Sponsor projects and donations
Why sponsoring?
Child sponsorship is not a new concept with many organisations providing help and assistance to children from all over the world. The way sponsorship changes the lives of children around the world is different from place to place however, for every sponsored child, there is always one thing in common - the knowledge that someone, many thousands of miles away, cares enough about their future to make a regular commitment. In the case of children from HIV affected families, this is such a comforting factor for them.
Currently there are over 120 children being given help and support through SiamCare's childsponsorshipprogram. Of these, 31 are orphaned (but still being looked after by extended family members rather than being put into orphanages) and 10 are HIV positive themselves.
Story's
Tum and Fee are two boys who are currently in the SiamCare Childsponsoring program.
Child Contact
SiamCare maintains regular contact with the children and families within the sponsorship programme. Children are visited at least every 3 months, allowing staff to distribute sponsorship funds, check the children are doing alright in school and in their families and to ensure they have everything they need and that their scholarship provides for them.
SiamCare ensures there is regular contact between the children and their sponsors by providing semi-annual updates that include a child's photo, letter, drawing, report card and/or school information plus any relevant family update. Sponsors are encouraged to be actively involved in their sponsor child's life as well by sending pictures and writing simple letters and postcards to develop a relationship with their sponsor child. If the opportunity arises, sponsors can also visit their sponsored children.
Costs
The cost of sponsoring is currently £144 a year, which amounts to £12.00 a month or under 40p a day. This can be paid in one annual payment of £144.00, quarterly payments of £36.00 or monthly payments of £12.00
If you have decided that you would like to sponsor a child, then please read go to our contact form that will ask for your name and address. You can e-mail us these details straight away and we can then sent to you the 'Child Sponsorship Application Form' and any other appropriate information.
If you are unable to sponsor a child at this time, you may wish to help in other ways, either by making a one off donation, gift aid donation or by just keeping in touch with us.
Donations
Whether you have decided to sponsor an individual child or not, you may wish to consider making a donation to help the work of SiamCare. There is no minimal or maximum amount and any amount you give would be of great value to us.
If you are a UK tax payer, your contribution may also give you some personal income-tax relief, helped by the receipt that we would send to you for monies received.
Gift Aid
The Gift Aid Programme has been set up by the UK Inland Revenue department that, not can give you, the donor, some tax relief (if you are a higher rate tax payer) but also gives the charity extra income from the donation received, at no extra expense to you. as from April 2000, there is now no minimum or maxmium amount that can be pledged as a Gift Aid Donations, the only requirement is that the Gift comes from a UK tax payer, not an organisation or other charitable body.
If you would like to make any one off donation including a Gift Aid donation, then please complete the 'Donor Form' and e-mail it to us. You will also need to send us the actual amount you have pledged via a cheque payable to Siamcare-UK or to pay the amount directly into our Bank Account.
The story of Tum and Fee
Tum and Fee are two boys who are currently in the Siam-Care Child sponsoring program.
Fee's father was a drug abuser who got sent to prison for heroin possession. He was HIV positive and developed AIDS and died in prison. His mother is also HIV positive but Fee is not. Fee's mother is a street vendor, selling leather goods and has a very lively and personable character. However, she habitually takes drugs, mainly amphetamines and speed and is often quite 'high' from the effect of her drug abuse. Fee is often left to fend for himself and is therefore quite a street-wise boy. Fee has a UK based sponsor to support him and the family. How has sponsorship helped? The sponsorship that the family receives ensures that Fee goes to school and provides him with the necessary uniform, books and equipment. It also puts some food on the table so that we know Fee is getting a proper meal daily. The frequent checks that Siam Care make to Fee and his mother also helps keep her off drugs and makes sure that Fee continues to go to school. Fee is also very happy that he has a UK based sponsor and gets very excited if the sponsor comes out to visit him.
How does it work?
Through a scholarship given each term the students can buy uniforms, book-bags, schoolsupplies and shoes. They can also pay for school fees, transportation and lunch. Siam-Care staff regulary visit the children at home and at school, closely supervising the use of the funds. We ensure that each child's needs are being met, provide counseling and educational support, build relationships with the schools and work together with the family to provide for the child's future.
