Besides giving money, can I donate uniforms, stationery or food?

Nice idea, but difficult to administer given our scarce administrative resources. Best to donate money.

The children’s daily lunches are catered by the school canteen. If you would like to donate meals for Special Festive occasions such as Hari Raya, Deepavali, the Chinese New Year (to name a few occasions), please get in touch with us.

I would like to donate reading material. Would you be interested?

Yes, we encourage our children to attain a high-level of literacy. Harinder Veriah herself was a voracious reader. Our children are aged between 7-12 in the Primary School and we are starting a new programme in the Secondary School for children aged 13 and above. Please contact us if you have suitable reading material for these age groups. This only really applies to donors in Malaysia.

Can I make a donation to the charity if I live in Malaysia?

Yes. Please use our BT MyDonate website.

I have raised some money for the Harinder Veriah Trust. Where should I send the cheque?

First of all, thank you very much! If you are in the UK, please send the cheque to the address given on the contact us page. If you are in Malaysia, please contact us for further advice. For non-UK/Malaysia donations, proceeds can be sent to us via a Banker’s Draft or via an online payment. Please contact us for further details. We welcome donations from supporters around the world.

My company would like to become a corporate sponsor for the Trust. What kind of sponsorships do you accept?

That is a splendid idea. Thank you. The best way is via a regular annual donation. Please contact us.

We also accept one-off donations and gifts of uniforms, school shoes, socks, stationery and school bags for the children. Contact us to discuss this.

You can consider supporting our new programme at Assunta Secondary School. At present, we provide the girls with school kits and lunches. We would like to provide after-school Tuition like we do at the Primary School. The tuition would have to be paid for unlike at the Primary School where the tutors are volunteers.

Can I visit the children I sponsor in Malaysia?

Sponsorship is not for a particular child but for a child in general. It may be possible to visit the children on their tutorial day when tutors might be able to host your visit. Let us know your dates well in advance, and please be advised that it may not be possible to arrange a visit, because the tutors are extremely busy. It is not possible to meet the children without a tutor always being present.

I would like to be a tutor/intern/volunteer. Are there opportunities to volunteer at the Harinder Veriah Trust?

Great! From 2015 onwards, we will have an annual programme of events in the UK and Malaysia. The events will be announced via our mailing list and Facebook and Twitter pages. Please contact us if you would like to offer your assistance.

Will you be expanding your programme to other schools or orphanages in Malaysia?

We are in the process of expanding our programme to Asssunta Secondary School which is the school that most of our girls attend once they leave Assunta Primary School. At present, there are no plans to expand to other schools or orphanages.

Do you use a food caterer for the childrens’ afternoon meals ? Would you be interested in my food catering service?

The childrens’ daily lunches are catered by the school canteen. We think this is the most cost-effective way to serve the meals to the children and one that cuts down food miles.

My children attend Assunta Primary School. Can they join your tutorial sessions?

The tutorial sessions are taught by volunteer teachers. As we have a limited number of teachers, we are unable to offer tutorials (and lunches) other than to the children who are part of the Harinder Veriah Trust Scheme. The School’s Welfare Officer identifies the children most in need of assistance and, in consultation with the Trust in Malaysia, enrols them in the Trust scheme.

How much money does HVT spend on administration?

100% of the proceeds from our supporters are spent on the children. There are no costs of administration either in Malaysia or the UK. We may occasionally raise ear-marked funds to pay for specific requirements that the Trustees cannot provide (eg, our website).

How do you select children for your programme?

Children are selected purely based on need. All our children come from very low-income families (including single-parent families). Please see question 10 above explaining the process by which the children are selected.

Can I become a member of the Harinder Veriah Trust?

We are not a membership organisation but we welcome and encourage our supporters to join the conversation on our Facebook page or Twitter feed.

Where can I find out more about the anti-racism law in Hong Kong?

Please read Harinder Veriah’s Story which can be found under the What We Do tab. And at the end of the article you will find a list of further articles that you can read. The campaign for anti-racist legislation was inspired by the inquest in Hong Kong in autumn 2000 into Harinder’s death and the revelations about the racism she suffered in hospital. The legislation was finally introduced in July 2008.

Was the Trust instrumental in bringing the lawsuit against Ruttonjee Hospital and the introduction of the anti-racism legislation in Hong Kong?

No, the lawsuit against the Hong Kong Hospital Authority was brought by Martin Jacques and his son Ravi. Two of our trustees, however, were directly involved in the case. Frances Swaine, the secretary of the Trust and managing partner of Leigh Day, was the lead solicitor, and Christopher Gibson QC, the treasurer of the Trust, was the lead barrister.