My Nonprofit Reviews

I have been a donor since 9/11 when I decided that we as a nation need to be doing more internationally to bridge the gap between the have's and the have nots. Since I did not want to go with a religious organization, and I wanted to have some interpersonal contact, and possibly go to visit my sponsor child, I researched hard and decided on PLAN. I am so glad I did. I have now sponsored, and also visited, two girls from different parts of Guatemala.

On both visits I was extremely impressed with the local staff and what they were doing in the very rural communities we visited. They are having a huge impact on many communities and many many children and families. It is one of the best things I have done in my 60 years and has culminated in a strong and permanent connection to Guatemala for me personally.

Like some of the other reviewers, I found it hard to have as much personal contact with my sponsored child as I would have preferred via letters. But after actually being in the communities, I realize that much of that is because we are dealing with different languages and cultures that do not have the kind of literacy we have in the U.S. I think it is more important for the staff to be out there helping people than figuring out how to communicate in a different language with someone from a different culture. And I'm not just talking English/Spanish, in my case with Guatemala, but one of the 22 different Mayan languages spoken in rural Guatemala. I am sure this is the same in most of the other countries PLAN operates in. They are doing a great job. Go see for yourself!

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