Learn more about Asha-NYC/NJ's activities or find the Asha chapter nearest you.

Learn about Support A Child programs in other Asha chapters.

1. How does Support A Child work?
2. How can I communicate with my sponsored child?
3. How are funds managed? 
4. How can I become a sponsor today?

How does Support A Child work?

• What is Support A Child?

Support A Child is a program in which Asha, NYCNJ partners with with it's projects in India to provide for an underprivileged child's education/total living expense. However SAC is more than funding a child in need. It is an opportunity for you as a sponsor to develop one to one correspondence & interaction with a special child.

• Are the children that are supported treated differently than the children who are not?

The SAC program supports all the children in a project. There is no discrimination between the children who are and who are not supported. If we are unable to find a sponsor for a child we would support the child through Asha's funds.

• What benefits will the child I sponsor receive?

Depending on the project the child may be supported either for education or for all living expenses including food, shelter, healthcare and nutrition. Please look at the specific page for the project for details.

• Will I be the only sponsor for the child?

Yes.

• How long should my sponsorship last?

We ask for at least 1 year but we would prefer your continued support.

• If I must discontinue my sponsorship, what happens to the child I'm helping?

We look for another sponsor. Meanwhile the sponsorship will be continued from Asha's funds.

• How long is a child in the sponsorship program?

It is expected that the child will remain part of the sponsorship program till she/he completes his schooling/training in the project.

• How are children chosen for sponsorship?

In most cases all the children in a project will be included in the sponsorship program.

• How does Asha start a SAC project?

Asha only starts a sac project with organizations it has been closely working with. This includes an Asha volunteer visiting the project atleast once a year, frequent communications with the project and an analysis of the present situation of the project by the projects group of the chapter. Please look for project details and updates on the latest developments of the projects on the website.

• When or how often will I receive a progress report on my sponsored child?

You will receive progress reports of the child once a year.

• When will I receive a photograph of my sponsored child?

We will email you the photograph of the child as soon as it is available.

• How will most of the correspondence be carried out?

We hope to carry out most of the correspondence over email.

• Why are most of the correspondence over email?

Our registration for the program is on-line and most of our donors have net access.

From previous experience in Asha with support a child programs we have found that the overhead costs of this kind of program on the partner organizations is high. In an effort to reduce this overhead we are trying to have all documentation available in softcopy and mail the information to you. We shall try to scan information that cannot be typed, e.g., pictures made by children. In specific cases when the sponsor communicates with the child, we request you to send self addressed envelope with stamps so that the child can write back to you.

• Can I send money directly to my sponsored child?

Asha requests that monetary gifts not be sent to your sponsored child. There are several reasons for this.

- It is often difficult for other families in the community to understand why a child or the family received money from the sponsor. This can cause jealousy and divisiveness in the community.
- Also, some postal systems are unreliable and there is no guarantee that the monetary gifts will reach the project offices.

Thank you for understanding.

• Can I bring my sponsored child to the U.S. for a visit?

We appreciate your interest in having your sponsored child visit the United States. There are several reasons why Asha does not permit visits of sponsored children to the United States:

- The safety and well-being of the child.
- The child's readjustment to his or her own lifestyle can be difficult.
- Consent of the child's family or the project

• What about visiting my sponsored child in India?

You are definitely encouraged to do so. The address of the project will be listed on the projects website. In case of SKB, please coordinate with us since the student, most likely, will not be residing at SKB but at her college.

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How can I communicate with my sponsored child?

• Can I write to my sponsored child?

You are encouraged to write letters to your sponsored child and send it to the project address. If required, teachers or coordinators at the project will translate your letters into your child's language and give both your letter and the translation to the child to keep.

Once you have started correspondence we request you to continue writing to the child irrespective of whether you may be in a position to fund the child or not. You are encouraged to write to the child as a pen-friend and guide.

You may also be able to communicate with the child through email depending on availablity at the project. Please check with the SAC coordinator of the specific project for details.
• Will my child write to me?

Yes if he/she can read and write or with the help of a translator. Please include a self-addressed envelope in case of snail mail.

• What address should I send my letters to?

All mails should be sent to the project address. See the page for the projects for exact details. Seva Chakkara Project page

• What other opportunities will I have to learn about the child I'm helping?

Asha will send you yearly progress reports of the project. If you would like some other specific information about the child e.g. a drawing by the child if she/he is good at it, we could scan this information and mail it to you.

Please do give atleast four weeks to be able to process such specific requests.

• Can I send packages/money to my sponsored child?

We understand your desire to send packages to your sponsored child. However we would prefer that you not send packages or money to your child because of the following reasons:

- Possibility of loss, theft, or damage
- Possibility of tension created in the community by one child receiving numerous or expensive gifts.

If you would like to remember your child in a special way, you may enclose small items in letters to your child or in an envelope no larger than 6x9 inches only to the address of the project. Some items which children will enjoy for many months are: ribbons, bookmarks, picture postcards, and other flat, inexpensive items . Sending money to your sponsored child is not encouraged. The use of any money sent will be at the project coordinator's discretion.

• What about gifts for birthdays and other occasions?

Again we ask that you send small gifts that will fit in an envelope. It may also be possible to send a small amount to the NGO/Project ($10) who will then buy gifts for your sponsored child as well as other children in the project and organize a celebration. However contact us for more details.

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How are funds managed?

• How does Asha ensure that my support actually benefits the child I sponsor?

We only work with trusted non-government organizations (our projects) with which atleast one of our volunteers has developed a sense of ownership and the rest of the group is always in the process of monitoring the progress of the project.

• How are my contributions used?

All contributions are used for the children in the project and any overheads encountered in running the support a child project. We hope that there will be no overheads by keeping most of the communication on email.

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How can I become a sponsor today?

• I would like to support a child. What should I do?

Please complete this signup form and we will get back to you.

• What are the payment options?

You can donate online by credit card ($20 per month for SevaChakkara or $25 per month for SKB). Please mention SAC-SKB or SAC-Seva Chakkara in the comments field.

We will accept half-yearly or yearly payments.

• Do you accept credit cards?

Yes, click here for details .

• Is the contribution tax-deductible?

Yes, it is tax-deductible. For tax purposes, each January you will receive a year-end tax statement that will record all of your contributions for the previous year.

• Will I receive a reminder to send my sponsorship amount?

Not in the normal course. But yes, you most likely will if you fail to send it on time!

• How can I raise funds for Asha?

You could donate, buy merchandise or participate in Asha fund raising activities. Please visit our website for more details.

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Asha for Education is a non-profit organization dedicated to socio-economic change in India. We believe that education is a critical element of socio-economic change.

In keeping with this focus, our volunteers get involved in identifying, researching, owning, and sustaining projects that target basic education.