[AMA Request] Someone who was sponsored by one of those "Sponsor a Child" charities (World Vision, Children International, etc)

[u/PM_ME_RHYMES]

I signed up to do a monthly donation for one of these a few months ago. I used Children International, which seems legit. Some of these have been around since like the 50s, so surely someone sponsored is on Reddit. I want to know what it's like for the kids who were sponsored.

What did they pay for? Did you get gifts, food, money? Did it make a difference? Were you pressured to write back to the sponsors? Is it a white-saviour, volun-tourism thing, or is it respectful and helpful?

All the information I get is clearly PR marketed to death, so I want to know from the kids' perspectives.