Pandora's Kharis nominees Thargelion 2014

It's going to be a hard pick this month: two very worthy causes have been entered into the race for Thargelion 2014 cause: UNICEF and Plan International. We are starting to notice we really like causes that support children around the globe, and for a religion which was founded in a society where children were of the uttermost importance, that's not really odd to us.

UNICEF
UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. They have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.  That makes them unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with the young.

They believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. They believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity.

They advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future. They promote girls’ education – ensuring that they complete primary education as a minimum – because it benefits all children, both girls and boys. Girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents to their own children. They act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases, and are well nourished, because it is wrong for a child to suffer or die from a preventable illness.

Plan International
Founded over 75 years ago, Plan is one of the oldest and largest children's development organisations in the world. They work in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty. In 2013, Plan worked with 78 million children in 90,229 communities. Plan is independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations.

Plan's vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity. They aim to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries, through a process that unites people across cultures and adds meaning and value to their lives, by:

• enabling deprived children, their families and their communities to meet their basic needs and to increase their ability to participate in and benefit from their societies
• building relationships to increase understanding and unity among peoples of different cultures and countries
• promoting the rights and interests of the world's children.

As you can see, we have two very worthy causes to choose from this month. The deadline for voting is May 25th, but of course you are also free to start making your donations today.