I don’t use THCB much to point out what good we all can do—I keep that for my year-end letter—but my favorite charity (Saigon’s Childrens Charity) is at its financial year end and just sent me the reports for the kids I support. I’ve asked people who want to talk to me in the past to “buy a kid a bike.” And as it’s late on a Friday and I’m about to go out and take my wife to dinner, I thought you might all think about alternate uses for the $100 I’m about to spend (Yes, she’s a cheap date). Here’s what $100 buys for a very, very poor kid in Vietnam (and because of the recession donations are off this year, so they need more help).
Every child receives:
- 10 kilos of rice per month during the school year. In the academic school year 2008-2009, the scholarship programme provided 278 tonnes of rice.
- All text and exercise books and pens needed for the year
- A school uniform
- Extra aid in case of emergency or special needs:
- Assistive Devices: glasses, hearing aids, supportive devices
- Bicycles: for students living more than 5km from their school
- Tuition Fee/Reference Books: payment for extra lessons or training for students who need additional support
- School Fees: provided for children in particularly difficult circumstances
- Health Care: health and nutritional support including general health, eye and ear examination and treatment, dental care, health insurance, etc.
- Emergency/Relief support: assistance provided in cases where the child or their family has a sudden or major accident including the death of a mother or father, a house fire, traffic or work accident, natural calamity (flooding, hurricane), etc.
And with the ability to go to school they have a shot at breaking out of the cycle of poverty their parents are trapped in.
No preaching from me, but the web site is here if you want to find out more or donate.
Categories: Matthew Holt
