Report from SOS Children's Villages, November 2014

Rani - November 2014

Dear Friend,

Greetings!

"No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted."

SOS Children's Villages of India is making efforts to bring in a positive change in the lives of many underprivileged children and their caregivers. Your nobility has helped us transform a lot of lives and we are thankful to you for aiding our efforts.

Mini Mukherjee was brought home to the SOS Children's Village Kolkata in 1983. She was an abandoned child and several efforts were made to trace her biological parents, but all in vain. Under these circumstances, she was brought to the SOS organization as a four-days-old infant and was placed under the affectionate care of mother Dipika.

Mini was a weak child, but with nurturing care of her SOS mother and medical support by a pediatrician, she grew up in to a healthy and well-behaved child. Her mother's unconditional love and affection added good values to her personality. She is rational in her thinking, which reflects in her interactions with family members, friends. She also has a good decision-making and problem-solving power.

She was supported in her education through tuition classes and regular counseling. She passed class 10th with 1st division and class 12th securing good marks in Arts stream.

Today, she's pursuing Bachelors in Hospitality Management at a prestigious hotel management institute in Kolkata. Mini is very happy and hopeful with her academic choice. "I've had a happy childhood and I know I will fulfil my dream of becoming hospitality professional. I'm grateful to my village, my home and proud to be part of this family," Mini said, looking back confidently. Mini is trying her best to fulil her dream and become a role model for other children in the SOS Children's Village Kolkata.

We are grateful to you for your assistance and will continue our efforts to touch as many lives as we can. We wish to come out with many more success stories and reach out to numerous children in need.

Rani

Rani is extremely good at Yoga. She has finished off the basic yoga course and has also performed in various functions in the school and the community. She is a jolly child with a positive attitude towards life. She is heavily pampered because she is the youngest in the family.

Maushami got a helping hand at the right time

Sharing is a virtue and we at the SOS Children's Villages of India believe in this concept whole-heartedly. With this noble thought in mind, we procure and provide the best of care to marginalized families from the underprivileged communities. Our primary focus is to make them a part of the normal and real world in the best way, with love and care and to prevent the abandonment of their children. Your significant contribution has made this journey of sharing possible.

The Kolkata chapter of the SOS village, along with the staff and co-workers, continues its earnest effort to work towards the uplift of such families. Maushimi Halder from Raigachhi in Kolkata is one of the beneficiaries of this programme. In 2008, her husband who was the sole bread earner of the family, passed away due to a terminal illness. Maushami was left all alone to fend for her two children and take care of the expenses at home. It was becoming a huge burden for the young widow. "None of my relaitives came forward to help. We were leading a pathetic life during those days. My children's health was compromised. I was feeling very helpless", she recalls.

In 2008, she became an active member of the Pragati Self Help Group in her village and started attending all meetings and seminars. She was also enrolled under the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) in the same year. Maushami started selling medical home kits in 2010 and the business took off to a flying start. She procured medical products from Barabazar and sold it at local hospitals and chemist shops for a cut.

In 2013, she decided to start a water supply business in her community and the Self Help Group (SHG) decided to support her in this venture. She started supplying water to the societies and residential complexes in the nearby town. Due to her good networking skills, she managed to bag a lot of manage contracts to supply water. She is now earning Rs 4,500 per month and is able to afford a better lifestyle for the entire family. To expand her business, the entrepeneur in Maushami has already drawn out a marketing plan. "I wil print brochures and distribute them in rich societies", she says.

There are many like her who have hidden talent which needs to be brought out to the fors and we are happy to be that instrumenet of charge. Thank you, again, for helping us in reaching out to such powerful women and their families.

Drawing for Rani - Christmas 2014

Season's Greetings & Happy New Year 2015

(NOTE : Names in this letter have been changed to protect identities)

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