December 2024 - ChildFund Australia

Do Good. Feel Good. Gifts for Good.

If you’re looking to give a meaningful and lasting gift that also gives back, you’ve come to the right place. From charity birthday gifts to Easter charity gifts, ChildFund’s Gifts for Good catalogue is packed with a variety of life-changing items that support the wellbeing of children, families and communities living in poverty around the world.

With our range of gifts that also benefit charity, you are giving meaningful presents for your family members, friends, loved ones, and work colleagues while also making a difference in the world. Whether it’s charity Christmas gifts, birthdays, anniversaries, Hanukkah, Eid or Diwali, you’ll bring greater meaning to the gesture of giving with Gifts for Good. A gift of a dozen chickens could make a great charity Easter gift, or donate life-saving b irthing kits for mums for Mother’s Day or for baby showers.

Long-time ChildFund Australia supporter Carol Vleeskens buys Gifts for Good several times a year as Christmas and birthday presents. “I buy a whole heap and keep the Gifts for Good cards in my cupboards because they don’t go off and get eaten like my chocolates!”

Not sure where to start? Here’s everything you need to know about giving Gifts for Good – the perfect gift for any occasion.

What are some other great occasions for gift-giving?

Gift-giving isn’t limited to the holiday season. There are numerous occasions throughout the year when you can express your appreciation, celebrate milestones and make a positive impact with Gifts for Good. Here are just a few suggestions:

Birthdays: Celebrate another trip around the sun with a unique and thoughtful Gift for Good. Whether it’s supporting education, healthcare, or community development, a charity birthday gift not only brings joy to the recipient but also contributes to making the world a better place.

Work Anniversaries: Mark the dedication and hard work of your colleagues or employees by acknowledging their hard work with a meaningful Anniversary charity gits. Gifts for Good offer a special way to recognise milestones, creating a culture of appreciation and shared values within the workplace.

Weddings: Instead of traditional wedding favors, say I do to making a lasting impact by gifting your guests with wedding charity gifts or donations. Charity wedding gifts not only add a meaningful touch to your special day but also contributes to causes that resonate with you and your partner.

Retirements: Celebrate the culmination of a career with a retirement gift that goes beyond the ordinary. A charitable donation in honor of the retiree allows them to leave a lasting legacy of kindness and compassion.

Special Achievements: Whether it’s completing a degree, achieving a professional milestone, or reaching a personal goal, commemorate special achievements with a gift that reflects the recipient’s values. It’s a thoughtful way to acknowledge their hard work and dedication.

Mother’s or Father’s Day: Express love and gratitude with our Mother’s day charity gifts that can be found in our Gift for Good catalogue. Choose a cause that aligns with their interests, creating a heartfelt and impactful way to celebrate their role in your life.

Company Milestones: When your company reaches a significant milestone or achieves a noteworthy goal, consider marking the occasion with a collective contribution to a charitable cause. It’s a meaningful way to celebrate success while giving back to the community.

What are Gifts for Good?

A range of charity, life-changing gifts that help support children and families living in poverty around the world. The items listed represent some of the many tools and resources that form part of our child-focused development programs.

Where do the gifts go?

We pool all gift donations to maximise the impact you make, allocating your contribution when and where it is needed most. For example, we would never give a community more chickens than they could possibly need. Once your donation is processed, 100% of the funds are sent to our country offices overseas to purchase and deliver the gifts you have chosen.

While gifts relating to education, health care and livelihoods are regularly included in the catalogue, we added some great new items in 2023:

One walker for a child – $80

This life-changing gift will give children with disabilities greater freedom, independence and resilience for a brighter future.

One wheelchair for a child – $200

Help children with disabilities get to school, be with their friends and receive an education.

One warm jacket – $30

Protect children against the cold as temperatures start to dip.

Fishing equipment – $150

Your gift will provide the gear families need to make the most of their favourite renewable resources — fish!

A gift of clean water – Donation of your choosing

You can save lives by providing children, families and communities with access to safe water.

Tablets & computers – $299

A gift that’s essential to modern education and helps children and youth learn remotely and stay engaged.

Restock a health station

Protect children and their families against disease and help improve the wellbeing of entire communities.

’Tis the season of giving bundle

Help support children and their families all year long with these life-changing essentials!

How can I choose a Gift for Good?

It’s easy! All you need to do is choose your charity gift from our Gifts for Good catalogue and you’ll receive beautiful postal or printable e-cards that you can personalise and give to the person you’re buying for. This card also explains the life-changing gift you’ve given on their behalf.

Your Gift for Good will go to where it’s needed most, supporting children, families or communities living in poverty or facing conflict or disaster.

Add a personal touch to your gift

With more than 40 impactful Gifts for Good items available, you can find a unique gift to suit the interests of your friends, family, colleagues or loved ones. For Carol, choosing the perfect Christmas gift means finding one that’s meaningful for both the donor and the recipient, and benefits the wider community.

“I will try and match the gift to the person,” she says. “For example, I have a friend who works in public health so I gave her the gift that provides children with mo squito nets. And if I know someone who is passionate about gardening, I might give them one about seeds or trees.”

Gifts for Good is where Carol goes to buy all her presents. “Gifts for Good is fantastic because I don’t have to think!” she says. “I don’t have to go to the shops and spend time thinking about what someone has or doesn’t have, or if something is in their colour scheme. I don’t have to don’t do any of that.”

A gift of a lifetime

No matter what the occasion, you can give a charity gift with our Gifts for Good. After all, the real magic of any celebration is spreading cheer and kindness and giving to those in need.

Whether you choose to donate a dairy goat or bright future bundle, you can bring deeper meaning to your presents and deliver lasting impact to the lives of thousands of children and their families.

Everyday life can be challenging for a family with disabilities, especially for those living in developing communities overseas. This was certainly the case for Hung, a farmer living with his family in Cao Bang Province. Hung found himself struggling to understand his eight-year-old daughter, Hao, and meet her needs as a young child with Down syndrome.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he recalls. “She doesn’t know how to speak, and when she speaks it’s not clear, sometimes only a few words.”

Hung faced new, unexpected challenges raising a daughter with a disability. He needed to adjust to a whole new way of life and learn how to help support Hao’s development.

ChildFund Australia is working with local communities to help support parents of children living with disabilities. Through the ChildFund-supported project ‘My Right to Education’, families are building support networks for a more accepting environment and culture. This includes promoting a more inclusive learning environment in schools and the community, and openly discussing the additional needs of children with disabilities.

“Before, Hao could only name one friend from the same commune, but now she speaks to her teacher and has more friends.”

“We can now speak with commune officials and teachers so that our children aren’t denied the right to participate. They are able to learn and achieve at school,” says Hung. “Hao has received a lot of guidance from teachers and the the project team.”

Hung says that his daughter’s social skills have improved as a result. “Before, Hao could only name one friend from the same commune, but now she speaks to her teacher and has more friends.”

Through the project’s training sessions, Hung and his wife have also learnt how to guide Hao to keep personal hygiene and carry out daily activities. “Hao now listens to us,” says Hung, adding he is proud of her achievements. “She knows how to brush teeth, get dressed, and comb hair all by herself.”

“I’ve changed my habits too,” says Hung. I’m more patient now, and spend time playing with my children outside!”

*Hao (centre) and her father, Hung (left) with their new chickens.*

This year, Hung registered to raise chickens to improve his children’s nutrition and his family’s finances. With only a few fields to cultivate, there are days when the family does not have enough to eat. As part of the ChildFund project, participating families can choose to buy chickens at a subsidised rate. Families receive chicken feed for the first 20 days, as well as guidance on how to raise chickens.

“I bought 100 chickens. I plan to raise them for food, and I can also sell them to buy school supplies for my children.”

Hung’s decision to register was, in part, guided by his daughter’s personal taste. “Because Hao likes to eat chicken, I bought 100 chickens. I plan to raise them for food, and I can also sell them to buy school supplies for my children.”

Hung shared that, thanks to the support and guidance of project team members, his chickens are growing healthily.

“I installed heat lamps for the chickens and gave them medicine to prevent diseases. I also boiled guava leaf water to give the chickens to drink. Hao also helps me feed the chickens and plays with them. She hopes the chickens grow up fast!”

Looking ahead, Hung hopes more parents of children with disabilities, as well as the wider community, will take the time to understand and accept their child’s needs so they can provide the right support. Hung says he and his wife, Lua, dream for Hao is simple: “We hope she is healthy and won’t be criticised or shunned by others.”

Watch the full story here and learn more about our work in Vietnam.

Gifts for Good

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