Making Wonderful Things Happen - The first ever school for 50 kids and their community

“Their parents told us that how grateful they are that finally their children would be able to read and write and will not remain in the darkness of illiteracy like them.”

Celebrating the opening of our new Village Dalernagar Centre

Even after Independence, India is still way behind in providing education to its children. One among the many cases, is an area deep in the jungles of Dalernagar. After much planning, today on 20th May the team of Project Help India, visited the village and started to put everything in place for the new centre that will educate the 50 children residing in Dalernagar.

All of these 50 children, young children to teenagers, have never attended a school before this day.

This village is quite near to our Kadarganj Education Centre. Project Help India is the first organisation that has bought a ray of hope into lives of these people, who belong to Gujjar Community. The people from the community mostly live in the jungle and have no source of education. The surrounding area has everything from dense jungle to wild animals that opposes the way of children from accessing education. But despite of the hardships and many obstacles, Project Help India has made this possible. This progress is possible because it is well supported by our Australian sponsors and we pay our gratitude to them.

Thankful parents

At the new centre, Mr. Amit Sameul (Director Project Help India), Mrs. Shalini Singh (Field Coordinator) and Miss. Arunima Bisht (Office Coordinator) met our 50 new students and their parents asking them questions about the hopes they have.

The parents are all very thrilled and excited and told us that how grateful they are that finally their children would be able to read and write and will not remain in the darkness of illiteracy like them. They also thanked us for being the first ever organisation that has bought hope for the future of their children, when even the government failed to do so.

Some of the kids’ parents

The children and parents hold high expectations from Project Help India and pay them gratitude for thinking about their children and bringing the light of education into their lives.

Mr. Dilshad who will be our teacher and community facilitator is the only educated person in the entire village of 250 families. He is currently studying in 12th class and put his hand up for the job. He feels glad to finally find the right support and guidance through Project Help India to help him achieve his aim. He has spent the past month training alongside the other Project help teachers. He will continue to be trained and supported The children will be taught in a large eco-friendly room made by the community. Mrs. Shalini Singh our Field Coordinator talked to the kids and parents and explained them about the works of Project Help India, its rules and regulations. In the middle of all the interaction a local ice-cream vendor visited the village and our director Mr. Amit Samuel bought ice-creams for all the children…another wonderful treat.

While looking around the area we found there was no shop, no bakery or any form of modern convenience for the children -but there were all very happy. Their simple living can be well appreciated, but with the modernisation and digitisation of India it will be hard for these kids to survive in the world outside their community and area, especially if they are illiterate. Hence it becomes very important that they are not only provided with a quality education but make them updated about living in the current world and to teach them about their rights. With all these aims  in mind we are determined to do our best and to work very hard for these children and their education. 

A teacher - proud and excited

The boys were happy

The girls were happy

There were lots of photos taken to celebrate this happy occasion as well as an impromptu ice-cream treat.

And there was dancing

Happy is his name

Happy - true to his name!

Happy is a student at our centre in the city of Bijnor, in Project Help India. He is a bright kid with a great interest in sports and extra-curricular activities. His family lives in poverty, barely able to afford life’s most basic of necessities. He is a tall 14 year old, yet he attends third grade at school, mostly with 8 year-old kids. Like most local government schools, the quality of the education is poor, the classrooms have no resources and they are overcrowded. Without the additional support he receives at Project Help he is sure to leave school soon, and required to start working to support the family. With guidance from our team Happy’s parents, however, have learnt the importance of education, they value his studies and are committed to seeing him succeed.

Happy has attended our Bijnor Centre from the day it first started in 2018. He is with us every afternoon without fail making the most of every opportunity to learn and participate. He cares for the younger kids and is truly a leader – his teacher brings out the best in him.

Happy’s father, Mr. Sunil, is a labour and works as a decorator in wedding halls. His mother, Mrs. Anita, is a hawker and helps her husband to support the family. Happy is the youngest of three brothers, Abhishek, Jitin and Dishaant. His eldest brother Dishaant also studies at the same school with his brother and is in 5th class. The other brothers have stopped going to school and instead they both work as labours.

Happy considers himself very lucky to be able to study in such an organisation where not only the teachers of the centre aid him in study but also encourage him to do extra-curricular activities like singing, dancing, sports, etc. His parents thank Project Help India from the bottom of their hearts.

Our prayer for Happy is that his education and the nurture he receives at Project help will take him way beyond the cruel pathway that poverty has overwise has destined for him. 

EDUCATION = passion

The passion of a teacher

Mrs. Sushila Charles is a graduate teacher at the Project Help Slum Centre. She is a very hardworking lady and an inspiring teacher. Her dedication towards her work is undeniable and can be seen very clearly by everyone in the community . She gives her all so that her students can face the challenges of their lives and society. Her teaching methods are also very unique and amazing, and the other teachers learn a lot from her too.

Sushila was our first teacher when Project Help started in 2012, but due to the unhealthy environment of the building she got a severe infection in her body. So she worked with us for just one year. She returned in 2018 and now works as a permanent teacher again in our Kotdwara Slums Centre.

Sushila is married to Mr. Sanjay Charles. He is a daily wage driver by profession. If there is no driving work he does not get paid. They have two kids, Anubhav (15 years) and Samarth (5 years). The family of four lives in a single room with a small kitchen. It’s Sushila’s income that sustains her family. Her husband’s work is inconsistent and the little he earns is spent on his personal interests and pursuits, and because of this here has been a great deal of conflict and tension in the past. During the COVID lockdown the family suffered greatly as there was no work for Sunjay. The only money earned was by Sushila (all of our teachers continued to get paid throughout the lockdown) and this was used to pay the children’s school fees. All of their food and essential supplies were provided by the distribution of Project Help ration packs. Therefore during the entire pandemic the family was totally dependent upon Project Help.

Sushila’s family count Project Help as their guardian angel and thank God for it. Sushila says she always prays for the organisation and their beloved sponsors. She says that she has received many blessings by working for Project Help. She also prays for her beautiful students and has the dearest hope that they may achieve their goals in the future. She says this is why she works hard. The students love her dearly and some say that she is a perfect teacher.

Doug and Rowena Thomas (from Australia) with some of the Project Help staff visiting Sushila and the cook at the Slums Centre (in February, 2022).

EDUCATION = impact

This boy has a heartbreaking story - his education is transforming his life and is bringing hope for his future.

Education impacts one life at a time

Since 2012 there have been hundreds of children who have attended a ‘Project Help India’ school. In our 3 jungle village schools, because of their remote and dangerous location, the majority of students, especially the girls, only have access to a Project Help education. Our village centres provide the one and only opportunity for the kids to be educated, nurtured and cared for in a school setting.

Many (but not all) of our students in the cities of Kotdwara and Bijnor will attend a local government school during the day. Many of these schools are overcrowded, and provide poor and inconsistent levels of academic tuition and generally no wellbeing programs. After school our students then head straight to one of our 3 Project Help centres where they will receive 2.5 hours of tuition as well as a free healthy meal. For our students this meal is better than they would receive at home. The kids go home at around 6pm.

In the city all of our students are slum kids and each has a challenging, often desperate home life. As we hear the story of each child we get a glimpse into some heartbreaking circumstances that are impacted and compounded by the vicious cycle of poverty. We provide our students and their families with ongoing counselling, social work support, advocacy and if needed, emergency aid (for example feeding the entire family during the COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021).

Priyanshu’s Story

Priyanshu Kumar, is 13 years old and is in Grade 7. He is from a very poor family from the Kotdwara slums. Last year his father died during the COVID pandemic. Soon after this, his younger brother also caught COVID and tragically died as well. The grief of this situation impacted Priyanshu greatly and he became incredibly lonely. The pain of missing his brother resulted in him becoming withdrawn, selective mute and socially anxious. His school grades declined and he received no support or counselling for the trauma that he was experiencing.

Priyanshu’s mother is a house maid and works in many homes trying to earn enough to support herself and her son. For fear for her son’s safety, she would lock him in the house after school (he also attends a government school during the day) and into the late hours of the night, whenever she could get work. This compounded the situation making Priyanshu fearful of others and refusing to speak to anyone.

Priyanshu’s teacher describes the situation;

Priyanshu says that he was really sad to stay at home but he understands his mother's concerns and that's why never threw a tantrum for this and quietly obeys her. After the death of his father all the responsibilities of a family were transferred to his mother and hence he never disobeyed his mother as he understood the burden she was carrying. His mother was also worried for him getting worse but was bound by her own conditions. When she came to know about the ‘Project Help City Centre’, she contacted the Director, Mr. Amit Samuel, and the General Secretary, Mrs. Daisy Samuel, about her conditions and her misfortune. Priyanshu was given admission and at first, he was very shy and apprehensive. However, he now attends the classes enthusiastically and also is trying to mix with the other children. He comes to the tuition on time and with neat and clean clothes which shows that he is dedicated towards his studies. While he takes time to understand his work, he shows great determination to learn.

Priyanshu and his mother both are immensely thankful to Project Help India. We are all very confident that he will reach new heights.

We are so excited that after being with us for just 2 months, Priyanshu is making many friends. He is learning and making good academic progress. The consistency of school routines and the nurture and kindness of his teacher makes him feel safe. We are excited for his future and count it a privilege to educate and care for him.

What we need for this to happen

None of our students pay to attend a Project Help Centre. It is thanks to our supporters, who make all of this possible. Currently, it costs approximately $30 a month to pay for a child’s education and meals, and approximately $40 a month to pay for a child’s education and meals at our Slum Disability Centre in Kotdwara. This is why we need your ongoing support. Would you consider making an annual tax deductible donation of $360 or $480 to cover the costs associated with a child’s education?

Your donation has big impact.

EDUCATION = celebration

I want to be known - to be understood, respected, valued and treated kindly by the people around me. Don’t you?

Living and learning together in an inclusive ‘belonging’ community is found at the heart of any good school. This is one of the things I love about education, and why I (Doug here) love my job ...it’s a privilege being a School Principal. A great school values connection and relationships, embracing and celebrating the wonderful diversity that is found in the mix of all those who form part of that community. In schools we celebrate birthdays, significant achievements, national days, religious and cultural traditions, and so much more. Schools are places of excitement as we come together to learn about each other, celebrating people and the things that are individually and collectively important for us all. A school community I believe, provides us with opportunities to teach children about how our wider community can and should be. We are providing them with a powerful model packaged with the tangible experiences for learning about how our world can be ...a world we all hope and pray for.

Our seven ‘Project Help India’ schools are filled with much cultural diversity, and we value, embrace and celebrate this. Just this week it was a privilege to share the message of the Easter story with all of our students. They especially loved the egg painting. In a few weeks we will celebrate alongside our Muslim staff and the many students from the Muslim Jungle Villages and slums, who on 1st May, will finish their Ramadan season. Then later this year in October we will celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, with those of Hindu, Muslims, Sikh and other faith backgrounds.

When we celebrate alongside one another we show that we value, respect and have an openness to learn and understand from each other’s stories. And as we do this, we find solidarity in the things that we have in common, the things that our world so desperately needs ...love, empathy, compassion, unity, safety, peace, acceptance and so much more.

Regardless of our race, religion or creed, let’s work and strive together for a world that we all pray and hope for …for our communities, our families and children, and for generations to come.

Thank you each of our supporters for your generous giving - you are indeed changing the world by changing the lives of some very special kids in Northern India, through their attendance and education received at one of our schools.

Project Help India wishes you a Happy Easter – may the hope, peace and love of Jesus be yours this Easter.

We love our school!

Project Help India wishes you a Happy Easter – may the hope, peace and love of Jesus be yours this Easter.

I want to be known - to feel understood, respected, valued and treated kindly by the people around me. Don’t you?

Living and learning together in an inclusive community is found at the heart of any good school. This is one of the things I love about education, and why I love my job ...it’s a privilege being a School Principal. A great school values connection and relationships, embracing and celebrating the wonderful diversity that is found in the mix of all the people who form part of that community. In schools we celebrate birthdays, significant achievements, national days, religious and cultural traditions, and so much more. Schools are places of excitement and celebration, coming together to learn about each other, celebrating people and the things that are individually and collectively important for us all. A school community, I believe provides a powerful model for how our wider community can and should be. We are providing our children with powerful model with the tangible experiences for how our world can be ...a world we all hope and pray for.

Our seven ‘Project Help India’ schools are filled with much cultural diversity, and we value, embrace and celebrate this. Just this week it was a privilege to share the message of the Easter story with all of our students. They especially loved the egg painting. In a few weeks we will celebrate alongside our Muslim staff and the many students from the Muslim Jungle Villages and slums, who on 1st May, will finish their Ramadan season. Then later this year in October we will celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, with those of Hindu, Muslims, Sikh and other faith backgrounds.

When we celebrate alongside one another we show that we value, respect and an openness to learn and understand from each other’s stories. And as we do this, we find solidarity in the things that our world so desperately needs ...love, empathy, compassion, unity, safety, peace, acceptance and so much more.

Regardless of race or creed, let’s work and strive together for a world that we all pray and hope for.

Thank you each of our supporters for your generous giving - you are indeed changing the world through the lived experience, for some very special kids in Northern India, through their attendance and education received at one of our ‘Project Help’ schools.

EDUCATION = a fundamental human right

274 children currently attend our 7 Project Help India centres …they love coming to school. For these kids the education they receive is a precious gift in so many ways.

We are pleased to present a series of short blogs about education.

To receive an education is one of the fundamental rights of being human. We may take this for granted but unfortunately many children, especially girls and those with disabilities, have unequal, limited or no access to education, let alone attend a school that provides access to a quality curriculum that is delivered by qualified, caring and loving teachers.

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights when published and adopted in 1948 was, and continues to be, a milestone document. For the first time, the world had a globally agreed document that marked out all humans as being free and equal, regardless of sex, colour, creed, religion or other characteristics.

Sadly, it seems that our world needs to stop and recognise this more than ever before.

At Project Help India, our key priority is advocacy for the right for vulnerable (all from poor and marginalised communities) to receive an education. Here are some of the beautiful faces of the 265 children who attend our 7 small centres in Kotdwara and Bijnor in Northern India. When the kids are at school their lessons include Hindi, English, spelling, maths, art, poetry, writing, drama, games, environmental care, body parts and body safety, health, hygiene and safety. It’s also an important priority for us to celebrate the cultural and religious traditions of the unique and diverse communities that are part of. We seek to give them hope for the future, to understand that they are precious individuals, and to give them skills and understanding to be contributing citizens who will flourish in life.

Go to the OUR SETTING page on this website to learn more about our schools.

Article 26 of the UNDHR states that ‘everyone has the right to education’.

Primary schooling should be free. We should all be able to continue our studies as far as we wish. At school we should be helped to develop our talents, and be taught an understanding and respect for everyone’s human rights. We should also be taught to get on with others whatever their ethnicity, religion, or country they come from. Our parents have the right to choose what kind of school we go to. link

Over the coming weeks we look forward to sharing more with you about these kids and their stories, as well as provide you with further information about the education and care they receive through ‘Project Help India’. We are thankful to our many supporters whose generosity makes these smiles, and all that the children learn and do at school possible.

We hope you will find this series interesting and helpful, and also encourages you in the impact that you are making possible.

Sunita's House - so grateful to you because the urgent repairs have commenced

We hope this finds you safe and well, especially those of you in Sydney, Northern NSW, the Illawarra and other areas, who presently are overwhelmed by the rain and floods. We are writing to give you a quick update, and a word of thanks for making it possible for Project Help to help Sunita and her family. You may recall back in mid February we put out an urgent call for assistance. Sunita lives with her elderly mother, and four older children, one with polio - causing significant mobility impairment and never being able to attend school because of this. Then while visiting our projects in Bijnor, we had the opportunity to visit the family. At the time I (Doug) reflected that I had never seen a family live in such miserable conditions, it really was very distressing to observe and to experience.

Please click this link for the original story

Following our call for help, a number of amazing people responded which made it possible for us to commit to the task, to go ahead and to give Sunita the good news. Straight away, we provided Sunita with some urgent supplies, some beds, blankets, basic food items, along with plastic sheeting for the roof as an interim measure - to protect the family when it rains. We promised (and hoped) that the major structural repairs to the house might be underway by Easter. Sunita was overwhelmed, breaking down in tears, as she thanked Amrit who made the delivery. She said that she had never felt so loved before. 

Great job Amrit …thanks for all your hard work, to make this happen.

This week, the renovations commenced. We are so pleased to have been able to start, with the hope that everything will be completed before the monsoon rains hit in early-mid May. 

Yep, we are over budget

Our initial estimate for the repairs was lower than required ...no surprises to most of us that most renovations go over budget. This is fine because we able to draw on funds away from other projects funded within our regular budget, however, if you could help, we would be most grateful. 

We anticipate needing approximately another $1000. Please let us know if you can help. You can make your donation by clicking the DONATE button at the top of the page.

Thank you so much.

Meet the newest and 'smartest' looking member of our team

Earlier this month we were super excited to have a new team member join us …it’s so smart looking too! We cannot believe that we have been gifted a brand new ambulance. It’s a beautiful story … a local police superintendent, Mr. Kripal Singh, who used to work closely with Project help in Kotdwara, bought the ambulance in memory of his late mother, who sadly passed away during the COVID pandemic last year. His mother would have made it to hospital if the community had more ambulances at the time. He told us;

I bought it to use it for people in need, but being a police official I am too busy to be able to use it. So I give this ambulance to Project Help India as an offering to be used for the poor and needy people. I trust and respect Project Help and know they will use it well.

We have big plans for this ambulance, after it is registered we will particularly use it to assist people in the remote jungle villages where we work. Many of those who need urgent medical treatment simply cannot access transport to get to the city hospital, nor can they afford to pay. We could recount many sad stories about tragic situations that could have easily been avoided if only people had access to an ambulance.

Our new member of the team will play a vital role as we care for our community, and especially help those impacted by terrible poverty.