The thoughts I wish to share with you are very personal to what I believe should happen in the world of helping others overseas. I may be wrong, and certainly these points are not definitive, so I will gladly add to my list if others can share with me their valuable experiences. These strategies have been learned on several occasions by my own mistakes and on other occasions by what I have witnessed first hand.

Is there a golden rule for helping ? Yes I think there is : make friends and then help your friend if you can. I suppose this applies to everywhere and not just assistance to the developing world. Never assume that you can guess what is needed abroad as inevitably you will be wrong. Imagine sending thousands of pencils to street children in South America when they lived against the wall of a pencil factory. It happened.

Never in the name of bravado promise something that you can not fulfil and sustain. Sometimes it is extremely easy to begin a project but unless you are going to continue with the knowledge, the expertise or the finances some projects are destined for failure. A project worth starting, and one which has been well thought out, is certainly worth finishing.

In one country I witnessed a container being opened from my own country. Imagine my disgust when I saw that the contents of the large container consisted of clothes that should have been put straight in the bin - if an item is no longer worthy for a child in our country it is difficult to understand how it can be fit for any child. Had the cost of the shipping of the container been put to good use, items of real worth could have been purchased and the input of money would have helped the local economy.

On some occasions we have purchased items and then posted them only to discover later that had we been given the items free in the UK, the postage would still have been more substantial than the cost of the items had they been purchased in the country to which the goods had been posted. The world economy is a strange and mystical beast, and I do not pretend to understand it, but what I am sure of is that the same item can sometimes be purchased at a fraction of the cost in the country where it is needed.

The internet is a wonderful tool for checking on prices around the world. Although it is financially sound to purchase within the country you wish to help the corollary might also be correct. Most BT telephone/fax/communication systems with a simple £9.50 adaptor bought within the UK will work efficiently in many countries. On an different tact there will be idiosyncrasies peculiar to certain countries, for example, cuddly toys may be nice to send abroad but several countries due to strict hygiene laws, will not permit them to be received by children or used in schools as they are conscious of the possibility of germs being harboured.

I am aware of one school that collected over £7000 for a school and just sent it unquestioned to a bank : that amount of money could have built two schools in the same vicinity. Once money is collected, and in most cases it is hard earned, it will not escape from a bank in the UK : there is plenty of time for proper thought and investigation to ensure that it is being expended wisely.

We have, in nearly every circumstance, believed that we should finish one project before beginning another - it gives us and the worthy recipient short term goals which are easier to manage.

Always question the amount of administrative costs some organisations have if you have to go through a halfway grouping. How could any money go from a children's collection of £100 when a member of that national charity flew from London to receive it? Of course so much excellent and admirable work is carried out but not all.

Educational supplies abroad makes for an interesting topic. So many books have passed our way over the last 8 years with many of them finding the appropriate bin. Many British books are so inextricably tied in with our culture and the great days when "Britain ruled the Waves" so read carefully every book you send. If you think it might not be appropriate then it undoubtedly will not be!

When individuals and groups delve into that part of our world that needs so much help they will tamper with hope and pride. In many parts of the world the pride and hope are what sustains the people to exist and struggle and eventually to survive. If we in our ignorance remove pride and hope then we have done so much damage. The wonderful dichotomy to this will be the raising of morale and esteem and if any Tag Teacher wishes to know a simple way of doing this I will gladly share my experiences further.

Now to return to my first premise - forget charity - make friends and if you can help your friend then do so in turn. One final tip. Never ever ever visit a country without insurance or finding out the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice. One well meaning driver, as part of a convoy shipping items to eastern Europe, felt that there was little need for insurance and saved himself £19. On his first day in the country, following his unfortunate stroke, the cost of the air ambulance and treatment was £19,000.

I really hope that this short article may be found of benefit to those wishing to become involved in helping their friends overseas or also maybe to those who are already engaged and have not yet learned by their own mistakes or the mistakes of others. Don