Edinburgh family speak about the 'emotional' experience of being chosen to sponsor a child in need

A mother has encouraged others to get involved in a charity scheme that helps give children living in some of the world’s most dangerous places control over their lives.

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International charity World Vision has turned traditional child sponsorship on its head with their project Chosen.

Instead of UK-based sponsors choosing a child to help, the power will be handed to those being sponsored. The child in need will hand select a family to sponsor them.

Isiah, seven, from Pajule in Uganda.

Edinburgh-based mother-of-two, Kirsty Mitchell has been selected by seven-year-old Isiah and Harriet aged five, both from Pajule in Uganda, to be their sponsors.

Mrs Mitchell became involved in a pilot for Chosen through her local church Saint Pauls & Saint Georges Church in Edinburgh in December 2019.

The sponsorship process involved having a photo of her family shared, alongside other candidates, with a community in Pajule in need of support.

At a special choosing event, children were invited to pick from the photos the person, couple or family they wanted to choose as their own sponsor.

The Mitchell family meeting their sponsors.

“The children have so little control over the circumstances in their lives” said Mrs Mitchell. “By giving them the chance to choose a sponsor, we felt like we were giving them back some control from thousands of miles away.

“It was really emotional seeing Isiah and Harriet for the first time and seeing them holding our photo with big smiles on their faces, there was a connection there”.

Donations to World Vision’s sponsorship programme are combined to support projects, such as the installation of clean water taps and improved healthcare facilities, to ensure the wider community benefits.

This was something Mrs Mitchell found particularly appealing, saying, “You sponsor one child but actually so many more will benefit. Being able to help more people is really powerful, we feel very rewarded to have been chosen and to be able to share and support others.”

Harriet, five, holding images of their chosen sponsors, the Mitchell family

A spokesperson from World Vision said: “World Vision is searching for kind-hearted candidates for the opportunity of a lifetime; to empower children in need of support to choose their own sponsor, enabling them to take hold of their future and help transform their communities.

“There are children around the world waiting to choose someone today.”

For more information on how to be Chosen with World Vision click HERE.

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