Our Mission

Help where it can make a difference

Although HELP A POOR CHILD has its clearly defined projects, it sizes on opportunities where it can make a difference.  Examples of such help have been the regular Book Distribution programmes to large groups of children representing multi-ethnic communities enabling some poor children show an interest in education and for others to resume their studies, which they had abandoned.

Other examples have included HELP A POOR CHILD identifying children with severe disabilities and purchasing for them wheel chairs, which has made a huge difference in their lives.  A life without independent mobility means that disabled children essentially miss out on their childhood and it diminishes their life chances, adding to the terrible conditions in which they already live.

HELP A POOR CHILD has also been involved in one off projects of varying types, but of having the same objective of making a difference.

The renovating of toilets at a school of 900 poor children was a welcome experience for them, particularly the girls and teachers who had been using toilets, which were in an appalling and dilapidated condition.  The repair work had been overdue by several years.   As a result of the poor sanitary conditions, the children’s health were exposed to risks of infections and illness.  This project has already seen the instant benefit to the children from the complete renovating of the toilets.

A Boarding Hostel housing 125 poor tribal boys had to be rebuilt following severe damage caused by floods. The Building has three “Halls” for Junior, Intermediate and Senior boys and are used by them to study and sleep.  HELP A POOR CHILD helped with the construction of one of the Halls, enabling the Hostel to resume its programme of helping the poor tribal boys.

Prevention of child abuse

In the recent past it has been reported by various media that the incidents of child abuse is increasing at an alarming rate in developing countries. One of the main reasons identified as root causes for this social problem are single parent families, (social fragmentation due to mothers going to Middle East countries as migrant workers), poverty, lack of basic sex education in school children and change in behavioural patterns of society.

It has been also identified that in addition to physical abuse of children that “Child Marriages” are also taking place in among some fragments of the society. In one case it was reported that a girl who was only 14 years of age, was “given away” by her parents to be married to a man of 40 years where she was raped and subsequently thrown to streets by this elderly man. She was subsequently found by police and handed over to the hospital. Even tough “Child Marriage” is strictly prohibited by law in most of the developing countries, it continues.

HELP A POOR CHILD has been organising programmes with support of the local councils on a cost sharing basis in
creating awareness on “Prevention of Child Abuse” highlighting the social stigma attached to such incidents.
Our initial program are targeted on hotspots reported by media, with the following:

1. Flyers are produced in the local languages and distributed to educate the school children on what is child abuse and the contact number of Help Line for children. The flyers carry the HAPC Logo and related information so the children are able to identify the charity as a body who is there to help.
2. The programme includes half of the day to create awareness among children on what actually constitutes child abuse(sexual and other forms), how to prevent it and how can they reach for help.
3. Another half a day is allocated to create awareness for adults including leaders of the Civil Society Groups, taxi drivers, police, and members of other government authorities to understand the importance of child abuse prevention, social responsibility and reporting.
4. Often we also involve the State and other Media to recognise the value of this life changing programme.

Education

Given the opportunity of an education can lead to transforming children’s futures. For many it’s a route out of poverty and gives the children a chance to gain an important step to learn new skills and to improve their lives.

So many children today never see the inside of a classroom. Many others struggle and lack basic skills while others drop out because their classes are overcrowded or teachers poorly trained.

HELP A POOR CHILD is committed to help children, in the areas where we operate, to go to school and improve their skills for a brighter tomorrow.

All HAPC schools will provide an education to enable children to read and write in their local language. In the long term, we will offer all the children instruction in basic keyboard skills and the use of computers.

This is an opportunity still denied to the vast majority of children; yet, it can be provided on site at relatively low cost. Once again, the skill it gives the children is of inestimable value and could open doors to jobs that the children could never dream of otherwise.

And it means when they grow up, their children will have a much better chance of not only surviving but a good chance of a life changing career.

Food Distribution

There is a huge disparity in the world between people with adequate food and those starving or malnourished. The root causes of poor distribution include the lack of infrastructure such as markets and transportation routes, unsustainable prices driven by corruption and waste, inefficiency in markets, and poverty.

A vast majority of poor children in developing countries are underweight – the result of acute or chronic hunger. All too often, child hunger is inherited as these children are born underweight annually, the result of inadequate nutrition before and during pregnancy.

From its inception, HELP A POOR CHILD has always set up food distribution programmes, which are very popular, because of the enormous scale of children who regularly go hungry. Many live, feeding off waste, scavenging and begging for something to eat. Everyone should have access to a decent daily meal. Nobody should be allowed to go hungry and, at HAPC, we identify areas, where the distribution of food brings instant relief to those who perhaps have not eaten in days.