The Fund relies entirely on voluntary contributions from Governments, intergovernmental or nongovernmental organizations, private sector organizations and the public at large. Demand for support from the Fund is expected to grow with the increase in frequency of SPT visits. The minimum sum required on an annual basis to guarantee a functioning Fund designed to support an average of 20 projects per year, with a reasonable level of funding per project (up to US$20,000), is approximately US$500,000. Contributions are therefore required to sustain and consolidate the Fund, in order to enable the Fund to engage with States and provide them with the technical assistance for implementing activities aimed at preventing torture. States and other donors can support torture prevention activities through their contributions to the OPCAT Special Fund and, in so doing, sustain projects addressing real gaps and needs in torture prevention. Information on how to contribute to the Fund is contained in the Annex 6 of the Guide.61 For questions relating to the Fund, contact should be made with opcatfund@ohchr.org. The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (UNVFVT) While the OPCAT Special Fund provides technical assistance for torture prevention projects, the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture provides direct assistance to victims of torture and their family members. It aims at healing the physical and psychological consequences of torture on victims and their families, and thus restoring their dignity and role in society. Many civil society organizations supported by UNVFVT, which are helping victims to claim their right to redress, have developed professional skills for identifying and documenting torture. Many of these organizations, including rehabilitation centres and medical facilities, cooperate with NPMs on the ground, including in the sharing of expertise and specialized skills that are essential both for the prevention of torture and for the rehabilitation of its victims. Both Funds, the UNVFVT and the OPCAT Special Fund, encourage such collaboration since prevention and assistance to victims are two sides of the same coin. © UN/OHCHR Burundi Photo 61 Information is also available on the OPCAT Special Fund web page: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/OPCAT/Fund/Pages/Contribute.aspx. 36 I PREVENTING TORTURE: THE ROLE OF NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS – A PRACTICAL GUIDE