Back to What we do... How you can give to Compassion Grants                                 The Starfish Asia Fund 32 Beck Lane Beckenham Kent BR3 4RE UK Telephone +44 (0)20 8402 1914 Email mike@starfishasia.com	compassion grants Starfish Asia is a small Charity, which means that we have the flexibility to respond to small and intimate needs. Through our trusted partners in Pakistan we are ready to meet individual needs as they arise in the lives of the tragically poor. In some cases we make regular small grants to individuals in need -- of whom there are many.   On the Starfish principle we know we cannot help everyone, but we have to help some!   Grants are made to trustworthy Pakistani partners of the Starfish Asia Fund, who hold 'Compassion Funds' and make grants at their own discretion. The following are just a few of the many small grants that have made a difference to those who have received them...    Few can understand the desperation and fear of absolute poverty who have not experienced its grip at first hand. Many in the Christian community in Pakistan have no back-up or resources other than their own families. Despair haunts the wife who loses her husband for whatever reason, cannot get a job and is faced with a house full of children to feed. Or the family that faces sickness -- all too common when poverty deprives them of an adequate diet -- and there is no money for medical bills.   It is easy to understand why families send their children out to work rather than spending money on giving them an education. But we can help make a difference!    Perveen became blind as a child. Unable to afford treatment or care she was married off to a local man. He then fell sick and was no longer able to work. Perveen had no option but to take her small daughter to the streets to beg. A Starfish Asia fund Compassion grant helped her with food and clothing.     A poor believer from Sargodha struggled to pay the costs of his mother's recovery from a stroke. A gift for £10 / $20 made all the difference in a moment of crisis.    The Fellowship of Christ arranges a distribution of food and clothing each Christmas and Easter, mostly to poor women in the community, for whom this provision is a lifeline.    Lavish, a teenager from a poor family, fell from the roof of his house. His skull was broken and he needed urgent medical care which his family could not afford. A Starfish Asia Compassion grant covered the cost.  The Miracle School arranged a Christmas party for the families whose children attend their school. This was an opportunity to show love to the poor and also to share the message of Hope at Christmas.   Most Compassion Fund grants are for small sums of money and are used to meet pressing medical, accommodation, food, debt relief, or other compassionate needs. We know that we can't help everyone - but this a way we can help some! And it takes such a little to make such a big difference.   We received this email from a partner in Lahore: I bought medicines for the girl who has TB and sent it to give to the girl. Yes, we need money for the Compassion Fund as we also have to help Perveen for her operation. It may cost up to Rs.20,000 (£200) with medicines. The girl who needed an operation on her leg left as her parents do not agree to cut her leg as the leg contains gangrene. The school for the disabled has 8 permanent students. I have bought them chairs, blackboard, carpet, round table, and fixed a new door towards the road. The couple is working very hard to teach and keep the disabled children, but they both have no other job and they have nothing for Christmas. They need to have actually Rs.12,000 monthly (£120) for their salaries, electricity bills, and care towards the children, some soap, some eatables, etc. We can't help everyone -- but we must help some!