Greetings from Parivaar ! 

We wish you a very happy Puja and Deepawali. May this festive season bring new hopes and happiness for you.

There are now 70 children at our Kolkata Center (38 girls and 32 boys). We are starting two more Homes from January ‘05, one at a place called Raichak, on the bank of Hooghly, (40 Km from Kolkata), and another at Bakhrahat (20 Km from Kolkata) where we are purchasing land (about 80,000 sq. ft.)

Our website www.parivaar.org has been completely redesigned with all relevant information up there. 

Do visit the Picture gallery at http://www.parivaar.org/gallery_pic.htm

Most of our well-wishers and donors are geographically based far-away from the place of action. But we still had the honour and privilege of occasional visits by a few of them. What did they feel about Parivaar? Do read what they have to say:

http://www.parivaar.org/visitors_galley.htm

RECENT EVENTS

Raksha Bandhan

Parivaar has been developed on lines of a family. All the children and working team stay like a family. So the celebration of Rakhi was the manifestation of the already deep-rooted family bonding. All of us, children and adults, tied rakhi, the memento of love and trust, to each other turning this bonding into lifelong relationship.

See pictures of Rakhi at: http://www.parivaar.org/gallery_rakhi.htm

Excursion With IIM Students

On 26th September, our children went out with a group of enthusiastic IIM Calcutta students to relish a day out in the city. Rachna Khurana, a 2nd year student of PGDM recounts her experience:

A Day out with kids
(Rachna is a Second Year student at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta)

http://www.parivaar.org/gallery_pic.htm

On 26th September, ten of my fellow IIMCians helped me in organizing a trip for the kids at Parivaar. This was a plan long due. We had promised the kids about a month back, but with our schedule we just couldn’t manage it before this date. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that this was perhaps my most memorable experience during my stay in Calcutta and I know for a fact that several of my friends who accompanied me also felt the same. 

We had hired two mini buses and went to pick up the kids at about 9:30 in the morning. We found them eagerly waiting for us, they were full of enthusiasm and excitement. It is times like these, which leave me, amazed at the ability of the kids to derive happiness from simple joys in life. We had planned to take them to the zoo first. We were anticipating a little difficulty in handling the kids once we were in the zoo, but we were all surprised to find them so well behaved and disciplined throughout the trip.

We had a great time at the zoo, kids were overjoyed with the sight of so many different birds and animals. We were there for about four hours after which we got tired but the kids were still as energetic as in the morning. We had lunch, boarded the buses and headed to our next destination, Victoria Memorial. It was a perfect time to visit the Memorial, it had rained a little earlier in the day and the weather was very pleasant. We walked around the memorial and played in the garden for a while. 

It was evening by then and it was time to leave. Everyone was very happy and cheerful. All in all, it was a trip full of enjoyment and will always remain with us as a very happy memory. 

Independence Day and other pictures
http://www.parivaar.org/gallery_Independence1.htm

Appeal for a School van for children
Friends,

The children at Parivaar go to 3 different formal schools in the morning. Currently we send the children through auto-rickshaws, public transport etc. Even with the best possible arrangements there is a degree of insecurity. We are trying to raise funds for a School Van (say a 30 seater) so that in multiple trips we can safely and comfortably send to schools. 

The cost of such a School Van varies from Rs. 6 Lakhs to 8 Lakhs depending upon the make (Mahindra, Tata, Swaraj Mazda, Eicher etc.) and exact specifications. It would be immensely helpful if you could disseminate among your friends about this and motivate them to contribute whatever they can for this. We hope to make this School Van purchase as a New Year gift for the children.

If the corporate you are working in could sponsor it we would heartily welcome that. So you may contact the concerned people in your organization regarding the same. God has His own ways to make things happen. Who knows from where what help may come?

Those who wish to contribute towards this may mention through email to info@parivaar.org or letter that their contribution is specifically ‘for the purchase of School van for children’. The contribution will be used only for the stated purpose.

The Remittance mechanism is given at www.parivaar.org/remittance.htm

All contributions to Parivaar fall under tax exemptions under Section 80(G) of the Income tax Act. 

Also there is a good news that donors in US may directly contribute in US $ and claim tax benefits on the same in the US. Parivaar now has an arrangement with Foster India Foundation, IRC 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the USA. The remittance mechanism for this is given at www.parivaar.org/remittance.htm

We have made good progress in the last ten months, surpassing our own targets. By wishes and prayers of all our well-wishers, lot more will be accomplished.

With sincere thanks,

Yours truly,

Vinayak Lohani and others

For Parivaar