Meaningful gifts

Many charities offer Christmas gift programmes. You buy items for people in need that are given on behalf of your family or friends. For example, you might donate money for school equipment in developing countries. You receive an acknowledgement to give to your relative or friend to show what they have “donated”.

Each year, this column runs a list of charities that take part in these programmes. I’ve asked each one to describe their programme in 20 words or fewer:

● Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand:

0800 22 10 22 or caritas.org.nz/getinvolved/caritas-gifts. “Caritas Gifts of hope, life, peace and learning enable our life-changing work around the world and in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

● Christian World Service: 0800

74 73 72 or gift.org.nz. “Give a gift like bees or water, bringing joy and opportunity to a family that needs water, food and justice.”

● Leprosy Mission New Zealand:

0800 862 873 or reallygoodgifts.org.nz. “Bring God’s blessing and love to the life of someone affected by leprosy, including access to the cure from $20.”

● MEND NZ — Mobility Equipment for Needs of the Disabled: 021 060 9631 or mend.org.nz. “Give African or Himalayan youth a limb to walk to school or hearing aid to hear for the first time.”

● Oxfam New Zealand: 0800 600

700 or oxfam.org.nz/shop. “Choose a fun, meaningful Unwrapped gift card or shop Oxfam’s range of beautiful ethical goods from artisans around the world.”

● Save the Children New Zealand:

0800 167 168 or gifts.savethechildren.org.nz/ collections/the-good-gift . “Can’t find the right gift? Buy a jerry can of clean water and help keep children healthy this festive season.”

● The Salvation Army: 0800 53

00 00 or justgifts.org.nz. “Give a gift that tackles poverty and injustice in the Pacific and around the world.”

● World Vision New Zealand:

0800 800 776 or worldvision.org.nz/ smiles “From chickens to goats, clean water to emergency food and helping train a teacher, World Vision’s Smiles gifts change lives.”