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Corporate gifts

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I send a Concern Gift?

It's easy! Just choose a gift you think your friend or relative would like. For instance, if you know someone who loves cooking (or eating!) then why not buy them a fuel-efficient stove, or a bakery! Just order online or by calling 0800 032 4001 and their gift will help a person who really needs it.

Where does the money from all the gifts go?

All the money goes into one of our four global programmes (unless otherwise stated) - education, livelihoods, health and emergency. So if you chose school supplies for example, your money will go into the education programme and a school could receive text books and pens.

If I buy a goat, will a family definitely get a goat?

In many cases yes; your money would go into the livelihoods programme and a family could get a goat. However, sometimes a family needs a donkey more than they need a goat. In that case, we'd put your money towards providing one of those instead. Whatever you choose, we promise your money will go into the relevant programme.

What will my friends or family get?

If you get a gift for a friend, you can choose to send them either an e-card or a postal card. If you choose to send them an e-card, they will receive an e-mail telling them how to view it. The e-card will be personalised with your own message and there will also be more information about the gift on it. E-cards are great because they're quick to send and cost less money to create, which means more money for someone in need.
If you'd prefer, you can give them a real card instead. We'll post you a gift card with a picture of the gift you chose on it, which you can then send on to your friend .

Can I send a postal card straight to my friend?

Unfortunately you can't. To save on our administration costs, we send all the cards you order straight to you, so you can personalise them and pass them on. This means even more of the money can go to the people who need it.

How long will it take to receive my gift(s)?

We always try to fulfil postal orders within 48 hours. So your postal gift should arrive within 3-4 days. E-cards should arrive within 30 minutes, unless you request otherwise. So if you've left your shopping till the last minute, remember you can always send an e-card for instant delivery.
If you have any problems with your order, please phone our Gifts helplines. UK: 0800 032 4001 ROI: 1850 458 400 (Lines are open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm).

Does all the money you raise go to the developing world?

We're pleased to say that pretty much all of it does. 89.9% of the money we raise goes directly overseas to where the need is greatest. 7.6% goes on fundraising activities which enables us to generate even more money to help the developing world, whilst 0.5% goes on Governance. And just 2% goes on administration (the lowest of any Irish or European NGO) - choosing a gift online really does help cut down on the paperwork!

Can I receive feedback about my gift(s)?

We'd love to, but we can't. All our gifts are distributed across 25 of the world's poorest countries to thousands of people - so imagine if we tried to keep tabs on every single gift! Just remember that whatever you choose, it will make a huge difference to someone.

Where do the gifts come from?

All our gifts (with the exception of our Christmas cards) are sourced locally, which is not only more cost-efficient, it also contributes to the local economy. That's why we don't send gifts overseas from here.

I've got another question/problem with my order!!!

No problem. Just click through to the Contact Us page where you'll find our e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. Any questions? Our team will be more than happy to answer them.

Livestock: How do you know the animals are not mistreated?

Concern Worldwide works in varied environments and many of these can maintain the needs of animals in a sustainable manner, especially in lush tropical zones with plenty of rainfall and vegetation. However, we acknowledge that inappropriate provision of livestock in fragile environments is problematic and can do substantial harm.

Concern does not run programmes which focus solely on livestock or livestock inputs. Our livelihoods programmes are designed around the individual needs and options of the poor in a particular place. These are closely linked to the possibilities for food production of the particular agro-ecological zone involved. Our livelihoods programmes try to help the poor to produce more but also, very importantly, to diversify their strategies and livelihood activities to spread risk and improve access to food and good nutrition. Livestock projects comprise one component of such livelihoods programmes.

Livestock distributions and projects are not the solution to helping communities to escape from poverty but they represent a single option among many which help extremely poor people to survive and not fall further into poverty and hunger.

Furthermore, when seen as a part of a broader strategy of working with the poor, livestock distributions can help people to slowly grow an asset base which provides them with the foundations on which to take more risks and try different livelihood strategies to get them out of poverty. Livestock can and do, in certain situations, provide milk, dairy produce and manure which benefit families in terms of basic nutrition and sometimes in generating a small amount of extra income.

Finally, Concern does not provide livestock without also setting in place support for animal husbandry, local veterinary services and other necessary foundations for the success of such projects. Without these important aspects, livestock distributions cannot be sustainable.

Why do we supply insecticides to people (Vegetable Pack Gift)?

Food security is the priority for Concern. Many of our target groups survive in very marginal conditions where use of pesticides can help improve crop yields and reduce the risk of failure due to pest outbreaks. However Concern is aware of the risks of chemicals to health and the environment so we aim to use only the least toxic pesticides available - those which are selective and break down quickly. We also encourage farmers to use minimal amounts of pesticides, and teach integrated pest management whereby non-chemical means of pest control are used alongside pesticides to minimise their use.