By Barbara Rosasco | Secretary & Treasurer
Our AIDS Patient Family Support Program provide the 18 fragile families who remain in our program , with modest, bare bones living assistance. Determining the amount of financial assistance is complex, taking into consideration actual expenses like rent, utilities food as well as unexpected needs, such a medical or other family emergency. Beyond the actual cost factors, we also have to look at the ability of a family or family member to contribute to their living expenses through regular or occasional work. Budgets overall and by necessity are tight and extremely modest. The monthly total program costs per family currently range from $150 to $200. A recent hospital visit for one program participant added another $ 130 .
It is now estimated, by our staff on the ground, that it costs about 10,000 riel ( about $ 2.50 ) per day per person for food, which totals about $75 per month per person. Current “ official” statistics estimate food inflation at 3% per year, but numbers like these can often be stated to represent a desired political message that may not reflect the purchasing power of real people. Program food subsidies currently range from $50 to $ 70 per household. Our long held policy is that families need to try to contribute to their own support whenever possible, but each family situation is unique. For example, in cases where there is but a single person in the household whose health does not support any sort of employment income, we will determine the amount of additional support that may be needed. Consequently, we have raised some food allowances in recent months and we continue to evaluate the subsidies that we provide each family in the program.
In memory
We recently lost a member in our program family. Ms. S. who had AIDS, came to us 17 years ago from a Catholic program in Phnom Penh, where she had been treated for other medical reasons. Ms. S was in her mid 40’s when she passed away. Her numerous health programs did not allow her to work. Our program allowed her to live and die with simple dignity. Her ashes have been returned to her hometown in the countryside.
Your kind and generous donations support the fragile families remaining in our program to live in dignity in a modest , simple lifestyle and to assist them in their final journey at the end of their days.
Barbara & Mark Rosasco
By Barbara Rosasco | Secretary & Treasurer
By Barbara Rosasco | Secretary & Treasurer
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