spend it on drink/drugs.” A judgement has been made before the person’s story is heard.

In the same way that that type of argument pigeon-holes all homeless as drunks and addicts, calling all charities a scam would be a mistake.

The fact is there are a lot of good people, and probably a few bad people working for large international charities. Even Oprah had bad press about the orphanage that she was involved in. It is easy to see how one or a few bad apples can spoil the whole bunch, or entire orchard.

I’m sure that we’ve all decided to boycott a nationwide retailer (or chain of restaurants, whatever) based on a single or repeated bad experiences at one or two of their many locations. It’s easy to decide that there is an inherent problem with the company culture. Meanwhile, the company may employ many hard-working people who want to do their job well.

I cannot and will not comment on what people perceive as problems within WV, or the handfuls of testimonies against this organization. I would just encourage you to remember the people that you want to help, and the who are actually on the ground doing the work for these organizations, slugging it out day after day.

I agree that it is incumbent upon these organizations to do their best with what has been given to them. It is also incumbent upon us to do the best with what God has blessed us with. If you cannot support WV, then find an organization that you can stand behind. If you believe that WV is so evil, pray for change within the organization instead of writing it — along with all the good, honest, hard-working people that you find in there — off as a scam.

My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

Sure, blame the translator. They are simply telling you what you want to hear.

Title…

This is my Excerpt…

Hi all–Just ran across this discussion and am quite interested to follow up with some of you. I just did a web video series on what happened to the money donated to charity after the Haiti earthquake (you can see episode 1 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpa8f3Q8eds). I recently learned that WV is “in charge” of many of the squalid camps I reported from. Has anyone here had experience with WV and Haiti? Also, Jack, any way I can contact you?

I have worked for WV as a volunteer and have sponor different children in Kenya for over 25 years.If you feel that you dont want to give to WV or any other charity then dont. Nobody is pulling your arm or has their hand in your bank account.Just remember you did not chose to be born in Canada or the US. And they did not chose to be born in a third world country. It’s your monry you can do what ever you want with it. Have a Starbucks everyday have fast food everyday. You have that right. They DONT.

Hi,
I just cancelled my sponsorhip after 3 years of payments. I keep getting some letters and photos of this child in Kenia…she lookes the same, she wears the same dress, her hair has exactly the same lenght and the drawings are always the same : a house, a tree, an airplane and some numbers…I used to write letters, long letters describing the life style in North America, but I never got any feedback, never got any questions about me, about anything, never ever…I mean… if I was poor and I had a sponsor for my child, I would be at least interested who is this person, I would say something to the person sponsoring my child…Total scam

I started sponsoring a child on December , 2010. I was happy I was helping somebody in need. I wrote a letter, sent pictures of me and my family, and a package with pencils, toys, and school supplies. Well, it is September 2010 and I have not received anything back. I called last 2 months ago to let them know and they said it would take them from 2 to 3 weeks to do some research. Two months and no answer…. I called them last week twice and now they said that the boy I was sponsoring is actually a girl but that the picture was misleading.Everybody that has seen the picture realizes is a boy. Well, I asked them for some explanations, and I told them I was confused and that i got a bad feeling and that I wanted to cancel my sponsorinship. A guy called me today to tell me I will get a letter from “the girl” by the end of the week!!! Really??? In 9 months I did NOT receive anything and after some pressure Im getting a letter from Leshoto in 5 days?? If we really want to help , we can go to the food banks in our communities and sign up to feed the homeless.

i am still paying WV every year but am interested in thif forum to discover a ‘better’ charity that will ensure a greater % of my money does some good…any ideas?

Oh no!!! I was giving to one charity to sponsor a child’s education, but when they said that I could not write nor would I get any updates, I stopped my sponsorship. However, I was in a Christian book store, and they had WV packets to sponsor a child so I inquired of he clerk if she was familiar with this organization, and she said that she sponsors two children and has even visited them in person and loved it. Therefore, I felt that if you could write and visit that it must be legit, but now, I’m concerned. I have received a letter from my little girl, but I am usually too busy to write, but wanted to write when I had time, and was looking up information and came across this site. I’m so confused about what to do. I guess I will pray about it and do some more research, but I’ll still write just to see what happens. Oh Lord!!!!

oh my gosh, there are a few bad stories, but some of these responses are just ignorant.

World Vision does not go through 3rd parties and go door-to-door, those are scams and do not work for world vision. this would also explain the one case of them telling you that you couldnt write to the child.

There are some bad stories, but most of those are locals that maybe are not doing a great job. The camera crew, they probably wanted to cut some corners and were lazy, not necessarily approved by the executives.

the CEO has a expense account but i dont see what the big deal is. He is constantly asking large donors for money, so im sure there is a reason for it. I even met a hedge fund manager recently who had met him 30 times from meetings and other events.

People dont always have access to cameras and printers to take more pictures. Sometimes their english isnt great, or they dont draw a lot. Your long letters… there are probably very few people in that community that can read them.

I have been looking for information on salaries and benefits paid to CEO’s, executives and directors of the better known charities and /or properly detailed financial statements. I have not been able to find anything useful other than what is now called false information at http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_charities_salaries.htm
The audited financial statements available provide little useful information. WV’s statements are a good example of bafflegab.
Today I received WV’s Christmas 2011 Gift Catalogue. It raises many interesting questions. I wonder what a goat, chicken or cow costs in Zimbabwe? Does anyone reading this know the answer?
I’m a cynic and do not believe that you will get good value for your contribution to WV. I prefer local charities I can visit and personally view the work being done such as our children’s hospital,The Salvation Army and Hospice.
I’m going to forward the email address of this site to my friends in the hope that involving more people will produce some reliable information. Perhaps you will do the same.

To all readers:

If you are American please stop donating to any of these charities. Legally or systematically there is no way you can verify authenticity. No U.S. or international law enforcement or leagal agency will help with monetary recovery as they have more important things to do.

Knowing many humans have good hearts, you may want to consider helping locally where it is needed today. You may want to consider your local Meals-on-wheels, local Red Cross, and even help save your local library which might at risk of closing due to the present economy.

If you want to help children, then adopt American children as we in America have also starving poor children. Do not let fancy malls and pretty neighborhoods hide the truth about povery.

It saddens me when people would lie and make up stories for no reason to try to take down a good cause. If you don’t want to give, then don’t. The facts are you can see all of the financial records at http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/about/ar-financials?Open. You will see that 85% of the money raised goes to the betterment of these poor communities they serve. I just yesterday was witness to a group of people who went to visit their adopted children and were very enlightened by the investment they made in these children and communities. You can give where you want to but to tear down an organization that is trying to make a difference… that is heart breaking

sorry got my hard earned money….

I live in southeast asia. I went to the Philippines in 2005 to visit a friend doing volunteer work there and noticed children begging on the streets and sleeping on overhead bridges with empty plastic cups for money at their heads. I came home and decided to sponsor a child who was the same age as my nephew. I chose a girl from the Philippines with WV. I still receive yearly updates from her and have gotten my nephew to correspond. The reports by the community seem credible enough. Lengthy descriptive letters were sent by the child’s aunt or mother when i first started sponsoring. Reports and photos detail the community projects.

When my second nephew was four, I chose a boy from Ethiopia. The reports from Ethiopia are scanty and the child looks miserable. He is photographed in the same type of denim jacket and pants combination each year. The ‘projects’ for the community appear non-existent and the photo i saw had two or three men squatting on a bare earth floor with some large pieces of white paper spread out suppposedly ‘being trained’.

When my niece was born, I couldn’t wait for her to grow up as child sponsorship starts at four and WV hopes sponsors will continue till the child is in college. Then I went to Cambodia on a bible-distribution trip and saw the need. I chose an 11-year-old girl from neighbouring Laos to sponsor because poverty-stricken females fall prey to many social ills. Her letters are filled with drawings and comments of her interests. She writes in her own hand and it is translated. A lengthy descriptive leaflet just arrived accompanied by her drawing. I confess I used to send birthday greetings but have since stopped.

My take is that in the light of the corruption in Africa and all the comments I read here, I will stop sending money to that part of the world. My church has a work in Kenya and we have a regular mission teams going there. I will redirect my funds there. I have seen little or known little of poverty and I know the choice is mine to make where I put my funds.

But my father has modelled for me that sometimes we have to be fools for Christ. People turn up regularly at our church asking for handouts and dad will let them have a few tens knowing they will be back when it is spent.

Yesterday a wheel-chair bound paralyzed lady covered in tattoos begged me for money for pampers and food. Two hours later, I saw her smoking a cigarette with a packet in her breast pocket, bought with the money I gave her.

I just filled out donations for the annual christmas-giving WV catalogue focusing on micro-loans for small businesses. My policy is never to put all my eggs or donations into one basket. There will be honest workers out there and there will be dishonest ones. God is not mocked. Ill-gotten gain, especially stolen money will be bitter.

By all means, redirect your funds to something closer to home or smaller groups where you know someone there. My brother is doing church work in Chiangmai, Thailand and I know of some Compassion International sponsored kids who have finished college and are gainfully employed. Another lady works as a translator for CI.

I will keep my sponsored children for the philippines and Laos until I feel otherwise. I will also warn my students which work may yield more fruit as I have encouraged my students to give to WV.

Thank you for your insights and input. I like what Cindy and Debbie wrote earlier, pray. It makes all the difference in the world.

In my country, people are spending the amount I pay for one child per year with WV on a fashion accessory. I hope and pray that my nephews and niece do not grow up doing that nor the students that I have influence over.

But compassion must be tampered by wisdom.

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We have been sponsoring a girl for two years and rarely get mail from her, but the last time we did, it was mistakenly addressed to another sponsor in a different city. This means the child I have been sponsoring has at least two sponsors. I find this very suspicious. If there were enough sponsors for all of the children in the world I would be fine with this doubling up, but there are far too many children going without. This leads me to believe the children are not human, only computer generated. I am very disappointed.

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I think a point that everyone who has responded over looked was the fact that they deliver vaccines to these villages.
Now, on the outside it appears as though they are helping, when it is scientific fact that the things they put in vaccines are absolutley with out a doubt harmful to anyone getting them.
I invite anyone with the idea that vaccines are good, to go to their pharamacist and request an ingredient list (which by law they are required to provide you with ingredients lists to any and all ingredients for any vaccines. Once youve obtained the ingredients, type each one into google and research the ingredients for yourself!
just one thing WV IS doing.