Fewer children being sponsored, says S.C.F.

Press, 3 May 1977, Page 10

Fewer children being sponsored, says S.C.F.

PA Wellington The number of New Zealand Save the Children Fund Sponsorships for underprivileged children in the w„rld has decreased

during the last year. Figures released at the twenty-ninth annual conference of the Save the Children Fund in Wellington show that there are 3000 New Zealand sponsors.

The London headquarters sponsor 13,000 children throughout the world . New Zealand used to soonsor about, one-third of these. The Wellington branch president (Mrs A. P. Thomson) said that many cancellations had been made on Korean sponsorship programmes and the group had had difficulties finding other children to be sponsored. A sponsorship programme for 200 children soon to be set up in Fiji

may boost the numbers, she said. Large increases in the price of sponsoring a child was also attributed to the decrease. A 66 per cent increase raising one-year programme rates from S6O to SIOO may have discouraged some members from renewing their subscription. The cost of sponsoring a family for a year has risen from SIOO to SI 50. Fund members at the two-day conference believed these rises in the present economic situation to be partly responsible for the decrease in sponsorship. The annua] conference, held in Wellington for the first time, had been "very successful, but not controversial.” Mrs Thomson said.

Matters concerning the 23 branches such as the 1977 annual appeal, and the allocation of funds, were discussed by the more than 100 delegates.

the biggest number to attend a conference. The allocation of $265,000. the result of tbe 1976 national appeal, was decided. Much of the money went to various aid projects in Korea. Papua New Guinea. India, Bangladesh and Thailand. These projects include refugee centres, mother and child clinics and milk powder supplies. Next vear’s conference will be at Nelson on April 14 and 15.