Balloons?

Have you seen recently how a large orange balloon can make a toddler smile with wide eyed excitement? This week I spent 2 whole afternoons making children’s faces light up by offering World Vision balloons from its stand in the local mall. A little goes a long way, something so slight and easy to give creates such joy and contentment.

I arrived for my first day helping promote World Vision Child Sponsorship slightly relieved to learn that Mall policy outlaws direct approaches with flyers or clipboards. I hate being approached like that, but I was prepared do it for World Vision because I believe so strongly in the development they do and how they do it. My relief turned to frustration when it quickly became apparent that encouraging people to sponsor is difficult if you are not allowed to approach them.

It is worth noting that WV sees this process not as fundraising but donor development. Creating a rapport with people to engage them in the issues and get across the ethos that development is about empowerment and about showing respect and integrity towards not only the poor recipient but donor too.

WV jealously guards their impeccable reputation of not being ‘in your face’ but the mall’s somewhat draconian ruling prompted my rebellious fighting spirit to think up ways of circumventing the rules. Given the resources available, I had to settle for undoing most parents’ child safety lessons by encouraging toddlers to accept gifts from strangers. Unexpectedly, it was liberating because I could smile at people and say hello (which is more normal here anyway) without the duplicitous agenda of wanting to approach them for money. We just wanted to see a mass of inflatable orange bobbling round the arcade. The aim to get people thinking about World Vision.

My offer of an over-inflated balloon on a stick was rarely refused, except by one parent who blankly declined on little Johnny’s behalf with “No thanks, he’s not allowed them”. What sort of damage can you cause with a balloon? Only psychological damage it seems, since one parent declined saying “Sorry, he afraid of them.” This was later confirmed to be true as on the return leg of their shopping stroll, the balloonless child was targeted again for my shameless generosity. And he actually cowered.

Some little kids deem themselves too old for a balloon and look disapprovingly when you misunderstand their level of maturity. Funniest are the 9 yr olds who initially decide that balloons are still quite fun, but 10 minutes later can be seen holding no longer a stick of delight but a blight on a stick which they have to hold for the rest of the shopping trip, which has deteriorated into following mother into underwear departments and not knowing where to look.

At one point a little Indian girl of about 3 or 4 returned alone and gabbled in Tamil – yet somehow I knew exactly that she was asking for another for her brother!

It is strange making eye contact with everyone but again liberating because my motives are pure and I don’t want a date or a phone number. When you have balloons, it feels like you are friends with everyone. Then your face starts to ache like when you spend all day involved in a wedding party. Best man beamer turns to groomsman grimace; a smile induced by a taxidermist.

This approach to fund raising is frustrating yet possesses a certain integrity. When people approach you, they have been empowered to ask questions, take an interest and show concern. The bible says “God loves a cheerful giver” and it is to World Vision’s credit that it seeks to encourage this in people. And, whatsmore, to attract givers cheerfully. The flip-side of this is perhaps that God doesn’t want a giver who gives out of guilt and to make the person with the clipboard go away.

For me, donor development is not about making people guilty about what they are aren’t giving, but rather, excited about how the little they are giving is making a difference.

So development work and giving out balloons have a great deal in common. A small gift can have a huge impact. A letter from a sponsor has the same effect as a balloon on a nZ toddler. And when less than $2 a day gives a child in the developing world the chance to go to school, drink clean water and get a step up on the ladder, it makes me smile with wide eyed excitement.


[find out more about World Vision Child Sponsorship at www.worldvision.org.uk]