Happy New Year from the team at ‘Project Help India’. We are excited and somewhat apprehensive about 2021 and we are thankful for your interest, help and support. Our prayers are with you for all that you hope to do and achieve this year.
2021 is shaping up to be another big year in the life of 'Project Help India'. We have many goals and we are ambitious about all we are seeking to achieve. Our resources were certainly stretched in 2020, due to the impact of COVID. BUT …thanks to you and our amazing supporters we were able to achieve some incredible things last year (see images below).
Some 2020 highlights (from top to bottom) - serving meals in slum community during the lockdown, Nikhil’s smile after receiving successful emergency surgery, a street beggar getting a meal, delivering ration packs to a barricaded slum in lockdown, receiving a Government commendation for our community COVID projects, our new school community at Village Singha Devi, Chandigarh, Punjab, in July we celebrated the purchase of our new property(we now have a fixed address!), rescued trafficked boys back in February.
COVID Uncertainty
This year we will continue to step into the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic. India currently remains significantly impacted by COVID and there are fears of further outbreaks due to many travellers from England arriving daily to India. We note that media attention is presently focussed on other countries and India seems to have been forgotten about. A quick google search indicates that India is currently ranked second in the world rankings of COVID impact (behind USA). USA has approximately 20 million cases, and India has approximately 10 million (to keep things in perspective, India has a population of 1 billion more people than USA). Yet, sadly in the event of such a catastrophe, poverty creates greater poverty resulting in more people now living below the threshold of being able to earn enough to meet their most basic living needs. This is why our work in the Kotdwara slums has been critical. We are very mindful that the people we work alongside are marginalised and vulnerable, the poorest of the poor. Our schools are still in lockdown and our teachers continue to deliver work to their students, plus some social distanced gatherings from time to time. The parents of most of our students are doing it very tough because people avoid the daily wage labourers, rickshaw and auto drivers. Many parents are still out of work and we provide them with weekly food ration packs.
On our agenda for 2021
This year, our goals continue to focus on community development through education at our 7 centres and at our disability centre. We will focus on health, hygiene and drug awareness, women’s empowerment including starting a women’s skill centre, anti-human trafficking, environmental initiatives, supporting individuals who need urgent help, as well as being prepared and responsive to natural disasters (monsoons especially), and of course, responding to the ongoing impact of COVID (however this might look).
With the backing of any increased financial support we will explore opportunities for our work to expand beyond our current reach. Both the Uttarakhand State Government and police frequently request our assistance in other locations. We have been asked to set up projects in other large cities but at the end of the day it’s really only money that is stopping us from doing this.
Greater Compliance in 2021
Further to our 2021 goals, this year will see the introduction of additional Indian Federal Government compliance requirements under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. FCRA is the legislation that regulates how non-profits in India can receive foreign funding. The documentation, record keeping and auditing are rigorous and add further demands to our team in India. Ultimately, this legislation is demanding greater transparency around finances for all non-profits, and we have thus far received a 5 star ‘gold’ rating for the quality of our records…well done to Amit and the team, as this is a significant achievement in itself!
Our financial target for 2021
To achieve our goals for the year we are setting an ambitious (and somewhat audacious) target of raising $100 000 (AUS) for 2021. This will equate to approximately a 25% increase in our 2020 expenditure. This might be unrealistic, but our heart and hopes are big, and this is why we are reaching out to you for help. We could achieve this amount if 100 people each give $20 a week across the full year …so please spread the world. Can you ask friends or work colleagues to help us? …share the story.
What is your New Year Resolution for 2021?
Whether you like to have new year’s resolutions or not, might you resolve to be committed to supporting ‘Project Help India’ in 2021? We are an organisation that really is committed to making a difference in the lives of people. Your donation goes directly to our projects with 100% of donations going directly to people and projects. Your tax-deductible donation can be made following the DONATE link at the top of this page.
People and relationships
Ultimately people and relationships are at the heart of everything that we do. ‘Project Help India’ is all about friendship, learning and growing from each other. This is our privilege and God given responsibility. The stories of the impact of our projects are nothing short of inspiring, rewarding and satisfying. It is important to us that you feel connected to our story, so that the stories of lives of the people we help intersect with your story too. As we bring love, hope, dignity and purpose to these beautiful people, your life will be changed too.
Once again, happy new year! May your hopes and dreams for whatever the new normal might look like in 2021 be blessed.
With love from the ‘Project help India’ Team.