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Our operational arm in Iran

KCIS’s operational office in Iran, Anjoman e Yaran e Danesh va Mehr (AYDM), delivers our supporters’ generous contributions to carefully selected students, who show academic potential but are in desperate financial straights. Through this individual sponsorship program, AYDM has already supported over 1,800 students in Iran from impoverished backgrounds  and more than 20,000 children across Iran, through its educational group projects. Our fundamental assistance, which is in form of financial aid, is essential for our students to stay in school instead of having to drop out to help their family’s financial needs. Aside from financial aid, AYDM uses the donations to provide mental and emotional wellness services, healthcare, family empowerment and other forms of help to our students. Once a child is matched with a sponsor, it is as though AYDM spins a cocoon of support and protection around that child throughout his/her educational journey.

The selection process

  • Our students are introduced to us by various sources such as:
    • Partner NGOs working for children’s rights and well-being
    • Schools
    • Family members of existing sponsored children
    • Mosques and other community based institutions
  • AYDM social workers visit each child’s home, interview the child and their family, and review school report cards from previous years.
  • Each case is reviewed by the responsible AYDM board member and the final selections are made.

Our services

Once a student is officially selected and approved to be covered, AYDM opens a bank account for that child; and a fixed monthly payment as educational grant/financial aid is deposited into the account. The amount is based on whether the child attends elementary school, middle school, high School or university.

At KCIS we regard our sponsored students like our own children at home. We consider each individual students’s wishes and needs and try to fulfill all the necessary ones. The following are some of the additional services rendered to our students on a case-by-case basis.

  • Paying for extra-curricular classes such as: foreign languages, sports, computer, art, etc.
  • School registration fees or university tuition
  • Counseling sessions for choosing majors in college
  • Paying for preparatory courses for the entrance exam to collage
  • Transportation for students living far from school
  • Financial aid for students needing remedial classes
  • Donating computers and laptops for high school and college students

 

Regular Supervision

  • Each student is assigned a supervisor, who meets with the student and the family throughout the year to oversee the student’s progress by checking his/her report cards and to address any potential hinderances to the student’s academic success.
  • The supervisor also makes sure that the money dispensed to the student is only spent to remove any obstacles that would prevent the student from staying and succeeding in school.

Biannual Gift

Twice a year, a gift card is given to all of our sponsored students and their siblings, regardless of wether or not the siblings are under our support.

  • Nowruz gift card (for the new year) – At the end of Winter and beginning of Spring, each student brings a copy of their mid-term report card and receives their Nowruz gift card.
  • Back to School gift card – At the end of summer, just in time for the start of the new school year, each student brings a copy of their final report card from the previous year to receive their Back to School gift card. This is used to purchase back to school items such as stationary, school bags, uniforms, shoes, etc.

Recreational Activities

We organize recreational events throughout the year for our kids and their families.

  • End of the year ceremonies for the students and their parents to recognize their hard work to successfully finish another school year, and to honor top students
  • Other recreational outings, such as visits to museums, cultural centers, bird gardens, etc.

Support for Health & Well-being

We provide social, emotional, psychological, and healthcare services such as:

  • Organizing educational advisory sessions for students and parents.
  • Necessary medical and dental services provided by dedicated volunteer physicians
  • Arranging for counseling services and sessions with psychologist for the students and their families

KCIS Library

Most of our sponsored students never have any books to read at home and are unfamiliar with the habit of reading. We have established a beautiful library, where our students can pend time reading books, socialize with other students, and also borrow books to take home. We promote the culture of reading and hope to instill in our students a life-long love of reading and learning.