It’s all happening in Kotdwara …and that’s just this week!

From the top: Celebrating India's Independence Day at Village Village Kadarganj School and City Centre School; Anisha; and Sanjay with some of the young men of Village Parmawala.

Greetings from North India where just this week the ‘Project Help Team’ have been incredibly busy. The diversity of stories in this blog demonstrates what an extreme place Kotdwara is. We are delighted to share our progress with you, and we thank you from the bottom of our heart, for your kindness and generosity. So much is happening, and we are mindful that we could not impact the lives of people without your support …so thank you for connecting with our story. We are so humbled that ‘Project Help’ has grown in just a few years to be positioned in the midst of people’s celebrations, achievements, happiness, as well as their sadness and distress. This community is reaching out to us for help, we are touching people’s lives and we are making a difference.

Asha

Last week we reached out to you, to help Asha. Thank you to the people who were able to make a donation. We are thrilled to tell you that Asha has returned home from hospital. She is steadily recovering. There is still a long road ahead for her but ‘Project help India’ is checking in on her and the family daily.

Independence Day

This week each of our centres celebrated India’s Independence Day. We are teaching our students to work hard and to have a positive vision for their future. Through education and the changing of mindsets of those who live in poverty we are instilling a growth mindset in the way children understand their talents, abilities and value, and to believe for a hopeful and happy life. Together we work to build strong communities and a strong India. Our efforts this week were acknowledged in the local newspaper.

A significant achievement in Village Parmawala

Our teacher and community leader in Village Parmawala, Mr Sanjay Singh has had a remarkable impact in the lives of some of the local youth. Through counselling and mentoring, the young men of the village have committed to not drinking alcohol. Through empowering these men, they are also educating others, and have been working with the local police to make the entire village ‘alcohol free’. One of the goals of ‘Project Help India’ is to impact communities and bring about generational change. This achievement reflects the power of education and the building of trusted relationships. This is all incredibly exciting.

Introducing Anisha and Naveen

Aneesha is 10 years old and she really has a tough life. Rakhi her teacher at Parmawala brought this young girl and her sister Naveen (aged 8) to our attention. Becuase of poverty, these girls are at risk of significant harm due to the impact of alcohol and domestic violence. We are helping these girls through their access to a ‘Project Help’ education, however we are aware that there is not enough money in the family to provide for their very basic needs.  We would be delighted if anyone would like to reach out to sponsor this family at a cost of $25AUS a month. Contact us to let us know.

A Horrific Crime in Kotdwara

This week we were informed of a most distressing crime that occurred in Kotdwara.

“In the most barbaric incident of recent times, a serious crime of rape took place on 5 August 2019 in slum of Kotdwar. The police got the breakthrough when a family from Lakdipadao slum launched a missing complaint of their 10 yr old girl. According to police the girl was allegedly brutally murdered by two of her neighbours , Padam (28 yrs) and Ashok (31 yrs ). The two accused have been arrested. When the police interrogated on of the men he confessed to his crime. The body was found in a horrible state the cause of death was rape and suffocation. The body was in a decomposed condition as it was all eaten by pigs and stray dogs. This proves that the child faced the brutality. The incident had sparked a lot of outrage and left people shaken. They have become concerned about their children. Rape is the fourth most common crime against women in India. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB ) 2013 annual report, 24,923 rape cases were reported across India in 2012 Out of these, 24,470 were commited by someone known to the viktim. 98% of cases. (Quoted from Project Help Officer’s email 15th August)

The victim of this most heinous of crimes, was not a student of our slum schools but her family lives in the same location. Our team has reached out to the family with gifts and emotional support. We pray that our love will provide some comfort in this terrible time. This incident has reminded us of the need to review our Child Protection programs in each of our schools, to give children strategies and awareness to protect themselves.

Our story is your story

These exciting initiatives have only been made possible because of the generosity and prayerful support of others. Can you believe that all of this has happened in just one week?

YOU CAN BE PART OF OUR STORY

1. Donate - Your tax deductible donation can be made Here

Ensure that you are donating to (WYG-IND-PHI-2019)

OR  if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Please write your name in the reference section so we can thank you.

2. Share our Story - Please like and share this blog on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

Thanks so much.

Love Doug and Rowena

Helping Asha - The Daily Scourge of Poverty (Pt 1)

Left: Asha and her family in July, after a monsoon storm destroyed all of their belongings.

Right: Asha this week in Bijnor Hospital (August)

The mission of ‘Project help India’ is simple – we help and care for people who live in extreme poverty. It is almost impossible to empathise and put ourselves in the shoes of those who suffer in this way. There is such a divide between us with all of our first-world comforts, and those who battle the challenges of having almost nothing each and every day. So many of their problems could be solved and difficult situations changed, simply with the equivalent of what we would spend on a daily cup of coffee. Poverty breeds poverty. It is an ugly, vicious cycle.

Yet we do make a difference.

Asha lives with her husband Sher Singh, and their 4 children in the Kotdwara slums. She is a kind and generous woman who has opened her home and shared her limited resources to support ‘Project Help’. Over the years, despite having nothing herself, Asha has made it possible for us to care for the many people, especially children, who live in her neighbourhood. Asha and Sher are saints. Despite the hardships they endure, they make sacrifices for others. Just a few years ago, they even suggested that ‘Project Help’ might build a public toilet block that would have taken up the entirety of their tiny courtyard, a metre from their back door. We didn’t go ahead with this because it would have compromised their health and safety.

Asha and Sher truly live out the Bible verse that commands us to love our neighbours.

Now it is our turn to help Asha. Just two weeks ago, we received the news that only just a few weeks after her home was destroyed by the monsoon, she had a massive heart attack. Hearing this news, ‘Project Help’ was able to jump into action and immediately transfer some funds to India. This saved her life because she was transferred to a hospital in Bijnor where she received specialist medical help. Additionally, last week, we were incredibly grateful to some of our amazing Australian supporters who this week donated $1000 which was needed to provide the ongoing help that Asha needs.

Amit, our Project Director sent me this report this week.

This is Asha. She is one of our Cooking staff in Slums Center and she also lives in slums. This week she had a heart stroke and immediately we the Project Help sent her to a specialist heart hospital. Her treatment is going on from later 5 days and doctors said that her on of the heart valve is blocked and they did the angioplasty. But unfortunately the cost of this treatment is very high price @80,000 approximately with hospital charges, medicine, etc.

The family of Asha is very very poor. They earn every day 200 Indian rupee ($4AUS) that means 6,000 rupee ($120AUS) per month. In Asha’s family there are 6 members all together with children. Last month this family went through a big problem too. As because of the heavy rain their wooden and plastic sheet roof fell down and they lost their everything like clothes, mattresses,  bed, tv, fan, eatable things etc. In this case Project Help helped them with money as most of you our friends from Australia send help to us.

Now these days once again Asha and whole family going through with big difficulty as they are helpless to pay this big amount. They are looking forward for a generous help. We have to pay for Asha within a week so I kindly urge for your generous help .

May God Bless every one of you.

Asha remains in a critical condition and she continues to fight for her life. Might you be able to make a donation? You can have confidence knowing that your kindness and generosity will make a difference. You may never meet Asha and her family but these wonderful people are connected to you through the story that we share together through ‘Project Help’. They send their love and gratitude.  

YOU CAN BE PART OF OUR STORY

1. Donate - Your tax deductible donation can be made Here

Ensure that you are donating to (WYG-IND-PHI-2019)

OR  if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Please write ‘Asha’ and your name in the reference section so we can thank you.

2. Share our Story - Please like and share this blog on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

Thanks so much.

Extreme living - Extreme action (July in pictures)

Life in India is full of extremes, and just this month in July we have seen the harsh impact of this. Only a few weeks ago, the temperature in Kotdwara was over fifty degrees. Since then, we have been deluged with the extreme rain from the seasonal monsoon. Each day we come face to face with the impact of extreme poverty. Sickness and death is a reality of life and whilst it’s easy to get ‘used’ to this, our mission and projects focus on combating poverty. We will not settle for accepting this, knowing that our efforts can have significant impact in the lives of children, families and communities.

Check out our photo gallery to see just how much has been achieved. It’s amazing! Just in this month of July, the work of ‘Project Help India’ continues with purpose and momentum as we provide opportunities for;

- improving children’s health and nutrition

- education and learning

- social work and counselling

- emergency crisis care

- creating community and a sense of belonging

- environmental responsibility

- community impact through drug awareness

- individual lives changed

- a brighter tomorrow and hope for the future

- experiencing God’s love

Thank you to all of our supporters. It is simply because of your generosity that all of this is possible.

We thank our teams in Kotdwara and Bijnor for their tireless work. ‘Project Help India’ has 14 paid staff. We honour their innovation, problem solving, determination, sacrificial efforts, care and compassion.  What you have achieved in just these past 4 weeks is truly remarkable. We love you!

Double click the photos below to learn about and connect with the story.

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Extreme monsoon rain

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Help on its way

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Iris our new teacher

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Meet Ansh

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Anti-drug education

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New stationery

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...and new clothes

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Thank you!

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Tree planting

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In the news!!

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A meal each day

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We belong

20 children - their lives rescued from a horrendous future

Our Director, Mr Amit Samuel, receiving an award of commendation for community service from the local police, and a (not so good) selfie of Doug and some of the police in April.

With just 2 weeks until tax time, we wanted to thank you for the support you have given ‘Project Help India’ over the past financial year. We want to remind you of the difference you’re making in the lives of so many people. Thanks to your generosity we are helping the local Kotdwara police save children from a life of slavery and misery.

We are writing to ask if you would please consider making a tax-deductible donation prior to the 30th June to help maintain our projects, and to help us grow, expand and maximise our impact.

It is estimated that approximately 80 000 children go missing in India every year. This tragic statistic represents lives and families torn apart. This represents children living in fear, shame, bondage, slavery and incredible danger. Living in poverty is one of the reasons for this. In slums and remote villages in the Himalayas, here in the state of Uttarakhand, we hear stories of families who are duped into believing false promises of a better life for their kids. These parents may sell their child for as little as $50US thinking that they will be living and working in another town, or living with a rich family that is taking good care of them. Some teens win ‘talent’ competitions thinking that they are heading to Mumbai to claim their Bollywood, prize. Children, sometimes only 8 years old, are usually sold into non-existent jobs and later sold for sexual exploitation, sham marriages or some form of child labour. It’s an understatement to say that these children will be scared for life, that’s if they live beyond their teen years.

There are more modern-day slaves living in India than anywhere else on Earth. 

At ‘Project Help India’ we have the incredible opportunity to work alongside the local Anti-Human Trafficking Police Team. This small team of inspiring men and women work hard to protect children who are victims of the most insidious of crimes. ‘Project Help India’ assist the police with the counselling of victims, delivering community training and providing information seminars to parents in villages and to students at their school. We have also provided some office resources, such as printers and a data projector to help the police team in their day to day admin tasks and duties.

20 children rescued just this year!
Recently in April, the Superintendent told us that they had been successful in rescuing 20 children between January and April. The help that we give is not big, but it makes a difference. The police acknowledge and thank us for the support and encouragement we bring. They are always incredibly grateful and appreciative.

* According to the 2016 National Crime Records Bureau of India 33,855 people were kidnapped or abducted for the purpose of marriage. Half were under the age of 18.

* According to the Global Slavery Index, 14.2 million of the 35.8 million people enslaved throughout the world are in India. 

Thank you for your financial support of ‘Project help India’ – your donation has contributed to some very good news stories. We may not see any short-term solutions to this disgraceful injustice, but 20 children rescued is such a wonderful outcome.

“Human trafficking and modern slavery destroy lives. They are terrible abuses of human rights, shamefully robbing people of their dignity, causing total misery to the victims, their families and our communities. We all need to work together to stop it.” (The Guardian, 11th August, 2018)

OR  if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Write your name in the reference section so we can thank you.

About 'Project Help India'

Our mission is to bring love, hope, dignity and purpose to the poor in Kotdwara and Bijnor, India. Our vision is to focus on education, nutrition, health and human rights, so that individual lives are impacted, empowered and restored. We seek to bring about community change and generational transformation. Project Help India seeks to grow in its impact and influence in the lives of people and communities, with a goal to ultimately expand into other towns and places of need. If you did not catch up with all we achieved over the past 12 months, here is a link to our most recent 2018 Annual Report. Please spread the word to someone who you think might like to make a donation.

With love and gratitude,

Doug and the Project Help Team.

260 Children (and more with your help)

Village Parmawala students, located in the Himalayan foothills. These kids cannot get to a local school each day without facing many dangers in the jungle. Our centre in the village gives them access to education, love and care.

As we step into the month of June, and with just 4 weeks until tax time, we wanted to thank you for the support you have given ‘Project Help India’ over the past financial year. We want to remind you of the difference you’re making in the lives of so many people. Thanks to your generosity we have grown from helping just 50 children a week back in 2012 and now, just seven short years later, we help 260 children each week …and education is just one aspect of all that ‘Project Help India’ does.

260 children

We operate six education centres in the state of Uttarakhand in Northern India. There are 2 centres in Kotdwara (96 students) and another in the town of Bijnor (33 students). There are also three centres in jungle villages in the Himalayan foothills, reaching out to another 131 students.

 Each centre provides free tuition in Hindi, English, Maths, a sports game a week and teaches life skills such as hygiene and nutrition. The children receive a free large hot meal every day which is vital in helping them to be strong and healthy. As well as this, we have extended support to 6 disabled students who require significant help and intervention. Most of these children would otherwise never go to school.

Our impact extends beyond the classroom with ‘Project Help’ community workers supporting parents. We help individuals who are significantly impacted by poverty, those in crisis due to specific personal circumstances, and to families impacted by natural disasters such as the annual monsoon floods. Our very new ‘Project Help’ Medical Centre is an exciting addition to the services that we provide to the slums and the people we care for.

Thanks to your generosity, our projects have expanded beyond anything we could have ever anticipated. The demand and ability for us to grow is only limited by the funds we receive. People in terrible need are constantly asking us for help. We are sad that we often can’t help them. We must be wise and prudent in our use of valuable funds. Just recently in March we were asked to take over a small slum school which is about to close. Unfortunately, at this point in time, our finances could not be stretched that far.

Would you please consider making a tax-deductible donation prior to the 30th June to help maintain our projects, and to help us grow, expand and maximise our impact.

OR  if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Please write your name in the reference section so we can thank you.

We are changing people’s lives and we could not do this without you. Please spread the word to someone who you think might like to make a donation.

About 'Project Help India'

Our mission is to bring love, hope, dignity and purpose to the poor in Kotdwara and Bijnor, India. Our vision is to focus on education, nutrition, health and human rights, so that individual lives are impacted, empowered and restored. We seek to bring about community change and generational transformation. Project Help India seeks to grow in its impact and influence in the lives of people and communities, with a goal to ultimately expand into other towns and places of need.

If you did not catch up with all we achieved over the past 12 months, here is a link to our most recent 2018 Annual Report.

With love and gratitude,

Doug and the Project Help Team.

We're off to SHINE!

One of our SHINE19 mirrors - limited edition and only available in Kotdwara!

Tomorrow (Thursday 18th April) fifteen Australians are heading to Kotdwara to present and be a part of our SHINE19 Women's Empowerment Conference. We are super excited and full of anticipation for the many lives we will impact. Our bags are all but packed with 350kg of luggage ... including 1000 toothbrushes, 1000 fans, 900 mirrors and lipsticks for our 800+ delegates, 350 packets coloured pencils, textas and tennis balls for the 260 children in our centres, teaching resources for our new Disability class, gifts for teachers and many others, not to mention just a small amount of space for our clothes and personal items. 

Please pray for us, for our safety, good health and that our hard work and efforts would encourage and make a long lasting difference in the lives of many people.

It gives us great pleasure to present our Annual Report for 2018. 

This is available by clicking the following link to our website;

http://projecthelpindia.co/our-history/ (scroll to the bottom of the page)

2018 was significant for us as we moved forward in the breadth and depth of our projects and the level of support provided to individuals, families and the wider communities of Kotdwara and extending to the neighbouring city of Bijnor, India.

We hope that you are able to take a small amount of time to read this report as we are confident that you will be both encouraged and pleasantly surprised by how much has been achieved within the short space of 12 months.

 In 2018 we received a total of $36018 in donations, a slight decrease from the year before, but none-the-less amazing! We anticipate and hope that this amount will increase this year due to us now being able to provide tax deductibility.

For those who have so generously given to the 'Project help India' story, we cannot thank you enough. You may not realise this but you are a significant part of the story of people’s lives. We know these people, we have met them and spent time with them, many have become our friends and we love them. We have witnessed first-hand the difference your financial contribution has made to their circumstances, providing them with care, dignity and hope for the future. There are instances when we can say that your donation has contributed towards saved people’s lives, providing them with the immediate help that was needed to rescue them from poor health, floods or crisis situations.

As we reflect on these many achievements, our heartfelt thanks and admiration goes to two very special and inspiring people, Amit and Daisy Samuel. It is Amit and Daisy who each and every day, pour out their hearts, energy and love to their community. Their efforts and sacrifices often go unnoticed, and their work is challenging and difficult. Amit and Daisy are both incredibly well respected by the leaders of Kotdwara and they are often called upon to provide counselling, guidance, respite and mediation. They are God’s hands, feet and voice to this wonderful town.

Please do not underestimate the power of your giving. Please continue to be generous, and we sincerely ask with a measure of audacity, please give more. We have a very big vision for what can be done and achieved. 

We look forward to sharing stories about SHINE19 and more about the people who are our friends…they are your friends too, and they send you their greetings, love and gratitude. Please contact us, if you would like your donation to go towards a particular need or project that touches your heart. Please be in touch if you would like to know more.

How you can help

1. Share our Story - please share this blog on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. 

2. Be Part of our Story - make your tax deductible donation at http://projecthelpindia.co/donate

OR  if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Please write your name in the reference section so we can thank you.

Thanks for making everything that Project Help accomplished in 2018 possible. With love and thanks from Doug and the 'Project Help India' team.

Meet the Little Drummer Boy

This little boy is Moono. He is 7 years old and this week he captured our hearts. On Thursday Moono arrived at our door in Kotdwara, asking for some food and money as he sang and played his drum. Moono said that he does not have parents and he had walked all the way from Najibabad, another town quite some distance away. There is little doubt that this boy, like so many other children in India is vulnerable and at high risk of abuse and exploitation. He must be incredibly brave, and we can only imagine how scared he must be each night, alone and by himself, as he hides and sleeps in dark and unfamiliar places. 

After arriving at our centre, Moono was given a meal, he had a bath and was given a fresh set of clothes, which he is wearing in this photo. His face lit up with a beautiful smile, as he played his drum alongside 14 year old Jonathan (Amit and Daisy’s son). In this moment, Amit described Moono as “a wonderful image of God”. 

Soon after, as quickly as he appeared, Moono said he wanted to go. Daisy tried to convince him to stay but he just walked away, not to be seen again.

Thank you for your donation to ‘Project Help India’. Because of you, we have the funds that position us to help the needy like this little drummer boy. In India the need is great and sadly it’s a bottomless pit but we can, and we do, make a difference. 

We know that small magic moments such as these, are significant for individuals like Moono. We pray that one day soon he might return, or we will find him and can help him some more. In the mean time, we pray that this little chap will be surrounded by angels and be kept safe. 

For all the strategy, forward planning and budgeting, we sometimes just never know who might arrive at our doorstep.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Jesus said... “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:31-40

How you can help

1. Share our Story - please share our blog on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. http://projecthelpindia.co/blog/2019/4/14/meet-the-little-drummer-boy

2. Be Part of our Story - make your tax deductible donation at http://projecthelpindia.co/donate

OR  if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Please write your name in the reference section so we can thank you.

Please share this story and encourage others to support ‘Project Help India’. Your donation goes a long, long way in making a difference in the lives of others.

Stronger Women for a Stronger India

Rachna is hoping to attend SHINE. She lives in a slum community in the city of Bijnor which is 50km from Kotdwara. Rachna has 2 children, a daughter Sanchi (aged 6) and a son Raghav (aged 4). Both children attend a ‘Project Help India’ education centre, which is the first ever school that they have attended. Rachna’s husband is a labourer, and the family live below the poverty line. Both parents are thankful for the gift of a Project Help education which also provides a meal each day for the kids, as well as the opportunity to attend SHINE, if the family is able to juggle Rachna being away from the home for the day.

The Thomas Family, 8 other Aussies and a South African will be heading to Kotdwara in North India in just three weeks time, for ‘Project Help India’s second women's SHINE19 conference. This conference is an important aspect of the 'Project Help India' vision, and we can't quite believe that another year has come around. Compared to last year, the number of delegates has doubled, spanning two days and receiving registrations from close to 900 women.

Most of our delegates are women who live in slums, in terrible poverty. These women can't afford to pay, so we are not charging them. We want to bless them and give them an experience they will never forget. Teenage girls from local high schools will also be attending as well as women who are community leaders, because our aim is to empower all women in all spheres of life.

After SHINE18, our conference this year has become the talk of Northern India, with local media doing press releases, billboard advertising, and even politicians and Bollywood celebrities wanting to both attend and be seen supporting and advocating for this important cause.

Because of SHINE19 we are positive and confident that women's lives will be changed and empowered. Through this we will see…

stronger lives, stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger India.

‘Project help India’ is pioneering this cause in this remote part of the world, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

If you could make a tax deductible donation to support our work, we would really appreciate this. And please spread the word if you might know people who might be passionate about human rights, human justice, anti-human trafficking, and who might be stirred to make a donation to this worthwhile cause (we need some help as the cost all adds up and is now close to $6000).

Please forward this email/blog to people you know whose business or company might like to support this wonderful cause…it’s tax deductible for them too. And please share this blog on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

How you can help

go to http://projecthelpindia.co/donate to make your tax-deductible donation

OR

if tax deductibility is not required, your EFT donation can be made at

BSB: 062 230 (Commonwealth Bank Randwick) 

Account: 1134 1909

Account Name: Project Help India

Please write your name and SHINE19 in the reference section so we can thank you.

With love and thanks from the ‘Project Help India’ Team x