In Vrindavan, thousands of elderly widow mothers face the harsh reality of abandonment and suffering. With no one to turn to, many are left begging on the streets, exposed to heat, cold and rain,Donate so that Maitri can provide shelter, food, clothes and medical support to abandoned elderly mothers now. Give generously.Winnie Singh has witnessed many cases of widow mothers being abandoned on the streets of Vrindavan, one of the holiest places in India. “Children leave their mothers as soon as they become widows. The children start feeling the burden. This has become a practice in today's society that money comes first and everything else later,” says Winnie whose Maitri India, rescues widowed mothers from the streets of Vrindavan.Many widowed elderly mothers often end up living a lonely life and begging to survive on the streets. And Maitri aspires to take care of every widow in need of help, but because of lack of funds, Winnie and Maitri are in a position to do it."Elderly widows don't have shelter. They sleep in cowsheds over sacks. They don't have a blanket. Nights are really difficult for them," shares Winnie Singh. <img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/1abfb906-563b-4747-85b8-8af2071a2856.jpg" />Maitri aims to:<ul><li>Provide shelter and nutritious meals leading to improved health and wellbeing</li><li>Make physical and mental health services accessible</li><li>Offer necessary quality aged care and assisted living support</li><li>Increase awareness and engagement around the struggles of abandoned widow mothers</li></ul>Why donate to MaitriWinnie needs your support to help those in need of food, healthcare and well-being. “Maitri urgently needs your support to provide nutritious food, clothing and healthcare to sustain these widow mothers who are prone to more illnesses as they age,” appeals Winnie. “You can become the family they were denied. Hold their hands so they don't need to beg ever again,” she adds. Let’s rescue abandoned widows mothers from the streets of Vrindavan and give them a better future. Donate now.Our help will enable Maitri to save hundreds of abandoned widows from a life of begging, and restore the respect, dignity, and identity they deserve.

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“The abusers insert a candle or fingers in the vagina of children torture them. If the children don’t relent even then, the abusers put chilli powder so that children will say “yes” because of the burning of the skin… There are teeth marks on their bodies, and their vaginal parts are burnt. When children stay in these conditions, it is painful even to hear,” says Lalitha SA of the Society for Participatory Integrated Development (SPID), while talking about many heart-rending stories of trafficked children in red-light areas. In over three decades, the team of SPID led by Lalitha, has saved over 3000 children from the red-light areas in Delhi, such as GB Road, and many from clutches of sex trafficking. While Lalitha has also helped many women escape the clutches of being forced into sex work, the SPID is focused on rescuing children and giving them a better life.Sadly, many more children need to be rescued and need a loving home. SPID needs your support to carry on the mission, to move out of the small shelters that are subject to arbitrary rental increases or landlords’ whims, to permanent locations where she can rescue more children and give them all the love they deserve. Your support will give these children the care and upbringing they need. Donate easily through UPI, all debit/credit cards and net banking. Charitable donations to this fundraising campaign are tax exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act (India).“I have limited funds and very limited space, and if I had the funds, I would be able to rescue many more children and provide them with more comfort. With folded hands, I plead with you that you help us with funds in large numbers and support us in providing us children with a decent life. Become a part of the mission,” pleads Lalitha. Lalitha plays a vital role in the survival and safety of vulnerable children in the red-light areas. As SPID is almost entirely dependent on donations from the public, we can support and strengthen SPID’s mission to save children. Donate to this fundraiser for permanent premises through Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform. Help Lalitha give hundreds of children rescued from brothels a life away from violence and abuse. Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to help Lalitha give hundreds of children rescued from brothels a life away from violence and abuse.NGO's 80G number: AADAS3217RF20212NGO's 12A number: AADAS3217RE20214

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“What will happen to them after me? I am 80+. I spend sleepless nights,” worries ex-Air Force officer, Group Captain AC Barua while talking about the future of the 28 destitute women under his care. “They have nobody in this world, sometimes they don’t remember their own names. They are absolutely alone,” he informs us as he goes from one room to the other meeting all the women who live at Seneh, the only home where they are loved and taken care of. After fighting for his country all his life, this octogenarian is now fighting to rescue homeless and abandoned women from dying on the streets. But he cannot do it alone. “Everyday I keep on getting calls from here and there. ‘Oh! there’s a woman lying here. Can you help?’ But I don’t dare to go and help because I don’t have the money. I don’t have the resources, our resources are very limited,” explains Gr. Capt. Barua who is lovingly called ‘Sir’ and ‘Deuta’ (father in Assamese) by the residents of Seneh. With your help, 80-year-old Group Captain Barua can fulfill his mission of rescuing abandoned and homeless women from dying on the streets, alone. Donate nowDonate easily through UPI, all debit/credit cards and net banking. All donations to this fundraising campaign are tax exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act (India), &amp; 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (USA).Seneh- a home filled with love, care and hopeThe residents of Seneh often don’t remember who they are, where they have come from. Many times these are women with mental health conditions and considered being a witch due to superstitious beliefs and beaten up as a result. They are victims of domestic abuse or widow mothers who are considered to be a burden on the family. Group Captain Barua has not only rescued them from critical conditions, he has provided them with urgent medical care, food and above all, a free safe shelter where they can live with love and care. Among these residents is Sarala Kalita who fled to save herself from the tortures of her alcoholic husband only to face neglect and trauma from her brothers- and sisters-in-law. “Both my brothers and their wives urged my father to leave me somewhere as they didn’t want to take care of me anymore. One day my brother’s wife didn’t even let me have food at home. She just wanted me to leave and go away. So that’s why, my father got in touch with Seneh through someone, and handed me over to Sir to take care of me,” says Sarita who has found joy in living at Seneh. “Coming to Seneh, it felt like I got a new life altogether. Sir has given me a harmonium. I love singing. It makes me forget everything and takes me to someplace else entirely,” she adds. More women like Sarala can find their way to a loving home like Seneh. All they need is a little bit of your kindness. “It is difficult to make both ends meet”To sustain their daily expenditure, Capt Barua needs approx ₹3 lakh a month and arranging the funds is a mammoth challenge for the NGO. “Our expenses are growing day by day. Residents are growing older, their sicknesses are increasing. At times we have to give them special food. They require more care so we have to get more employees. About half of them require leading around, 1-2 has to be fed also. It will be very difficult to sustain it unless we get help,” he added. One act of your kindness can save these abandoned women, with no one in this world, from struggling on the streets to survive. At 80+ Gr. Capt. Barua cannot sustain Seneh on his own. “With folded hands, I appeal to all. Please come and please help us. Let us help these people, these old people who have nobody in this world. They are dying. They will die on the streets,” he urged. Donate to this fundraiser by Give.do to support retired Air Force officer, Group Captain Barua in his mission to rescue abandoned and homeless women from dying on the streets.

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This is a sample description for Environment For the purpose of testing I will use the word Hunger & HomelessnessHunger & HomelessnessHunger & Homelessness.

Hunger & Homelessness

This is a sample description for Art & Culture For the purpose of testing I will use the word Art & CultureArt & CultureArt & Culture

Art & Culture

This is a sample description for Women Empowerment. For the purpose of testing I will use the word Women EmpowermentWomen EmpowermentWomen Empowerment.

Women Empowerment

This is a sample description for Livelihood. For the purpose of testing I will use the word LivelihoodLivelihoodLivelihoodLivelihood.

Livelihood

“Kalamandir – the Celluloid Chapter Art Foundation” was established in 1997 with a mission to play a role in reviving and nurturing the tribal and traditional heritage, culture and artifacts of Jharkhand, that is prevalent and vibrant in its primitive aesthetic content and expression. This valuable heritage is of immense historic value for anthropological interests and for research purposes; therefore it is a National Agenda that needs to be addressed. The Foundation with its well structured plan and programme seeks to create a healthier interaction and understanding of the tribal traditions, their age-old customs and rituals, their faiths and values, their songs and dances, murals and martial arts, their love for nature and zest for life, their ballads and folk lore, to re-discover the wealth and the national relevance of the tribal tradition and the rich heritage.Thus, the Foundation has, initiated a process of emotive integration of the primitive / traditional / tribal culture into the national main cultural stream without disturbing its own distinct grace and beauty. Art has always been a tool for motivation besides its potential of self-expression among community and instinctively culture and ethnicity is the most deep-rooted element in the state of Jharkhand where 32 indigenous communities live together. Beyond this we work for basic humanitarian concerns, livelihood opportunity, safeguarding Ecology/ environment among the people of the state. Organisation is concerned to the danger of urbanization and resultant migration and human trafficking.Our team is made up of individuals from the grass root level, for them Kalamandir is a forum to realize their own worth, by learning through experience, sharing and extending views and finally build their capacity. This kind of involvement is sure to help the team achieve its target, of socio-eco-cult upliftment and a better life and livelihood.

Donations through Give Foundation, registered under section 80G of India's Income Tax Act, 1961 are tax-deductible.

Donations through Give Foundation, Inc. a registered US 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization, are tax-deductible.

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Amitava Ghosh

Kalamandir-The Celluloid Chapter Art Foundation

This nonprofit is registered as a charitable trust under section 12A of India's Income Tax Act, 1961.

This nonprofit is registered under section 80G of India's Income Tax Act, 1961. This means you can deduct 50% of the donation you made through your tax return.

This nonprofit is registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. This means it can accept donations from foreign nationals.

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Our concern is to revive, preserve and promote the livelihood of the hitherto invisible tribal / traditional artistes and artisans – many  of whom are marginal farmers or agricultural labourers or  migrant / daily wage earners – thereby earning their livelihood and our Intangible Cultural Heritage. These practices and traditions give them an identity and a space in the mainstream milieu. These tribal artistes and artisans (musicians, dancers, mask makers, painters, potters, metal workers, grass mat weavers), living in poverty and neglect, are striving to sustain their respective art forms in spite of the daily challenges of a cash-strapped existence. Kalamandir has identified a total of 497 core artisan families in the Chotanagpur region of Jharkhand: Potka, Dumaria, Dhalbumgarh, Ghatsiala, Patamda, Bahragora, Seraikela, Kharsawan, Ichagarh,  –who are not considered at a macro level by Government, as our primary stakeholders. There are few thousands more beyond our canvas. 	 The present scenario of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent Lockdown has aggravated their socio economic condition drastically by bringing a sudden halt to their meagre livelihood. Our immediate concern is to hand- hold them through this crisis by providing quick relief in the form of rations and some cash for exigencies. 	 
 While planning for livelihood opportunities of the tribal and traditional artistes and artisans we focussed  on multiple development strategies towards a holistic growth through connections to the natural world, the community and humanitarian values.The eco system include a larger community of tribal and indegenous families living in forest and forest fringe villages largely depending on Minor Forest Produces. The development programme as envisaged has to have a concern for environmental sustainability:·       Rural and Heritage Tourism·       Water and Soil Conservation·       Participation in Festivals, Fairs and Exhibitions for promotion of handicrafts and cultural performances. ·       Running retail outlet Biponi by Kalamandir Saksham SHG Federation at Jamshedpur for the sale and promotion of eco-friendly sustainable handicrafts Design workshops for artisans·        Workshops on social aberrations, eg. Witch-hunting, Dowry, Wife-beating, alcoholism to sensitize field workers and thereby, the larger community.·       Documentation of oral traditions·       Medhavani programme for tutoring/grooming meritorious tribal girl childrenThe above on-going projects and programmes are being conducted in collaboration with Govt. Schemes and some corporate resources.The Covid-19 situation and subsequent lockdown has put on hold all these means of livelihood and left the artisans staring at an uncertain future, mass unemployment, zero earnings in sales/presentation/ performances and related activity – in short, hunger and starvation. Kalamandir and Team are seeking to devise alternative means of survival in a fast changing socio-economic scenario.  
 To combat the Covid-19 situation and Lockdown, Kalamandir and Team have strategized a two-pronged approach:1.  Short-term goal: to hand-hold our primary stakeholders and associates through relief distribution of food rations, sanitary kits, milk and Horlicks to infants, children and lactating mothers; awareness for prevention of Covid-19 virus as well as social distancing, books and stationery for children/students, cash for fuel and exigencies.2.  Long-term goals: To devise alternative livelihood strategies by deploying the existing skills and traditional knowledge of the artistes and artisanswith a scientific input of the market demands of a changing socio-economic environment and social order under threat of the Covid-19 pandemic:·       Traditional mask-makers can creatively make functional masks while adhering to regulatory standards and approval to meet the rising local, domestic and global demand for reusable, sustainable masks.·       With the focus on healthcare and immunity-building, organic farming and marketing of fruits and vegetables is a distinct possibility in livelihood opportunities in the agricultural sector. Seeds, manure, expertise, adequate water supply needs to be facilitated.·       Artistes, musicians and painters can assist in social awareness programmes and value-added entertainment through their modified performances.

HOLDING  HANDS (DHORO HAATH)  in East Singhbhum

Since 2004, Sarla Sardar, a 43 year old Bhumij poor tribal women have been motivating 17 other women of the Janumdih village in Potka block of East Singhbhum to make grass mat out of Gonda grass. In the past 16 years, the grass mat business bestowed them with financial independence unless Covid-19 struck. Sarla along with her group of women challenged the age old system of powerful mahajans oppressing landless laborers through their grass mat making but the pandemic snatched it all.  Four  months without activity, gathering and business of their grass mats left them with erosion of little working capital that they had. The lockdown brought along with them despair and a fear of their happy past of being one of the earning members that helped their kids with education and a good upbringing. It is darkness all around as they cant begin operation without raw material and a minimum wages of Rs 4500/ to rs 5000/ per month. Bank has agreed to give them Mudra Loan for purchase of Raw materials. They need to survive for 5-6 months till the products are supplied to their Federation and they could sell it. 
 To start the production of grass mats, these women would individually need a minimum working capital of Rs 10000 per month for five months towards cost of grass, yarn, cloth. They also need a Wage of Rs5000/ per month. Thus each woman willing to get back on track with their production would need a minimum of Rs50000/ ( for raw material) + Rs25000/ as wage ie Rs 75000.00 per head as working capital as Long Term cycle of 6-7 months. They are confident that they would be able to sell it in the market. But for survival they need some cash for these 5-6 months. Money will start flowing back to them from 7th month. Then the surplus amount will act as their working Capital for future. So, we are proposing two prong dose of a Bank Loan of Rs50000/ and a donation of Rs25000/ to each of the 18 women (to be given Rs5000/ pm for 5 months ). We will hire a designer and a Master Crafts Person cum Supervisor to monitor the production qualitatively as well as quantitively. 
 Sarla along with her team would then will be able to buy grass, threads, yarn, accessories and cloth to start making mats, bags and other products.   Kalamandir- the Celluloid Chapter Art Foundation (CCAF), Jamshedpur that has been supporting these tribal SHG women in organizing the production system, designing , marketing et. But retail sales in the past four months has been nil. To support these women to get back to production, the Kalamandir –CCAF will collaborate with institutions and organizations like Tribes India and All India Women Conference (AIWC) to boost sales which will indirectly help these SHG women to be back in business.

Story of Sarla Sardar : Empower, Enterprise, Employment of tribal women in Janumdih

weaving-dignity-and-hope-from-brick-kilns-to-handcrafted-pride-sarla-sardars-journey

HOLDING HANDS (DHORO HAATH) in East Singhbhum

Story of Sarla Sardar : Empower, Enterprise, Employment of tribal women in Janumdih

Help provide shelter, food, clothes and medical support to abandoned widow mothers of Vrindavan. Donate now

Help Lalitha to protect vulnerable children from trafficking by moving them to a safe and loving home

Help ex-IAF officer rescue abandoned women and provide them with food and shelter

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