Monday, November 29, 2010

The Eighth Day: UNICEF Inspired Gifts


UNICEF was created in December of 1946 to provide food, clothing, and health care to children after World War II. In the years since then, UNICEF has advocated for children's rights to education, clean water, nutrition, HIV awareness, and safety from sexual exploitation and abuse in 190 countries. In 1965, the organization was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "the promotion of brotherhood among nations."

From the UNICEF website:

We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.

We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.


Instead of slipping an iTunes giftcard into your loved one's stocking this year, how about a set of Insecticide-treated Mosquito nets?
Only $18.18 provides 3 nets to keep a family safe from dangerous mosquito bites while they sleep.
Click here for more information about Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets


Like me, you might be wondering about the financial accountability of any organization accepting donations. It's always important to understand where your money is going. I won't advocate for any organization that I wouldn't feel comfortable donating our money too. As with all these posts, I do my best to research the specifics, but you should too.

From the UNICEF website:

What am I paying for?
We send the actual products displayed on the site. For example, if you purchase a mosquito net, we deliver mosquito nets. However, we respond to the real needs of children around the world, and as a result, there may be some cases in which the Inspired Gift you have selected will be substituted with one from the same category, because there is a greater need for it. For example, if necessary we may supply jump ropes if a school already has soccer balls. That way, you will always know which area of our work you are supporting and can feel assured that it really is helping the world’s children.

Here are some other great stocking stuffers. I'm really amazed at how inexpensive they are to provide.
FYI, if you've drawn my name for Christmas this year, any of these gifts would be perfect...

Click here for more information about Tetanus Toxoid (TT) Vaccine


Tetanus Toxoid (TT) Vaccine $20.60
Tetanus Toxoid (TT) Vaccine sends vital protection to women in developing countries, enabling them to stay tetanus-free through the child-bearing period. Your purchase will provide 412 doses of vaccine.

Click here for more information about Vaccine Carrier
Vaccine Carrier $32.50
Vaccines save lives. But it can be difficult to keep them at the right temperatures in hot climates. That's why this gift is so inventive. Your purchase will provide two cold-box vaccine carriers that will help make sure we get vaccines to children in remote areas who need them.
Click here for more information about Water Purification Tablets
Water Purification Tablets $69.50
How do you wrap 50,000 litres of clean water? Simple, send it in tablet form. Imagine how many children's lives you could touch with this gift of 10,000 water purification tablets, each able to turn 4-5 litres of dirty water into drinking water. This gift is definitely worth raising a glass to.

High Energy Biscuits $49.10
These high energy/protein biscuits contain minerals and vitamins and have been developed for malnourished children during emergencies. They are easy to distribute and provide a simple solution to quickly improving the level of nutrition. Your purchase will provide 1,200 high energy biscuits, especially developed for young children caught-up in emergency situations. Within one month of the earthquake in October 2005, UNICEF distributed more than 200,000 high-protein biscuits in Pakistan.

Click here for more information about Deworming Tablets
Deworming Tablets $35.80
This is probably not the most glamorous gift idea, but it's certainly effective. For $36, you can protect so many children from the misery of worm infestation- and make for an interesting answer to the "what did you get for your birthday/Christmas/anniversary/graduation" question.

Click here for more information about School-in-a-Box Kit
School-in-a-Box Kit $256
Buy UNICEF's innovative 'School-in-a-Box' and help UNICEF set up a temporary school for at least 40 children during times of emergency. The box contains books, pencils, erasers and scissors and even a radio, while the aluminium lid of the box doubles as a blackboard. Few gifts are as innovative as this a temporary school for children that costs just $256. Since the mid 1990s, UNICEF has delivered the School-in-a-Box to emergency situations all over the world, providing the chance for children to continue their education during the most extreme crises.

Click here for more information about Mother-Baby Pack
Mother-Baby Pack $87.50
This smart little box contains all the drugs and antibiotics needed to protect a baby from HIV infection - in the womb, at birth and while breastfeeding. For mother's living with HIV it's the perfect delivery.


Malaria kills a child in Africa every 30 seconds. By the time you get done reading this post, 5 children will have died from something ridiculously preventable.

Think about that when you are tucking your children under their covers tonight...



2 comments:

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  2. Thanks for the info, A great way to do some shopping with a purpose. :)

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