We’re entering birthday party season in my house, and as my kids’ party requests are growing more and more over-the-top (rein it in, kiddos), I’m feeling emotional about an amazing charity we discovered just this week, which provides birthday gifts for orphans who otherwise wouldn’t get the opportunity to celebrate their big day.
Such a brilliant idea; we’re really excited to get behind it!
With My Own Two Hands is a small non-profit founded by yoga instructor Lindsey Pluimer. They are doing some very cool work in Africa — from teaching yoga to kids as a way to heal to giving girls an education. But they’re also connecting people like you and me with kids living at the St. Ann’s Orphanage in Kenya through their birthday sponsorship program.
A birthday sponsorship is $50, and the child you have chosen — by name and birthday month — will receive a new outfit (head to toe) and a small toy as their gift. After they open the present, WMO2H sends you a photo of the child in their new clothes as a thank you. (Annnnd, our hearts are melting.)
For those of us who want to find ways to teach our kids about giving back without introducing some of the really hard stuff these organizations address, a program like WMO2H’s birthday sponsorship is a great way to start that conversation. I’m planning to ask my kids to use some of their money to help sponsor a birthday for another child. Maybe it will even open their eyes a little bit to the fact that not everyone on this planet shares the same life experiences as they do.
Definitely the best lesson they could learn.
Sponsor a child’s birthday through With My Own Two Hands’ website. You can also choose to sponsor a school uniform or a child’s entire education. What a great way to give back!
