What is a one-time donor ?
Menu de la page
1- Managing the social fund in France
2- Managing the social fund in England
3- Examples of purchases and donations made using the social fund
Managing the social fund in france
In fact, as explained on the page dedicated to regular donors, this modest monthly contribution covers only the salaries of the thirty or so teachers, two sets of uniforms and the necessary school supplies – nothing more – but it is already a very valuable help.
Over the years, regular and occasional donors have come forward, enabling us to set up a ‘Social Fund’ – a sum of money set aside for urgent needs beyond those directly related to the children’s education.
This is for a sponsor who wishes to donate money on an ad hoc basis, as they wish and as they are able, without becoming a sponsor, i.e. without committing to paying €18 a month towards a child’s education.
We collect and manage the money from the social fund and then transfer it to Denise, who manages it internationally as she is bilingual. She therefore collects the funds from the French social fund and those from the UK.
Managing the social fund in england
We work closely with The gift of health. It should be noted that the vast majority of the initiatives organised and detailed below originate from this charity and its director, Denise FURET, who has been deeply committed to this cause for many years and has forged links with companies that support the school.
Since 2018, Denise has played a central role in developing SAI CHILDREN’s activities in the United Kingdom. Based in England and with a background in business and marketing, Denise now puts her professional skills to work for the benefit of children. Whilst the school focuses primarily on education, Denise and The gift of health prioritise issues relating to nutrition, health and, more broadly, children’s living conditions, which are considered essential for academic success.
One of the cornerstones of Denise’s work is extremely rigorous financial management. Every expenditure is monitored down to the last penny. The school cannot incur any expenditure without Denise’s prior approval. Local suppliers are carefully selected and prices are negotiated to ensure excellent value for money. On the ground, managers such as Patel (former supplier manager) and Kumar oversee payments, product quality and the smooth running of deliveries.
This organisation enables The gift of health not only to fund food and health projects, but also to contribute to the overall improvement of conditions
Many projects are also funded through individual donations collected via an online platform : totalgiving.co.uk. Denise creates dedicated pages for each project on the site, providing detailed explanations of how the funds will be used, illustrated with concrete examples. Transparency is further enhanced by the regular updates on donations and the progress of the projects.
Every year, Denise manages to collect between 25,000 and 40,000 pounds, all of which goes towards projects in India.
The success of The gift of health is largely down to Denise’s personal and professional network. She engages companies and individuals she knows personally, who are often sympathetic to the cause and reassured by the transparency of the scheme
The gift of health partner companies:
Examples of how social fund money is used
- Purchase of 650 school bags
- Maths lessons delivered in a classroom and funded by a British donor
- Reusable sanitary pads for girls
- Daily breakfasts
- Shoes
- Dental care
- Glasses
- Bicycles
- Introduction to music
Purchase of 650 backpacks thanks to the ‘Gift of Health Project’
Children often have to carry heavy books, which can cause back pain if they don’t have the right bag. The Gift of Health offers backpacks in three different sizes, suitable for each age group: middle school, high school, and preschool.
While in the West, a bag is simply a school supply, for these children, it’s a very important item. It symbolizes comfort, dignity, and the ability to carry their school supplies safely and securely.
These backpacks are among their favorite gifts because they significantly improve their comfort and safety every day.
MATH CLASS broadcast as a tutorial to a class
Example of ‘seva’ (selfless service) filmed in a classroom in July 2025 This involves private lessons given to older children who are struggling with mathematics. This is a pilot project led by the on-site maths teacher in conjunction with an English donor (Denise?) and her friend Umika, an economics student at university (in England) who is very talented in mathematics and has also helped children in the United Kingdom. This is a wonderful project for the school’s pupils and will certainly inspire others ! A big thank you to our English friends!
Donations of reusable sanitary towels for girls
Period poverty is a global issue affecting millions of girls, particularly in developing countries. It’s not just about a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products; it also encompasses the stigma and shame often surrounding menstruation—a stigma that prevents many girls from attending school during their periods.
The gift of health is committed to ending this stigma and ensuring every girl in school has the support she needs to continue her education with confidence and dignity.
To achieve this, they provide safe, hygienic, and sustainable reusable and washable menstrual pads. These products help ensure menstrual equality in schools, allowing girls to attend classes regularly and reach their full potential, without their periods hindering their development.
Offering them breakfast
The Breakfast Project is Denise’s most ambitious and costly project. It addresses a major problem identified in India: malnutrition among schoolchildren, which directly impacts their concentration, health and ability to learn.
This project involves providing a daily breakfast for the school’s pupils and teachers. Each day of the week corresponds to a specific food item, funded by a donor company :
🍌Monday and Wednesday : bananas (funded by Maison Moti, a London-based company)
🍪Tuesday : cakes (funded by Cintra, an international company)
🍚Thursday : rice (funded by BFC Ltd, a fertility clinic in Bristol)
🍞Friday : brioches (funded by Jenpak)
🍪Saturday : biscuits (funded by Cintra, an international company)
In total, four companies provide financial support for this project. Every year, Denise contacts them to inform them of the budget required for the annual running of the Breakfast Project. Donations generally amount to between £2,000 and £3,000 per company, paid in a single instalment, with the exception of BFC Ltd, which contributes monthly.
Initially set at £20,000, the project has raised £43,000, confirming the effectiveness of the trust placed in the association.
A few photos of breakfast being prepared, as many of them arrive from the slums on an empty stomach… It’s really delicious 🤞 😍
Offer them shoes
The roads are dirty, littered with trash and even animal excrement. Yet, many children walk barefoot, unaware of the danger. One year, a child lost his life after being bitten by a cobra while playing football barefoot in the bushes. Children can also be stung by scorpions when they are not wearing shoes. Furthermore, the many sharp stones on the road can injure them and cause infections.
That is why, for reasons of hygiene, health, safety, and even to save lives, The Gift of Health has made it its mission to provide shoes to children every year.
Enable them to take care of their teeth
The Gift of Health has launched the “Gift of Healthy Teeth” program. This program allows local dentists to conduct dental checkups for each child directly at the school. Any child requiring treatment is then seen at a local dental practice.
Currently, more than 25% of the children at the school have needed dental care.
Offer them a bicycle!
Many children live far from school and have to carry heavy backpacks filled with textbooks. Some are fortunate enough to be able to travel by car. However, many do not have this luxury and must walk for miles, their backpacks on their shoulders. Concerned about the impact of these heavy bags on their backs, The gift of health decided to launch the “School Bike” initiative. This project provides bicycles to children who live more than 3 kilometers from school. Each bike belongs to the school and is assigned to a child during school hours. A local bike repair shop maintains them so they are always in good condition and safe for the journeys to and from school.
One of the children recounted that his mother couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw him come home on his bike. She cried tears of joy, as her family couldn’t afford to buy a bike or provide him with any other way to get to school.
Buy them glasses
In India, approximately 20% of schoolchildren need glasses. However, if their parents cannot afford them, these children struggle to read, whether on the blackboard or in a book. That’s why The gift of health launched the “Give Sight” program. This program involves two opticians from an eye hospital in central India traveling to a school in southern India every day, 24 hours a day. They work tirelessly, examining the vision of over 600 children and all the teachers. Each child who needs glasses receives a prescription and tries on different frames to find the right size. A week later, the lenses are fitted, and each child receives a new pair of glasses.
Currently, over 30% of the children at the school need glasses. Their goal is to renew this program annually so that no child experiences academic difficulties related to their vision.
INTRODUCE them to music!
Another event organised by The gift of health, this time in July and August 2024 (only two years later), thanks to three young Spanish girls who introduced the pupils to music! Great!
