6 Charitable Gifts Ideas for the Month of Love

This Valentines, go out of your way to make someone happy, make them smile  and extend love and happiness to the less fortunate in the society. Instead of focusing on what you’d like to receive this week, try something different by giving gifts and participating in charity , cleaning the environment – giving back to society.

There are many opportunities to give back to our society and we have shared some meaningful ways you and your family can stretch a helping hand this Valentine’s day.

1. Gift School Fees or Buy Shopping For An Orphan

There are many orphanages in our communities and slum feeding programs that take care of street children. Choose a feeding program or orphanage near you and find out how you can help. Furthermore,  you can join groups that facilitate trips to various children’s homes to give supplies, spend time, play with the children and offer to serve in any way they can.

Additionally, you can offer to support a child’s education by paying for school fees or buying their school shopping. Whatever way you choose to do it, it will mean a lot to them.

2.  Organize a Cleaning Day Around Your Community

Wouldn’t we all love to live in an organized community, free of trash and garbage? If you live in a  community that’s in dire need of cleaning you can be the agent of change. We understand that mobilizing people can be hard but once you start cleaning, you’ll be surprised at how many people will join. Cleaning your community can be the best gift to the community and it only takes one person to believe in this change.

3. Foster an Elephant as A Gift To Nature

We are blessed to have amazing wildlife in Kenya and we should protect and care for it, lest it goes into extinction. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is well dedicated to rescuing elephants and rhinos, taking care of them, rehabilitating them, and releasing them back into the world. Coupled with working with Kenya Wildlife Service, they work with the public to give them a chance to foster and care for a baby elephant. In doing so, you are fighting elephant’s extinction, gifting an extra bottle of milk to the elephant while reinforcing efforts to curb poaching.

4. Visit Children at The Paediatric Cancer Ward In Kenyatta Hospital

We know its not Childhood Cancer Awareness Month but we empathize with families who are dealing with childhood cancer. Cancer treatment and medication is very painful and the impact hard on both parent and child. Children in this ward stay for longer than a year or two and it will definitely brighten their day to have a visitor or a new toy that they can play with.  If you would like to volunteer or visit this ward it’s advised to talk to the hospital with regards to visits from non-family members.

 5. Donate Toiletries, Sanitation Towels To The Less Fortunate

Sanitary towels become a basic need at puberty. Lack of sanitation pads and toiletries is a major reason why girls in underprivileged homes don’t go to school. Consequently, they miss out on important learning in school and use other means of cleanliness that are not as suitable and effective. Supporting one of these children with toiletry gifts will definitely improve her grades at school and her self esteem as well.

6. Visit A Nursing Home And Spend Time With Old People

You might receive little nuggets of wisdom, blessings upon blessings, and see the world from a different perspective.  In Kenya, there are not many nursing homes as it’s not a culture to take old people to nursing homes. However, I am sure you know of an old person or a couple. Spare some few hours to spend with them and buy a little bit of shopping for them.

Spending time with the elderly is more often the best gift you can give them. What’s more, there are some hospices that offer palliative care to old people going through incurable illnesses or illnesses that can’t be treated due to old age. An example of these is Pope John Paul 2 Huruma Hospice in Nanyuki

Before visiting, call and ask about their COVID-19 guidelines, what they allow and what they don’t allow.

7. Empower A Person With Disability

From helping a visually impaired person to cross the road to assisting a handicapped purchase a cane or a wheelchair to helping a person with cognitive disabilities get the help they need; there is a lot you can do.

Spending time with them, helping them with house chores, or buying shopping for them would be super great too.

Go forth and make someone’s week this Valentine’s!

You may also like: 7 Credible Places to Donate Clothes in Nairobi