Messages for NIOS

13.05.2008
Dear All,

Below is an appeal received from Brother James who is stationed in Goethals for more than 10 years. The appeal is self explanetory. For any further information please write email to Br. James directly who is in the to column. The income tax exemtion certifciate is in the attached document.

An Appeal.

GMS Alumni (Regd.)

February 28,2008.
To.
All Generous Ex-students of GMS.

Subject : Funds for looking after very poor local school girl drop-outs.

Dear Sir,

Our Founder Blessed Edmund Rice had founded the Congregation of Christian Brothers solely for educating the very poor street children of Ireland. First, a rich lady by the name of Nano Nagle started a society of women who decided to educate the girls among the street children. Then Edmund, inspired by God and Nano Nagle turned his stable into his first school for boys. Initially it was tough going because the boys were unruly. But his determination and trust in God helped him to make gentlemen out of these boys. Then other generous young men joined him in his good work and the number of such schools and brothers grew. Hence the Charism [ main purpose for starting a society] of our Founder was to educate the very poor. As the number of schools grew, Edmund began to run out of funds. Initially, the brothers taught in their schools in the morning and in the afternoon they went from house to house asking for donations of any kind to run their schools. Later Edmund came up with the 'bright idea' to run a few 'pay schools' for the well-off people, so that the pay school subsidising the 'free schools'. This idea worked well during his life-time. After his death, the brothers preferred to work in the 'pay school' because of the comforts and amenities that come along with the availability of funds. Over the last 150 years the trend has been to close down the free schools and cater to the rich / upper middle class in posh schools.

The 20th and 21st centuries has ushered in so many new opportunities for young people, that few young men are joining our society. The result is that we have very few brothers to run our schools and many of them are too old. So many of our institutes have been shut down or are being managed by lay-people who are not brothers. Mother Teresa's sisters look after the poorest of the poor in the world. The sisters do not enjoy facilities like fans, T.V., computer, A.C.s etc and yet hundreds of girls join their society each year to work with the poor. This has led us to believe that if we go back to the charism of our Founder and look after the poor also, then perhaps it will attract young boys to join our society and increase the number of Christian Brothers in the world. For this very reason and the need to help the poor who are being left behind, the Brothers all over the world have gone back to the Charism of our founder and are now concentrating in having 'pay school' and 'free school' side by side. Our free school for school drop-outs, gets 6.5 lakhs from Goethals memorial School. But this is not enough . Like the earlier brothers we have to 'beg' and ask you for donations, no matter how small or big it is. 'Begging' is become easier with the existing information technologies. Some of you have enquired about income tax exemption [ Form 80G (5)(iv)] which exempts you from paying income tax on the amounts you donate. Our society has the required certificate which is attached along with this appeal. A copy of the pamphlet describing the kind of work we do at Edmund Rice Free School is also attached for your kind perusal.

Thanking You.

Yours sincerely,

Br. James Joseph.
[ Superior ]

16.05.2008

Hello friends

Bro James Joseph has sent an appeal to all our boys to send contributions which would go in running schools for the underpriviledged boys and girls. It is a worthy cause and I am sure all our boys will send in their donations as per their pockets.
In our religion we call it Gupt Dan, meaning Secret Donation, unlike those made by our politicians under the full glare of the TV and other Electronic media. You will not get votes here, just the gratitude of the benefeciaries, one of whom, who knows, may become a great Industrialist or Engineer or Doctor or any other leader in his profession.

Radheshyam

1.7.2008

Dear Radheshyam,

It is great to receive and read your messages and also feel your frustration at what is not working in parts of the country. It is a sign of attachment to your land and fellow people.
And it is also great to read through your mail and the blog the thoughts and opinions of ex Goethalites on how we can improve things. That is what we need to continuously strive for. Pradeeps’s appeal is so justified in this world of excesses that we live in where we so easily forget those who have nothing, and you are right to invoke the values we have learnt.

Br. James has the special school going for the poor from the area around GMS. It is a wonderful initiative as it is giving the possibility of getting some education (and lunch) to a lot of children including many girls. Unfortunately in many parts of the world girls still do not get the same opportunity for a good education as boys and any initiative to change that is fantastic.

Br James had sent an appeal for funds for this initiative (which you have also mentioned in your weekly letter some time back). I personally feel that all ex Goethalites have a moral obligation to assist anyone trying to provide education to the poor because most of us today are what we are thanks to having received good education. And particularly in this case as it is in the area where we grew up and got our own education, and also as it is being done by our own school. I have recently corresponded with Br James and learnt that so far no one has responded to his appeal, not a single paisa has come from any of the ex students. Due to lack of funds they have had to reduce the lunch they were providing to 350 girls to only 100 now. I am adding my voice to his appeal to all ex Goethalites living abroad and in India and hope that many of us will send him some amount so that he can continue his programme. Let’s do our little bit too.
Payment can be made by:
Drafts [ Indian ] can be made in favour of 'The Coordinator, NIOS' payable at Kurseong

Cheques [ Foreign Contribution Account ] can be made in favour of C.C.B.I. A/c No. 420058125

Looking forward to your next weekly letter.

Karan Mehta

Dear Karanvir,

Thanks for your mail. It acted as a reminder.
I will have to be more proactive.
There is no point in just taking a one time donation.
We must try to see that they receive regular funding so that they do not have to appeal continuously for their regular programmes.
Could you please find out from Bro. James and let me know what is their monthly budget for their ongoing activities

Radheshyam

3.07.2008
Dear Radheshyam,

I have written to Br James and am waiting for his reply. It would be good if also you and some others wrote at least to give him the support that some Ex Goethalites are thinking about him. from his last message he seemed pretty depressed as there had been no feedback.
Also, since he is the only qualified teacher, and does not have the money to hire other qualified teachers, I believe he is also really usy and a tired man. So till the cash does not roll in let's give him some moral support.
Hope that once you get this message on the blog and through your weekly message we'll be able to get some old boys to do something concrete.

Karan

PS: In case you do not have his email address it is: jasjames_99@hotmail.com

Dear Br. James,

Karan informs me that you have been disheartened because of lack of response from our end, and rightly so.
With so many of our boys placed in good positions and not a single contribution to help the poor, indeed a very poor record. I shoould have followed up my appeal but did not.
Well, we'll make amends now.
I had asked Karan to let me know the monthly budget for your school.
Do let me know and I hope that is met by our boys.

Warm regards

Radheshyam

Dear Sir,

I have been reading your mail regularly and I admire your concern for the school and the political situation in W.B and the whole country. I wish every citizen was like that. I have already sent attachments to Mr. Karanvir regarding the budget and a description of the kind of work we are doing. Due to lack of funds, I have asked 150 of the less desperate kids to bring some tiffin from home and the remaining 100 desperate cases are given a vegetarian lunch. Also the GJMM agitation has resulted in strikes which has affected our classes to a large extent and it is a sin to say that I am spending less because of that. Our teachers are paid Rs 200 for a day and on holidays and strikes they are not paid. These teachers are not as qualified as the GMS teachers but they slog hard and like mothers and sisters to our girls of the open school. You must remember that the girls joining us are drop-out from mainly government schools and some of them dropped out as early as class 2 and have been doing house work for years. Most don't know English and we start with teaching A,B,C. Our teachers must be good to get 74 such girls through class 10 in 2007. This year, 35 have already passed out in the May 08 exam and another 60 would attempt the next exam in October 08.

My budget for a month is at present about 2.5 lakhs and if I were to give lunch to all, it would be about 4 lakhs. Our Founder Edmund Rice, when asked about funds for starting projects for very poor street children said that "Providence is our Inheritance" which simply means God will Provide. The very fact that you ex-students show your concern for the poor girls of this neglected area is heartening. The school is still running and will keep on running because God is working through great people like Karanvir, yourselves and God knows who. Our children are aware of the funds crunch and are happy with whatever little we can do for them. The poor will always open our eyes and hearts with the simplicity of their lives. Anytime I am down and out, I just visit one of the homes of our children. I have always returned vitalized and satisfied that we are doing God's work just as our Founder had envisioned. I'll try and attach the same documents which I sent Karanvir. The budget amounts [ attached ]are somewhat bloated because I was advised that if you ask the funding agency for 50 lkhs, they will sanction only 30.God bless You.

Br. James

P.S. I could not attach any of the above mentioned documents because the attachment mechanism of hotmail is not responding. Please Karanvir to forward it to you