Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the cost of Sponsoring a child?
For Primary School children, £9 a month which can be paid quarterly ( £27), annually ( £108) or for full three years ( £324).
For Middle School children, £15 a month which can be paid quarterly ( £45), annually ( £180) or for full three years ( £540).

2. What payment options do I have?
Payments can be made in the form of Standing Order, Cheques, Credit Card, PayPal or Bank Transfers.

3. How long will my sponsorship last?
As a sponsor you are only committed for as long as you want to be. Sponsorships can be terminated at any time, which would not affect the sponsored child's ability to receive education in Project Mala schools. When your child passes out, you will be allocated a new child or if they pass the entrance exam for middle school, you will be offered the opportunity to continue the sponsorship of that child in middle school. Each time one of your children passes out you will be sent a certificate listing all the children you have helped through education.

4. What will my child receive from my sponsorship?

- 5 1/2 days full-time Education
- Academic certification on passing out to allow them to continue their studies beyond Project Mala
- Nutritional Meals (Light Breakfast and a cooked Lunch)
- Medical facilities and immunisation
- Personal hygiene instructions
- School books, Stationery, teaching-learning  materials and School bags
- Two sets of uniform every year and one sweater at the time of enrollment

By the time your child passed out he or she will be literate i.e. they will have reached the minimum level of learning and will be able to read a newspaper and understand what they have read, write a letter and carry out calculations.

5. What will I receive after submitting application for sponsorship?
After your application is processed, if you haven't chosen a child from the photographs, a child is allocated in one of the schools. You will then be sent details of the child. The information gives a physical and academic profile together with a photograph of the child and details about the child's family, the type of house they live in and family income.

You will also get an online access to information regarding the child's progress along with the initial profile and photographs (updated twice a year)..

6. What other information will I get?
Once a year (June), school report will be posted to your login. This will include any changes to their health and family circumstances. Twice a year, new photographs will be posted to your login.

Also twice a year (June and December) sponsors receive a newsletter describing the work of the charity as a whole.

7. How is the money spent?
Prime expenditure is on Schools in India. UK administration costs consists of one part-time person two days a week. The principal cost is the website which has proved invaluable in reaching new sponsors. [see financials page]

8. Can I visit my sponsored child?
Project Mala encourages sponsors to visit Project Mala schools where they can see their sponsored child. Sponsors who have visited Project Mala found this to be the most valuable experience and strengthens the relationship of Project Mala family. If sponsors would like to visit, let us know in advance for us to make arrangements.

9.Can I write to my child and send presents?
We have no facilities to exchange mails.

10. How is sponsorship in Project Mala different from others?
The principal difference is that we do not have sponsors and children exchanging letters. There are many reasons for this, principal one being not all our children are sponsored and we don't want some children receiving letters and some not. We also have people who sponsor several children which would be a burden to write to all of them. Also the children only speak Hindi. However, we have facilities for sponsors to login and track progress of the child.

11. How do I just donate to the project?
To make one off donation you could use Cheques, Credit Card, PayPal or Bank Transfers.
You may also fund the individual expenses for the school. For a list of items available, click here.