Child sponsorship programe (Adopce na dálku) is a long-term time-tested project organised by Caritas Czech Republic. The Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation Centre of the Diocesan Caritas Ostrava-Opava (henceforth SHPaRS DCHOO) has been carrying it out in Zakrpattian region in Ukraine since as early as 2005.

The target group are children from socially weak families, whom the assistance should enable to receive the highest possible education and to raise the material and intellectual level of their families. The long-term goal is to increase the education and quality of life in Ukraine.

In Zakarpattia region the Child sponsorship program is organised by the chief coordinator in the district town of Tiachiv from the partner Ukrainian Greek Catholic Caritas Tiachiv and a network of local coordinators from the individual municipalities who are familiar with the situation in the area. We also support some children in the Ivano-Frankivsk and Zhytomyr regions, where we cooperate with partners from a Kiev-based organisation called the International Union of the Volunteers of Ukraine.

Through the donation contract the donors involved in the project commit to regularly sending funds, which are then passed on directly to the families of the supported children.

How can you help?

Anyone with an open heart who wants to contribute to improving the plight of children in Ukraine can help. The required amount is CZK 7,200 a year (CZK 600 a month). The periodicity of the repayments (annual, half-yearly, quarterly, monthly) is chosen by the donor themselves.

How is the money used?

The amount is divided into three parts: 70% is an allowance directly for the chosen child, paid against a signature to its parents or legal guardian, 20% is a contribution to a joint fund supporting the local community (the Ust Chorna Home of Peaceful Old Age, the local coordinators of the project, sports, cultural and other leisure activities for all children, medical care, potential surgery of seriously ill children or aid to those not yet involved in the Distant Adoption project, as well as the overhead costs of partner Ukrainian non-profit organisations), and 10% makes up the overhead costs of SHPaRS DCHOO to run the project.

The child’s allowance is mainly used to cover basic necessities (food, housing costs), education costs (school supplies, school meals, fares, clothing, accommodation), healthcare (medication, medical aids, other medical costs), and accommodation and meals in surrogate families and homes in the case of children without parents.

Donation contract

A donation contract is made with the “adoptive parent” for a specific child for an indefinite period (or, on request, for one year). After entering the data and choosing a child, the donation contract and other items are sent by the charity worker.

Criteria for including children in the project

The basic criterion is the neediness of the child, regardless of its nationality, religion, gender or other factors. Children of preschool or school age are included, in some cases even students. Children are chosen for the project based on information from the local coordinators, who keep track of needy children in “their” localities. We also obtain suggestions during our regular monitoring of the situation directly on the spot and when visiting the Ukrainian partners and families.

Registration

If you would like to become our donor and support one of the children in need, you can register HERE (the database is only in Czech; if you are interested, do not hesitate to contact us at the following e-mail address: veronika.mechova@dchoo.charita.cz).

Information and contact with the child

With the donation contract we enclose the child’s questionnaire, containing a photograph and basic information about the child, its family, social conditions and attended school. The children are encouraged to write to their “adoptive parents” at least once a year. We also forward the children’s school reports from most schools. We encourage parent-child communication by handing over letters and their translation on request. Due to the proximity of Ukraine, parents have the opportunity to visit their children. Once a year in the summer months we organise the so-called Journey of Adoptive Parents, during which the “adoptive parents” have the opportunity for both a personal meeting with the children and of getting to know the local landscape and living conditions of the children and their families (so far this applies only for children in Zakarpattia region).

Termination of the contract

The donation contract, i.e. the “adoption” of a specific child, is terminated if the child finishes schooling or studying, the financial situation of the child’s family improves, the child moves outside the area of operation of partner Ukrainian organisations, gets married, if the rules of the project are significantly violated, or at the request of the “adoptive parent”, if they, for any reason, cannot or do not wish to continue with the project.