... a small non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished individuals around the world.
World of Good
P.O. Box 602
Junction City, OR 97448
ph: 541-520-9931
worldofg
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What am I committing to when I become a sponsor? We are looking for sponsors who are committed to a long-term personal and financial commitment to their child. It is our hope that through our sponsorship program, that WOG will be starting a relationship with you and your child that could last a lifetime.
How long is "long-term"? Typically, children are enrolled in our program until they secure employment after graduating from their educational program (with a one year maximum job search). This will vary greatly from child to child, depending upon their level of education and exam scores; age will rarely play a factor in their timeline. (Example: We have 17 year olds in Grade 3 who will remain in school until they graduate from college and 14 year olds in Grade 8 that will graduate from a vocational program after 2 years.) We ask that our sponsors commit to their child until their child "graduates" from our progam.
Note: From time to time, a child is removed from our program due to unforeseen circumstances, such as moving from the area, failing school, choosing work over their education, delinquent behavior, marriage, etc.
How much is my financial commitment? For your sponsorship payment of only $25 per month you will be feeding an entire family and sending your child to school, a much better value than a few lattees or a family trip to McDonalds here!
How much of my $25 will my sponsored child receive? Unlike most other sponsorship programs, your child will receive their monthly sponsorship directly, deposited into their own bank account, which is managed by both them and a mentor. WOG will be only taking out a small fee for the essential costs of our US office and that of our Ethiopian partner (WOGEN), ie: wire fees, postage, copy costs... We work hard to keep overhead costs to a minimum by volunteering our time and money to assure that as much of your donation is received by your child to improve their life.
Who are the children selected for sponsorship? WOG's children are selected by our Ethiopian partner staff at WOGEN, teachers and and community leaders. The goal is to choose children who are motivated students, but who are also the poorest of the poor in our sponsorship region of rural Gondar, in Northern Ethiopia. Most of our children are orphans who are living with extended family or with a widowed parent in a household with little to no income. Because of impoverished living conditions, these children often suffer with health problems due to poor nutrition, and many times are forced to work to assist their family with daily survival instead of attend school.
How will my child benefit from my sponsorship? Your sponsorship support assures that your sponsored child remains in school... the key to a much better future. In addition, your support contributes to the overall survival needs of the child's family paying for basic essentials such as food, health care and clothing. Your sponsorship will allow your child to remain in their home, in their own culture and lead a healthy and educated life, with hope.
How will I know how my sponsored child is doing? You will receive correspondence from your child approximately 3 times per year. In addition, WOG's annual report will include a new photo and a school report card with their correspondence.
How should I connect with my child? WOG places great value on the child/sponsor relationship in our sponsorship program. Your grateful sponsored child begins to think of you as family and really want to receive correspondence and photos from you and your family as well. You are encouraged to send correspondence and/or photos of you and your family to WOG at any time, and will will forward them to your child. Your child will treasure these as their prized posessions!
In addition, it is important for sponsors to participate in the fun project of putting together a small package to send to your child during our "Annual Spring Gift Giving Opportunity".
Can I visit my child? YES! We have had several sponsors make the unforgettable trip to visit their child. Put visiting your child on your "bucket list"!
Can I sponsor more than one child? Absolutely! We have many sponsors who generously support numerous children. There is no shortage of children that need you.
Can I give my child more than the $25 a month? Because all of our children live near one another and many are friends, we want our children to feel equally cared for through your sponsorship. Therefore, each child must receive the same amount.
Outside of the "annual gift giving opportunity" you are also welcome to send small items within your regular correspondence to your child at anytime.
WOG has several other projects that offer you the opportunity to help the unending number of impoverished families living in our project area.
Will I receive a bill when my sponsorship payment is due? WOG works hard to keep our overhead costs down because we believe that your child's financial needs are much greater than ours. Therefore, we do not mail bills to our sponsors. Instead, it is our hope that your ongoing concern for your child will be your reminder.
WOG offers several payment options so that you can select one that works best for you (monthly, quarterly or annual payments via cash, check or online payements) and does appreciate you making your sponsorship payments on time. We do not always have the funds to "cover" any late payments when it is time to wire funds to our children.
What if I am unable to continue to sponsor my child? Our sponsored children count on your support for their daily needs, and view you as their family. WOG puts great value in the meaning of commitment so that the financial and emotional well-being of our children are not compromised by the loss of their sponsor (their family). Therefore we hope that everyone that commits to sponsoring a child will continue to do so until their child "graduates" from the program.
If your situation changes and you must discontinue your commitment, please know that your child's need continues. It is imperative that you provide us with written notice (at least one month) while we work together to locate and secure your child a replacement sponsor. This is crucial so that your child can continue to live in their house, attend school, etc. without disruption. THANK YOU!
Note: You are responsible for your sponsorship payments until you send us written or verbal notice of a cancellation date. Simply discontinuing your payments does not count as notice of cancellation.
What more should I know about World of Good? World of Good was incorporated as a non-profit in 2004 by Karla Reerslev and Jacque Gerdes; two small town moms with a passion to improve the lives of impoverished children. Both Karla and Jacque have adopted Ethiopian children and therefore have a personal understanding of what poverty and the AIDS crisis has done to Ethiopia's children. WOG's primary program is their child sponsorship program in rural Gondar, yet also assists with many other life-improvement projects within their sponsorship region as donations allow.
Both Karla and Jacque work as volunteer directors, paying much of the administrative costs personally. Karla and Jacque believe that their sponsorship program is a way that many people can share a little of what they have to help people in need in a big way.
We invite to join us in doing a world of good!
World of Good
P.O. Box 602
Junction City, OR 97448
ph: 541-520-9931
worldofg