In June 2022, Jamie Schagat made the commitment to sponsor a child, a girl called Daevy aged eight, with Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF).
It was just the beginning of a remarkable pledge to help as many disadvantaged children from Cambodia as possible, taking on multiple more sponsorships last year, the majority girls.
Jamie’s generosity means that children living in one of the most impoverished parts of Cambodia and the region have the opportunity to attend school and end the generational cycle of poverty.
I do want girls to feel empowered and be encouraged to know that they can become whatever they want to
The impact Jamie is having on the life of Daevy and the other girls with CCF she is sponsoring is particularly profound.
There continue to be significant inequalities for Cambodian girls in accessing education with female students statistically more likely to drop out of secondary school.
CCF strives to give all girls access to school and sponsorship is crucial for sustained funding of critical programs such as education and family support, which ensures girls can stay in class and not drop out.”
“I do want girls to feel empowered and be encouraged to know that they can become doctors, lawyers or teachers,” says Jamie, 47.
“Equally if they want to focus more on a family than a career, that’s great, but I want it to be a personal choice.
“I also think there’s a comfort level with sponsoring girls. I feel like I can relate a little bit easier, I can connect with them.”
I want to be proactive with changing somebody's life
Jamie lives in Long Island, New York, and first heard about CCF through a television documentary about Scott Neeson, the founder of CCF, and was moved by his dedication to help the marginalized children of Cambodia.
It led her to investigate more about the role she herself could play in transforming the lives of Cambodian children.
Jamie, who works as a rehab counselor helping adults with both vision and hearing loss get into the workforce, wanted to make more of an impact beyond donating and decided sponsoring would offer a more personal experience.
“I don’t have children myself and I’m never going to have children myself, and I have always thought well, I can’t do that but I can do this. I want to be proactive with changing somebody's life,” says Jamie.
As a girl, I love having a female sponsor because I can share my stories with her
Her first two sponsored children left the CCF Program, and then she started sponsoring Daevy.
Daevy has benefitted from the unique bond between a CCF sponsor and their child, and especially enjoys having an older woman figure in her life.
“As a girl, I love having a female sponsor because I can share my stories with her openly. I feel more comfortable. She may understand me more,” says Daevy, now aged 10.
“Jamie has helped me a lot from the beginning. She supports my education and encourages me to study hard. She has told me that school is so important for my future.
“Having a sponsor feels like I have a new family member, or a new friend, who is close to me. I am happy to have her in my life.”
It didn’t take long for Jamie to sponsor another CCF child. A little over six months after sponsoring Daevy, she welcomed another CCF girl, Rithy, into her life in January 2023.
Four more followed two months later, her CCF family expanded again with another three girls and a boy.
Jamie went on to sponsor more CCF children, with ages ranging from five to 11 years old.
“I just love doing it and I love hearing their different stories,” explains Jamie.
“When you first start sponsoring, the children share their background, their life stories, and it's a great way of getting the relationship going. You don’t get that from other organizations.
“I also like the fact it’s a one–to-one sponsorship, that you have interaction with the children on a regular basis, and because it’s by email, you are not waiting months to hear back.”
Corresponding with all her sponsor kids takes some planning to keep up with who has emailed and whether she’s replied, but Jamie makes sure to fit it in between working.
She feels a connection to each child. One boy, for instance, wanted to be an engineer, the same as her late father. Another child has special needs and Jamie has a disability herself.
“I consider them to be children that I can have a positive influence on and mentor, and have a long-distance relationship with,” she says.
“I can be there to encourage them and let them know that I’m here for them.”
It’s the best sponsorship organization that I have come across
Seeing how her sponsored children enjoy the relationship and interaction is special.
“The love that this particular group of children show for the sponsors is really nice. They are really appreciative,” says Jamie.
“The experience through CCF is much more personalized (than bigger charities) and much more rewarding than other organizations because they are larger and not so personal.”
She is a huge advocate for the power of sponsoring to change the life of the sponsor as much as the child.
“If anyone is considering sponsoring through CCF I would say go for it if you can. It’s worth it and it’s the best sponsorship organization that I have come across, and it will lead to lasting relationships with the children.”
