UPLIFT A CHILD INTERNATIONAL INC is a philanthropy company based out of Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. We are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization making a difference to the underprivileged children around the world for education. We operate on an exceptionally lean budget with a small staff in India and an all- volunteer leadership team in the United States. All donors and sponsors receive itemized financial accounting and regular updates on the progress of the students. STATEMENT OF NEED: According to UNICEF, one in five children around the world do not have access to educational opportunities. Uplift A Child International works with partners in poverty-stricken communities to help make a transformative difference in the lives of underprivileged children through the gift of education. We focus on improving the lives of semi-orphaned children who are living in slums, so that they can transition from underprivileged and poverty to a reality that offers the potential for self-determination, health, opportunity and growth. Unlike the United States, where public education is available to all for free, education in many low- income countries is often an expensive financial burden for the underprivileged, making it an unattainable goal. MISSION STATEMENT: The mission is to identify poor and needy children, place them in a school, and support them through 12 years of schooling, ending with high school graduation. The opportunity of an education will keep the children off the streets, provide them with the necessary skills to advance in life, and give them an opportunity to emerge as self-reliant and productive members of the society. By the time the children complete high school, they will have the necessary training and social skills, and will be mature enough, to plan and work towards a brighter future. Until then, we work with each child in helping the child grow in the right direction. It costs us an average of $200 to $350 per child per year to support a child.