Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI)

Q: DOES DCI HAVE U.S. NON-PROFIT REGISTRATION?
A: Yes. On April 27, 2005, DCI received its official registration notice from the US government (Secretary of State, Connecticut). DCI's US non-profit registration number is 13016.

Q: WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DCI?
A: Please contact us for more information.

Q: HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED IN DCI?
A: can sponsor a distressed child through the Sun Child Sponsorship Program. You can donate money for any of it’s program. You can open a chapter or you can volunteer. Please contact us.

Q: DOES DCI HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS?
A: Yes. Since 2005, DCI receives support and cooperation from the following organizations:
Rights and Sight for Children (RSC), Bangladesh
Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB) , Bangladesh
Eye Surgery Associates, USA
Connecticut Retina Consultants, LLC, USA
Ispahani Eye Hospital and Institute of Ophthalmology, Bangladesh
Bangladesh Eye Hospital, Bangladesh
Recovered Medical Equipment for the Developing World (REMEDY), Yale University, USA
GRAM (Generating Resources, Achieving Mobility), USA
Families for Children (FFC), USA, Canada, Bangladesh
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), Bangladesh
Bangladesh Medical Association of North America (BMANA), USA
American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers and Architects (AABEA), USA
SpaandanB, USA
BADHAN (A Voluntary Blood Donors' Organization), Bangladesh
The Agriculture Ministry of the Government of Bangladesh
AGAMI, USA
Sylhet Shodor Thana Association, NY, USA

Q: DOES DCI HAVE ANY RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL AFFILLIATION?
A: No. DCI is neither affiliated with nor oriented towards any political or religious organizations. DCI was founded on the basis of the universal philosophy of humanity - to help all those in need regardless of their political, religious, ethnic, or social status.

Q: WHAT ARE THE VOLUNTEER CHAPTERS OF DCI ?

State Chapters

Alabama Chapter; Dr. Abdul Naim
California Chapter; Dr. Salahuddin Ahmed
Connecticut Chapter; Ms. Farha Zubaira Shumona
Florida Chapter; Dr. Shamsad Begum
Georgia Chapter; Mr. Mohammed Harun Roshid
Iowa Chapter, Dr. Maleka Zafreen Ahmed (Jappy)
Illinois Chapter; Dr. Sabina Ahmed
Kansas Chapter; Mr. Rehan Reza
Louisiana Chapter; Dr. Mostafa Sarwar
Massachusetts Chapter; Dr. Esmet Hakim
Michigan Chapter; Ms. Ruqsana Ahmed Polly
New York Chapter; Dr. Afia Zaman
Ohio Chapter: Dr. Mohammad G. Saklayen
Rhode Island, Ms. Fahmida Hossain Manzur
Texas Chapter; Mr. Salahuddin Chowdhury Mahmood
Virginia Chapter; Dr. Al Muzammel

Q: WHAT ARE THE VOLUNTEER CHAPTERS OF DCI IN DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES/COLLEGES OF USA?

Colleges & Universites chapters

Yale University: Representative, Sabrina Khan
Drexel University: Representative, Ms. Nahreen Ahmed
University of Texas at Austin: Ms. Monica Jamaluddin
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Representative, Ms. Shegufta Shefa Sikider
University of Connecticut: Representative, Mr. Shabbir Karim
Columbia University: Representative, Nausheen Hakim
Ohio State university, Representative, Samiya Saklayen Leena
University of Missouri, Representative, Sanjida Saklayen Shoma
George Mason University: Representative, Ms. Romana Muzzammel
University of Oklahoma: Representative, Manzeer Hgaznavi (Jim)
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Representative, Asif-ul Haque Tamal
University of New York, Representative, Ryan Chowdhury

Sun Child Sponsorship (SCS)Program

Q: WHAT IS THE SUN CHILD SPONSORSHIP (SCS) PROGRAM?
A: SCS is a child sponsorship program where you can donate $12 a month to dramatically improve the life of a distressed child in Bangladesh. A child is matched with a sponsor. Your contribution provides education and healthcare to the children, to their families and communities. The money reaches the child and their family directly through the DCI staff at our local offices in Bangladesh. You will periodically receive pictures and specific information of the progress of the child you are sponsoring.

The goals and objectives of the Sun Child Sponsorship (SCS) Program are:

Prevent children from dropping out of school, and ensure their education.
Provide children medical, dental and eye care, vitamin and medicine supplies every 6 months, and any emergency surgeries if required
Promote children's emotional and intellectual development
Help the child in the form of books, other study materials, uniforms, clothes, blankets, shoes, and eye glasses.
Support the child's family to become economically independent through small income generating activities.
Support school improvement, including training in modern teaching methods and up-to-date educational materials.
Teach children their civil rights.
Help children find training and jobs after completing school. Provide opportunities for skill development training and education.
Provide clean water and nutritious food during emergency situations such as floods or cyclones.
Encourage American children to be co-sponsors under the parent. This involvement helps to build friendships between underprivileged Bangladeshi children and privileged American children through direct communication with each other, ultimately motivating American children to become volunteers and leaders in humanitarian work.

Q: HOW DOES THE SUN CHILD SPONSORSHIP (SCS) PROGRAM OPERATE?
A: Step #1: Survey and select a location of extreme socioeconomic hardship.
Step #2: Select a government-run school in the area with pre-existing infrastructure.
Step #3: Set up a small local field office close to the school, hire a local field officer and provide him with training to manage the program in that area.
Step #4: Form a 7-9 member advisory committee with teachers from the school and other respected members of the community. The committee prepares a list of children who have already dropped out, and those of high academic caliber who are in danger of dropping out soon due to poverty.
Step#5: Visit individual households and convince the parents to bring the child back to school.
Step #6: Make a formal written agreement with the parents to bring their child back to school.
Step #7: Find a sponsor in the USA and send information and photograph of student.
Step #8: Provide the child's families with basic living needs and technical support, so the child has time and all the basic necessities to attend school. Support families to create a small business in order to generate an income and become financially independent.
Step #9: Supervise and monitor each child and overall program's progress via a paid local field officer and the local advisory committee. They will provide regular progress reports to the DCI offices and to the sponsors.
Step#10: Establish contact between the sponsoring American child and the distressed child that they are helping in Bangladesh through letters, drawings, and greeting cards. Thus teach them about world hunger, to be more appreciative of their country and life and become empathetic leaders.

Q: HOW DO I BECOME A SPONSOR?
Contact DCI Office.
By E-mail: dci@distressedchildren.org
By Online: www.distressedchildren.org
By Telephone: Tel# 203-376-6351, Toll Free # 1-866-516-7495
By Surface Mail: DCI, 5 SHIPTON COURT, CHESHIRE, CT 06410,USA
In Person: At any DCI office or DCI information booths or state representative

To become a sponsor, send us your contact information: name, address, telephone, and e-mail. We'll send you a list of children awaiting sponsorship and we will send you a DCI sponsorship application form by e-mail. After selecting a child and completing the sponsorship application form, you send it back to us and we process your sponsorship application so you can start sponsoring the child of your choice. If a child is not currently available according to your preferences, we will notify you and inform you of other children available.
Otherwise, you may indicate any preferences such as gender or age of the child, and we can select a child for you.

Please send us a minimum of $144 so we can activate your sponsorship. The fastest way to contact us is by e-mail at dci@distressedchildren.org. Please send your check to the following address (Check payable to DCI): Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), Inc. 5 SHIPTON COURT, CHESHIRE, CT 06410,USA

We look forward to hearing from you!

Q: DO I CHOOSE THE CHILD I WANT TO SPONSOR?
You can choose a child or we can select a child for you.

Q: WILL I RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT A SPECIFIC CHILD?
Yes. A brief biography and photo of "your" child will be sent to you. We will periodically send you more information about the progress of your sponsored child.

Q: HOW OFTEN WILL YOU CONTACT ME?
DCI will contact you by email periodically to keep you updated on DCI events and news. Every six months you will receive an e-newsletter from DCI with the latest news on our current activities. Your child's progress will be sent to you once a year. DCI will contact you mainly by e-mail: We will be providing all information regarding your sponsored child by e-mail to reduce our administrative costs.

Q: AS A SPONSOR, WHAT DO I RECEIVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR?

One Progress reports in a year
A new photograph of the child, his/her family every year
Drawings/letters from the child.
DCI Newsletters, so one can follow all the wonderful changes his/her support is making possible.
An annual communication from DCI president or Executive Director to keep sponsor informed about exactly what's happening in the child's life and his/her community.
General meeting and events flyers

Q: CAN I ADOPT MY SPONSORED CHILD?
No, sponsored children cannot be adopted, but you may consider them as your extended family.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS TO MY CHILD IF I HAVE TO STOP SPONSORSHIP?
If you need to cease sponsorship, call us and we will cover your payments for 8 weeks. If you are still unable to pay we will find a new sponsor for the child so that the child's progress can continue without interruption.

Q: WHERE ARE THE SPONSORSHIP SITES LOCATED?
Currently sponsored children live in Bangladesh. The districts we operate in are Feni, Nilphamari, Patuakhali, Habiganj. Our Project IDs, #FN, #FK, #FS, #NP, #KNS, #KSS, #HG, #HN indicate specific schools in our project areas.

Q: WHY ARE YOU WORKING IN BANGLADESH AND WHY IN NILPHAMARY, PATUAKHALI, HABIGANJ AND FENI?
Here is some data to validate our decision to start the DCI initiatives in Bangladesh and in the particular regions in Bangladesh.

Q: HOW MANY CHILDREN IS DCI SUPPORTING IN 2008?

In 2008 we are supporting a total of 1133 children in Bangladesh.

Nilphamary: 130 Children
Feni: 154 Children
Patuakhali: 416 Children
Hobigonj, Sylhet: 100 Children
Sir Salimullah Orphanage: 333 children

Total: 1133 Children

Q: WHO ARE THE CHILDREN IN THE SCS PROGRAM?
Most of the children in our SCS program dropped out from primary school and were working to support themselves or their families. We have brought them back to school and now are providing quality education and healthcare. They range in age from six to twelve.

Q: HOW DOES DCI SELECT A SCHOOL TO WORK IN BANGLADESH?
The Sun Child Sponsorship Program is run in the public (government) schools of Bangladesh. First, our field officer surveys all the schools in a proposed project area. A school is selected in the area based on school infrastructure, and the socioeconomic conditions of the student body.

Q: HOW DOES DCI CHOOSE WHICH CHILDREN TO SPONSOR?
The local school committee, consisting of teachers and other respected people of the community, identify the most vulnerable children in their community. These children generally have dropped out, been abandoned, are working, or orphaned. They may be street children or from the poorest of the poor families. They range in age from six to twelve and come from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. The committee creates a list of children who have already dropped out of school during the last few years, and a second list of students of high academic caliber who are in danger of dropping out soon due to poverty. Our field officer then visits the houses of those children and convinces their parents to send their children to school. Our officer makes a formal written agreement with the parents to keep the child in school.

Q: DOES DCI HAVE LOCAL FIELD OFFICES IN BANGLADESH?
Yes. After we select a school, we hire and train a local field officers and establish a local field office. This officers are is in direct contact with the children and their families, and with the DCI main offices in Dhaka and the US

Q: WHAT IS THE DCI MAIN OFFICE ADDRESS IN DHAKA?
Our Dhaka Office Address:

Distressed Children & Infants International-Bangladesh
Rights and Sight for Children (RSC) (Partner Organization of DCI)
House#167, Rd#3, Mohammadi Housing Ltd., Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Tel# 01552460242, 01727264688
E-mail: dci@distressedchildren.org

Q: WHO ARE THE MAIN CONTACT PERSONS IN DCI OFFICE ADDRESS IN DHAKA?
Professor M. A. Raqib, Chief Adviser, DCI-Bangladesh
Distressed Children & Infants International-Bangladesh
Rights and Sight for Children (RSC) (Partner Organization of DCI)
House#167, Rd#3, Mohammadi Housing Ltd., Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Tel# 01552460242, 01727264688
E-mail: dci@distressedchildren.org

Q: WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIELD OFFICER?
The responsibilities of the field officer are:

To identify children who have dropped out of school due to poverty and bring them back to school.
To make a formal agreement with the family of the child to participate in the SCS Program.
To administer and monitor the progress of the SCS program locally.
To provide academic and health reports of the child to Dhaka office.
To provide periodic report of overall progress of the project to Dhaka office.

Q: HOW CAN THE SCS PROGRAM HELP AN AMERICAN CHILD?
One of the goals of DCI is to educate American children about world hunger and poverty. Through the Sun Child Sponsorship program, our American children have the unique opportunity to develop friendships with a distressed child. This friendship enables them to appreciate their situation and country and motivates them to work for the less fortunate. We believe that these children are more likely to become empathetic leaders in the future.

Q: HOW DOES SPONSORSHIP IMPACT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?
Community groups, parents' associations, and teachers are involved in the development of the project. DCI's development staff guides the local community to use the local resources in the best way to help them become financially independent. In addition, project activities often provide job opportunities for the local community as well.

Q: WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE CHILD IN A FAMILY?
DCI aims to reach as many families as possible. Therefore, DCI usually provides support to only one child from a family. The benefits reach the whole family through interaction with staff, health screening, nutritional advice and supplies, parenting workshops, and other developmental activities. In the developing world it is common for only one child in each family to attend school. This child shares their knowledge with their siblings. If DCI can provide schooling for one child, then family funds will be available to support another sibling through school.

Q: HOW DOES DCI MONITOR THE SCS PROGRAM?
DCI has a strong monitoring and evaluation system. DCI hires expert field officers and trains them to monitor the SCS program's progress in the project area. The field officer keeps regular contact with the children, their families, their school, oversees overall progress and gives regular reports to Dhaka office. The field officer is closely supervised by the SCS Project Managers and Program Manager who work in the country office. DCI also has volunteer mentors in all the areas that it operates. The volunteer mentors monitor the disbursement of stipends as well as the education and healthcare of the children. The volunteer mentors report their observations and assessments regularly to the country office. The country office, in turn, has regular communication with the main office in the USA. DCI officials in USA and DCI advisory committee in Bangladesh assess the progress by regular onsite reviews & budget evaluations. DCI officials and volunteers in the USA also visit the supported areas in Bangladesh several times a year to check that things are being carried out according to commitments. Finally, audits of projects and office expenses are conducted by independent accounting firms in the US and Bangladesh

Q: WHY DO YOU USE CODE NUMBERS FOR THE CHILDREN?
DCI has hundreds of children in the SCS program. The code numbers help us locate and easily identify the children. For example, FN=Feni, NP=Nilphamari, and KSS=Kalaiya, Patuakhali. Please use complete child code numbers in all correspondence about your child.

Q: WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE SCS PROGRAM AND DCI?
DCI presently sponsors over 1000 children in Bangladesh. DCI expects to support more than 3000 children in Bangladesh by 2010. We also hope to expand the SCS program to other developing countries in the future.

Q: IF I CANNOT SPONSOR A CHILD, HOW ELSE CAN I HELP DCI?

You can help by giving a donation of any amount of money when convenient.
You can work as a DCI official or volunteer. DCI constantly needs volunteers who are self-motivated.
You can tell your friends and family about our DCI programs and encourage them to participate.
To get involved, please e-mail us at dci@distressedchildren.org or contact any of our offices. We look forward to hearing from you!

Financial Information

Q: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SPONSOR A CHILD?
The cost is US $12 per month, or $144 per year. Sponsors must commit to at least one year of support, which is US $144. We encourage young children to become a sponsor. One of our youngest sponsors, a nine year old, says that he drops his change in a cookie jar, allowing him to become a proud sponsor and help those less fortunate.

Q: HOW DOES DCI SPEND MY $12 A MONTH FOR SPONSORING A CHILD?
Our philosophy is based on the idea that a hand up is more effective than a handout. Instead of providing cash donations directly to the children, we provide vital goods and services. Of each $12 donation:

$5 is used to provide children with basic necessities:

ITEM	TIMES PER YEAR
NOTEBOOK (3)	4
PENCIL ( 2)	4
PEN ( 2)	4
ERASER ( 1)	4
SHARPNER ( 1)	4
RULER	1
DRAWING BOOK	2
ENGLISH WORD BOOK	1
COLOR PENCIL BOX	2
PENCIL BOX	1
SCHOOL DRESS	2
SCHOOL SHOES (1 PAIR)	1
SOCKS (2 PAIRS)	1
SCHOOL BAG	1
WARM CLOTHES (1set)	1
SOAP (2 KINDS)	4
COMB	1
SANDALS	2
TOOTHBRUSH	4
TOOTHPASTE (200 GM.)	4
NAIL CUTTER	2
HEALTH CHECK UP by DOCTOR	2
MEDICINE Supply	2

$4 goes to the direct support of child's family and community development
- Income generating activities - fishing, farming and livestock.
- Create healthy living condition - clean water (tube well), health care camps for community.
- School improvement and modernization
- Adult education and skill development training.
$1 is spent on administrative costs such as hiring a field officer at the locations, doctors' fees and other associated cost of running the programs in Bangladesh.

The decision to allocate funds in this manner was made by the DCI board according to the expected costs. Funds are sent to organizations in Bangladesh who perform these tasks according to DCI board directives. Selection of supporting organizations was based on careful investigation of work ethic, goals, non-profit registration with the government, capability, facility, previous activities and goodwill.

Q: HOW CAN ONLY $12 SUPPORT SO MUCH?
As you can guess, $12 is not nearly enough to support the needs of these children. $144 per year does not cover the cost of the services we provide. Only through support from other humanitarian organizations can we fulfill the wide range of the child's needs. Many kind-hearted people and organizations are providing free services for our cause, enabling us to provide complete support to your sponsored child and his/her family and community. We are very grateful to these people/organizations and are overwhelmed by their support.

Q: HOW CAN I PAY?
There are several ways you can send us your sponsorship fee or donation:

By Mail: Please make your check payable to "Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI)"or "DCI," and mail it to:

Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), Inc.
5 Shipton Court, Cheshire, CT 06410".

Note: In the memo section of your check and on the envelope, please write "child's ID number" if you are already a sponsor. If you are a donor, write "donation".

Direct deposit:
Contact us

Paypal: You can pay by PayPal through our DCI Website.

By Cash: Only in person. Please DO NOT send cash by mail

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD OF PAYMENT?
The best method for us is the one that suits you most. The most cost-effective method for us is a yearly check of US$144. We can assist you if you would like to arrange your own direct debits and all payment can be made yearly, quarterly or monthly. You can also pay by money order. Please do not send cash by mail.

Q: WHEN SHOULD I MAKE THE PAYMENT?
Please make the payment as soon as you wanst to start the sponsorship. One year commitment is necessary. Here we would like to mention that, we need to receive the payment in full for your sponsored child by the end of the current year, even if you start your sponsorship in the middle of end of the year, because we start to support the child from the January of the each year.

Q: HOW FREQUENTLY CAN I MAKE PAYMENTS?
To keep our administrative costs at a minimum, we appreciate your payment once a year ($144). This helps us give uninterrupted service to your sponsored child for a year and ensures success of the project.

Q: WILL I RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN THE PAYMENT IS DUE?
No, you will not receive a payment due notice. We'll give a reminder notice only if we do not receive six subsequent payments. As a non-profit, charitable organization, we try to reduce our administrative costs in every possible way.

Q: IS MY CONTRIBUTION TAX-DEDUCTIBLE?
Yes, if you are in the US.

Q: WILL I RECEIVE MY PAYMENT RECEIPTS?
Yes, we will mail you a receipt of your payment for your tax records at the end of the year. We will send it by e-mail. If you want to receive it by surface mail, please let us know.

Q: CAN I VIEW ONLINE AND PRINT A TAX RECEIPT FOR MY CONTRIBUTION?
No. Not yet. We're working on it.

Q: HOW LONG MUST I COMMIT TO SPONSORING A CHILD?
There is a minimum of a one year commitment necessary to sponsor a child. After the minimum one year you can continue to sponsor as long as you like. We encourage you to support the same child throughout their education for as long as you are able to. This will allow your sponsored child to continue their education and facilitate a supportive relationship between you and your child.

Q: IF A FULL SPONSORSHIP IS TOO MUCH FOR ME, CAN I SPONSOR A CHILD WITH A GROUP?
You can sponsor a child or children individually, or with your friends, co-workers, or organization. Many of our children have group sponsors

Q: DOES ANYONE ELSE SPONSOR MY CHILD?
No. Each child is assigned to only one individual, family, or group of sponsors. You are your child's only sponsor, and your assistance is used for your child's benefit only. Should your child be dropped from the program for any reason, you will be notified and assigned a different child, if you wish.

Q: IS THERE ANY LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN A SINGLE DONOR CAN SPONSOR?
No. You can sponsor as many children as you want.

Q: HOW DO I DONATE MONEY OR A SERVICE IF I DON'T WANT TO SPONSOR A CHILD?
As a non-profit organization, Distressed Children & Infants International relies on your generous donations.

By Paypal
You can now securely donate online through Paypal. Donate Now And Make A Difference!

By Check
Please make your checks payable to "Distressed Children & Infants International" and mail it to

Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), Inc.
5 Shipton Court
Cheshire, CT 06410, USA

Q: HOW DOES DCI USE YOUR DONATION?
DCI uses donation money only for the following:

Free eye surgery for children (Childhood Blindness Prevention Program)
Emergency Health Care
Free cleft lip and cleft palate surgery
Safe water (Tube well)
Orphan Support
Income generating activity for the family
Disaster Relief and rehabilitation program

Q: HOW LONG WILL MY SPONSORSHIP LAST?
Your $144 will last for one year, but sponsorship lasts until a child finishes his or her education, usually between 16 and 23 years of age. If a child leaves the SCS program against their contract with DCI, you will be informed. You may stop your sponsorship at any time you wish, but once you choose to support a child, DCI is committed to that child. So, if you stop your support, we will immediately look for a new sponsor. The development of the child will continue uninterrupted.

Q: I'M WORRIED THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO SPONSOR THROUGHOUT A CHILD'S SCHOOL CAREER. CAN I STILL HELP?
Sure! Help us one year at a time. If you start but cannot continue, let us know immediately by e-mail at dci@distressedchildren.org or, by telephone at 203-376-6351 and we will work hard to find another sponsor.

Q: HOW DOES A SPONSOR KNOW HIS OR HER DONATION IS BEING PROPERLY UTILIZED?
Sponsors can track how their contribution is being utilized by several methods:

Periodic progress reports
Direct contact with their sponsored child/children by letters to the child through our office in USA or in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
A visit to their child in Bangladesh.
Sponsors are also informed through quarterly newsletters, e-mail and general meetings.
Annual financial reports

A unique part of the DCI program is its transparency. DCI is committed to both the children we serve and our dedicated sponsors. We have a strong system of accountability in place to ensure that funds are used only for the benefit of the children we serve. These controls include onsite reviews, budget evaluation, and comprehensive assessments of progress by DCI officials in USA and DCI advisory committee in Bangladesh. DCI officials and volunteers in the USA also visit the supported areas in Bangladesh several times a year to check that things are being carried out according to commitments. Finally, audits of projects and office expenses are conducted by independent accounting firms in the US and Bangladesh.

Q: WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE ACCOUNT FIRM?
In USA
Bowman, Monaco & Black, PC
Certified Public Accountants
365 Highland Avenue
Cheshire, CT 06410, USA

In Bangladesh
A. Motin and Co.
Accounting and Audit Farm
91-Kakrial, 3rd floor, Flat-8.
Dhaka-1000.

Q: WHAT PERCENTAGE OF MY CONTRIBUTION GOES TO CARRY OUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF DCI?
Distressed Children & Infants International is an organization primarily run by unpaid volunteers. For this reason, over 90 percent of donated money goes to provide direct benefits to the sponsored children. Our only paid workers are local field officers and managers in Bangladesh, who cannot afford to work as volunteers, some doctors who are paid nominal fees and also some office expenses.

Communicate with child

Q: HOW MAY I COMMUNICATE WITH MY SPONSORED CHILD AND THE CHILD'S FAMILY?

Write letters/cards to your child
Send an e-mail/e-card
Send special gifts, and
Visit your child

You can write and send photos to your sponsored child. We request that you communicate through our DCI office in USA or in Dhaka.Otherwise, as we have experienced in the past, a misunderstanding might arise and the family may ask for more financial support from the sponsor. Also, since the child and his/her family are very poor, it will be difficult for him/her to reply directly to your letter. We provide an easier communication system at no expense to the child and his/her family. In future, we plan to develop e-mail and web conferencing methods of communication for our sponsored children in Bangladesh.

You may send paper products like bookmarks, postcards, or stickers. We are unable to forward other materials like plastic toys, jewelry, wood products, or metal objects.

Please note that you must include your child's ID number in all communication with us.

Please send any letters or photos to our offices in the USA or Dhaka:

Our USA Office Address:
Attention: Elizabeth Swearsky, Office Executive and Coordinator,
Distressed Children and Infants International (DCI)
5 SHIPTON COURT, CHESHIRE, CT 06410, USA
Tel# 203-376-6351, Tel# 203-272-3869, Toll Free # 1-866-516-7495
E-mail: dci@distressedchildren.org
Web: www.distressedchildren.org

Our Dhaka, Bangladesh Office Address:
Attention: Mr. Abdus Salam, Country Coordinator,
Distressed Children and Infants International (DCI)
House#67, Rd#3, Mohammadi Housing Ltd., Mohammadpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Tel# 01552460242, 01727264688, E-mail: dcibd@distressedchildren.org

Q: WILL THE CHILDREN ENJOY MY CORRESPONDENCE?
Yes, of course! Your sponsored child will love to hear from you. Sponsored children treasure the correspondence they receive from their sponsors! Exchanging letters and photos with your sponsored child can help build a wonderful, lifetime relationship that will be rewarding to both of you. Your words of friendship and encouragement will help your child build self-esteem and hope for the future. Because most sponsored children do not read English, a staff member in our field office will translate your letter. Both your original letter and the translation will be given to your child. If the child is old enough to write or draw, he or she will answer your letters. The local field officers will translate as needed. If the child cannot write, the administrators will write and keep you informed of your child's progress. Mail services to and from developing countries may be extremely slow or even impossible at times. Your letter may take up to three months to arrive. Please be patient. If you do not hear from your child, contact our main US office, and we will get information for you.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I WRITE TO MY CHILD? CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME HELPFUL HINTS?
If you are not sure what to write, here are some suggestions to get you started:

Keep it short and simple. One-page letters are usually the best length. They are easy for your child to understand and help keep our translation costs down. Also, picture postcards are a wonderful way for your child to see what other parts of the world look like.

Share your daily life. Write about where you live, the scenery, hobbies you enjoy or your pets, for example. But try not to discuss material items - sponsored children can become discouraged when learning of material items they do not have.

Don't include your address. In order to protect you from receiving unsolicited letters for assistance from others in your child's community, please do not write your address in your letter. We hope you understand that we will not forward anything with an address.

Be encouraging. Your encouragement is one of the most important things you can give your child.

Stay in touch. Please keep in touch with your child. It is rewarding to both of you.

Q: WHO SHOULD I ADDRESS LETTERS TO WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH MY SPONSORED CHILD?
Sponsors should always write their child's ID number and full name on correspondence or parcels.

Q: WHAT MIGHT BE THE REASON TO RECEIVE DELAYED REPLY FROM MY SPONSORED CHILD?
If you haven't received a letter from your sponsored child, there are various reasons that may have caused the delay

Many of the children being sponsored by DCI are still very young; therefore, they need more help writing letters.
The children's letters are collected by our field staff and then sent to our main office in Dhaka to be translated, which may take at least two months for all to be completed. Once they are completed, the original and translation will both be sent to you, or, soon, you may view their letters and translation through your online account.

If you do not receive a reply from your child within approximately six months after you have written, please let us know. We will make immediate inquiry.

Q: CAN I SEND GIFTS TO MY SPONSORED CHILD?
Yes. If you wish to send a gift to your child, write or call us and we will provide you the necessary instructions to send your gift. A word of caution, though - our previous experience have taught us to discourage the shipment of individual packages to Bangladesh directly for the following reasons:

The cost to mail a package overseas can exceed the value of the items shipped
Customs or duties taxes on the package contents can sometimes be up to an additional 100% of the value
Damage or theft sometimes occurs during shipping and/or customs
For these same reasons, we cannot take responsibility for individual packages sent to Bangladesh or received at our USA Headquarters. Any parcels received at our US office are donated to local children's charities.

We encourage sponsors to send Extra and Special Needs gifts (see below).

Q: WHAT IS EXTRA AND SPECIAL NEEDS GIFTS?
Your child and family live in an impoverished community, so the regular benefits of sponsorship simply can't provide everything they may require. Extra gifts and Special Needs gifts can help address some of your sponsored child's more critical needs. Depending on the amount of your contribution and the needs of your child's family, gifts can range from toys, clothing, food material, cake, sheets- blankets, household goods- a simple gas stove, plates, glass, pots, pans, to a bed, clothing storage cabinet, building materials to improve a homeor even seed money for income generating activity for the family. You can choose the kind of gift you want. The minimum amount for a child-specific gift is $25.

You can send either type of gifts below at any time of the year:

Extra gifts ($25 to $99): You will receive information about what your support provided and a personal thank-you from your child or a family member.
Special Needs gifts ($100 or more): You will receive a personal thank-you from your child or a family member, photos and a detailed description of how your contribution was used.

Please note:

A ten-percent handling charge is deducted to cover the added expense of transferring and delivering these extra donations.
Any contribution under $25 goes to our general fund and will be used to help provide assistance to sponsored children and their families.

To make an Extra or Special Needs gift, please contact us or write to us at:

Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), Inc.
5 SHIPTON COURT, CHESHIRE, CT 06410, USA
Tel# 203-376-6351, Tel+Fax# 203-272-3869, Toll Free # 1-866-516-7495
E-mails: dci@distressedchildren.org
Web: www.distressedchildren.org

Q: CAN I SEND GIFTS TO MY SPONSORED CHILD BY MAIL?
Yes. We can only send flat paper items or monetary gifts. Books are the exception. This is due to customs regulations, which impose a cost much higher than the price of the gift itself. If you send a money gift, you may instruct the local field officers to buy appropriate gift for your child. DCI will take a photo of the gift recipient and send it to you as confirmation of delivery. You will be able to order and give a gift of the following items:

Health and beauty products
Toys and sports items,
Basic foodstuff such as rice, lentils, powdered milk, etc.
Stationery items
Household items
Sanitary items
Birthday Cake

You can send books by sea mail in "M bags" or canvas duffel bags. From the US, 40 kilograms (88 lbs) of books cost about $35 to send.

The other option is for you or a friend to hand-deliver the gift to our country office or directly to your sponsored child. Please e-mail us at: dci@distressedchildren.org with the gift you would like to send.

Q: CAN I SEND MY SPONSORED CHILD GIFTS FOR BIRTHDAY AND OTHER OCCASIONS?
Yes, of course. You cannot send toys or big parcels. You can send a monetary gift and can mention to us what gift you want to give to your sponsored child. With your money we will buy the item and arrange to deliver the gift to your child. We will take pictures of the child as they receive it and send it to you. You may contact our USA or Dhaka office by e-mail to request to send a gift for your sponsored child. We will be happy to help you by giving you the price of different items in Bangladesh and by arranging the gift delivery for you. Please e-mail us at: dci@distressedchildren.org

Q: CAN I OR CAN A FRIEND VISIT MY SPONSORED CHILD?
We welcome inquiries from sponsors wishing to visit their child. We would love to introduce you to your sponsored child, his/her family, school, and the community. The children also greatly enjoy and appreciate foreign visitors. Please email us at dci@distressedchildren.org and give us at least one to two months notice prior to your visit so we can help you make the necessary arrangements.

Meeting your sponsored child can change your life in unimaginable ways. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will cement a lasting and wonderful friendship between you and your child, and give you an opportunity to see how you're bringing tangible help to an impoverished community, generating a feeling of optimism and boost in self-esteem to an underprivileged child.

Visiting your sponsored child's community will confirm how important your sponsorship is to your child, their family and even the community. And you'll see how grateful your child is to have a good friend and supporter.

Should you decide to visit your child, we ask that you contact our Head Office as soon as possible with specific dates. Our DCI staff will gladly help arrange a visit with your sponsored child. We'll also provide you with valuable information, procedures to follow during your visit, and other helpful material to make the most of your visit.

Unannounced visits are prohibited to ensure the safety and privacy of everyone involved. Our field staff members look forward to assisting you during your visit so you can enjoy time with your child rather than worrying about the uncertainties that arise when visiting someplace new for the first time. To arrange a visit, call our toll-free number at 1-866-516-7495, or email us at dci@distressedchildren.org.

You may also write to us at:
Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), Inc.
5 SHIPTON COURT, CHESHIRE, CT 06410, USA

Q.WILL DCI HELP ME FOR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND EXPENSES?
All expenses for visits are the responsibility of the sponsor, including airfare, hotel accommodations, and transportation to and from the airport.

DCI will try to provide you free transportation (a car with a driver) and free accommodation and at the project area, but you must apply to us for that at least two months before your visit to Bangladesh. Please send us your request by email at dci@distressedchildren.org.

Our field staff is happy to make arrangements directly related to your child's visit, including translation assistance and transportation to and from your hotel to the central office and then to your sponsored child's home.
As always, please call us with any questions at Toll Free # 1-866-516-7495, or e-mail us at dci@distressedchildren.org

Q: MAY I MEET MY SPONSORED CHILD IN DHAKA?
Yes, of course, you can meet your sponsored child in Dhaka at the DCI head office. We need at least two months of notice ahead of the specific date you would like to meet your sponsored child. Please be aware after consulting with the parents and taking into consideration school programs we'll arrange a date and time convenient to both you and your child.

However, your sponsored child's family is very poor and it is not possible for them to bear the cost of coming to Dhaka to meet you. It is also important to note here the $12 per month ($144 per year) sponsorship does not cover the entire cost of the services we provide to your sponsored child, child's family and the community. Only through cooperation with other humanitarian organizations and with the help of many dedicated volunteers, we can fulfill the wide range of the child's needs. Therefore we have no extra funds to arrange to bring your sponsored child and the family to Dhaka. So, we request sponsors to bear all the necessary costs.

If you agree to this, we will inform our DCI Dhaka office and they will give you the estimate of the total expenses and will make all the arrangements to bring the child and his/her family to Dhaka to meet you.

Q: CAN I TAKE OUT MY SPONSORED CHILD FOR SHOPPING OR FOR ENTERTAINMENT WHILE I VISIT BANGLADESH?
No. According tour organization's rules you cannot take your sponsored child out with you from the premises of the DCI head office or from school and home. The reason you are not allowed to take the child with you is because DCI is not responsible for any kind of incident that may occur (lost child, accidents, or even death). All visits must be supervised by DCI personnel. However, you may bring gifts for your sponsored child.

Q: WILL "MY CHILD" KNOW WHO I AM?
Yes. If you wish you may send your pictures and letters to your child through our US address or Dhaka address.

Q: CAN I WRITE TO MY CHILD ONLINE? CAN I SEND E-MAIL TO MY CHILD?
Yes, you can write to your child by e-mail. But you cannot communicate with your child directly by e-mail. Please note that sponsored children are very poor: they do not have computers or internet. You may send e-mail addressing your child. Send the e-mail to our e-mail address and we will arrange to print your e-mail and deliver that to your child.

Q: WILL MY CHILD WRITE TO ME? CAN I WRITE TO MY CHILD?
A. Yes! Of course, you may write to your child as often as you wish and you will receive a reply to your letter. Click Here to learn more about corresponding with your child.

Volunteers

Q: HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED IN DCI?

You can sponsor a distressed child through the Sun Child Sponsorship Program.
You can donate or
You can Volunteer (download our volunteer brochure: LINK)

Q: DOES DCI WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS?
Yes, we need volunteers to fill a variety of roles ranging from planning events, recruiting sponsors, campaigning for our programs, coordinating youth volunteers, etc.

Q: ARE THERE FIXED HOURS THAT I NEED TO VOLUNTEER?
No, you can volunteer as much time as you can spare. As we try to reduce our expense of running the program as much as possible our volunteer need is immense. We have use for any amount of time you can give. Let us know your interests and how much time you would be will to give for our DCI programs. There is a job to fit the amount of time you can volunteer.

Q: WHY DOES DCI NEED VOLUNTEERS? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IF I VOLUNTEER?
There is always work to be done. We currently need volunteers in the following areas:

Accounting & Bookkeeping
Website maintenance
Administrative work
Proofreading
Translation of documents from Bengali to English
Write quarterly newsletter and distribute
Organize child information packets
Mail-related work
Event planning
Flyer/Pamphlet distribution
Fundraising
Networking/Public relations
Scouting new sponsor/donation sources
Contact sponsors by telephone
Open chapters

All volunteers contribute to make any event/work a success story. We really appreciate what our volunteers are doing, without them we will not be able to achieve our goal.

Q: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A VOLUNTEER?
Volunteering can help you:

Make important networking contacts and meet new people
Learn or develop skills
Teach your skills to others
Gain work experience
Enhance your resume
You'll also receive volunteer certificate of appreciation and recommendation if required for college admissions & future employment opportunities
Build self-esteem and self-confidence
Feel needed and valued
Express gratitude for help you may have received in the past from an organization
Get personal satisfaction of doing something worthwhile and
Most importantly, make a difference in someone's life

Q: HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED IN DCI AS VOLUNTEER?
DCI always needs volunteers. Please contact our volunteer coordinator at DCI Headquarters or at the DCI chapter office in your state. Let us know your interests, skills, and the hours you can contribute and we will match you with a suitable opportunity. (Volunteer Link)

Statistics

Q: WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS OF A CHILD?

Nov. 20, 1959. Principle #9 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child states:
"The child shall be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and exploitation. He shall not be the subject of traffic, in any form. The child shall not be admitted to employment before an appropriate minimum age; he shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development."

The Rights of the Child are as follows:

The right to equality regardless of race, color, sex, religion or nationality.
The right to a name and nationality.
The right to adequate housing, nutrition and medical services.
The right to free primary school education.
The right to be protected from work and anything that may stop them from going to school and be harmful to health.
The right to rest and play.
The right to love, understanding and protection.
The right to special care and treatment if disabled.
The right to be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty and abuse.
The right of children to have all the help they need to recover from neglect, cruelty or abuse and return to a safe place.
The right of Indigenous children to enjoy their own culture, religion and language.
The right to be protected in times of war and conflict.
The right to be among the first to receive aid and relief in times of disaster.
The right to seek refugee status and receive appropriate protection and assistance. Efforts should be made to reunite the family.
The right to freedom. No child shall be imprisoned unlawfully.

An adaptation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989

Q: WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

Some frightening facts of present day world:

Poverty of children:

Number of children in the world is 2.2 billion
Number in poverty is 1 billion (every second child)
For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

Child Labor:

250 million child laborers worldwide.
The Asia-Pacific region has the highest number of child laborers: 27 million.
Every year, 22,000 children die in work-related accidents.

Education of children:

An estimated 130 million children in developing countries are not in primary school.
Another 150 million children drop out of primary school before they complete five years of education—the minimum required for achieving basic literacy.

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

Survival of children:

10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (same as children population in France, Germany, Greece and Italy)
1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation

Health of children:

2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized
15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS (similar to the total children population in Germany or United Kingdom)

(source:http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Facts.asp)

Â© Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) (IRS Tax Exempt) Non-profit charitable organization.
Address 5 SHIPTON CT., CHESHIRE, CT 06410, USA. Phone 1-866-516-7495, 203-376-6351 Email dci@distressedchildren.org