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Hold a Hand and adoption
Is Hold a Hand adoption?
No. Hold a Hand is sponsorship. You support a child's schooling, meals and care, fully or in part. You don't gain any legal or parental rights, and the child stays with their family or in their registered home. If you want to adopt a child legally, start with CARA at cara.wcd.gov.in. Read the full explanation
How does Hold a Hand work?
Each child's profile lists their real needs, item by item: fees, books, uniform, meals, health & care. You fund one need or a whole year, once or monthly. Other Saathis can add to the same need until it's fully funded.
How long does a sponsorship last?
A Hold a Hand cycle runs for a school year or 12 months, as set for each child. You can give once, give monthly for as long as you like, or renew at the end of the cycle.
What's the smallest amount I can give?
₹100. Every need shows exactly how much is left.
Can several people support the same child?
Yes. A child can have more than one Saathi. You can also form a Saathi Circle with friends or colleagues. Each member pays their own share and gets their own receipt.
Where do the children come from?
They live in registered shelter homes run by government or by other organisations, or with their families. Saath Foundation doesn't run a home. How we choose partner homes
Can I write to the child I support?
Yes, through your donor panel. Our team reads every message before it's passed on, and replies come back the same way. We never share phone numbers, addresses or social media, in either direction.
Bachon ki padhai ke liye daan kaise karein?
Hold a Hand se aap ek bachche ki padhai, khana aur dekhbhaal ka kharcha, poora ya thoda, de sakte hain. Aapko dikhega ki aapka har rupaya kahan gaya.
Where the money goes
Does my money go to the child or their family?
It goes to Saath Foundation. Saath Foundation then pays for the need you chose: the school, the bookshop, the uniform shop. We don't hand cash to children or families for listed needs.
How can I see where my money went?
Sign in to your donor panel. Your Rupee Trail shows each payment made from your gift: the vendor Saath Foundation paid, the category, the date, the amount and the payment reference, plus anything still held for that need. Public pages show category totals. How it works
Why does it say "still held"?
The money has arrived but the bill isn't due yet. For example, next term's fees are paid when the school asks for them.
How much goes to running Saath Foundation?
We publish the share every year on our Impact page. Gifts to a child's listed need pay for that need. Every rupee you give for a child goes to that child's needs. Saath Foundation's running costs are paid only from gifts made for them, such as the optional amount at checkout, which starts at ₹0.
Will I be asked to add a tip or a fee?
No. If you want to help cover Saath Foundation's running costs, there's a separate, optional line at checkout. It starts at ₹0 and stays there unless you change it.
What happens if a need gets more money than it needs?
The extra goes to the next child on Hold a Hand, the one who has been waiting longest for support. You'll see the transfer in your Rupee Trail. We tell you at checkout, before you pay.
What happens if the child I support leaves the program?
Any unspent balance goes to the next child on Hold a Hand, the one who has been waiting longest for support. You'll see the transfer in your Rupee Trail. We'll write to you and explain your options.
Tax: 80G (now Section 133)
Is my gift tax-deductible?
If you pay Indian income tax and file under the old tax regime, yes. Gifts to Saath Foundation are eligible under 80G (now Section 133 of the Income-tax Act, 2025). There's no deduction under the new regime. Read our 80G guide
What do I need to claim?
Add your name, address and PAN at checkout. We'll show you a preview before you pay and email your receipt as soon as the payment is confirmed.
When will I get my Form 114 (earlier Form 10BE) certificate?
After we file our annual statement of donations, which is due by 31 May following the tax year. We'll email you, and it'll be in your donor panel.
Do books and clothes count?
No. In-kind gifts aren't deductible. You can add an online cash gift if you'd like a receipt.
I made a mistake in my PAN. What now?
Write to help@thesaathfoundation.com with your receipt number. We'll cancel the receipt and issue a corrected one.
Giving from abroad
I'm an Indian citizen living abroad. How do I give?
The same way as donors in India, through our regular checkout. We'll ask for your Indian passport number and a short declaration that the money is from your own savings through normal banking channels.
I'm an OCI or PIO cardholder, or a foreign citizen. How do I give?
Through our FCRA route. Fill in the details FCRA requires, and we'll give you a unique reference and bank-transfer (SWIFT) instructions for our FCRA account at SBI, New Delhi Main Branch. Give from abroad
Can I pay by international card?
Not yet. Gifts from foreign citizens come by bank transfer (SWIFT) for now. We'll add other ways when we can do so within FCRA rules.
When does my transfer count towards a child's needs?
We hold the amount for you while the transfer is on its way. It counts once SBI confirms it has reached our FCRA account. That usually takes 5 working days.
Will I get a tax receipt?
You'll get an FCRA acknowledgement receipt. Foreign citizens can't claim an Indian tax deduction. For tax relief where you live, please ask your own tax adviser.
Visits: Meet Your Saathi
Can I meet the child I support?
Yes, through Meet Your Saathi. Every visit happens only at a venue Saath Foundation hires for that event, with the child's guardian and our staff present the whole time. We never arrange visits at a child's home, school or partner home.
When can I visit?
In your first year, you can join Saath Milan group days. After 12 months of sponsorship, and once you've attended a Saath Milan, you can ask for an individual visit. Register for a Saath Milan at least 3 weeks ahead, and request an individual visit at least 8 weeks ahead.
What do I need to do first?
Verify your photo ID, send a police verification certificate from the last 12 months, sign a declaration, give two references, accept our Visitor Code of Conduct, and complete a short online safeguarding orientation.
How often can a child have visitors?
At most 3 times a year (2 Saath Milan days and 1 individual visit), at least 8 weeks apart, and never during school hours. This keeps children's school and home life calm.
Can I bring a gift?
Yes: something new, worth up to ₹500, that the family can share. Staff hand it over. No cash, ever.
Can I take photos?
No. Staff take photos with consent and share them in your donor panel. Please don't post photos of children online.
What if the visit can't go ahead?
A child or guardian can say no at any time, and that never affects the child's support. We'll let you know the visit couldn't be arranged, and offer a staff-hosted video call or the next Saath Milan.
Privacy
How do you protect children's privacy?
Public profiles show only a first name or chosen name, an age band and a district. Never a surname, school, street, village or real photo. A child's photo is seen only by their Saathis, in their reports, and only with consent. We don't run analytics or tracking on children's pages.
Will I see the school's name in my Rupee Trail?
Only for a child you sponsor who lives with their family, once you've verified your ID and the guardian has agreed. For a child in a partner home, or one you've met, it shows as "a school in its district". A general donation shows no school at all. Every other vendor paid from your gift is shown, for you alone. Please don't contact any vendor about a child. It breaks our donor terms and suspends your account.
What do you do with my data?
We use it to process your gift, issue receipts, report donations to the tax department as the law requires, and send the updates you've chosen. We don't sell or share it for marketing. Privacy policy
Can I give anonymously?
Yes, in public. You'll appear as "Anonymous Saathi" on any supporter list. We still need your name and contact details privately to issue a receipt and keep our records lawful.
How do I see, correct or delete my data?
From "Privacy" in your donor panel, or by writing to our grievance officer, Anshu Aggarwal, at help@thesaathfoundation.com. We have to keep some records, such as receipts, for as long as tax law requires.
Refunds
Can I get a refund?
No. Donations are non-refundable, including if you change your mind. The exception is a mistake: if you were charged twice, entered the wrong amount, or were charged for a payment that failed, write to help@thesaathfoundation.com within 30 days and we'll put it right. Card chargebacks are also reversed. Refund policy
How are refunds paid?
To the same card, UPI account or bank account you paid from. If you had a tax receipt, we cancel it and leave the gift out of our tax report. Gifts from abroad are refunded from our FCRA account only.
How long does a refund take?
We aim to start it within 3 working days of agreeing to it. Your bank may take a few more days to show it.
Monthly gifts
How do monthly gifts work?
Choose "Monthly" at checkout and set up UPI Autopay or a card mandate. We'll remind you before each payment and send a receipt after it.
Is there a limit on monthly gifts?
Monthly gifts up to ₹15,000 run automatically. Above that, your bank asks you to approve each payment, so we suggest keeping monthly gifts at or below ₹15,000.
How do I pause, change or cancel?
In your donor panel, under "Monthly gifts". One tap each, no phone call needed. Changes apply from your next payment. Cancelling stops future payments only; payments already made aren't refunded.
What if a payment fails?
We'll let you know and try again in a few days. If it keeps failing, we'll ask you to update your mandate. Your Saathi status stays active for 7 days while you sort it out.
Safety
I'm worried about a child. What should I do?
If a child is in immediate danger, call 112 or Childline 1098 now. Otherwise, report a concern. You can do it anonymously.
How do you check volunteers?
Every volunteer teacher is interviewed, gives two references, passes police verification, completes safeguarding training and signs our code of conduct before teaching. Sessions are always in groups with a second adult present.