Christmas Party for Pavement School Kids

This just in from Priyanka:

The Street School For Street Kids had their Annual party on 26th December Sunday at Prabodhan Hall, Goregaon West. There were 150 kids who attended the party. You can imagine the excitement levels of these kids and when the games began it was hard to control them! The kids had lots of fun with games and prizes to be won followed by a magic show organised specially for them! Though we had planned to wrap up the party by noon it went on way past 1 o'clock.

The party was special for all these kids but what made it very special was lots of kind hearted souls who came forward and chipped in with their contributions. Many people had also written to us with a desire to contribute. Thank you so much for writing in to us! It means a lot.

So three cheers to all you lovely people for going out of your way to bring a smile on our kids' faces.

On behalf of the team I would like to thank Prabodh Desai for organising the hall for us and also the snacks from the Prabodhan canteen. Thank you Shivani Rege for the soft drinks, Karishma Upadhyay for chocolates. Also many thanks to Mona Dubey, Rajkumar Manohar and Preeti Thomas for game prizes. Last but not the least a very big thank you to all the students of Vibgyor High Grade 9, ICSE for the lovely Christmas gifts that they contributed to for our pavement school kids. Thanks also to the Principal of Vibgyor High Mr. Shim Mathew and also Ms.Naghma Shaikh for all their efforts and their support to our school.

Regards

Priyanka Chaturvedi

Christmas Party for Pavement School kids

This just in from Priyanka:

Planning to have the annual street school party on 26th December, Sunday at the same place as last year (Prabodhan Hall, Goregaon West). If anyone would be interested in contributing for the party do let me know. The gifts are being donated by Vibgyor High students.
Let me know if you are interested and hoping that you all can attend the event.

If anyone would like to contribute to the party in any way or attend as a wellwisher, do write in to us at indiahelps@gmail.com, with your telephone number. We will get in touch. Thank you.

Request for space at Khan Market

An appeal:

 

 

Dear Reader,
My name is Ravi Gulati. I am a co-founder of Manzil, an NGO located in Khan Market, New Delhi. Manzil empowers children and youth from low-income families by providing resources and a platform to learn, teach and be creative. Through empowering, Manzil seeks to create an environment that seeds the next generation of sound Indian and global citizens. We have been doing this for the last 13 years, with little institutional funding, and minimal contributions from caring individuals. For more information about us, please see: www.manzil.in.

Manzil needs your help…

We work with about 150 students and run 45 classes a week from a small house in Khan Market where my family and I live as well, and two tiny quarters in Sujan Singh Park. Apart from classes in English, Maths & Computers, we have been giving equal importance to the opening of young minds, broadening of their horizons and the enhancement of their self-expression, confidence and creativity through the Arts, like Theatre, Dance and Music. Although this has been difficult logistically, through determination and perseverance, we have been at it for the last 13 years. However, to continue our journey any further, we need your help.

Within the coming year, we will be moving out and, after 13 years, the house in Khan Market will not be available for this work. Consequently, we'll be shifting all operations to Sujan Singh Park. Managing over 150 students and 45 classes per week from two small quarters will be difficult, as I am sure you can imagine. Unfortunately, due to space limitations at Sujan Singh Park, we will have to discontinue our theatre, dance and music classes.

This is where you can help. If you have a place, or know of someone who has, in the vicinity of Khan Market, where our dedicated students can practice, please let us know if you'd like to put it to good, responsible use for the larger benefit of society, for only a small part of time per week.

We will need the space for about 8 hours a week, though we are flexible. And whenever you need it back, we'll be out, instantly (although it would be helpful if you can let us know a little in advance so we can make alternate arrangements much the same way as we are doing now. That said, we do understand that sometimes it is not possible to notify in advance and that would be fine too).

I know that such things can't be decided over long-distance, so if you have even the slightest possibility or inclination, I request you for a personal audience where we can speak of any concern or question that you might have. And, if you so prefer, I'd be thrilled to discuss what excites both you and us about this collaboration.

I hope you have the possibility to help us in the matter; if it won't be easy, I hope you will be inspired to go at least a little out of your way to make the impossible possible. Your collaboration in this important work of cultivating beautiful people would be much appreciated.

Sincerely,

Ravi Gulati
ravi@manzil.in
93122-10396

26/11 – Two years and counting.

It has been two years since five terrorists ripped into our city's peace creating havoc, despair and a sense of vulnerability nothing has been able to restore.

It has also been two years since a group of shaken up, but determined women (and a couple of men) set out to address the unease inside them, the angst and desperation of wanting to reach out, met in a coffee shop. It has been two years since they embarked on a journey of help and support, and came together to from India Helps.

India Helps is not an organization, it isn't a company and it isn't a professionally managed Not For Profit. It is a part of each and every one of the people present in that first meeting, and those that joined after. India Helps has a heart, and soul. It has ethics and morals. It is a reflection of all the hard work that's been put into creating it. Reaching out to victims, fund raising, managing professional and personal lives and most of all, dealing with our own feelings and trying not to be overwhelmed with the victims trauma are just some examples of the work that's gone into India Helps.

India Helps has grown. Where we started with a few 26/11 victims, we now raise funds for pavement schools, teaching over 200 underprivileged children with limited or no access to education.

As we mourn the loss of family, friends and other victims of the attacks, we also in a small, muted way celebrate the strength with which India Helps moves into 2011. Eveready and Energized to go. With renewed faith we await new avenues of reaching out to people.

We'd like to thank all those of you who follow our blog, write in to us, have sent us funds. India Helps would not have sustained such active fundraising if it hadn't been for benevolence such as the kind we've received from you all. Thank you, truly.

 

By Suma Nagmote on behalf of Team India Helps

SaveLIFE Foundation

This very interesting forward from Chandni. If you are interested in participating/contributing, please contact Piyush Tewari directly.

 

 

From: Piyush Tewari (SLF) <piyushtewari@savelifefoundation.org>
To: chandni_parekh@yahoo.com
Sent: Wed, November 17, 2010
Subject: From SaveLIFE Foundation

Dear Chandni,

First off, thank you for spreading the word about SaveLIFE Foundation. I wanted to connect with you to tell you more about SLF and seek your help in raising some funds for our work. Here's a quick introduction to what we do - 

SaveLIFE Foundation

SaveLIFE Foundation is a public charitable trust registered under sections 12AA and 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. As you are perhaps aware, India has the dubious distinction of being world no. 1 in road accident deaths. Every 4 minutes someone loses their life in a road accident somewhere in India. A major reason of such a high number of deaths is that almost 80% victims are unable to achieve access to any care within the first hour of the accident, often called the Golden Hour. Bystanders merely serve as spectators and Police is largely apathetic and untrained to handle the injured. It is a known medical fact that if bleeding can be controlled in time or CPR administered within 15 mins of the pulse stopping, hundreds of lives, which are otherwise lost, can be saved.

Our objective, therefore, is: 1) To train Police to save road accident victims as they are in most cases the first official agency to respond; this training develops the skill-base as well as the emotional quotient of Police officers dealing with road victims, and 2) To train & connect common citizens to help road accident victims. The idea is also to work with the government to create legal and ethical standards for common people to feel free to help road victims. The video on this page will give you more information about what and how we do this: http://young.rolexawards.com/laureates/piyush_tewari. If you like i'll be happy to call you and explain our work in more detail.

Given that we provide this training for free (and there's a well thought-out reason behind that), we have exhausted almost all of our available funds and are struggling to continue training the Police in Delhi. I am therefore contacting several people for help. Each training session caters to 50 police officers and costs us Rs. 5,000 at the very least. In order to complete the training of remaining Police officers we need to raise Rs. 100,000. Given that we are registered under Section 80G of IT Act, donors will get income tax benefit, and on our part we will provide complete details including pictures, names, belt numbers and zones of the Police officers being trained.

Any help from you will be greatly appreciated.

Let me know if you need more information.

Regards,
Piyush
 

--
Piyush Tewari
Founder & President
SaveLIFE Foundation, &
2010 Rolex Young Laureate

Off: 15/2, 1st Floor, East Patel Nagar, N. Delhi-08
Tel: +91 981 816 8116
www.savelifefoundation.org
young.rolexawards.com

SLF|Enabling Bystander Care for Road Accident Victims

Help these children

This from Chandni's blog:

 

 

From: saveachildtrust saveachildtrust <saveachildtrust.spine@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 23, 2010
Subject: Request for Support-"you can change a life"

Dear Sir/Madam

Sub:  Request for Support-"you can change a life"

 

Greetings from Save a Child Trust (SACT)

 

Save A Child Trust (SACT) is a non-profit humanitarian institution started by Dr Kirti Jain (Chairman and Managing Director-GBH American Hospital) and Dr Chirayu Pamecha (Co-Founder SACT, and Spine Surgeon GBH American Hospital) in association with GBH American Hospital, Udaipur.

 

This project was started in July 2008 to help children from economically weaker sections with spinal deformities irrespective of their gender, religion, caste or color.

 

SACT in collaboration with GBH American Hospital Udaipur treats the poor children at a highly subsidized cost. While the Scoliosis correction surgery in a normal hospital costs around Rs4 to 5lakhs, we under our initiative get it done for Rs 2.0to 2.5lakhs.  This amount covers hospitalization, regardless the length of stay for the youngster which is borne by GBH American Hospital and other chargers such as surgery and implant costs, other medical needs, teaching programs and administration, which are raised by SACT from external sources.

 

In this regard, we hope to collaborate with different institutions/individuals which can support us in our endeavors and become a part of our mission.

 

As per your requirement please find enclosed the details.

 

SACT full Contact details: 

Contact person:  Ms.  Shilpa Jaiswal                      Dr.  Chirayu Pamecha

                           Program Manager                        Co-founder SACT, Spine Surgeon

 

Address:  Save a Child Trust

GBH American Hospital

101, Kothi Bagh, Bhatt Ji Ki Bari,

Meera Girls College Road,

Udaipur-313001 (Raj.)

Phone:     +91 294-3056700, 3056000

Fax:           +91 294-2526982

Mobile :    +91 9694656268/9829053531

Email : saveachildtrust.spine@gmail.com, 

Website : www.saveachildtrust.org

 

Exact amount needed and by which date:

The demand for our services is overwhelming. Since our inception in July 2008, we have examined over 300 children in our free clinic and operated 6 children with complex spinal deformities like Scoliosis and Kyphosis. Currently, four children are awaiting treatment/surgrery and SACT is making all efforts to raise necessary funds for them. In the future, we plan to operate at least 24 children annually for which we will need substantial funds.

 

Exact amount required for these 4 children is Rs. 8lkhs. 

 

The break up of the surgery cost is as following:

Particulars	Cost (in Rs)
ICU Charges	4,500
Nursing, Physiotherapy Charges	7,500
Pharmacy and Consumables	20,000
Investigations ( Blood Ix, PFT, CT scan, etc)	14,000
OT Charges	19,000
Implants	1,35,000
Total	2,00,000

 

 Till now Rs. 3.8lkhs has been raised through corporate, individual donations, religious charity.  We are short of Rs. 4.2lkhs. 

 

Looking forward to hearing from you, I remain

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Shilpa Jaiswal Bist

Program Manager, SACT

9694656268/7737671454

The Rs 100 fund

This forward from Chandni:
From: rahul anand <anand.rahul.nsit@gmail.com>
Date: 26 September 2010
Subject: 100 Rupee Club


Hi Chandni,

This is an initiative me and college friend thought and went to Charity Aid Foundation with it. Now, it is live.. called  the 100RupeeClub ,through this one  can be part of 3 initiatives, 3 NGOs by just contributing Rs. 100 monthly. As  of now, only yearly payment (i.e. Rs.1200)has been started.It is part of CAF India's Social Change Fund which invests in livelihoods, education and health initiatives across the country.

 I request you to please spread the word about this initiative to your friends and family. And the join the100 rupee club .Do blog , tweet and help me in promoting this wonderful cause.

100RupeeClub Fb Page

Twitter

--
Regards,
Rahul Anand
@rahulanand

Trash Dash

A mail on the Independence Trash Dash for Mumbaikars

For the 5th consecutive year, this 2nd of October, the Natura Outdoor
Education Trust (NOET) in collaboration with the Rotract Club of
Mumbai Downtown, will host the Independence Trash Dash for Mumbaikars
at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park to do their bit for the country's
forests and enjoy themselves while doing it. ReefWatch is volunteering
by providing volunteers to help manage the crowd, organize the clean
up and help collect and manage the trash

The Trash Dash is essentially a crazy-fun Clean-up Marathon in the
Sanjay Gandhi National Park(SGNP), which sees people of all ages
scramble through the forest, trying to collect the most amount of
garbage; while at the same time having themselves a great time with
the many games and activities along the way.

This year, Trash Dash aims to involve 100 participants in clearing out
almost 1 tonnes of garbage out of our city's precious forests.

About Trash dash

The Trash Dash is essentially a crazy-fun Clean-up Marathon in the
Sanjay Gandhi National Park(SGNP), which sees people of all ages
scramble through the forest, trying to collect the most amount of
garbage; while at the same time having themselves a great time with
the many games and activities along the way.

Assembly & Registrations: 09:00 am at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park main Gate
Flag off: 10:00 am
Culimination & Prize Disrtribution: 12:00pm
Disperse: 01:00pm

Registration Link: http://www.noetindia.org/idtd/register

Website: http://www.noetindia.org/idtd

A Thumbs Up from a Champion

Vijender Singh was kind enough to send us this encouraging little note. Thanks, Vijender, and may we say that we greatly admire your work too.

Shyamsunder Chowdhury case- 26/11 victim

We read about Shyamsunder Chowdhury's plight in the following newspapers:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article627496.ece
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_help-starts-pouring-in-for-26-11-victim-s-family_1441035

Despite reports about aid coming for the family, India Helps decided
to visit the family and file a first hand report. Sumita and Sayantani
visited the family, and this is what they wrote in:

Dear all

Sayantani and Sumita met Shyam Sundar Chaudhary and his wife Baby
Chaudhary on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.

Shyam Sundar's parents and sister also stay with them. Baby Chaudhary
came across as a confident woman who knew what she wanted and seemed
to be able to handle all the press coverage and incessant phone calls
fairly well. First off, she clarified that she did not want mercy
killing for her husband; rather she wanted help with the medical
expenses.

Between phone calls, she told us that they have two children - a son
who studies in Class IV in St. Xaviers in Santa Cruz (W) and a
daughter who studies in Class I in Nanavati Public School in Vile
Parle (W). After 26/11, the Taj Trust had stepped in to pay the
children's fees, which is presently about 10k for the son and 25.5k
for the daughter. The daughter's school has several facilities and is
therefore a lot more expensive. The Taj Trust has expressed
reservations about being able to continue to pay fees for the daughter
if it increases by a huge margin after this, which Baby said, may well
be possible as the daughter went to higher grades in school. She
seemed reluctant however to move her daughter to a less expensive
school, as Shyam Sundar really wanted her to attend a school with all
facilities. She also mentioned that the son's fees may drop a little
once he reaches Class V. Apart from this; the children also attend a
tuition class, which comes to about an aggregate of Rs. 1.5k for both
the children.

Regarding Shyam Sundar, she said that doctors had said that recovery
could take between six months and two years. While Taj Trust was
paying for the medical expenses incurred at KEM Hospital, where Shyam
Sundar is undergoing treatment, the costs of medicines and other
things like milk, fruits, creams and extra medicines etc. was not
covered and she mentioned that it all added up to a significant amount
- approx. 8 to 10k a month.

In terms of groceries and supplies, she mentioned that she'd been
getting calls from people willing to help her out and her neighbors,
who were vegetable vendors, gave her vegetables sometimes. Whilst we
were there, she got a call from people who wanted to come over with
some provisions.

We also met Shyam Sundar's sister Sujata, who is 23 years old and has
studied till Class XI. Before Shyam Sundar's condition deteriorated,
she was planning to enroll for a beautician's course, which has now
been put on hold in light of her need to stay at home.
(She wants to join Javed Habib classes as she thinks she will get
exposure to models etc. His fee is atleast 25,000/- . If she has
interest and capability she can join a YMCA kind of place which help
with vocational training this will be cheaper and safer for her too.
Need to talk to her about this)

Baby also mentioned that the Taj Trust had called her for training
from October 4, and promised her a job if she managed to successfully
compete the training and pass all other necessary tests and exams. At
present, Baby is not working anywhere, so the family has no source of
income.

Possibly, if Baby gets a job, and Sujata gets a job too after
completing the beautician's course, the family's earnings would
stabilize a little.

Their immediate requirements are as follows:

(i) Regular source of provisions (depends on how long and how much the
other people willing to help her, actually help); and
(ii) Money for the varied requirements of Shyam Sundar.

Long term requirements:

(i) Job for Baby (hopefully Taj should be able to help here); and
(ii) Enrollment in a beautician's course for Sujata (so that she can
chip in too when she finishes and gets a job);
(iii) Monetary help for better medical facilities. Shayam's could be a
long stretched ailment which needs extensive physiotherapy.

Training Course in Disaster Management

Dear Sir/Madam,

Swayam is the project of College of Social work, Nirmala Niketan
working since 2006. We have taken many activities with youth groups,
women, children, School and College students and teachers on the issue
of disaster management, first aid and life saving techniques and solid
waste management.

In Collaboration with United Way of Mumbai Helpline, Swayam is
planning to organize people in the community for disaster
preparedness, therefore, we are coming up with a training course in
Disaster Management. The purpose of the course is to build capacity of
community groups to handle any disasters effectively and to save lives
of maximum people at the time of disasters by initiating support
activities.

We will be grateful to you if you send your Staff/Women from
SHGs/Community Youth for the training course. Kindly, send us the
names and details of the candicate.

Following are the details of the training Course:

Duration: 46 Hours
Batch Size: 25-30
Date: 3rd week of October 2010
Days: Thursdays and Saturdays for three hours
Time: (can be discussed)
Eligibility: Age Above 18 years
Qualification: HSC or equivalent (10+2 years of education)

Shortlisted candidates will be selected. Those who successfully
complete the course will be given Certificate by Bombay City Ambulance
Corps, Mumbai. The expense for course fees will be taken up by Swayam
Project. Travelling expenses will be reimbursed.

The lectures and examination can be conducted in English, Hindi or
Marathi. Students can give exams in English, Hindi or Marathi.

Training module is available on request.

Contact: Vaijanti Mamtora- 9022109510
Surekha Surve- 9869144269
Rakesh Prajapati- 9222167130

Thank you!

Yours Truly,
Vaijanti Mamtora
Project Coordinator

Help for a child's medical treatment

(This was a forward received by India Helps. Donors are requested to kindly verify the case by calling the hospital before making any donation)

 

From Israr Ahmed
Aug 28, 2010

R/sir
My daughter Quraishi Ashmira Kausar, age 21 month, is affected with a very serious and indeed, a very rare disease called "THALESSEMIA MAJOR" where in the body is unable to produce normal blood.

The only cure for this disease is "UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD TRANSPLANT". In India the best center for GRANT MEDICAL FOUNDATION RUBY HALL CLINIC, PUNE (M.S.) INDIA. The estimated cost as per enclosed details is Rs. 22.5 Lakhs approximately which is beyond my reach.

May i therefore, take the liberty of requesting you to contribute to the extent possible, for this Life & Death Problem of my Daughter. Your
contribution will not only save a dear & precious life of an innocent child, but will also, certainly turn the gloomy world of a family into
a bright one. Needless to say, even a small gesture of good will from you, will be a
token of Love for Humanity.

Thanking you in anticipation & with warm regard.
Yours faithfully,
Israr Ahmed.

Note: Your willingness and the amount you wish to contribute can be sent through Demand Drafts / Cheque favoring, 'GRANT MEDICAL FOUNDATION' payable at Pune (M.S.) India.

Address:
Israr Ahmed S/o Basheer Ahmed.
Lane No.5, Rahmaniya Colony,
Kiradpura,
Aurangabad - 431001 (M.S.) India.
Mobile: +91 9890735689.
Email: fahadisrar@rediffmail.com

Appeal from a Teach For India volunteer

I am a class teacher for 50 second graders teaching in a low income school Sri Ram Vidya Mandir in Kandivali (E).

 

As a Teach For India fellow, my job is to bridge the achievement gap that exists between a 2nd grader from a low income school and his counterpart in a high end private school. My kids come in with a lag of one year in physical growth and mental development; and two years of academic lag and the rote learning they have been through, they are a good two years(min) behind their wealthier counterparts.

A simple goal: 2 years of academic development in a single year for every one of my 50 kids!!

My Aim:  to make the next two years experiential and motivational for my class, my school and the community from where they come. These children have never been to a movie theatre, never dined at a restaurant, never met firemen, or police women. I want my children to experience different things, broaden their horizons, expose them to new emotions, all this alone can make the children of our country more tolerant and open minded.

As I cannot fight the battle alone, I need any bit of your muscle you can throw in.  How can you help?
1. All those books, CD's , educational models/toys/puzzles you once used as a kid or if you know anyone who is willing to share, I am sure my kids will love and thank you for every one of those. A book in any form is acceptable. (Postal address is below). I am looking at expanding my library - books for kids in the age group of 5-13 yrs.
Eg.: Story books with pictures would be great, eg- Dr Seuss, or workbooks that will help my kids learn better!
2. Any stationary- notebooks, pencils, erasers, charts etc.
3. I am looking forward to raise funds for their many FIRSTS. Like first field trip, first kids play at Prithvi, first visit to an aquarium/museum. It will be great if you can donate anything or get me in touch with someone who can sponsor this.
 

Contact me: 09561099409 anytime (except 11am -7 pm) or email me at rukmani.kapoor@gmail.com

L Participate as a role model for the children.
You could come to the school (Sri Ram Vidya Mandir - Kandivali (E)) & share your success story achieved through educating yourself. Or you could also do a workshop with them to stress on Fun Learning through Creativity.

Looking forward for your help!!!!
Thanks & Regards,
Rukmani

 

** Educational Facts**: To some & probably to many, it will be an eye opener that India is currently facing one of the worst educational crisis in the world. Our classrooms are understaffed, our teachers could be more engaged, our drop-out rate is unusually high (1 in 3 children who begin primary school will drop out before reaching 5th grade). And these are just a few to start off with. If you can read this - you should feel extremely privileged. As an Indian citizen, the odds that you can read are just barely in your favor - 40% of India is illiterate.

Update on Paralysis Patient at JJ

With reference to our last post about the paralysis patient at JJ hospital who needed a series of 5 injections to stave off paralysis, India Helps, Panchtatva and Rotary Club (Thank you everyone!) raised funds to contribute towards these injections. This is Sayantani's update on the case:

 

Spoke to Dr. Jadhav. He said the injections have been given for Vithal Bhoi (that's the name of the patient) and he's recovering, though slowly. As of now, there has been an improvement of about 15 - 20% and he's still in the CCU.
 
He said we can't meet him while he's in the CCU and that we can visit him once he's in the regular ward. Requested him to let us know as soon as that happens. 
 
 

Fw: GOONJ's initiative in Leh...

Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

---

From: Rohit Singh <rohitgoonj1@gmail.com>

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:11:22 +0530

Subject: GOONJ's initiative in Leh...

 

Dear Friends,

 

Here I have posted pictures from my recent visit to Leh after the cloud burst disaster. The area is certainly devastated – financially, geographically and more importantly psychologically. Imagine a place known for dry mountains and mud houses, where people had never seen rain water in the lanes. All they had seen was the melted water from the glaciers. In comparison to other disasters in the past, the number of people affected might sound less but in a population of around 20,000, 200 recovered dead bodies, 500 missing people, hundreds of houses totally crumbled, heavy loss to crop, cattle and property is not a small loss.  Refer- http://goonj.org/leh%20ppt1.pdf

 

Many families have been wiped off completely; even the dead bodies are still under the 6-7 ft. of mud, which suddenly entered their homes as they were sleeping.

 

Like in many past disasters, GOONJ will be working through local people/partners and will be focusing on gap areas. The prime concern is the upcoming winter. In winters the temperature of Leh goes down to -20 degree centigrade and this time due to lack of homes its going to be quite a miserable time. There is also a bigger question of food security as the affected people have lost the stocks they created to use in the 6 months of harsh winters..

 

There are certain specific requirements, which are listed below. As the transportation cost is really high for this area it'll not be feasible to collect material all across and transport. We are therefore planning to do essential purchases from nearby cities.

 

Material support

• Dry ration- Rice, pulses, biscuits, packed eatables
• Basic medicines
• Good quality woolen and blankets
• Tarpaulins and thick plastic sheets
• Export surplus/ Cotton cloth for making sanitary napkins
• Cooking and water storage utensils/buckets
• School material- toys & games, stationary, notebooks etc.  
•  Lanterns, candles, matchbox, torch & batteries

 (For the list of collection centers, please log on to www.goonj.org)

 

Logistical support

* Transport support to reach the material to affected areas

* Space for collection centers

* Facilities for local pickups

* Transportation of material from different cities to GOONJ processing centers in a few cities.

Financial support-

Donations in India- Please send cash/cheque/draft in the name of GOONJ and send it to GOONJ.., J-93, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi- 76 (Kindly send your full name, address & Pan No. with the contribution for receipt/accounting purpose. (All donations to GOONJ in India are tax exempted u/s 80 G of IT act.)

 

Overseas donation can reach us through Cheque (in the name of GOONJ with your full particulars) or by wire transfer with an information on ruchikagoonj@gmail.com    

 

Rotate it (valid only for overseas donations) through Wacovia Bank, New York swift code- 2000193008933, GOONJ, A/C No- 2591101004644
Bank- Canara Bank, H block, market Sarita Vihar, New Delhi- 76
Swift Code- CNRBINBBDFS

Contact- GOONJ

H.O Delhi- J-93, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi- 76 Tel.- 011-26972351, 41401216 E-mail- mailgoonj@gmail.com

To keep the logistics low cost, GOONJ will be sending material only from Delhi.

 

Do spread the word, talk to your friends & relatives, help us to organise campaigns in the offices, residential areas and schools.

 

 

with best

anshu

 
--
Anshu Gupta (Ashoka Fellow)
Founder Director
GOONJ
Tel.-011-26972351,41401216
Website-  www.goonj.info

Traffic warning

TrafficCity:
Heavy Rain Expected Today In Mumbai City, avoid Water Logging Junctions, Unnessarally going out without any Emergency.

Progressive paralysis case at JJ funds needed urgently!

This report in from Sayantani:

Hi,
 
Met the patient at JJ today. It is a genuine case, with the patient below poverty line - is a BPL card holder. Due to his economic status, JJ will cover all costs relating to the hospital stay, but due to the cost of the injections, they need help with that.
 
Paralysis had affected his legs first and has now moved up to his waist. However, if injections are given within a period of 2 weeks from the date of paralysis, there is an 80% chance of recovery. The patient has received one dose yesterday night, so some movement seems to have been restored to his legs. The medicines need to be continued for 5 days and the doses need to be given on consecutive days, else there is no point.
 
Each injection costs about Rs. 25k, total of Rs. 1.26 L.
 
They have also spoken to other donors, notably, the social workers at St. George's Hospital, so even if we manage to cover 2 days, possibly others will chip in for the rest. Of course, it would be great if we could cover all.
 
The injection is called IvIG and 20g of this medicine are needed each day. The injection is not stored in the hospital, but bought as per requirement, so we can either buy the injections directly or chip in and give the funds to the hospital.
 
In the event that we're chipping in, cash is welcome, so is cheque payment. In case of cheque, the payment is to be made to the pharmacy from which the medicines are bought. So a crossed cheque with the name blank and amount filled in can also be given, and we can fill in the name as and when we get to know of it.
 
The last dose was bought from Vama Lifecare at Dadar, in case any one wishes to buy the injection directly instead of chipping in for cash.
 
The contact persons at JJ Hospital are Dr. Mane (+919975720781) and Mr. Sanjay Ninave (+919222481551) - latter is the pharmacist and would be able to help out with details like dosage etc.
 
If we can collect something by end of any day, I can collect it and give it to the hospital next day. Do let me know.
 
Sayantani 

(If anyone would like to help you are welcome to contact the doctor directly or mail us at indiahelps@gmail.com)
Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel

More for Leh

http://www.savethechildren.in/index/49-newsflash/328-a-public-appeal-to-support-relief-efforts-in-leh.html

Job required...

From: Merril Diniz <greekgoddessofwriting@gmail.com>
Date: 3 August 2010
Subject: A deserving kid needs a job

Hope you are doing swell. I am trying to help this boy called Dheeraj get a job in Delhi/ NCR (have attached his CV).

He is a good kid (around 25 years or so) who had to start working prematurely when his father was injured and paralysed. He became a cab driver full-time and that is how I met him. Being a single woman in Noida, I would rely on him heavily to drive me around, safely.

Education-wise he has a trade certification from ITI in machine knowledge, and is doing a mechanical engineering course through correspondence. Since his knowledge of cars was decent, he was absorbed as a quality control trainee at Honda, but his one-year training is coming to an end, and they are not making anyone permanent. His correspondence programme does not interfere with the employment.

He has good knowledge of quality control for automobiles, but is also capable of doing some sort of office management job and is familiar with MS Office. He is also a quick learner. I can vouch for his sincerity, honesty and hardworking nature.

If you have any contacts in Delhi who would be in a position to help him find a job (HR, entrepreneurs etc), would be great if you could put this kid through to them. Feel free to forward the mail. Essentially, he needs a stable job that pays his salary on time. He is the only earning member and needs to support his pop/ mom/ bro and wife (he was married when 21). Thanks much for your time.

regards,

Merril Diniz
Media professional @ Delhi

Update on Ahana

This just came in from Baisali:

 

Spoke to Purnima about a week or so ago. They've gone back to her home town and they seem to have settled down nicely. She said she has good help, an able physiotherapist and a kindly pharmacist. She seemed very relieved and her voice was a lot lighter.

She thanked me and IH over and over again and also extended a warm invitation to Sue and me to visit her. She said this repeatedly.

The only help she requested from us is when and if there is ever a medical emergency, that we help her with funds. I said of course.

It felt good speaking to her. She sounded happy.

Baisali

More ways you can help Leh

Check this link out:

http://hindolsengupta.blogspot.com/2010/08/whypoll-for-leh-donations-for-tents.html

The Gift of 40

I received this mail from Sujatha at www.blogpourri.com (blogpourri@gmail.com)

Hello all,

I am writing to you to tell you about a special project a group of us
has been working on.

I turned 40 this year and each year millions of people around the
world celebrate their 40th birthday, but in places like Lesotho in
southern Africa, the average life expectancy is under 40. A small
group of people has launched the Gift of 40 Campaign to change that.

Most people are surprised when they hear they are outliving the
average life expectancy anywhere. And yet, sadly, it is the case for
millions of people in a handful of developing nations, including
Lesotho.

In the developed world, and in particular in American popular media,
turning 40 is often depicted as a marker of middle age. Reaching 40 is
rarely described in the historically accurate terms we believe it
ought to be -- as an achievement by individuals and the societies in
which we live. And it's not just an achievement, it's a gift. Like
other gifts, we believe it is one best shared.

Not only does Gift of 40 aim to raise funds for PIH's Lesotho Project
from people around the world, it also serves to remind people that it
is truly a gift to live to 40 and beyond.

Please join my Gift of 40 campaign - and help others reach their 40th
birthdays. I am taking part in the Gift of 40 Campaign to support
Partners In Health's programs in Lesotho. By providing comprehensive
medical care and comprehensive social services, PIH works to help
others reach this same milestone.
What You Can Do
If 40 of my friends contribute $40 in honor of my 40th birthday, I
will raise $1,600 for PIH's programs in Lesotho. Please give your gift
to my Gift of 40 Campaign by going to this page -
https://donate.pih.org/page/outreach/view/Giftof40/Sujatha - and
clicking on the "Click Here to Donate" button. You can donate in any
currency via credit card, Pay Pal, wire transfer or by mail.
Interested in spreading the Gift of 40 to celebrate the birthday of a
loved one? Click "Create Your Own Page Now" at the above link and
start raising support for PIH's work in Lesotho. And then pass it
on--especially to others turning 40 who will want to help others do
the same. I hope you will spread the word via your own blogs, Twitter
pages, Facebook, Orkut, Myspace, etc.
If you have any questions at all, please let me know. I'd be happy to
answer them.

Thank you!
Sujatha

The Gift of 40 Campaign: http://www.giftof40.com

Read our Mission Statement: http://giftof40.blogspot.com

Follow Us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/giftof40

For Ladakh Relief...

If you are wondering what you can do to help the people in Ladakh,
here are some options:

Thank you Chandni for the link:

http://www.charitiesinindia.org/2010/08/lagagpas-rising-up-to-help-people-of.html

Documentary screenings available for schools and colleges

 

Respected Sir/Madam,

 

My name is Hari Chakyar. I currently work as an advertising copywriter for a digital agency called Media2win in Tardeo. I have my weekends free and have set out to screen documentary films to students in schools and colleges in the time I have.

 

Following are the details of the documentary films I wish to screen:

 

The Last Dance – This film is about the cruel manners in which a sloth bear is often captured and made to dance and how this crime can be ended. A film by Ashima Narain

 

The Hunted – India's national animal has a threatened future. This film by Jay Mazoomdaar tells us why.

 

Turtles in a Soup – Many species of freshwater turtles are heading towards extinction because of their illegal trade. A film by Kalpana Subramanian.

 

The Silenced Witness – Very soon, one may not know what an elephant looks like because their species is under severe threat by poachers. A film by P. Balan and Radha R.

 

Diminishing Resources is a film about the gradual loss of coral reefs across the vast coastline of India owing to selfish needs of human beings. This film by Himanshu Malhotra and Sabina Kidwai tell us how we can help protect them.

 

Once there was a Purple Butterfly - This film by Sonya V. Kapoor focuses on the crimes against butterflies.

 

Leopards in the lurch is a film about how leopards fall prey to the ignorance of villagers. A film by Gurmeet Sapal.

 

All the above films were selected for the UK Environment Film Fellowships in 2006 and were produced by the UK Government. The duration of each film is 15 minutes.

 

 

Target audience: Students from class 8 to 10 and above   Duration of the session: 1 hour (inclusive of 2 films, 2 small quizzes, question-answer session and a talk about what one can do to protect the environment).   Charges: Rs. 500 (per session)

 

 

 

Why I want to screen these films at schools and colleges

 

Mankind is highly responsible for the extent of damage caused to the ecosystem. The visible effects of climate change and the destruction of forest and wildlife resources are just a few.

 

I wish to create awareness among people regarding such crucial issues and I have begun with schools to try and make a better-informed generation of youth.

 

Last year in June, a group of friends and me staged a street play outside Ambarnath railway station, thus beginning the Nature Baba campaign. We also planted over 120 trees across the town of Ambarnath, over 80 of which stand strong and are growing healthily.

 

(The Mumbai Mirror was kind enough to write about us- http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/82/2009061420090614030154305d51437e2/Mumbais-captain-planet.html

 

And so was The Indian Express - http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/ambernaths-green-warrior/479474/)

 

I hope to be able to explain these ideas to the best of my capabilities to your young students.

 

Hoping to hear from you soon.

 

Creatively yours,

 

Hari Chakyar

 

Flat No. 13,

Seema Apts;

Pathare Park,

Ambarnath (E)

421501

 

Mobile: 09323388803

Email: duke.ambarnath@gmail.com

 

Job needed for cerebral palsy afflicted person

From: Garima Gandhi <garimaggandhi@gmail.com>

Hi,

I need your help.

My cousin, Ruchit Gulati is a patient of Ataxia (a type of Cerebral Palsy) which is a progressive degenerative disease. Over time, he has lost the strength to use his hands and legs and is presently on a wheel chair.

Ruchit wishes to be independent and we are searching for a suitable work option for him. We would like to request for your help in this regard.

In case you need any more information, please reply back.

Hoping for a positive and prompt reply soon, thanks a lot for everything.

Warm Regards,
Garima

 

PS: If anyone could help Ruchit, please mail Garima at the address above.

Collecting old clothes for Hamara Footpath

We are a community of people working with street children of Mumbai.

Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that you just don't wear or want to give away?

We are having a garage sale for a cause. We are collecting all cool female clothes and selling them on the Independence Day weekend (14 & 15th Aug2010).

Those interested in:-

Donating good clothes in good condition (good enough for you to buy)

OR

Volunteering to help us organize, let us know.

DROP OFF ADDRESSES:

Priya Sachdeva - +91-9821136298 (for nariman pt or colaba)

Nupur Shah – 87/14, Sindhu Bldg., G Road, Marine Drive, Mumbai -2.
...+91-9819077971

Rhea Bhumgara – 642, Amardad, Rd No. 9, Rustom Tirandaz Marg, Dadar Parsi Colony, Mumbai -14
738, Shirin Villa, Rd No. 5, Dadar Parsi Colony, Mumbai -14
+91-9820535310

Evita Fonseca – 7D, Cenced Apartments, Dr. Ambedkar Rd., Next to Bajaj Park, Bandra (W), Mumbai-20
+91-9819066726

Shaili/ Shubhangi Swarup - A-43, Ruia Park Co-op Housing Society, J. R. Mhatre MArg, ahead of Army Club, Juhu,
Mumbai – 49
Shaili - +91-9820387626
Shubhangi - +91-9930013555
If you email us your contact number on hamarafootpath@gmail.com

Cheers!
http://www.facebook.com/hamarafootpath

A small act of kindness

Thanks for this lovely story, Chandni:

 

From http://asmallact.com/film.php -

When Hilde Back sponsored a young, rural Kenyan student, she thought nothing of it. She certainly never expected to hear from him, but years later she does. Now a Harvard graduate and a Human Rights Lawyer for the United Nations, Chris Mburu decides to find the stranger that changed his life. Inspired by her generosity, he starts a scholarship program of his own and names it for his former benefactor.

The top students in Mukubu primary school are in the exact same situation as Chris once was. They are bright, but can't afford to pay school fees. With the creation of Chris' fund, these students have new hope. But the program is small; how many will qualify for a scholarship?

Using a strong narrative, the film interweaves seemingly separate lives into a cohesive whole. With clarity and grace, A SMALL ACT, bears witness to the ripple effect a single action can create.

The HUB is recruiting

Bombay HUB is recruiting!

Hello Friends!

We are currently looking for a dynamic and passionate person with
exceptional communication and event management skills to join our
hosting team at Bombay HUB.

Bombay HUB is a collaborative space for people with ideas and passion
for a radically better world to work out of, meet, connect, learn and
grow.

The HUB host role will be to coordinate and execute all HUB events and
deliver the HUB experience in a way that creates a culture of
collaboration, innovation and change. For full details of the role,
please see below job description.

Please email your CV (no longer than 2 pages) to
recruitment@unltdindia.org along with a brief cover letter explaining
your motivation to work with us by 9th August 2010. Please state
'Applying for the HUB Host role' in the subject line of the email.

Please note: Applications without covering letter and with CVs longer
than 2 pages will not be taken into consideration. As per UnLtd
India's recruitment policy, only shortlisted candidates will be
contacted.

Best wishes
Bombay HUB team

--

ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATING A BETTER WORLD? DO YOU HAVE
EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE SKILLS? WANT TO COMBINE YOUR PASSION AND SKILLS?

UNLTD INDIA, A FOUNDATION FOR START UP SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS, IS
LOOKING TO HIRE AN OUTSTANDING HOST FOR THE BOMBAY HUB, A FIRST OF ITS
KIND INCUBATOR SPACE IN INDIA.

Position: HUB Host (Events)
Location: Mumbai, India
Position type: Full Time Salary
Deadline: 9th August 2010

About Bombay Hub

The Hub is a unique collaborative work space for people with ideas and
passion for a radically better world to work out of, meet, connect,
learn and grow.

The Hub sparks innovation by providing the following services and activities:
Hub Space offers shared work stations, hot desks, a meeting room,
workshop space, wireless internet, facilities for printing, copying,
faxing, scanning and a library.
Hub Connector hosts events, talks, exhibitions, and provides online
platforms to network and collaborate in order to strengthen the Hub
community and allow them to draw from each other's skills.
Hub Incubation builds skills through a range of trainings, workshops,
discussions, consultancies and exposure visits.

The Hub houses all the tools, resources and connections needed to
cultivate an idea with a social impact, launch a socially relevant
project and operate a social business.

The Hub is an initiative of UnLtd India, a foundation for start up
social entrepreneurs. You can read more about UnLtd India at
www.unltdindia.org

Roles and responsibilities

Your overall role will be to deliver the Hub experience in a way that
creates a culture of collaboration, innovation and change. Within
this, your specific responsibilities are as follows: (Please note that
some of these responsibilities will be carried out with other team
members.)

Building the community of Hub Members
Keep in tune with members' and their ideas/projects' needs
Liaise with the peer Host to organise dynamic events catering to members' needs
Building an attractive events program at the Hub
Creating a calendar of events that are diverse and attract potential members
Liaise with peer Host to ensure successful execution of the events
Design and execute a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy
Liaise with our designer to create communication material (online and
print material)
Publicise the communication material through appropriate channels
Proactively build strong relations with media (print and TV) to ensure
coverage of Hub events
Financial & Administration
Track the budget of the events and ensure that they meet the revenue targets
Record and update receipts, petty cash, budgets with regard to the events
Monitoring
Give inputs into the impact indicators, assessment tools and procedures
Assess the Hub events as per the agreed impact assessment procedures
Compile a report on delivery of Hub events and its impact
Other
Give inputs into the overall strategy and design of Hub services
Support the Director in fundraising efforts as required
Support Host in delivering programmes in Hub as required
Qualifications

We are looking for the following set of skills, experience and qualities:

A shared enthusiasm for our purpose of creating spaces that spark
collaboration and innovation for change
At least two years of cumulative work experience of which at least a
year is with a non-profit or social enterprise
Excellent people skills – ability to connect with people from
different backgrounds including start ups, grass root level
organisations, independent professionals, corporate bodies and media
Competent offline and online communication skills
An ability to be up to date with the social sector
Enjoys planning and organising events with exceptional attention to detail
An ability to take initiative in a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment
An ability to work well in high pressure situations
Basic financial skills such as invoicing and handling payments
Computer literate – using the web, basic IT skills including MS Office and excel
Fluent English & Hindi

Appeal for help

Talwalkars' Gym  Trainer, Mr. Manish's mother has been diagnosed with cancer of the food canal to the stomach.  She is 55 years old and will be operated on 22nd July 2010 by Ds. Sultan Pradhan at Prince Ali khan Hospital, Mazagaon.  The cost of the surgery is mounting between 3-4 lakhs.

 

If you would like to help, please mail us in at indiahelps@gmail.com

Exchange a book-Change a life (Mumbai)

Buying a book will not only increase your collection, it will also benefit an underprivileged person. 

15th to 25th July - Drop off your old books at Candies @ Mac Ronells (Bandra)

25th July - Toofles will hold the book exchange at Candies from 10 am to 7 pm. The entire collection of books...will be on display and you can pick up some great books at great prices.

While the book becomes a part of your collection, your money will help an accredited NGO. 


location Candies @ Mac Ronells

5AA Pali Hill, Near Learners Academy, Bandra

Mumbai, India

	July 15 at 9:00am - July 25 at 10:00pm

Report on Balaji Kharatmal

This report in from Dilnavaz:

 

Hi all,
I accompanied Balaji to meet Mr. Deepak Bhatia of the Taj Trust this morning. Mr. Bhatia asked him detailed questions regarding the 26/11 incident, his family demographics, income, etc. I had asked Balaji to get fee receipts for both his children and he also brought along their latest mark sheets and certificates from the school vouching that they were both students there. Mr. Bhatia said they would support the children's education, but was unhappy that Balaji's son Dipak had failed in 3 subjects (Hindi, Marathi, Social Sciences) in the 5th grade. He said they ask two things of parents whose children's education they support: 1. that attendance is at least 90% 2. that scores are acceptable--at least passing, preferably first class. He also asked whether a tuition teacher had been employed, to which Balaji replied in the affirmative.
I listed all of Balaji's expenses this year related to his children's schooling and Mr. Bhatia took a copy. The annual total comes to Rs. 6050/- for both children. Taj is willing to give Balaji a cheque for the amount. He needs to locate the uniform receipt and hand it over, he has given them the school fee receipts, but says the school doesn't give one for computer fees. He will also look into getting a monthly bus pass and let us and Taj know the amount. Mr. Bhatia needs the information before July 7th. Balaji was very intimidated by the security procedures employed at Oxford House, so I may need to collect the receipts from him and drop them off.

He also said that the govt. compensation received after 26/11 was divided between him and his siblings and he has invested his share. He appears to be doing okay. His job involves sweeping train compartments and filling water in the CPW dept. and he is currently on a night shift. Gets about Rs.10,000/- a month. His younger brother is now driving the autorickshaw he used to drive. The sisters' husbands seem to have found jobs and are living independently. His wife is not working. The daughter is doing okay at school but the son likes playing up. His leg does experience spasms occasionally, and hurts when he walks a lot, but otherwise he is doing better. The family seems okay, although I personally feel it can't be mentally healthy for the poor man to work daily where his mother was killed and he was maimed, but I suppose that's a minor consideration. It was good to see him back on his feet.

That's all for now.

--
Dilnavaz Bamboat

Help Ashraya

If you would like to help a not for profit in Pune working with children:

 

Hi IndiaHelps,

My name is Elizabeth Sholtys, and I'm the founder of an organization called the Ashraya Initiative for Children (AIC). AIC is a completely secular non-profit organization that works in Pune with street children, orphans, denotified tribes and slum communities in the areas of health, education, microfinance, community development and advocacy. More information about what we do can be found at our website (www.ashrayainitiative.org). 
 
So why am I writing to you? I need your help. Or, more accurately, kids in Pune need your help. AIC is in the running for $250,000 through the Chase Community Giving contest via Facebook. We're currently #36 in the list of more than 500,000 organizations (!), and are trying to secure more votes to move up to be within the top 5. Each organization within the top 200 will receive $20,000, but if we can make it to the top 5, we will receive $100,000 when the contest ends on July 12th. Only American organizations are eligible to compete, so there are very few other organizations that work in India participating in the contest, and in fact, many of the other high-ranking organizations in the contest are cat and dog shelters and animal rescue foundation groups in the US. While I'm sure that these other groups are also worthy causes, I feel strongly that vulnerable children in India should receive priority over stray animals in the US in terms of receiving the prize money, and I would very much like to stir up Indian support so that we can bring this prize money to India to benefit needy children here.
 
We are about as grassroots as they come - run exclusively by unpaid Directors and 100% of our funding comes from donations. As we try to minimize our administrative overhead (and therefore have no designated marketing/PR budget), I'm writing to bloggers and forums to help me get the word out about this contest and drum up support for our organization, particularly from within India and Indian communities outside of India.
 
I would greatly appreciate it if you would be willing to help AIC by posting a message to your blog/supporters, telling them about this contest, and directing them to the site (link is below). Voting is completely free and takes only a minute (literally!). Please help us stay in the top 200, and maybe even work our way up to the top 5 by spreading the word! It will make a huge difference in the lives of the children and families that we work with in Pune. Please let me know if you have any questions or need more information in order to pass the word along to your readers.
 
Thanks so much,
Elizabeth Sholtys, CEO
 
http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/201970122-ashraya-initiative-for-children

A big Thank You

A big Thank You to a generous soul who has committed to funding a daily snack for all the 200 children of our street soul.

 

On behalf of the entire team from India Helps and all the children at the street school, thank you for your kindness.

An appeal for basic needs for educating 250 orphan girl children in Madurai

The HOPE TRUST was promoted in Madurai on June 13, 2008 as a public charitable Trust with the core objective of enhancing access to quality education for the orphans. The Trust believes that simple interventions to address the basic needs of orphans can bring a remarkable difference in their lives.

The Trust has established programmes centered on education for nearly 2000 orphans studying in Government schools of Madurai for the last two years through child sponsorship, support structure, personality development programmes helping students shape their attitude, learning acceleration programme (bridge school) and computer literacy programme. In the year 2010-2011, the Trust is planning to distribute uniforms, notebooks and other stationeries to 250 orphan girls to enable them continue their studies.

 
Requirements
 
Uniform for 100 girl children @ Rs.250 per children
Notebooks – Long size unruled 192 pages (100 children * 5 notebooks per children @ Rs.20 per notebook) = Rs. 10,000
Stationeries- pen, pencil, box, sharpener, scale, eraser, bag, slipper for all 250 girl children.
 
"Invest in today: seek a brighter tomorrow"
 
 
We look forward to hearing from you
 
With warm regards,
 
 
Senthil Kumar. C
Secretary
+91-91766-48487
 

Awareness campaign by Vishwa towards Eco-Friendly Practices at places of Worship

June 12, 2010, Mumbai: On the evening of June 12, 2010 Vishwa in collaboration with ISVS organized a waste collection campaign across 4-5 temples in the Banganga area. More than 50 volunteers from Vishwa, children, women and senior citizens, collected nirmalyy (flowers offered to deity in the temples) in special Vishwa corrugated boxes. These were emptied in a special pit created, layered with clay, mud and water to aid recycling, in the Purshuram Mandir. Over a span of 3-4 months, the Nirmalayy will merge with clay, mud and water and be converted into organic, eco-friendly compost.
Every day hundreds of people visit the 4-5 temples in the Banganga area of Walkeshwar to offer puja. After the puja, the floral offerings are collected and immersed in the nearby sea. This is not only a form of pollution as even plastic bags are thrown in the sea, but also a waste of resource. Worship of the deities should not be at the cost of the environment, but should benefit nature and contribute to more sustainable life. Recycling Nirmalyy shows genuine respect for the life giving natural forces and it will help preserve and protect natural resources.
After the collection drive at the time of sunset, ISVS performed an air purification ritual (agnihotra), which is based on the principles outlined in the ancient holy texts of the Vedas, in the Banganga tank area. Agnihotra is a ayurvedic healing fire that purifies the air in that area as well as surrounding areas. The ritual helps to raise awareness on environmental issues among devotees and priests (pujaris).   The attempt is to educate the pujaris so that they in turn can suggest the same to the vast number of devotees who visit the temples regularly.
Talking about the campaign Mr. Yogendra Vora, Convenor, Vishwa, says, "It is a small contribution towards preserving resources by recycling and generating organic manure to reduce carbon footprint caused by consumption of chemical fertilizer."
Dr. Pururshottam Rajimwale, Co-Founder, Vishwa and Director of ISVS, believes, "Agnihotra is the ultimate solution to all the environment related issues. Agnihotra purifies the atmosphere and has long term benefits. If Agnihotra is performed by every individual, it will help us create pure environment to live in. This is small campaign to educate people on the benefits of Agnihotra and recycling."
About Vishwa:
Vishwa is a unique first-of-its-kind platform in India to develop sustainable solutions to the environmental problems facing the world. Originating from the Sanskrit word meaning 'the whole world', Vishwa is a non-profit platform for strengthening the development of a greener tomorrow. It is an initiative of citizens who utilize resources from our Mother Earth and feel the need of nurturing and protecting it for the future by finding sustainable lifestyle solutions TODAY!! 
We understand that erratic human consumption behavior over the years has led to issues like Global Warming, Climate Change, Deforestation, Energy Crisis, Intense Pollution and Species Eradication, and we seek to redefine our individual consumption patterns as well as business practices, products and services to function in harmony with the planet.
As part of our vision to create a platform for bringing together, world class eco-friendly solutions… to create a cleaner & greener future for our world, Vishwa organizes an annual event, The Vishwa Show as well as year round activities that look for micro-solutions to macro problems, and provide information about what every individual can do to make a difference.