Sponsoring Kids Education in Asia

Can anyone recommend a charity agency that helps promising Asian kids gain an education. An agency that doesnt spend most of its donations on raising more donations and staying in 5 star hotels....


Thanks

Does it need to be pan-regional? ... The problem then is that relatively rich countries like Thailand, where teachers' costs are higher, soak up more money per kid; and less developed countries like Laos are less skilled / forceful in lobbying for their share of funds.... so you necessarily have extra layers of management to "co-ordinate" the competing groups.



Anyway, these guys do great work in Cambodia:

http://www.sccambodia.org/

Dear Ed:

There's a few I can think of, but I don't know if this is what you are looking for.


1. There's an international school in HK called Li Po Chun United World College (I'm a graduate). Actually, 90% of the students there are on scholarship. They specialise on providing education to kids from around the world "whose circumstances are preventing them from fulfilling their academic potential". Kids from war-torn countries in Africa, poor villages in China and other Asian locations. Girls in Asian countries who've been discriminated against at home. LPC is a registered charity as all united World Colleges are and they always need help to fund the scholarships they provide.


2. Project Hope in China of course builds schools and pays for school places for children at primary level. mainly in poor regions of China. And the transparency is fab. People can sponsor an individual child or a whole class, and keep in touch by writing letters etc.


3. There's another charity that specialises in provding education opportunities to poor children born into Indian brothels. These children frequently have no other way to escape from their dreadful lives. Go to www.kids-with-cameras.org for more info.


BTW, are you determined it has to be a children's charity and about education, or would you consider other charities? You know St James' Settlement is a fab local charity and very very transparent. I've done some work with them before providing essential electrical appliances to impoverished elderly people in HK. Volunteers can actually visit the person and physically hand over the washing machine or fridge or whatever it is - VERY satisfying! the social worker who manages the project (who sadly has cancer but continues to devote himself to helping the elderly) is called Mr PL Chan and his e-mail is plchan@sjs.org.hk .