World Gifts: Make a world of difference

Join forces with people in your parish to buy World Gifts for your own Virtual Village. Your community can make tangible and lasting improvements to other communities living in poverty

World Gifts are a range of charity gifts where everything you buy really acts as two presents in one - something for you to give a friend or relative and a real gift given to someone living in poverty.

Build your Virtual Village

School Starter Pack (£7)
Vegetable Garden (£10)
Water (£30)
Fruit Tree Nursery (£250)
Community Water Supply (£750)
Train a Teacher (£1,000)
Community Shop (£1,500)

Read BBC feature on Virtual Villages

Virtual Village poster (984.69 kB)

World Gifts also work as a great fundraising scheme.

Whether you raise money to buy a gift yourself, or join forces as a school or parish community, your fundraising will transform the lives of individuals, families and communities in developing countries.

To help you with ideas on how to fundraise, plus some of the stories behind World Gifts, we’ve created materials to support your effort.

Where your money goes

Each gift supports a particular area of CAFOD's vital work - and each gift is a real example of that work. There are five funds in all:

• Water and Food Fund
• Emergency, Conflicts and Rehabilitation Fund
• Education and Skills Training Fund
• Livestock and Agriculture Fund
• Health and Care (including HIV & AIDS) Fund

take action

Fundraise yourself Organise your own event, or take part in an organised run, walk, swim, marathon, or triathlon and become part of Team CAFOD

Fundraise as a group Create a Virtual Village with family, friends, church group or workplace, and decide what goes in it - maybe a few goats and chickens, or a vegetable garden?

Fundraise as a school Create a Virtual Village, display it in your school hall, and use our resources with the pupils to learn about the issues behind the gifts