Vikki and Chris, from Western Australia, were planning their wedding when a pamphlet from ChildFund Australia arrived in the mail, asking for support for children living in poverty.
Vikki and Chris (pictured above and below) responded, and that year they began a lifelong commitment to not only each other but to helping children. “We thought that it would be a good way to start our marriage doing something good for someone else,” Vikki says.
Seventeen years later, Vikki and Chris, who are still happily married, have turned their unwavering support for children into a legacy by writing a gift in their Will to ChildFund.
Long-time ChildFund Australia supporters Chris and Vikki began supporting children the same year they got married. “We thought that it would be a good way to start our marriage doing something good for someone else,” Vikki says.
“We support a number of charities, but ChildFund is by far the one that gets most of our support because we feel that there are so many children that don’t have opportunities, and we want to make sure we can help change that,” Vikki says.
“Chris and I don’t have children, and our families all have enough money to support themselves, so we wanted to make sure that any money that we have when we pass away goes towards doing good. We feel that if it goes to ChildFund, it can help children to get an education, and help families with what they need to support their children in the long term.”
Vikki works with a bus company, and Chris is a fitter machinist. Writing a gift in your Will to a charity is not only a worthwhile act that wealthy people can do, says Vikki.
“I would say that before leaving something to people who already have many possessions, think about people who are less fortunate,” she says.
When Chris lost his job several years ago, things became tough for the couple, but they felt strongly about continuing their support for children. It was about setting priorities, says Vikki.
“We just feel that many children don’t have the luxuries that we have; they are struggling just to get basic things like clean water.”
A fortunate childhood
Western Australians Vikki and Chris have decided to write a gift in their Will to ChildFund Australia. “We wanted to make sure that any money that we have when we pass away goes towards doing good,” Vikki says.
Both Vikki and Chris were born in Kalgoorlie and enjoyed the freedom of playing among nature in the countryside, but they know for many children in developing communities in similar rural areas, this is not the case.
“Chris and I both had fun childhoods,” Vikki says. “If a child needs to work when they’re six or seven years old and they’re not getting a childhood, and we feel we can help them, then we will.”
Vikki’s mother passed away when she was nine years old, but she remembers her father was still able to take her and her siblings away on holidays. “We never missed out on anything,” she says. “We were very fortunate in that way.”
Vikki and Chris have seen the positive impact their donations have had on the lives of children and their families. Among the many children they support is Nulu, from Uganda. They visited Nulu, and her family and community, in 2009. The smallest things, says Vikki, can have a big impact on children in places such as Uganda. “We brought koalas and soft soccer balls to Nulu’s school, and you could see the gratitude on the children’s faces. You can’t remove that memory from you mind.”
Today, Nulu is all grown up and runs her own salon. “It’s so worthwhile to know that we’ve played a small part in helping her achieve her dreams,” Vikki says.
“I see our donations as helping children to start on a path to a better future.”
Other than her family and friends, Suzanne Mitchem (pictured above) held two things close to her heart: children and making the world a better place.
In the last months of her life in 2022, Suzanne spoke to her younger sister Belinda about leaving a gift in Willto ChildFund Australia to help children living in poverty around the world.
“We weren’t surprised Suzanne was leaving a gift in her Will to ChildFund,” Belinda says. “She was always a kind, empathetic, considerate person.
“She was passionate about making the world a better place for humans and animals.
“She would always give, but she never expected anything in return.”
Suzanne spent the last five years of her life supporting a little girl, Sara, from Zambia, through regular donations to ChildFund Australia, before leaving a gift in Will to ChildFund’s Healthy Futures Fund, an initiative that delivers projects with impact to children and communities who need it most.
For a decade, until a year before she passed away, Suzanne worked as a home carer, supporting older people in her community in Melbourne, Victoria.
Suzanne’s giving and nurturing nature was noticeable early in life, says Belinda.
Suzanne (pictured in the front row, middle) channelled her love and nurturing nature towards her nieces and nephews, and through supporting children through charities such as ChildFund.
Suzanne was 14 years older than Belinda, but they were best friends. Suzanne was also “like a second mum” to Belinda and their brother Michael.
“We had a very close bond,” Belinda says. “She looked after me and Michael a lot. She was very nurturing and very caring, and that continued into our adulthoods.
“She always put a lot of thought into gifts and remembered birthdays. She would spoil me and Michael.”
Suzanne had always wanted to be a mother, says Belinda, but didn’t get the chance to have her own children. She channelled her love and nurturing nature towards her nieces and nephews, and through supporting children through charities such as ChildFund.
“Suzanne was really proud that her contributions to ChildFund were making such a difference,” Belinda says. “She really enjoyed getting updates on what Sara was doing and how she was going at school. It fulfilled her.”
Suzanne’s gift in Will to ChildFund Australia’s Healthy Futures Fund will help provide education and health care for children. “She was always a kind, empathetic, considerate person,” Belinda, Suzanne’s sister, says.
A family visit from Suzanne was often accompanied by gifts and treats. “She treated my son and daughter like they were her own,” Belinda says. “She spent a lot of time with them when they were growing up.”
Suzanne’s Gift in her Will to ChildFund Australia’s Healthy Futures Fund will go on to invest in the lives of many more children, through projects that provide safe and inclusive education, immunise children against diseases, and construct or renovate healthcare and water facilities.
“In Suzanne’s mind, it was only a small donation,” says Belinda, “but she knew it was going to have quite a big impact on people.
“I would like to see and get updates on how her gift in Will is making a difference to people’s lives. I think if Suzanne knew, she would be quite proud.”
ChildFund Australia’s Healthy Futures Fund is possible thanks to the generosity of people like Suzanne. Gifts in Will to the Healthy Futures Fund are matched by government grants to leverage every donation, and go to projects that improve children’s lives and where the need is greatest. Pledge your commitment before 30 June 2023 and be recognised as a founding member of ChildFund’s Healthy Futures Fund. Call 1800 023 600.
