VRI virtual gift scheme: buy bricks for an Indian school
buy your friends a pile of bricks
our partner project in India works to ensure that girls have the same access to education as boys
Jafar Pur school is already in use, but more classrooms are needed
give a child a brighter future
Buy your friends a pile of bricks!
Birthday? Mother's Day? Valentine? Give a gift that's really wanted.
We've all received gifts that have then languished in cupboards or been sold on at car boot sales. And let's be honest, we've probably given some too. So why not consider giving a different kind of present?
The UK registered charity VRI (registered charity no. 285872) is selling bricks that will be used to build a classroom in the village of Jafar Pur, northern India, enabling you to give a gift with a real difference. We'll produce an attractive certificate for you to give to your friends and family explaining where their bricks are and what the project will achieve - and can guarantee this is one gift that won't lie unwanted in a drawer!
The villagers of Jafarpur have asked for the help of VRI's partner project in India in building this classroom, which will help the existing Jafarpur school provide classes for older children and offer exams on-site. Developing the Jafarpur school will also encourage local parents to send their daughters to school, as local, rural schools are seen as safer than those in large towns and cities.
We have a variety of packages available depending on how many bricks you want to buy - perfect for anything from stocking-fillers and Secret Santa presents to major gifts. We can add a personalised message to your gift certificate.
So if you don't want to give another pair of socks, please consider giving a pile of bricks instead!
How many?
We have piles of bricks to suit all budgets:
- Secret Santa - 20 bricks - £3
- Quarter-century of bricks - 25 bricks - £4
- Half-century of bricks - 50 bricks - £8
- 70 bricks - £11
- 100 bricks - £16
- Larger packages (including a whole wall or even a whole classroom!) - please contact us; we would be happy to arrange it!.
What am I buying?
Your gift of bricks includes the bricks themselves and a corresponding proportion of the costs of other materials and labour needed to build the whole classroom.
How do I buy my bricks?
- Choose what size pile you require.
- If you want your certificate printed and posted to you, please add 90p for printing and postage. (alternatively, we can e-mail the certificate to you free of charge for you to print yourself)
- Make a secure credit card donation via the Charities Aid Foundation e-fundraising website. Just click on the link, check that the charity displayed is "Indian Volunteers for Community Service", then click on the "Donate" link, and quote "pile of bricks" in the description.
- You will receive an e-mail receipt from CAF. Forward it as an attachment to bricks@ivcs.org.uk, adding any personalised message you would like to appear on the certificate. If you want a printed certificate, please specify the address it is to go to ** remember to add 90p to the price of your pile of bricks if you want a certificate printed and posted to you.
- You will receive a reply from VRI by e-mail, either containing a pdf file for you to print out, or letting you know the certificate has been posted to you. (Please be patient: this scheme is being run by volunteers, so it could be a couple of days before you receive your reply).