Campaign match icon Donations to this project are eligible for a 50% match as part of the September 2023 Little by Little campaign! tooltip icon until September 22, 2023, at 23:59:59 EDT

Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids

by Kasumisou Foundation
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids
Help Destitute Moms with AIDS Care for Their Kids

FSP  Program Update Fall 2011

Our continued thanks to all of our supporters for making the AIDS Patients Family Support Program ( FSP) possible!  2011 has been an exciting year!

The FSP  continues to support a group of 70-75 families  comprised mainly of homeless mothers suffering from mid to late stage AIDS.  Within this group we care for approximately 125-130 dependent children of whom about 20% themselves are afflicted with AIDS.  We also provide permanent  full  support for 11 orphaned children whose parents passed away in our program some years ago.

In November,2011  Mark  completed his quarterly visit to  Cambodia to review the status of each family in  the FSP  and to conduct a line item budget review with our  FSP program coordinator.  The type of support given depends on the specific needs of each family, but regardless,  the basic structure is that families receive housing support, a semi-monthly food allowance, basic medicines ( not antiviral)  and transportation to medical appointments. When surgery re other major medical expenses are needed, we also cover that. We work to connect our families with various HIV/AIDS support programs so that their illness can be properly managed.

What’s new ?

We have committed to provide modest assistance to the children at the Phnom Penh municipal orphanage – The National Borey for Infants and Children. It is home to 120 orphaned or abandoned children, all of whom suffer from serious physical or emotional conditions. About 30% of the kids have AIDS while others have cerebral palsy, life threatening cancer or  other serious   problems including  autism and severe birth defects.

From January 2012 we will fully fund the room where  the most severely malnourished and handicapped kids live and  which functions as sort of a basic  intensive care room which will insure that these kids get at least a basic standard of care and nutrition regardless of  the chronic unavailability of government funding.

The orphanage is grossly under funded and so  we will also  help out by offering enrichment classes on weekends for these shut in kids and occasional outings funding.

Other things we do in the FSP

We cover school expenses for all dependent children grade 1 ~ 12 in our 75 FSP families. Our current school age enrollment for the FSP  is 91 students and we are thrilled to say that we are also supporting 4 of our long time FSP kids in their first year in university studies !  This is so exciting for us,  4 kids,  who despite incredible odds, have “ made it” to university.

Reaching this achievement is in large part a result of our continuing emphasis on education. Our FSP staff of 5 includes one accredited primary school teacher whose main responsibility is to monitor the progress of each student, help keep the student current on assignments and identify any student who may need extra help or who shows evidence of truancy.

Our school package of support for each student includes a “ school kit”  of two uniforms, a pair of shoes, a monthly allowance for each student to pay his public school teacher the small  daily  required cash lesson fees without which progress in school is  nearly impossible. FSP kids also have enough  to eat- a key part of any educational effort.

Although the primary objective of the FSP is to preserve family unity and assist   women with AIDS the means to survive and care for their children with dignity, our ongoing goal and dream is to help the children to break the cycle of inherited poverty.

It costs approximately $ 125 dollars per month per family when all direct and administrative costs are

We are deeply grateful for your continued support!  Think of it- together we have not only assisted these families and kept them together as families,  but our ability to provide long term assistance and oversight has enabled 4 students from the FSP to reach university.  We have 2 other students who last year also entered university. Put differently, from our universe of about 135 children in our FSP related  care, we now have 6 in university , their tuition  of roughly $ 500 per year per student  covered through  dedicated donations by generous donors.

Together we can make a difference. Our deepest thanks to you all for your continued support of our efforts and our best wishes for a wonderful new year in 2012

Barbara & Mark Rosasco

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Mark completed his quarterly trip to Cambodia in June 2011 where he reviewed all operational aspects of the IDS Patient Family Support Program.  Although no significant exceptions were noted,  FSP families continue to be impacted by the effects of high local inflation ( double digits ) , rising rents, rising fuel and food prices and costs of medical care.   Our goal remains constant: to provide comprehensive  compassionate care to mothers and children impacted by extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS , with resources directed toward keeping families together and helping children to break the cycle of inherited poverty.

 

Program highlights:  5 FSP students graduate from high school

 

Great news awaited Mark, where he learned that 5 FSP ( 4 girls, 1 boy)  children had graduated from high school.  Graduation form high school is a commendable achievement in Cambodia, which  only a low percentage of students achieve. It is a remarkable achievement for these four FSP students, who come from backgrounds willed with significant impediments such as extreme poverty and the  impact  that  HIV has had on  their families, such as the loss of a parent, and the remaining parent suffering from HIV.

 

Two children, a brother and sister, are the only two surviving family members of a 5 member family. Both father and mother passed away while in the FSP, as did another sibling.  These two children are original members of our FSP, and represent a wonderful example of how the longer term assistance of the FSP can help children break the cycle of inherited poverty. 

 

The FSP currently supports the education of 88 children.

 

Our  five  high school graduates   have dreams of continuing on to college, with annual tuition costs per student of under $1000 . However, as the average  monthly budget for supporting an FSP  family  is  currently $118 , a college tuition is currently beyond reach unless we can find additional funding resources for these four students. Dreams include studying law and nursing.  Please contact us if you would like to support these efforts or know of financial resources.

 

Other news: Seisen International School, Tokyo Japan Student Volunteers

 

Seisen International School, Tokyo, Japan  sent 17   high school students  and 2 teachers to  assist the FSP  in Phnom Penh, Cambodia  in June 2011 through  12 days of intensive volunteer activities.

 

Students were divided into two groups.  One group of students  volunteered at an AIDS Hospice  and the second group of students volunteered at the Phnom Penh municipal orphanage.  Student volunteers assisted caregivers by providing caring companionship to orphaned,  frail  and bed bound children through play,  singing and individualized companionship and touch.

 

Some student volunteers initially  fought back tears as they learned of  the significant and permanent limitations of frail  and bed-bound children. However,  they immediately took on their challenges  with good humor and great kindness and grace, putting forward maximum effort to make a positive impact. 

 

Although children in these institutions receive care, staff members cannot take time to provide  more individualized personal attention to young residents. For frail and bed bound children, simple touch and companionship, such as is achieved by simply sitting or rocking a child is a wonderful experience .  Our student volunteers were a wonderfully welcome addition to the care team for these children.

 

 Upcoming events:Wild Life Alliance Partners with Kasumisou Foundation

 

The Wild Life Alliance in partnership with Kasumisou Foundation’s FSP, has arranged for  trips for two groups of children to visit a wild life rescue center run by  Cambodia’s Ministry of Forestry.  These two groups of children, 80 students from our FSP and 60 children from the Phnom Penh Municipal Orphanage, will take a bus trips on September 14 and 16  to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, an area  outside of Phnom Penh, to learn more  about Cambodia’s endangered species and how they can help  to protect them.

 

As always, we remain grateful for your continued support of our AIDS Patient Family Support Program. Together, truly, we make a difference.

 

Barbara & Mark Rosasco

Links:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

 May 2011 AIDS Patient Family Support Program Update

 Please support GlobalGiving’s Recurring Donation Program and the FSP

 Mark visited Cambodia in February 2011  where he met with our Home Care Coordinator and Team  to review the status of each family in the FSP.  All operational aspects of the FSP remain  as described in the program description .The  educational progress of the children was discussed along with  other issues that need  attention, such as the recent imposition of costs for previously fee medical services.

In December,  Mark had learned of a significant development that will seriously impact the  FSP families and program.  Due to recent policy changes by Cambodia/s NPO medical providers, all patients, including the very poorest   will now be required to pay fees for medical  services which were previously free, such as blood tests and doctor visits. For families living on a razor’s edge of survival, an additional expenditure of $ 5 to $ 10 per month may create  life threatening choices for patients.  Unless the FSP provides additional funding, it is likely that previously stable patients may  skip visits and medication leading to a decline in health and  a possibility of developing  drug resistant strains of HIV and TB.

For FSP families  medicals  fees will confront them  with  a choice of  seeking the  medical care essential to their continuing survival or  of  feeding their children. 

Food  and energy price inflation already threatens the stability  of many  families and their ability to maintain a level   nutrition necessary for  survival.  At a time when our  FSP budget is already gravely strained by a difficult   fundraising environment,  we must project a  possible  increase in the allocation to our FSP families of an additional $10,000 for 2011 to our current on site expenditure budget   to pay these medical fees or face the simple fact that  hungry poor families will choose food over medical care.    At the present time we projected the 2011 FSP budget at $ 107,240  and have raised $49,000 from various donors leaving us with substantial funding needs for the second half of 2011.

We urge you to consider making a recurring donation to support our FSP. Just $ 27.50 will support one family for one week.  Stable funding is essential for our continued effort to help the FSP families and to give the children in these families the opportunity to break the cycle of inherited poverty.

We are very  grateful for your continued support of the AIDS Patient Family Support Program.

Barbara and Mark Rosasco


Attachments: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

2011 First Quarter Update

 

Mark visited Cambodia in November 2010  where he met with our Home Care Coordinator and Team  to review the status of each family in the FSP.  All operational aspects of the FSP remain  as described in the program description . As a part of his visit, Mark also visited almost all of the families currently enrolled in the FSP.  This  quarterly visit by Mark is a standard practice and it is done in addition to the weekly visits that the Home Care Team  makes  to each family.  Each family’s status is reviewed and the educational progress of the children is discussed along with any other issues that may need additional attention.

 

In December, after the completion of  this trip, Mark learned of a   significant development that will seriously impact the  FSP families and program.  

 

Due to a  recent policy  change  by the  UN’s Global Fund ( for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria)  and the large medical NGOs which  administer Global Fund services in Cambodia , patients, including the poorest, will now be required to pay small fees for services which were previously free, such as  required blood tests and  doctor visits. This a serious development for patients for whom an additional unplanned expense of even  $ 5 to $ 10 per month  could prevent their continued participation  in the Global Fund’s  program to obtain  life saving  anti-retroviral medications.

 

For FSP families, living on the very edge of survival, without increased  financial support from our program,  these small fees will confront them  with  a choice of  seeking the  medical care essential to their continuing survival or  of  feeding their children. 

 

This alarming development could not have come at a worse time.  Food price inflation in the developing world already threatens the ability  of many  families to maintain a level   adequate nutrition necessary for  survival.

 

At a time when our  FSP budget is already strained by rising inflation and the difficult   fundraising environment,  we will need   to increase the monthly allocation to our FSP families to pay these medical fees or face the simple fact that  hungry poor families will choose food over medical care,  an action which will inevitably lead to a rise in mortality and orphaned children.  Consequently, you will note that our program support amounts have increased.

 

The  FSP  2010 budget year has been  completed, but the GlobalGiving site does not offer an easy way for us to distinguish from 2010 budget needs vs 2011 unless we repost our project.

 

The  2011 annual budget for the FSP is now projected at $ 106,000 ( $118 per patient family.)   At the present time we have raised $32,000 from various donors, leaving us with substantial funding needs.

When including  a portion  of the costs of fundraising  via the GlobalGiving site, this means we will now  assume a monthly cost of $ 125 per patient family.

 

We are most grateful for your continued support of the AIDS Patient Family Support Program.

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Check out our most recent press report Dated Sept 2, 2010  online at:

 

http://inmenlo.com/2010/09/04/barbara-and-mark-rosasco-working-to-better-the-lives-of-southeast-asia-women-and-children/

 

Mark visited Cambodia in  late September where according to plan  he met with our Home Care Coordinator and Team  to review the quarterly  status of each family in the FSP.  As a part of his visit, Mark also visited almost all of the families currently enrolled in the FSP. During Mark's visits with each family, family status is reviewed and the educational progress of the children is discussed along with any other issues that may need additional attention. At present we now 95 children enrolled in school, up from our previous total of 85.

 

All operational aspects of the FSP continue as described in the program description without any significant exceptions.  The one exception is that our  program  funding continues to be available unpredictably  and only on a  month by month basis, causing considerable worries about our ability to  maintain non-stop continuation of this program.

 

Despite these grave funding concerns, we continue to focus on  the importance of education  in our efforts to encourage children to strive for academic excellence. As many of the parents in the FSP are illiterate,  this additional social support  which  stresses the importance of education is of great importance.

 Funding update October 2010

 We are grateful to GlobalGiving for its recent Matching Funds event on October 12. Three donors gave a total of $ 6,000   which should  earned a 50% funds match of $3,000 . The grand total after paying  fees of $900 to Global,  this campaign will net a total result of $8,100. 

 Donations to the FSP from all other sources, excluding GlobalGiving,  now total $66,385, leaving a balance of approximately $ 18,000 yet to fund in order to achieve essential minimal program funding for the FSP's 75 families.  Total of projected essential  program costs remain at $ 88,000 per year, or a cost of $ 1118 per family, but owing to increased local costs this will rise moderately in the near future .

Kasumisou Foundation FSP operates and funds itself month-to-month.  The continuing  economic climate continues to impact all charities with total donations recently reported to have  declined by approximately 11% for 2009. Kasumisou Foundation continues to seek funding to continue essential programs without interruption and to try to restore emergency reserve funds expended in 2008 and 2009 to make up for donor shortfalls.  Many donors are experiencing donor fatigue and it is increasingly difficult to secure funding commitments and donations.

Although we are blessed to receive continued support for our projects, at the present time, we are keenly aware that any significant shortfall in   funding would mean  that we would immediately be forced to stop our support of these 75 families and causing these mothers and their children become homeless within the month. Our top priority continues to be to raise funds to  support of  our existing program  commitments and to try to restore our reserve funds once immediate funding commitments are met.

Thank you all very much  for your generous  and continued support! We cannot do  this without  you !

 

Barbara Rosasco

Kasumisou Foundation

Links:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook
 

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can recieve an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.

Sign up for updates

Organization Information

Kasumisou Foundation

Location: Menlo Park, California - USA
Website:
Project Leader:
Barbara Rosasco
Secretary/Treasurer
Menlo Park , Ca. United States
$147,397 raised of $200,000 goal
 
1,350 donations
$52,603 to go
Donate Now
lock
Donating through GlobalGiving is safe, secure, and easy with many payment options to choose from. View other ways to donate

Kasumisou Foundation has earned this recognition on GlobalGiving:

Help raise money!

Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.

Start a Fundraiser

Learn more about GlobalGiving

Teenage Science Students
Vetting +
Due Diligence

Snorkeler
Our
Impact

Woman Holding a Gift Card
Give
Gift Cards

Young Girl with a Bicycle
GlobalGiving
Guarantee

Get incredible stories, promotions, and matching offers in your inbox

WARNING: Javascript is currently disabled or is not available in your browser. GlobalGiving makes extensive use of Javascript and will not function properly with Javascript disabled. Please enable Javascript and refresh this page.