Dear Uttam,
We are looking forward to our trip to Guwahati, and to meet you and the children! I feel fortunate that we will be there when school is in session.
I have good news. In the last two weeks I put out a call for donations to the school to friends and family. So far we have raised about 17,000 rupees from our community here in Northern California, which should be enough to sponsor at least eight children for the year, and also help with some other needed items. I know it's not a lot compared to the need you have, but we hope it is a good start. We will send you the names and addresses of the sponsors when we have a complete list so that they can be matched with the children at your discretion... they're looking forward to learning about the children they're sponsoring, and hope to be able to communicate with the kids through letters and photos or email. If you would like to prepare letters and photos from the children who will be sponsored, then I will be happy to take them and deliver them for you to save on postage. The number I gave you above is firm - I have the funds secured and ready to be delivered to the school - so that is the absolute minimum we will be donating to the school at this point.
I am hoping to raise more funds before we leave if I can. I'm also trying to impress upon the donors that their ongoing donations in the coming years will help their sponsored child to continue their education, so that it isn't just a one-time gift but an ongoing relationship with the school. It's my sincere prayer that this will be a sustained gift, and we will try our best to make sure that no child that we help is let down by us in the future.
One of the things that makes me so proud to be doing this advocacy for the academy is your statement that an education is every child's birthright, as well as your goal to expand this program throughout the state. Our friends and family have been concerned about whether girls are educated, etc., and I am happy to tell them that your school supports education for all disadvantaged children, regardless of gender. I think this is wonderful not only in terms of supporting girls' education, but also honoring the ancient traditions in Assam that valued women and girls.
We have so many school supplies and the like that have been donated that we are unable to bring them with us. So we will have to ship them to you when we return to the United States. I hope that will be acceptable. My brother is the vice-principle of a junior high school in Sacramento, California, and when he told his school about the Parijat Academy, his fellow teachers, students and parents decided to contribute. So they are still gathering materials, and I will make sure that gets to your school in the next couple of months.
My husband and I were visiting his family today, and one of the things we were talking about was the necessity of clean water. Does your school have clean water facilities yet? I know that is one of the things on your wishlist - a filter for clean water. If not, please let us know how much this would cost, so we can think of how to raise funds for such a project.
I am sure when we visit we will be able to get a better idea of the kinds of materials and equipment you need, and will try our best to help arrange what is needed, to the best of our ability. I do this all in service to the Divine Mother, and hope that every child in this world, regardless of gender or religion or family or background, is able to receive an education, have clean water and medical care, and have limitless opportunities for growth and success.
Thanks so much,
Sundari & Sam
We are looking forward to our trip to Guwahati, and to meet you and the children! I feel fortunate that we will be there when school is in session.
I have good news. In the last two weeks I put out a call for donations to the school to friends and family. So far we have raised about 17,000 rupees from our community here in Northern California, which should be enough to sponsor at least eight children for the year, and also help with some other needed items. I know it's not a lot compared to the need you have, but we hope it is a good start. We will send you the names and addresses of the sponsors when we have a complete list so that they can be matched with the children at your discretion... they're looking forward to learning about the children they're sponsoring, and hope to be able to communicate with the kids through letters and photos or email. If you would like to prepare letters and photos from the children who will be sponsored, then I will be happy to take them and deliver them for you to save on postage. The number I gave you above is firm - I have the funds secured and ready to be delivered to the school - so that is the absolute minimum we will be donating to the school at this point.
I am hoping to raise more funds before we leave if I can. I'm also trying to impress upon the donors that their ongoing donations in the coming years will help their sponsored child to continue their education, so that it isn't just a one-time gift but an ongoing relationship with the school. It's my sincere prayer that this will be a sustained gift, and we will try our best to make sure that no child that we help is let down by us in the future.
One of the things that makes me so proud to be doing this advocacy for the academy is your statement that an education is every child's birthright, as well as your goal to expand this program throughout the state. Our friends and family have been concerned about whether girls are educated, etc., and I am happy to tell them that your school supports education for all disadvantaged children, regardless of gender. I think this is wonderful not only in terms of supporting girls' education, but also honoring the ancient traditions in Assam that valued women and girls.
We have so many school supplies and the like that have been donated that we are unable to bring them with us. So we will have to ship them to you when we return to the United States. I hope that will be acceptable. My brother is the vice-principle of a junior high school in Sacramento, California, and when he told his school about the Parijat Academy, his fellow teachers, students and parents decided to contribute. So they are still gathering materials, and I will make sure that gets to your school in the next couple of months.
My husband and I were visiting his family today, and one of the things we were talking about was the necessity of clean water. Does your school have clean water facilities yet? I know that is one of the things on your wishlist - a filter for clean water. If not, please let us know how much this would cost, so we can think of how to raise funds for such a project.
I am sure when we visit we will be able to get a better idea of the kinds of materials and equipment you need, and will try our best to help arrange what is needed, to the best of our ability. I do this all in service to the Divine Mother, and hope that every child in this world, regardless of gender or religion or family or background, is able to receive an education, have clean water and medical care, and have limitless opportunities for growth and success.
Thanks so much,
Sundari & Sam
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