Canadians provide inspiration and change lives with gifts

Five years ago, a Canadian bought a gift through the World Vision Gift Catalogue in honour of someone special in his life. The gift was a fish farm and it went to Mauricio Rios in Honduras.

The World Vision Gift Catalogue gives Canadians the option to give something a little different for special occasions like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and as thank you gifts. These alternative gifts are in fact real, tangible donations that change lives around the world. You get a card to give to the person you are giving the gift to outlining the difference being made in their name.

Five years later Mauricio has tripled the size of his fish farm – providing enough tilapia to feed about 30 families in his rural community each month. For parents whose children were growing up struggling against malnutrition, this food source is a real blessing.

“I have families that travel a long way for these fish,” says Mauricio. “I make sure the children are getting what they need.”

Since starting the fish farm Mauricio has also started a savings group that has 19 members.

“When something happens, like a family member is ill and needs treatment, we are able to pool our resources and get them help,” he says. “It has changed all of our lives because we were not able to do that before.”

This even spawned a school curriculum course on “the principal of saving”, something brand new in this area. The kids learn that projects like fish farms can provide food, income and help for others.

Thanks to the simple gift of a Canadian, many children are no longer too sick or weak to attend school. Their parents can purchase school supplies. People are inspired to dream—and isn’t that the best possible gift to give someone?

More than sixty charity gift options are available at www.worldvision.ca/gifts ranging from livestock, like chickens and goats, to medical needs to school supplies.