Christian Aid is offering Kildare people an ethical choice for their shopping list this Christmas

This Christmas, aid agency Christian Aid is offering Kildare people the chance to add an ethical choice to their festive shopping list.

The charity has launched a range of 9 ethical gifts which could provide a lifeline to those living in poorer countries, trying to improve their lives.

Christian Aid Ireland’s new virtual shop, Charity Gifts, is designed to help festive shoppers spend their money on items that make a lasting difference. Jane Burns, Church and Community Officer at Christian Aid Ireland is a native of Athy, County Kildare and lives there still.

She said: "Many Kildare people are incredibly supportive of Christian Aid at Christmas. This year, we are encouraging people from the county to think of others by choosing ethical alternatives to traditional gifts. For those struggling to find a meaningful present for a loved one, Charity Gifts offer something that will transform people’s lives while also helping the planet.”

“From stocking fillers to the big ticket items, our Charity Gifts store has something to suit everyone’s tastes. These include: animal-related gifts that nurture change; presents that show love, care and wisdom; green gifts that sustain; and gifts with an entrepreneurial edge which will empower people to grow and prosper.” Every purchase acts as a donation to the work of Christian Aid and its local partners. Each present comes with a special card explaining more about the gift and the related project. Christian Aid Charity Gifts will appeal to adults and children alike, with prices to suit all budgets. They are perfect for Secret Santa presents or for those looking for a more high-end gift:

Just €10 could provide a sheep for a woman living in rural Ethiopia, so she can sell wool at a market and save money through a community savings group, to pay for essential medical care and education for her children.

A gift of refuge (€22) could help people who have been displaced from their homes to rebuild their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A gift of school books, bags and pens (€10) could help a Bangladeshi child to access education by giving them a grant for essential – but expensive – school supplies.

And of course the nanny goat (€25) which could help empower households in places like Ethiopia and rural Kenya and provide sustenance for a community to thrive.

Those on a bigger budget could gift a mobile health clinic (€128). This would give pregnant women in remote areas of Kenya access to antenatal check-ups and other medical care, and mean that babies and young children can get their all-important immunisations.

This year, Charity Gifts refreshes Christian Aid’s previous virtual gifting offer, Present Aid, which launched in 2005, and has raised in excess of €19 million across GB and Ireland for Christian Aid’s work with poor communities in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

Kildare people can buy a Charity Gift by visiting charity-gifts.christianaid.ie or by calling our Dublin office on 01 496 7040.