The Mite Scheme was created in 1986 by Roy Barnett MBE. Since then it has grown and is now supported by almost 100 different organisations, mainly but not exclusively Christian churches of various denominations. The money raised by the Mite scheme is used to fund Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) for severely dehydrated children.
About Oral Rehydration Therapy
Diarrhoea is very common among children in developing countries. Though treatable, it remains one of the biggest causes of death in children under the age of five, accounting for around 1.8 million young lives every year. This is because children with diarrhoea may lose large quantities of both water and salts, causing dehydration.
ORT is a simple and cheap solution of glucose and salt which is mixed with water and given to severely dehydrated children enabling them to absorb water and recover from the dehydration caused by diarrhoea. UNICEF and its partners distribute these life saving sachets which are provided by donations from Mite and others.
How to get involved
Keith Garner runs the scheme. Please contact him if you and your congregation would like to take part. Most churches support on a regular basis and have a Mite collection at each service and incorporate this into their regular worship.
To ensure that every penny donated to Mite is sent directly to UNICEF with none being spent by Mite on administration or publicity, they ask that you include a stamped, addressed envelope with your donation. They will then send you a receipt and the latest copy of Mite Scheme News, printing of which is donated by one of the supporter churches. Mite promise that they will not send out mailings requesting further donations.
The postal address is:
Keith Garner – Mite Scheme Coordinator
39 Trinity Close
Daventry
Northants
NN11 4RN
The story of the Mite Scheme
In October 1985, founder Roy Barnett was moved by a news report on the 5 million children each year who were dying from diarrhoea. In February 1986 he saw a follow-up report about the development of a cure, ORT, which cost just 5p per child. At the time he was preparing a service based on the widow’s mite story from Mark, (a mite is a coin of low denomination which nonetheless has great significance). The following Sunday his chapel held their first collection of 5p pieces (the ‘mites’) to fund Oral Rehydration Therapy for children in the developing world. A collection has been held at every service since then.
