ActionAid to rethink child sponsorship as part of plan to ‘decolonise’ its work

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Kaamil AhmedJanuary 22, 2026 at 06:00 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

ActionAid UK is rethinking its child sponsorship program as part of a broader effort to "decolonize" its work. The organization, led by new co-chief executives Taahra Ghazi and Hannah Bond, aims to shift from a model perceived as paternalistic and transactional to one based on solidarity and partnership with communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This transformation, planned until 2028, involves reshaping funding systems and empowering local voices to determine how resources are allocated. While child sponsorship currently provides 34% of ActionAid's global funds, the charity acknowledges that allowing donors to choose individual children can perpetuate racialized attitudes. ActionAid plans to evolve the model to be shaped by community voices, while still ensuring sponsors' support has a real impact.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Misper Apawu 30% Save the Children 40% Kenya 50% India 50% Africa 50% Asia 50% Latin America 50% Hannah Bond ×270% Taahra Ghazi ×370% ActionAid UK ×270% ActionAid ×790%

Keywords

child sponsorship 100% decolonise aid 90% actionaid 80% paternalistic 70% racialised 60% global movements 50% charity 50% community voices 40% women's rights 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive

Score: 0.30

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

India

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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child sponsorship decolonise aid actionaid paternalistic racialised global movements charity community voices women's rights

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