![]() It's early days for our start-up classroom in Village Khunibar in Kotdwara
#1 We are shouting out with happiness #2 We are shouting out for help As you read this, I hope you are well, snug and warm as the winter days set upon us in Australia. I am writing to tell you some exciting news. I continue to be amazed at the many opportunities that present as we work hard for www.kotdwarahelp.org. #1 We are shouting out with happiness Towards the end of May we started our sixth ‘school’ in the Village of Khunibhar, located on the edge of Kotdwara town. This is the place that I wrote to you the story about how in April I spoke one night at a community gathering about domestic violence, the dangers of alcohol and drugs. My message challenged the men to value women and I spoke about how education transforms the lives of children by bringing hope to their future. Well we have earned the respect of the community and local police who have allowed us to start up this small classroom in a house in Khunibhar. It is not really a school as such. However, the thirty children who have been attending six days a week, call it their school. For 2 hours a day, these kids come to learn and be cared for. They have a wonderful teacher named Hament. He is a warm and gentle Christian man. Hament is passionate about reaching out to these children with kindness and their future is now looking a little brighter. We are incredibly thankful for our growing base of supporters, who because of their generosity we are able to start this ‘school’, to pay for the teachers’ salary and buy the necessary resources. #2 We are shouting out for help Two years ago, we bought a car for Amit to drive up into the jungles where we have three remote school centres. Earlier this year the State Government of Uttrakhand banned diesel fuelled cars older than 15 years. Unfortunately, this has meant that Amit can no longer drive the car. Fortunately, he can sell the car in another state, just a short distance away for a pretty good price. We need to buy a new car as a matter of urgency. A vehicle is needed for Amit and others to travel up into the mountain foothills to visit our projects and to care for people in these communities. Presently, he uses his motor bike but this is difficult, and it can be dangerous. Earlier this year our sports teacher Amrit, while heading for his lessons with the village children, was attacked on his bike by a wild deer in the jungle. Amrit sustained a broken shoulder bone, and was lucky that his injuries were not worse. We are going to take a step of faith and commit to buying a jeep. This 4-wheel drive jeep will allow us to visit our projects in all weather conditions, especially in the monsoon season when the roads are a terrible mess. Might you be able to help us to repay a loan for the jeep? The jeep will cost approximately 9 lac rupees (900 000 rupees=$18 000AUD). This week we are hoping to negotiate a deal to make a 15% deposit. Following this, our monthly repayments across 3 years, will be 25 000 rupees ($500AUD). We have not signed any contracts yet but we are keen. I appreciate that this is a significant sum, but I am shouting out for some help. Would you please consider making a regular monthly donation over 3 years, or making a generous one off donation of $1000? Ultimately, the larger our initial deposit, the less interest our organisation will pay for the loan. I am sorry that your donation will not be tax deductible but I am working towards this. Hopefully by the end of 2017 I will be successful. Opportunities abound as we move forward and look to the future. www.kotdwarahelp.org is turning the pages of the story of many people whose lives we are impacting, and we are thankful. I believe that there is a new chapter ahead for www.kotdwarahelp.org as momentum gathers, and our projects grow and expand. We appreciate the significant part that you play in our story of lives being changed. Hope and love are powerful and make all the hard work and sacrifice so very worthwhile.
1 Comment
I wanted to express my gratitude for your insightful and engaging article. Your writing is clear and easy to follow, and I appreciated the way you presented your ideas in a thoughtful and organized manner. Your analysis was both thought-provoking and well-researched, and I enjoyed the real-life examples you used to illustrate your points. Your article has provided me with a fresh perspective on the subject matter and has inspired me to think more deeply about this topic.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
claremont.nsw.edu.auarchives
September 2024
categories |