Frequently Asked Questions

Chase Sizemore incorporated the Teach Them To Fish Foundation on December 28, 2006.

Yes, donations to the Teach Them To Fish Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.  On March 12, 2007, the Internal Revenue Service issued an Advanced Ruling Letter reading in pertinent part: “We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax-exempt status, we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Contributions to you are deductible under section 170 of the Code.  You are also qualified to receive tax-deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under section 2055, 2106, and 2522 of the Code.” [Sic.]

The Teach Them To Fish Foundation is a §501(c)(3) international economic development non-profit public charity that is governed by a Board of Trustees.

The Teach Them To Fish Foundation works to expand access to education, safety, and opportunity for vulnerable children in underserved communities around the world. By building schools, protecting girls at risk of human trafficking, supporting orphaned and at-risk youth, and delivering essential humanitarian aid, we create sustainable pathways for children and families to achieve safety, stability, and long-term independence.

Once funding is secured, the project site is finalized, contractor bids are reviewed and approved, and contracts are signed by local builders and authorized by the Ministry of Education. School construction typically takes four to six months to complete, depending on weather conditions and the remoteness of the location.

Yes. While the Teach Them To Fish Foundation is not a first responder, we maintain a dedicated Disaster Relief Fund to support children and families affected by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. When we are not positioned to deliver direct assistance in the field, we contribute designated funds to the US Fund for UNICEF to support emergency relief efforts. In situations where we have the capacity to respond directly, we provide on-the-ground assistance, as we did during the famine in Cambodia, the bombings in Israel, and the refugee crisis following the May 2014 Thai military coup. Our disaster relief efforts have also supported children impacted by major events, including the 2015 Nepal earthquake,  Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (2013), and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

For many years, the founder personally covered the foundation’s administrative expenses to maximize the impact of donor contributions. As the scope of our work has grown, the Teach Them To Fish Foundation is transitioning to a sustainable funding model that allows the organization to operate responsibly and expand its impact. We remain committed to responsible stewardship of every donation. Contributions support both our direct programs and the essential operational costs required to deliver them effectively, including program management, compliance, and oversight. Whenever possible, members of our Board and supporters help underwrite a portion of administrative and fundraising expenses so that the majority of donor contributions can directly benefit the children and communities we serve.

The Teach Them To Fish Foundation continues to seek donors to help build schools in rural Cambodia and Uganda, where many children still lack access to safe, local education. Depending on the remoteness of the location and the cost of building materials, the construction of a complete primary school typically ranges from $75,000 to $125,000. Each school generally includes five classrooms, student desks and chairs, teacher desks, separate toilet facilities for boys and girls, and an entrance gate.

Donors may choose to fund an entire school or contribute toward a portion of a project. When donors sponsor part of a school, we combine their contributions with those of other supporters to complete the project. Together, we work to expand access to education for vulnerable children while placing a special emphasis on educating girls who are at risk of human trafficking.

School locations are selected based on areas of greatest need. We work closely with the Ministry of Education, which conducts annual assessments to identify communities lacking adequate school facilities. In some cases, we also receive direct requests from principals, educators, or trusted community partners. Regardless of how a request is received, we never move forward with a project without first visiting the site, conducting our own due diligence, and coordinating with the Ministry of Education to ensure the project meets the needs of the community and aligns with national education priorities.

Representative photographs and videos documenting our school projects from site preparation through construction and completion are available on our Media Gallery and Facebook page. All school construction projects are undertaken in coordination with and approved by the relevant Ministry of Education.

Once we complete the construction of a school, we turn the school over to the local villagers and the schools become an official Cambodian or Ugandan government school. Thereafter, the government maintains the buildings. Admission to the school is always free. Improvement features are managed by the Teach Them To Fish Foundation through the generosity of our donors.

Yes, we encourage our donors whenever possible to provide libraries, bookcases, books, water wells, water filters, and fences to keep the cows out of the classrooms.

The teachers are employees of the Ministry of Education and are paid a guaranteed monthly salary by the Ministry of Education. The Teach Them To Fish Foundation, however, provides additional in-kind support on an as-need basis.

The curricula are set by the Ministry of Education of Cambodia and Uganda.  If we have special funding for English programs, we are able to provide English classes.  Otherwise, our goal is to teach the children to pass their high school entrance exam so that the government will fully fund the children’s education.

Our schools typically educate 200 to 400 students. We have, however, been surprised from time to time. For example, at one of the schools in rural Uganda, shortly after opening the school, more than 500 students enrolled, only later to add an additional 200+ students.

 Yes, donors and their guests may visit the school at the groundbreaking and/or opening ceremony. If you are interested in visiting the school, please ask us for a “Travel Pack” to help to inform you about traveling and visiting the school. We also recommend that you read your government’s Traveler’s Checklist. (For United States citizens, click here for the Department of State’s Traveler’s Checklist.)

The groundbreaking and opening ceremonies are important to the villagers and students. It is a major event in their lives. We ask that you let us know what day you would like to hold the ceremony so that we may let the villagers know in advance. The villagers will help us arrange the ceremony. Your local hotel may assist you in hiring an air-conditioned SUV (usually a Toyota) that seats four plus the driver. Vans are also available. Our in-country coordinator will meet you at the school and interpret for you. (Please see representative videos of past opening ceremonies on our Media Gallery and Facebook page.)  We will invite local government officials, villagers, teachers, and the children to attend the ceremony. We cannot, however, predict how many people will attend. To prepare for the ceremony, for example in Cambodia, the villagers often build a platform and canopy for the guests to protect the guests from the harsh sun and/or rain. The ceremony usually begins in the morning and lasts for several hours during which time the attending officials and donors give speeches. After the ceremony, the donor tours the school.

In addition to your travel expenses (e.g., airfare, hotel, food, and local transportation), we suggest the following. The cost of the ceremony ranges from $750 to $1,000. We ask that the donor share the cost with the villagers. Any costs associated with the ceremony that we advance (such as hiring a car, platform for the ceremony, or any gifts for distribution at the ceremony), we ask that the donor reimburse us after the ceremony. The cost of the SUV typically ranged from $175 to $250 dollars, for example from Phnom Pehn to the school, round trip (depending on the remoteness of the school and time of the year.). A van is available for an additional charge. We suggest, but it is not required, that you give a $15 per diem to our in-country coordinator.

Many donors chose to give gifts such as rice for daily breakfasts, shoes (about $2.00 a pair), a set of school supplies for each child, or sports equipment (such as soccer balls, volleyball, and nets or jump ropes) that will be shared among the students. Donors may go to the market and purchase these items in advance. They are surprisingly inexpensive.