Smart money management is something that everyone, regardless of age, can get peace of mind from. Whether it’s handling personal finances or working out the legacy a person will leave behind, there can be a lot to consider, especially with Remember A Charity Week running from 9 to 15 September, encouraging everyone to think about how they would like to be remembered.
This is why international children’s charity World Vision is collaborating with Octopus Legacy to help with one
element of money management – Will writing. World Vision and Octopus Legacy are offering a free Will writing service to anyone who needs it this September and October, with no obligation to donate to World Vision. However, including a gift to World Vision is a way for people to carry everything they believe in forward – a sense of fairness, justice and compassion for children who live in some of the world’s hardest places.
It is simple to start a Will with this service, and World Vision and Octopus Legacy provide tools, on-hand expert support and guidance to reduce the hassle. Hugh is a supporter who has left a gift in his Will to World Vision. After traveling with his wife Jo to see her sponsored child in Bangladesh, Hugh’s eyes were opened to the transformative work of World Vision. He saw
first-hand how sponsorship and gifts in Wills can positively
affect the lives of children and their communities.
“We admired World Vision’s approach to the communities they were offering to serve; not in the least patronising,” Hugh explains. “Rather than saying, ‘you need this, that, and the other thing’ the community is invited to say how World Vision can help them.”
“Seeing the work of World Vision first-hand was really powerful and affected us. That experience has never left me. I want to continue helping children who are far less fortunate than ours and our grandchildren were, and give them a brighter future. I am not after a sticking plaster solution but long-term development. I really trust what World Vision does and that the money will go to the right place,” he continues.
“If you feel as I do and want the work of World Vision to continue well into the future – and I’m afraid that need will remain – I would invite any supporter to think about leaving something in his or her Will.” 30 years after Hugh first visited Bangladesh to see World Vision’s work, communities and children in the country continue to be supported, like Ratri. She is 16 and the president of the child forum in her local area,
fighting for the voices of children and supported by Child Sponsorship since 2011. Now she is empowered to raise awareness about girls’ rights in their community, talking to the inter-faith leaders group facilitated by World Vision.
“Joining World Vision was primarily an opportunity to break free from the confines of my home,” Ratri says. “Otherwise, I mostly remained in there. At that time, I was not aware of my own limitations. Gradually, as I became acquainted with the elder members, they enlightened me about various aspects of life, and I have been learning ever since. I was quite inexperienced back then. Even the ability to express myself as I do now was beyond me at that time.”
“I firmly believe that women should actively advocate for their rights. If I do not assert my own rights, others may not recognise or grant them. It is essential to speak up for our rights. Because people will only act if we voice our concerns. If I remain silent and keep my rights to myself, they may go unnoticed, and others may never engage in conversations about women’s rights.”
Elsewhere in Ratri’s area donors continue to support children and communities to strengthen education, health, livelihoods, WASH*, nutrition and child protection. World Vision has also partnered with Much Loved so that anyone can create a free online tribute page to a loved one, allowing them to share photos, memories, stories, and more. Donations can be made in their memory too, creating a legacy of hope and continuing to support the work of World Vision.
For more details on how to leave a charity gift in your Will, head to World Vision UK’s website.
