Sponsor a Family for Christmas

Vocational Training – When a person struggling in extreme poverty receives vocational training in a skill like candle making or tailoring, they are qualified for higher-paying jobs with dependable income. This often allows that person to break out of the cycle of poverty that has plagued their family for generations. These skills may provide an additional source of income, or maybe the training completely replaces an inconsistent day labor job with a higher-income employment opportunity.

Blankets – In many areas of extreme poverty, families don’t have heat or insulation in their homes, making them susceptible to dangerous weather. And many don’t have homes at all, forcing them to live on the streets and find temporary shelter however they can. Blankets are essential to keep these families warm and protected from the elements.

Jesus Wells or BioSand Filters – Fresh clean water is a blessing many of us take for granted. In many parts of the countries we serve, women and children must walk miles for clean water, and sometimes they take that journey several times a day. The water they fetch is often dirty and contaminated with waterborne diseases. When people have clean water accessible in their communities, they have the freedom to work and be with their families. Children can attend school instead of fetching water. A gift like this can change an entire community.

Sewing Machines – Many people in poverty work as day laborers because they are not educated or qualified for anything else. A sewing machine and training class can allow a woman to start a productive business and meet her family’s needs.

Outdoor Toilets – When people don’t have a toilet in their homes or in their neighborhood, they are forced to go out in the open. This type of defecation causes disease to spread and water to be contaminated. When toilets and hand-washing facilities are provided, it curbs the spread of disease.

Tin Roofs – In Africa and Asia, many homes have roofs made of thatch. These roofs do not offer protection during rain or other bad weather. Tin roofs are excellent gifts for families in need. With them, their home will remain dry.

Literacy – When people learn to read, they are qualified for more jobs. They can also read street signs, medical information, contracts and more, and they are less likely to be taken advantage of in the marketplace. Consider gifting a literacy class to a man or woman in need.

Livestock – Chickens, goats, cows, pigs and water buffalos make a dramatic difference in the lives of an impoverished family. The family can breed their animals and create additional income for the family. Or they can sell eggs, milk, cheese or meat in the market. The larger animals can be used to till their fields and make farming easier and also for using or selling the animal’s dung for fertilizer. Learn more about how to donate a cow, how to donate a goat, or how to donate a chicken through GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog.