ActionAid to Rethink Child Sponsorship as Part of Plan to Decolonise Its Work
Development charity ActionAid UK is set to transform its controversial child sponsorship model as part of a broader initiative to decolonise its operations. The newly appointed co-chief executives, Taahra Ghazi and Hannah Bond, have signalled a significant shift from the sponsor-a-child scheme launched in 1972 towards long-term grassroots funding and feminist partnerships.
Moving from Transactional Relationships to Solidarity
In an interview, Taahra Ghazi highlighted the problematic nature of traditional child sponsorship schemes, which often involve donors selecting children based on photographs. "Most of our supporters are relatively well-off people and many of them are white, so if you're asking them to choose a picture of a brown or black child and choose the country they come from – effectively, that's a very transactional relationship and quite a paternalistic one," Ghazi explained. "We recognise that the current child sponsorship model reflects a different time."
ActionAid's supporters currently sponsor children in 30 countries, with this funding contributing 34% of the charity's global resources. However, the co-CEOs are committed to evolving this model to better reflect community needs and modern ethical standards.
A Feminist and Anti-Racist Future
Hannah Bond emphasised that the charity's transformation is rooted in a genuine commitment to decolonisation. "We are evolving the model so it is shaped by community voices and responds to the realities they face today," Bond stated. "Meaningful change takes time, and this work is rooted in genuine commitment rather than lip service."
The vision for ActionAid's future positions it as a feminist and anti-racist organisation. This includes focusing on fundraising through partnerships with civil society groups and encouraging collective efforts, such as "sisterhoods" where groups of friends or family raise money for women's rights initiatives in developing countries.
Addressing Criticisms and Industry Trends
Child sponsorship schemes have long faced criticism for perpetuating racist attitudes and being likened to "poverty porn." Independent researcher Themrise Khan argued that the practice should be abandoned altogether, describing it as "highly problematic and racist in its overtones." Khan advocates for systemic solutions like better education and state welfare systems instead.
This move aligns with broader trends in the aid sector. For instance, Save the Children ended its child sponsorship programme last year, citing its unsuitability for modern contexts and high administrative costs.
New Funding Models and Grassroots Empowerment
As part of its decolonisation efforts, ActionAid plans to provide long-term funding to grassroots groups, empowering local communities to decide how resources are used. The charity also aims to establish a dedicated fund for women's rights groups under threat from the global anti-rights movement.
"ActionAid's future is about solidarity, justice and how we can really drive forward change," Bond concluded. "The world is in a bad place and we have a really important role as a global federation in pushing back on the levels of injustice that are happening all over the world."
The transformation process is scheduled to continue until 2028, encompassing changes in funding systems, procurement practices, and overall organisational structure to ensure a more equitable and impactful approach to international aid.
