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At such a young age, Jai* is already facing challenges way beyond his years.

When Jai’s father was diagnosed with cancer his family was plunged into sudden poverty.  Although his parents do their best to hide it, Jai knows how stressed they are by their financial situation. 

Jai does his best every single day and longs to make his parents proud – but his constant worry makes it hard to concentrate on schoolwork. He wants to be an engineer, just like his father, but he’s falling far behind, especially in maths, which used to be his favourite subject. He’s starting to think his hopes are out of reach.  

All donations of $2 and over are tax deductable

Jai's parents are really worried that Jai may miss his chance to have a great future because the impacts of poverty are holding him back and preventing him from achieving his full potential.

I feel so bad when I get things wrong in class. I get so worried that sometimes my stomach hurts.
Jai, aged 7
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The challenges of poverty have shattered Jai’s confidence.

Boy sitting at kitchen table alone doing homework
Without ongoing and targeted learning support, children like Jai won't be able to get the most out of their education.

The challenges of poverty have shattered Jai’s confidence.

When Jai was 2, his family moved to Australia when his dad was offered a job in a rural area with a severe shortage of skilled engineers.

Then last year his dad fell ill and could no longer work. For a while, the family got by on the income Jai’s mum earned from casual work – but COVID-19 hit and, like many casual workers, she lost her job.  

Struggling to simply pay their rent and needing to be nearer the hospital, the family has had to relocate twice. Each time, Jai has had to change schools – severely disrupting his learning. 

Always being the ‘new kid’ makes school very daunting. Jai feels lonely and anxious every time he walks through the school gates, and has become quiet and withdrawn in class.

It’s not just changing schools that has set Jai back. COVID-19 lockdowns have been especially hard on children like him, who don’t have the resources they need to manage remote learning. 

Jai has gone from being a star pupil in maths to falling far behind. He now believes he’ll “never be any good at anything.”

All donations of $2 and over are tax deductable

Without help Jai may never achieve his dreams

I am so proud to see how hard my children work but so troubled to see how Jai is struggling and how sad it has made him. I only wish I was well enough to help him.
Jai’s dad.

A school boy is standing alone in a playground
Jai struggles at school and feels like he doesn't belong.

Children who are living in poverty can be as much as 3 years behind their peers in reading and maths by the age of 151. Falling behind impacts their confidence and makes it even harder to learn. As their self-esteem erodes, there’s a serious risk they’ll lose all motivation and eventually give up on their education altogether.

Unless Jai gets the urgent help he needs, he could face a lifetime trapped in a devastating cycle of poverty.

You can help set Jai on the path to a better future

Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Your kindness today will help provide out-of-school learning support and mentoring programs to help children like Jai catch up on their learning and rebuild their shattered confidence. By intervening early with vital support, you can help change the whole course of a child’s life.

  • You can help Jai attend one of our out-of-school Learning Clubs, Term 1 2022, where he’ll get help to catch up and keep up.
  • Your support will give Jai a greater chance of staying motivated and completing his education in Year 122.
  • This will help Jai reach his full potential and give him the best possible options for this future.

We need your help to provide our crucial learning support programs to 11,668 disadvantaged children who urgently need it next year. This Christmas, you can help make sure no child has to miss out.
Doug Taylor, CEO, The Smith Family

Who we are

With your support The Smith Family supports Australian children in disadvantage to get the most out of their education and gain the skills they need and realise their potential.
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how you can help

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* Jai's name, location and associated images have been changed to protect their identity.
1Thomson et al, 2011, Challenges for Australian Education: Results from PISA 2009.
2 Attendance Lifts Achievement Report 2018.