Help feed Indian orphans during the pandemic
Tax deductible
The project in question is the Ananda Marga Orphanage and Primary School, located in an impoverished area of Shillong, in the northeast corner of India. Our goal is to raise $5,000. Any donation – no matter how small – will help make an impact in the lives of these children.
Who we are
We are a small group of former volunteers who have worked directly with Didi (the orphanage director and school principal) and the children in the past. We have personally shared their struggles and feel a strong desire to support their efforts to improve their simple facilities. Our time with the orphans and schoolchildren left permanent places in our hearts and we hope that by contributing to this cause, you will also feel that you are making a difference in the lives of Didi, the eight children, and all the school children who will return to school once the current crisis is over.
About the School & Orphanage
The school and orphanage are both run by a hardworking woman named Didi. She lives onsite, raises the eight girls living there, and manages the school. The property is very basic with three buildings – two school buildings and a small residential building.
The school educates approximately 90 – 100 local children in a normal year, aged 3 to 13. It currently has six classrooms, but needs nine so some of the classes share a room. It is a very poor school and many families struggle to pay the minimal school fees for their children.
Financial Needs
The school and orphanage have many financial needs, both short and long term. For now, we are focusing mainly on the short term needs.
This summer, our group of former volunteers donated funds to enable Didi to complete the construction of new toilets and a bathroom building. The toilets and bathroom were in the process of being rebuilt when the lockdown started and ended up costing more money to continue the construction during that time. Summer is the rainy season and so it was important to get a roof on these toilets quickly to provide basic facilities for the children.
In total, we are hoping to raise $5,000 to help meet the following needs:
- Ongoing food needs of the orphanage. Didi needs approximately $135 (10,000 rupees) per month to feed the eight children. In normal times, Didi is able to collect some of this and supplement it with donations of food and other materials from the local businesses, but obviously, during corona times, not many people can provide assistance. She has very little money for the children’s food needs in the coming months. We would like to provide her with more security in meeting these basic needs.
In addition to providing more comfort to Didi in knowing she can pay for food, funds will also go towards contributing to the following repairs of the orphanage and school property:
- New septic tank to store the toilet waste. The government has already committed to emptying the septic tank when it is full. A new septic tank will cost approximately $800 (60,000 rupees).
- Boundary wall repairs. In the recent heavy rains, part of the boundary wall around the property has collapsed. The repairs will cost approximately $2,000 (150,000 rupees). This wall is important to stop the erosion of soil and water drainage from the school’s land into the neighbor's land in the rainy season, as the school is built on a hillside.
- Stairs leading up to the school’s roof. The school’s roof is currently flat because it will eventually have another level of classrooms. However, this means that the roof accumulates rainwater, especially in the rainy season. If the water is not swept away, it can damage the roof of the school. Stairs to the roof, as well as a little room on the roof to prevent accumulated rainwater flowing down the stairs, will cost around $1,735 (130,000 rupees).
Other information
- Stairs leading up to the school’s roof. The school’s roof is currently flat because it will eventually have another level of classrooms. However, this means that the roof accumulates rainwater, especially in the rainy season. If the water is not swept away, it can damage the roof of the school. Stairs to the roof, as well as a little room on the roof to prevent accumulated rainwater flowing down the stairs, will cost around $1,735 (130,000 rupees).
Other information
The funds raised through this campaign will go through the global non-profit, AMURTEL, which will forward it to the Ananda Marga School & Orphanage in India. The mission of AMURTEL is to provide immediate and long term relief to women and children in need.
Thanks in advance for your kind contribution to this cause that means so much to us.
Sincerely,
Laura, Seb & Malati
Please note that some of the pictures in the video are from the past trips of volunteers. All of the pictures of the infrastructure needs and improvements are current, but we’ve supplemented current photos with a few past photos to show what life is like at the orphanage and primary school. Much is still the same as in past visits.
For a look at what Laura’s time was like at the orphanage in 2011, take a look at this video: Volunteering at the Shillong orphanage
Thanks in advance for your kind contribution to this cause that means so much to us.
Sincerely,
Laura, Seb & Malati
Please note that some of the pictures in the video are from the past trips of volunteers. All of the pictures of the infrastructure needs and improvements are current, but we’ve supplemented current photos with a few past photos to show what life is like at the orphanage and primary school. Much is still the same as in past visits.
For a look at what Laura’s time was like at the orphanage in 2011, take a look at this video: Volunteering at the Shillong orphanage
Organizer
Laura Hockensmith
Organizer
Jackson Township, PA
Amurtel
Beneficiary