5 ways to contribute towards charity

There are a lot of different ways to make a difference in the world and contribute towards charity, that don’t always involve simply donating to an organisation.

Every little act of kindness and generosity improves the world, and in this article, we’re going to look at 5 ways you can help contribute towards charity.

Sponsor a child

Sponsoring a child is a great way to contribute to charity, as you’ll be helping them access the tools they need to succeed in life, and connect with them on a personal level. Compassion’s sponsor a child programme puts your monthly donation towards a child’s nutrition, medical check-ups, and education support for a better future.

This includes school uniforms, books, vocational training, and more. Onv you’ve chosen a child to sponsor, you’ll also be able to exchange letters with them. The letters will even be translated into the child’s native language for you.

Register for the British Bone Marrow Registry

If you’re between the ages of 18 – 49, and a registered blood donor, you can take a step further and become a bone marrow donor. This can help save the lives of people suffering from numerous diseases including leukemia, aplastic anaemia, and other immune deficiency related diseases.

It’s actually really simple, there are two methods of donating. You can receive an injection for four consecutive days, which boosts the amount of stem cells in your blood. These extra stem cells are then filtered out by a special machine. Alternatively, you can donate bone marrow directly from your hips, with a needle and syringe. This involves 2 days in the hospital, and a five day recovery period at home.

Donate your old computer and laptop

Programs such as Computers for Charities will accept computer systems and distribute them – they have distributed more than 250,000 computers in 105 countries. However, the computer or laptop you wish to donate must be no older than 5 years, and have no mechanical problems.

To protect your personal data, Computers for Charities will remove the hard drive of any computer donated, before recycling it. The computers are typically donated to schools in poverty, or used to train youth in IT skills.

Raise and train puppies into guide dogs

If you’re a dog-lover, you can volunteer to raise puppies into guide dogs for the visually impaired. As a volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind, you raise the dog from six weeks to a year old, teaching the dog basic obedience, walking on a lead, and feeling calm in social scenarios. The charity provides volunteers with basic materials, such as equipment, food costs, and vet bills.

Here is a great overview of how training guide dogs works, and what to expect during the training process.

Record audio books for the visually impaired

A charity named Calibre recruits volunteers to record audio books for commercial titles which are not available in audio format. This isn’t something just anyone can volunteer for, however – Calibre prefers volunteers who have voice work experience and training, such as actors, broadcasters, and skilled narrators.

A similar type of volunteering would be reading aloud to the blind, such as for children at a library. You can read some helpful tips for reading aloud to a blind child here.