HVP UK Sponsorship: Question & Answer
On what criteria do the HVP schools select students for sponsorship?
HVP recognises that it is impossible and unhelpful to set strict criteria defining those needing or worthy of support through education. Nepal is currently troubled by civil war, split by deep prejudices and unable to support a reliable health system.
Depending on the severity of their circumstances, HVP provides full or part sponsorship for children from poor and needy families. Typically this means children whose parents are too poor to support them, children whose parents are too sick to work, children orphaned by war (both by the Maoists and by Government troops) children simply abandoned by their parents to the support of the community and children of single mothers.
Can I choose which child I sponsor?
You can select a boy or a girl, boarder or day student, at any of the three HVP schools.
How often will I receive news of my sponsored child?
When setting up a sponsorship arrangement you will be provided with an introductory report. This will include some basic background information such as their date and place of birth, their previous educational experience, their class, family background and a photograph. Thereafter, each year will write to you with an update to let you know how your sponsored child is getting on. This report will typically include information about his/her academic progress, extra-curricular activities, and home situation. We will also send you a recent colour photo.
For how long do I have to commit to sponsorship?
There is no legally binding commitment and you are free to end your sponsorship at any time, should you feel you have to. However, HVP UK would like to encourage sponsors to make a long-term commitment, which will see the child through to the end of their HVP education.
What will happen when my sponsored child completes their education?
In most cases we hope that sponsorship will support a student until he/she passes the School Leaving Certificate (SLC), usually at the age of sixteen. This is Nepal’s GSCE/O-Level equivalent. It is vital that we ensure that children have education throughout their formative years, so that when they reach the age of 16 they have the opportunity to choose for themselves the path of their adult life.
In some cases the student may leave HVP and, go on to study at the ‘plus two’ level (Nepal’s A-Level equivalent). We hope that by this stage the student will be able to support him/herself to some degree. Therefore, once he/she has left HVP, the sponsorship will end. HVP UK is investigating the possibilities of setting up a ‘post-sponsorship support fund’. Sponsors could then have the option of continuing to support the student until they have completed their ‘plus two’.
Once a sponsored student has completed their education, HVP UK will inform you. If you would like to continue your sponsorship by supporting another child, we will suggest a suitable replacement.
What if my sponsored child has suddenly to leave the school for some unforeseen reason?
We do hope that this would not happen. However, on occasion children do leave HVP. The circumstances might include:
In such cases we would inform you and arrange for you to sponsor another child.
Can I have personal contact with my sponsored child? For instance, is it ok to write letters to them or send them gifts?
We recognise that the idea of child sponsorship can often present ethical dilemmas. We prefer to encourage our sponsors to be anonymous. By this we mean that the child does not know the identity of his/her sponsor. In most cases the child and his/her family will be aware that they are receiving support from the HVP school, but they will not necessarily know that they are receiving funding from an individual in the UK. HVP Nepal and HVP UK are concerned to maintain such discretion wherever possible. We therefore discourage direct contact and the giving of gifts.
However, some sponsors do want to have more personal contact with the child who they are supporting. Often sponsors have intimate personal links with HVP Nepal, for example in the cases of former volunteers. We understand that sponsors may wish to have a more personal relationship, but we encourage this to be approached simply as a friendship in which it may not be necessary that the child knows the exact nature of the relationship.
Please feel free to raise any questions on this issue with the sponsorship secretary or any other HVP UK committee member.
How much does it cost to sponsor a child?
The suggested monthly rates as of December 2004 are:
| Day Student | 10-15 pounds per month |
| Boarder: | 30 pounds per month |
If you can’t afford either of these amounts, why not share sponsorship with a friend or family member?
How do I set up a sponsorship arrangement?
Payment should be made to HVP UK by standing order, preferably each month, but annually if desired. The money is transferred to HVP’s Nepal account every three months, where it is distributed to the correct school and child.
How much of my contribution reaches my sponsored child?
Money given by sponsors for a particular child is only ever used for the education and/or living expenses of that child. Everybody involved in HVP UK works in an entirely voluntary capacity and no sponsorship contributions are used to cover administration costs. If you are a UK taxpayer, we may also be to increase your donation to us by 28% at no cost to yourself through Gift Aid. Click here to learn more about GIFT AID EXPLANATION. Any additional money received from gift aid may not necessarily go towards your particular sponsored child, but towards HVP general funds to be used where the schools see the greatest need.
This guide is intended to answer common questions. In almost all cases, sponsorship runs smoothly and our sponsors feel rewarded by the important contributions they are making.
If you have any queries, need any further information, or want to sponsor a child please contact: Aarun Naik at aarunnaik@yahoo.co.uk
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