The team have been in the Chennai slum meeting children and their families again today. Today is a public holiday in Chennai which made it easier for the older children to attend without missing lessons. It's encouraging meeting the older children and hearing about their dreams and aspirations for the future, for studying at college and the career paths they'd like to follow.

We wanted to share the story of Uvasree, who you can see with her mother in the photograph below.

Three year old Uvasree has hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) and needs ongoing medical care. Her mother is a single parent and is unable to work due to the demands of caring for her daughter. There is no system for child benefit or disability support here. Sadly, too, the medicine she needs is relatively expensive, costing 600 rupees a month. In addition, Uvasree needs to have a scan which will cost 3000 rupees. To give you an idea of the actual costs of this, the average house-servant in Chennai earns around 1500 rupees a month, which is £21.

Healthcare costs are an ongoing difficulty here. As we talk to the children and their parents we are learning that many of the children have not had full immunisations or adequate treatment for their medical problems. For families who are barely earning enough to cover the basic costs of living, these things are prohibitive.

Sponsoring these children does make a difference, but some situations need more help. The alternative gifts scheme gives opportunity to meet some specific needs like Uvasree's.

If you would like to help, here are a few ways forward:

• explore more how to sponsor a child such as Uvasree, for just £8 per month
• sign up to sponsor a child online or by standing order or by cheque in the post
• buy medicine for children in Chennai as an alternative gift for a friend or family member
• set up a standing order to contribute regularly to the costs of medication using this form
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