Our story is about helping helping children, families and their communities
Educating and caring for 550 children
We currently operate seven education centres in the state of Uttarakhand in Northern India, one centre in the state of Uttar Pradesh (in the city of Bijnor) and six centres in poor communities in the state of Punjab.
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. Most of our students are aged between 5 and 13 years. Students attend classes for between 2-3 hours, five days a week. The children learn Hindi, English, Mathematics, Spelling and life skills.
The classes are held in very basic rented homes and buildings. The majority of these children would otherwise never attend a school, or receive any education. Instead, they would ‘reg pick’ spending their day collecting plastic waste for recycling, begging or forced child labour. These children are still very vulnerable, especially to abuse, religious sacrifices, forced marriages, exploitation and sex trafficking. Attending ‘school’ allows them to be cared for, watched and fed. Learning some basic skills gives them some foundations and confidence for moving to a proper government school and to have personal dreams for the future. Similarly, their parents begin to have hopes and aspirations for their children beyond the generation cycle of poverty they have grown up in.
There is often however, great tension for many parents as they allow their children to attend school rather than reg picking and begging, because this child labour contributes to a significant amount of the essential family income.
The majority of our students in jungle villages and some locations in Punjab would not attend because they live in remote and isolated locations where it is too far to travel to school.
The impact of our education centres extends beyond the classroom with ‘Project Help’ community workers supporting parents through counselling and parent seminars. From time to time we help individual families who have been 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 Disability Centre - Introducing some of our awesome students
To further the impact of our educational delivery we have extended support to approximately 15 disabled students at our Kotdwara Disability Centre. These beautiful children require significant help and intervention, and most would otherwise not go to school. Most never attended school prior to enrolling at our Centre. Our students are loved and supported by their teacher and a teacher’s aide. This centre was opened in 2018.
Suhail is 14 years old. He lives in one of the slum areas of Kotdwara. Up until attending our Disability Centre in 2021, Suhail had never the opportunity to attend a school. He now attends classes each week and sometimes his teacher from Project Help visits him at home to help with his tuition and occupational therapy. Suhail has changed since people have shown an interest in him. His smile reflects his happiness. We think Suhail is remarkable.
Meet some of the kids we love
“16 Life Changing Stories from Project Help India”
Download our ebook HERE
Tailoring Skills Training
Through our tailoring classes, young women are equipped with some basic skills for employment. We have an intake of 12 students every 6 months and the women attend classes every morning (10:30am to 12noon) six days a week.
Providing practical help where it is needed
Over the years we have provided practical help through numerous programs and initiatives.
Handing out toothbrushes
Education and distribution of sanitary products and feminine hygiene items for slum and village women
Sports coaching for all children one day a week
Providing sports shoes for kids with no shoes
School religious celebrations
Provision of emergency supplies and clothing
Distributing kids' clothing from Australia
Community talks about domestic violence and respecting women
Anti-drug and child begging awareness
Building slum and village toilets with the assistance of a government grant
Building shade structures at the education centres
Installation of solar panels at the education centres
NGO and police training
Providing resources for the local police
Providing media advice and information for publication in local and state newspapers
University student leadership seminars
Pop up medical clinics from time to time (see image below)
COVID-19 Lockdown 2020, 2021 and beyond
During the height of the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and 2021 we provided meals, food and medical rations to approximately 900 people a day. We also provided a comprehensive sanitisation program in one of the local slums. Our support at the height of the crisis provided weekly ration packs given to unemployed individuals and families. Our 2020 Annual Report provides these amazing statistics…
In 2020 we cooked and served 237 220 meals and we handed out rations providing ingredients for families to cook approximately 138 000 meals. This was a total all up of 375 000 meals!
Every year in October we promote Awareness for ‘International Food Day’
The Team participate in a cooking program where together they prepared healthy and delicious food for the staff and children. Health and Nutrition lessons are taught at all of our Centres.
Our story is about justice
Anti Human-Trafficking
A local police anti human-trafficking unit was established by government authorities in Kotdwara 2015. In October 2015, Amit and Doug spent time with the local unit establishing support for their programs and to offer our assistance. This offer was embraced and we have been able to provide them with some basic office facilities. Amit, Daisy and the local police unit now work together delivering education programs to the parents and children in the slums and villages, raising awareness of the sinister traps and dangers of human trafficking. Amit and Doug now meet regularly with the Anti Human-Trafficking Team, as well as with the Kotdwara Police Commissioner, to further grow our programs, and to provide support and assistance whenever we can help.
It is common for desperate parents in the villages and slums to sell their children into slavery and prostitution for as little as $50(US). These children may never be seen again. Our village education programs are making a difference and the local police are supported with basic resources and equipment. Amit also provides friendship, encouragement and guidance to the local authorities, whose work is difficult and challenging. In January 2016, two girls (aged 18 and 15) were rescued and late last year 6 others were saved, one was only 12 years old. 20 children and young people were directly helped in 2016.
Emergency accommodation assistance is also provided when the police identify and intercept a person and rescue him or her. Most often this is highly dangerous work and the victim is hidden safely until he or she can be taken to a hostel in another location away from Kotdwara.
Empowering women to live with value and purpose
Our annual ‘SHINE’ Women’s Empowerment Conference reaches approximately 600 women with a message of self-worth, value and purpose. This conference provides seminars empowering women in all facets of life including women’s rights, health, hygiene, sex education, goal setting, personal growth and development. SHINE 2024 was our sixth conference, and it was organised and delivered by team members and women community leaders from Kotdwara. Our SHINE Conference was also held in Punjab for the first time in October 2023.
Upload and read some inspiring stories about women who have attended SHINE
Sharing stories of some beautiful people
Vansh’s Story
When Doug first met Vansh, he was a malnourished baby weighing 2.3kg at age 3 months. His mother Supna was unable to breastfeed him and he and mum were both very sick from not having adequate shelter. Their slum house (about the size of a 2 man tent) leaked terribly in the monsoon rain. Vansh needed immediate help and his life was saved simply by Doug being ‘at the right place at the right time’. Doug bought 6 months supply of baby milk powder from the town pharmacy and with help from Amit’s friend, Dr. Manoj Agrawal, Vansh quickly grew in health and size.
Vansh’s mother sent this message to Doug via Amit, some months later…
Dear Mr. Doug,
Greetings to you from India, Village kashirampur (Slums) Kotdwara.
I am writing you this letter in hindi and i requested to Mr. Amit samuel for translation this letter in English. As u are looking Vansh in his current photograph this only happened because of you and Mr. Amit Samuel. I am very thankful to God and u for your kind help regarding milk powder and plastic sheet for my boy and family. After your help i am getting milk powder and medical help from Amit samuel for my Son Vansh. I and my family are very thankful the work witch going on through Project Help and u. My Son Vansh is growing well. Now he can laugh, eat, and play because of your Help and support. Thanks for everything which u are doing for slums children regarding education and health. I am writing u from my heart. I herd lots about u and your family and about organization from Amit Samuel. Thank you so much once again for everything which u people are doing for us.
Your
Sapna Mother of Vansh
Village Kashirampur (slums)
Kotdwara India
(Letter Translated By Amit Samuel)
Supna and Vansh move between the Kotdwara slum and the family mountain village. Later the father was arrested for alleged murder. He has many problems with alcohol and violence. He hope and pray that little Vansh grows up to become a happy young boy. There are many hurdles that lay ahead for him and his mum.
