(appx equivalent)

Potential Achievement

An upgraded toolkit can be provided to a carpenter, potter, laundryman, mason, or a woman making local handicrafts, to enable them to upgrade their skill and increase their efficiency towards an improved standard of living.

OR

One person can have a tarpaulin that can provide immediate relief during heavy monsoon rain and cyclone winds. It can also be used as a base for drying paddy and straw at other times of the year.

Through our Micro-Finance Programme (a small revolving banking scheme), a female member of a Self Help Group engaged in trading (e.g. vegetables, fish, rice) can obtain financial assistance to be used as working capital. This way she avoids the need to go to unscrupulous money-lenders and retains control of her business.

OR

There is an urgent need for addressing environmental concerns in the city. With this small amount of money, support can be given to one school to set up a Students Green Circle, a club to undertake environmental promotion activities in their locality. The students organise debates, discussions, competitions, and awareness raising programmes as well as running demonstration projects on the subjects of garbage disposal, recycling, plantations etc.

Through our Education Programme, one child, who is unable to go to school because he or she is tied to household duties, can attend a non formal education centre in his/her village and thereby gain access to schooling in the evening for a period of five years.

Through our Community Based Rehabilitation programme, one disabled child, previously excluded from his/her nearest school through the ignorance or indifference of the local community, can gain access to an education in his/her own community for the first time. This is done by educating the teachers how to integrate a disabled child in their school, providing physical therapies and aids to increase the child’s mobility, and sensitising the community towards the needs of children with disabilities. This unique programme has many success stories of children, previously left languishing at home, now maximising their potential and securing an independent future.

OR

Financial, technical and/or managerial assistance can be provided to a person with leprosy to set up his/her own business for a livelihood in their own community, avoiding the need to beg for a living. Given that leprosy is now curable, there are very few new cases but many of those not caught in time are still living in segregated colonies in dreadful conditions.

A community-based clinic can be arranged to run for one week to perform either (a) cataract operations for visually impaired elderly people; or (b) disability needs assessments along with distribution of aids and appliances.

OR

Legal aid can be provided to a poor, oppressed family being harassed by the rich and powerful in an effort to protect their property, rights or values.

A single roomed house for a destitute person can be constructed with low cost alternative technologies on his/her own land by arranging a suitable level of free labour from the beneficiary. Such a house will provide sound shelter during the heavy monsoon period, a cyclone or a flood.

Again, through our Micro-Finance Programme, 100 women can obtain credit facilities to start a small business away from unscrupulous money lenders. This will enable their families to become financially stable and reduce the need for their children to have to go out to work at an early age.

OR

1 tube well and irrigation supply can be installed enabling 10 farmers to run a productive agricultural co-operative.

OR

A convention of disabled persons or poor village women can be organised in order for them to learn about their rights and how to effectively work towards protection of those rights.

Through our Micro Enterprise Promotion Programme, a group of 10 women can acquire a facility or some equipment (e.g. a rice mill, mechanical grinder or storage facility) to strengthen their activity and increase their profit margins.

Through our Disaster Management program, a small cyclone shelter can be built in the natural disaster prone area of coastal Orissa which can double up as a business centre or activity centre.

The procurement of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment for the rehabilitation of poor persons with disability to be used by professionals in the community.

Through our Disaster Management programme, a medium sized cyclone shelter can be built in the disaster prone area of coastal Orissa which can double up as a school or community centre.

OR

We can promote organic farming methods to 500 farmers to encourage them to reduce the extensive use of chemicals in food production and increase the availability of organic food. This serves also to improve the soil health and works towards sustainable agriculture.

In the Koraput tribal area of Orissa, 300 children, who would otherwise be engaged in household and livelihood activities and not attending school, can be given scope to regain their childhood and enter into a creative process of learning by organising Childhood Development Centres. This is followed up by integration into mainstream education. This fund would support this three year project for one year.

OR

This fund can provide a community-based improved seed multiplication and supply programme to make available quality seeds to small-scale farmers. At least 1000 farmers would benefit on a sustainable basis.

Through our Community Based Rehabilitation Programme, 100 people with disabilities can be helped through therapy, surgery, preparatory schools, professional training, financial support, counselling and the supply of aids and appliances to live an independent and meaningful life in their own community. This programme can be achieved over a period of five years.

OR

Through our Micro Finance and Micro Enterprise Promotion Programme, 1000 women’s incomes can be increased to support a better livelihood for their families over a period of three years. Our input comes in the form of skills training, technical and managerial advice and financial assistance.

General donations will be put into our Reserve Fund. This fund is crucial as it helps us during unforeseen circumstances to keep our projects running. It is our safety net and ensures our long-term financial stability which, in turn, means that our vital programmes are never jeopardised.

HOW TO SEND FUNDS TO VIKASH FROM OUTSIDE INDIA

You can instruct your bank to send us the money direct. If you are using this method, please inform us of the details in order that I can alert our bank. Please also print out, complete and send us the donation form below.

If you are in the UK, please give your bank all the details under A and B below. (If you would like your donation to be eligible for tax relief, please contact Nicola Bonnin at the address below.)

If you are in another country outside India, please give your bank all the details in B only below. (We are awaiting registration under Section 80(G) of the Indian Income Tax Act in order that you can benefit from the 50% tax relief. As soon as this is received, this page will be updated or we can notify you upon request.)

From the UK use HSBC to send funds:

HSBC Bank Plc

Corporate and Institutional Banking

PO Box 181

27-32 Poultry Lane

London EC2P 2BX

Swift Code: MIDL GB22

Please send your personal or company cheque, made payable to VIKASH, direct to me at our address below together with your completed Donation Form. Or you can transfer the money direct from your bank by giving them the details in B above.

Please contact me if you require sight of our financial accounts or any other assistance. 

Your kind support is very much appreciated.  Thank you.

Nicola