Forget novelty socks, buy charity gift instead

SCRAMBLING around at the last minute to do your Christmas shopping for a morally responsible friend?

So stuck for ideas that novelty socks look like a thoughtful present for someone more inclined to put their money in a Trócaire box than spend it on themselves?

Between now and Christmas international charity organisations are selling various items to help raise vital funds for those in poorer countries.

Plan Ireland, a children’s development agency which works in 48 countries worldwide, is providing dozens of gift options specifically focusing on the education of girls in Togo.

In the west African country half of the 6.7m population live on less than 87c a day, while the female school pupil rate is a fraction of that for boys.

Ranging from €20 to €264, gifts from the project – all funding from which will go directly to grassroots programmes – include a school desk (€20), a scholarship for a girl in the African country (€50), teacher training costs (€200) and a child sponsorship (€264).

“This is why we are focusing on the gift of education for our Christmas catalogue. These gifts will give the skills and materials directly to Plan’s Girl Friendly School project in Togo. A gift like this isessentially priceless,” said Plan Ireland chief executive David Dalton.

The gifts can be bought at www.plan.ie or on freephone 1800 829 829.

Oxfam Ireland is also offering a series of present packages. Gifts include a children’s sports kit (€8), a cooking stove (€12), school books (€14), chicks (€19), piglets (€23), care for a goat (€27), a fruit and vegetable garden (€37) and a cow (€79).

The range of presents – which will be provided to those in need in developing countries – can be purchased online at oxfamireland.org/unwrapped, at Oxfam shops or by phoning 0044-800 030 40 55.