Enfants du mékong 
Introduction :
Since 1958, the association " enfants du Mekong " help lots of children in south-east Asia. "Enfants du Mékong" is a French association. They help the children by putting them to the school.
"Enfants du Mekong" intervenes in 5 countries of the south-east
Asia.
How do they help children ?
They soon realized that enrolment in school was the best way to keep children off the streets. This is achieved through two main complementary programs: one by promoting for people in richer countries to godfather one child, the second one by financing micro-projects programs that will have a long-term positive impact on the surrounding condition of the children they care for.
How does it work ?
This association is made of 71 geographically organized delegations in charge of promoting children's sponsorship and to prospect for potential donors willing to fund their activity.
Annually, 25 volunteers are sent to Asia. Their task is to check the progress of the children and students' school or university careers, the proper distribution and use of funds. They also assess the advance of existing projects and the degree of needfulness for new ones.
Those volunteers are totally independent from us. We don't pay them and they take on the cost of travel and other expenses. They guarantee the godfathers and donors on the clarity of our funding and provide us with a much needed objectivity.
During the year 2002, "Enfants du Mekong" has financed more than 200 development programs in Asia at a cost of 426.857 € ( 550.000 U.S. $ ). They are micro-projects which will improve conditions of living for both the children and their families. It can be building or renovation of class-rooms, buying school supplies. In some cases they helped rebuilding houses after a natural disaster. They also sometimes bought arable land and cattle or bicycles for the kids to travel to school.
The programs are financed by private donors and company sponsorship.
In addition, we keep student and youth residences in France. They used to home war refugees. Today, we look after their children when they live in very poor conditions. We also accomodate political refugees and students from abroad.
They are 15 to 25 years old and get schooling
or training prior to their life in France or return to their country of origin.
The benefits and the cost of "Enfants du Mekong" is :
The action of "Enfants du Mekong"
in 2002 is :
- 320 programs of sponsorship of children for 14 000 sponsored children
- 200 projects of durable development, financed per year
- Send of 25 French voluntary volunteers in Asia
- 2 hearths of reception for 60 young asian in France