Shelter sponsorship — not tied to one child
A safe roof, and adults to rely on
Twenty-six children live safely in Battambang, at the shelter neighbours nickname “the children’s island”. Your sponsorship funds this place, its team and its procedures. Not one individual case file.
What AVEC does for these twenty-six children
Some children cannot stay with their families. Abuse, severe neglect, abandonment, exposure to trafficking. For them, Battambang police and the Ministry of Social Affairs turn to AVEC. We take them in. Not as an emergency stopgap, but for the long term of rebuilding a life.
Every admission follows a strict procedure under Cambodian law, together with MoSVY and the police. AVEC’s approach sets one non-negotiable rule: we never separate siblings. When a girl is removed from a dangerous environment, her sisters and brothers come with her. The existing family bond, however fragile, is too precious to be broken apart again.
Three phases to rebuild a childhood
A stay at the shelter is not open-ended. It is a three-stage path, designed to guide each child towards stability.
1
Stabilisation
From zero to six months. A move to safety, back to simple routines: three meals a day, a room, a routine. Medical and psychological assessment. First bonds with the team.
2
Resocialisation
From six months to several years. Schooling, community life, regular psychological support, ongoing care. The child finds a place within a group and learns to trust adults again.
3
Independence
Through to full independence, sometimes beyond the age of twenty-five. Preparation for work or higher education, a first job, a first home. The shelter becomes an address to return to, not a place to depend on.
In 2025, three young people were reintegrated with their extended families, with continued support from AVEC. These are three rebuilt life paths. Three places freed up to welcome three new children.
What your sponsorship funds, in practice
Day-to-day accommodation
A room, a bed, personal belongings. Water, electricity, the upkeep of a secure, flower-filled place that has to stay welcoming.
Three meals a day
Three hundred and sixty-five days a year. For many children arriving at the shelter, it is the first time they have eaten at regular hours.
Full schooling
School fees, uniform, supplies, transport. Extra tuition where needed. Dropping out of school is not an option.
Psychological support
Regular sessions with a psychologist, trauma care, support through the process of rebuilding.
Medical care
Medical check-ups, vaccinations, treatment, the dentist. Everything that was missed before and now needs catching up on.
The care team
Cambodian care workers present day and night, under Theavy Bun’s supervision. A stable, trained team that does not change every six months.
Choose your monthly commitment
Accommodation, schooling, meals, care, supervision: a month at the shelter represents a full budget per child. You cover it together with other sponsors, and you cover it for the long term.
30 CHF
per month
Regular support
60 CHF
per month
Extended commitment
100 CHF
per month
Meals, school and a share of care costs
You can stop, pause or change your sponsorship at any time, with a simple email. Donations are tax-deductible in Switzerland and France.
What you receive in return
The shelter’s quarterly report
Four times a year, concrete news: what has been done, the budgets committed, collective progress, photos of daily life (faces blurred or turned away), accounts from the care team.
A physical welcome pack
Within ten days of your commitment, an envelope arrives at your home. A card signed by Patrik Roux and Theavy Bun, a photo of the team and the place, a detailed sheet of the actions funded, and a small symbolic item made by young people at the centre.
A possible visit to the shelter
Once or twice a year, AVEC organises sponsor visits to Battambang. You see the place for yourself, share a meal with the team, and talk with Theavy. Supervised, and respectful of the children’s daily life.
Frequently asked questions about shelter sponsorship
Why don’t I receive a photo and first name for a child?
Because the children living at the shelter are minors, and vulnerable. Their privacy, their right to be forgotten and their safety come before the emotional triggers of humanitarian marketing. You sponsor the programme, the team, the place. Our full approach to ethics is explained here.
How long do I need to commit for?
There is no minimum duration. The recurring donation can be stopped at any time, with a simple email to our team. But we honestly ask you to consider a horizon of at least twelve months: rebuilding a child’s life takes time, and our budget planning relies on the stability of these commitments.
Who are the twenty-six children currently at the shelter?
We do not disclose their individual details. What we can say publicly: they are twenty-six children and young people, girls and boys, aged 9 to 27, from Battambang province and neighbouring provinces, all admitted by decision of the Cambodian Ministry of Social Affairs and the police. Places become free when children reach independence or return to their extended families.
Is my donation really tax-deductible?
Yes. AVEC is an association recognised as being of public benefit in Switzerland and an association of general interest in France. Each year, in January or February, you receive an official tax certificate for your donations from the previous year, to attach to your tax return.
What happens if I can no longer pay?
You write to us. We stop. No justification required, no awkward follow-up. Sponsorship is a commitment from the heart, not a contractual trap.