Newsletter  
Volume 11                                                                                               February 2010

From the President’s Desk

Heartiest Congratulations to you for giving Akash the wings to fly high today……… for opening up a whole new sky of possibilities for him.

But who is Akash????

Akash Nair, Student of Class 10, Sati High School, Village – Sati, Chiplun.
1st prize winner of the Speech Writing Competition, Shirgaon.

  On 12 Feb 2010, we were at the prize distribution ceremony……. it was here that he asked us if we could help him……..pay his exam fees………..

Today we went to his school. The school authorities confirmed that Akash comes from a poor family and did not have the money to pay his exam fees.  Akash lost his father when young. He and three brothers live with his mother who is mentally disturbed. For Akash to continue his studies, it was critical that his fees be paid in time……..Well, he got lucky, he bumped in to us and we at Sparsh Yog India are happy to say that we paid his fees so that he can take his exams.
Not only that, we have also spoken to the school authorities to give us a list of such students who are deserving, but come from financially weak background and cannot afford to continue their studies so that we can support them as and when required.

There are many such Akash who, for the want of mere Rs 150/-(that was his exam fee amount!) , may be forced to discontinue their studies……… it is to reach out to these deserving students that we strive to work - with your support, your belief in us and our mission.
In addition to this, we are happy to inform you that we are also working with the children of Dhangar Samaj and other lesser privileged strata of society.

The Dhangar name is exclusively used for the Shepherd Caste of Maharashtra. Traditionally being Warriors, Shepherds, Cowherds, Buffalo keepers, Blanket & Wool Weavers, Butchers and Farmers, Dhangars were late to take up modern day education. Despite a rich history, till date, this community is still politically highly unorganized community and is socially, educationally, economically and politically backward. They live a socially isolated life due to their occupation, wandering mainly in forests, hills and mountains because of which their children are many a times unable to complete their basic education.

Sparsh yog India under its Jyoti Sparsh Project has undertaken to provide deserving students with the required study materials. As of now there are 7 girls for whom we have made basic study material available. Bright students of Class 5th to 8th, these girls were on the verge of quitting their school education as they did not have enough money to purchase the study materials they needed, such as notebooks for each subject, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, geometry box etc.

Like Robert Frost said in his poem - “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

                       The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
                        But I have promises to keep,
                       And miles to go before I sleep,
                        And miles to go before I sleep.

There is lots of work to be done and we are grateful to you for your continuous support for our missions and look forward to your unwavering support in future too.

With Warm Regards,
Anil Khanna