It's hot in India but thankfully some rain has finally arrived. 48 degrees
most days has been unbearable but despite this, help, love and compassion
continue to bless the lives of so many people because of the work of
Kotdwara Help.
Each day our 170 children are educated and fed a meal. The kids are looking
healthy and their smiles remind us about the difference that has been made
in their lives and to their circumstances. Thank you for your financial
support and for changing their lives - otherwise they would be begging and
'reg picking' - searching through putrid rubbish while fighting off pigs
and mongrel dogs, looking for materials to recycle and sell. These children
now share stories with us about their hopes and dreams for the future.
Prior to this, they dreamt of very little. These children did not know of
what they could dream for.
Our new centre is officially open, and the technology classes for girls
aged 13+ have begun. A new learning centre has also commenced in one of the
upstairs rooms, welcoming about 30 very poor primary aged children who live
in the town. Many of these kids have heartbreaking stories, some of which
we have started sharing on Instagram.
Our anti-trafficking work gathers momentum in the schools, villages and
slums. Again, there have been some stunning stories of hope and rescue,
found in the lives of the poorest of the poor in Kotdwara. Our dear friend
and Director of Kotdwara Help, Amit Samuel, has written a letter of thanks
to you all below. As you read, you will see just how busy he is. We are
particularly excited about the respect and appreciation he is getting from
the local police authorities.
Just this past month we have also;
- built a shelter over the outdoor village classroom (see attached pic)
- started a kids' soap project
- helping and counselling individual people with health and medical issues
We cannot tell you enough how significant your donations are. You a part of
the story of people's lives. If you can donate, remember that just $5 a
week, the price of a coffee here in Sydney, provides a healthy meal and an
education for a child who otherwise would be high risk to drugs, abuse and
forced child labour. Please consider making a weekly direct debt donation
of just $5 or more. Would you really miss this small amount?
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Love Doug and Rowena.
Amit's Report for the month of May is below, should you wish to read on....
*Dear Doug,Rowena and All dear Sponsors from AustraliaThis report is to
share with you our activities done in the month of May 2016 and the plan of
Action for coming months June, July, August and September. With the team
of Anti Human Trafficking we visited schools with the aim of counselling
students against Drug addiction and about human trafficking. We visited :
1.Slums center and nearby area on 15th May. 2. St. Joseph Convent School on
18th May. 3. J P Inter collage on 19th May. In the counselling session with
children and youth near slums area we discovered some underlying facts. 1.
Some elements are engaging small children in betting. 2. They are forcing
them to steel from their homes. 3. They are supplying the small packets of
drugs through the children within the city as children are not aware what
they are carrying and police will not check children taking them innocent.
Secondly we come to know about a family who had recently married their
daughters 2 girls of age 14 & 13 years. Marriage below 18 years is a
criminal offence in India as per government law. The family has an excuse
that they are so poor, that they don't even have enough to feed and cloth
the girls so they married them for good fecility. But the underlying fact
is that they had actually sold their daughters. They had accepted some
amount of money and not to be accused of selling girls, they performed the
ritual of Marriage to be fool people and police. Now we and Anti Human
Trafficking unit is behind this case and we will keep record of those those
girls.When we condected counselling session and brought this case into
light higher official got impressed of our work. They asked us to help them
fight the problem of Drugs specially Smack which has spread noticeable in
the recent year. The problem has many faces : 1. Youth and teenagers are
affected. 2. Boys are indulging girls into it. 3. Boys are spoiling girls
sexually after drug use.So we had chalked out a plan of Action to be
executed in the coming month and it is as follows : 1. Meeting with all
police officials of the area and discussing solutions for the problems.
This meeting will be with Additional Superintendent of police Ms. SARITA
DHOBHAL and others. In this meeting complete plan of action will be
discussed and roles will be assignedWe had preformed our ideas and they
will suggest them.We Planned Activities:1. Awareness Rally with police and
students.2. Distribution of Pamphlets.3. Counselling with involved children
and youth.4. Activities like Drawing Competition, Essay writing, Articles
written, Poem writing, Dram, Dance, Singing, will be condected in the town
with the help of Project Help team to direct interest of teenagers towards
positive and constructive activities.5. Annual function of Project help
organisations to be held in September when You and other member visit
India. (Kids are very happy about this programme )These activities we have
some miscellaneous experience Like; Convene, Printing work, Refreshments
and one Time dinner with officials in a month, Annual function etc.I hope
that you will understand the situation and would possibly by your best to
help us more.God bless you allLove*
Amit
