A global childrens’ charity is celebrating the contribution of a volunteer from Wandsworth as Volunteers’ Week takes place across the country.

Fiona Stevens, who lives near Clapham Junction, started volunteering with Plan International UK in 2014. Working as part of the charity’s Child Sponsorship team, Fiona reads and processes the many thousands of letters exchanged between children helped by the charity in Africa, Asia and South America and their sponsors in the UK.  

"It’s fantastic! I get to find out about the lives of thousands of children all across the world. I can also follow their progress through their letters and see how they grow and develop as they get older,” said Fiona.

“The sponsored children are so interested in the lives of their sponsors. They’re always asking whether they have rice fields, what livestock they have and what seeds they have been planting for harvest.

“One sponsor said their daughter was getting married and the child was checking the credibility of the groom, asking how many cars he had and houses. That was very funny!” 

In 2016, more than 160,000 letters were exchanged between children and their sponsors, these are anything from drawings to photographs or letters.

“It’s so satisfying to contribute to Plan International UK’s work through volunteering. Childrens’ rights and their access to education is an issue I’m incredibly passionate about having previously worked as a teaching assistant,” Fiona added.

Plan International is celebrating its 80th birthday this year. Over the past eight decades, the charity has grown to support children in more than 51 countries, and more than 86,000 people in the UK now sponsor a child.

Dan Maguire, Sponsorship Communications Coordinator for Plan International UK says: “We are very grateful for the hard work that Fiona contributes to Plan International UK. Without dedicated volunteers like Fiona, we would not be able to help so many children move themselves from a life of poverty to a future with opportunity.” 

Money donated to Plan International UK through child sponsorship benefits children and their families. A donation of £19.50-a-month helps provide clean water, healthcare and education in communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America. 

Sponsors receive regular updates and photographs from their sponsored child and keep in touch by writing letters back. 

Fiona added: “I’d recommend being a volunteer here, it’s such a nice team and you feel thoroughly part of Plan International UK.”

Plan International UK is currently looking for another Sponsorship Communications Volunteer to read and log letters from sponsors and children, to apply visit: www.plan-uk.org/jobs-and-volunteering

To find out more about child sponsorship with Plan International UK, visit: www.plan-uk.org/sponsor-a-child.

Article supplied by Hannah Gurney