Each of us has our own philosophy regarding how to help India.
Whether we live in India or abroad, we always have this nagging feeling that we can and should do more.
Indeed we can. And why not now?

 

Here is a quick list of some simple ways:

 

1) We all wonder, especially during festive seasons, how to send

unique gifts to our near and dear ones. There's a really nice way to

do this, while helping Indian artisans. By shopping online for some

exquisite handmade goods, and have them delivered to friends and

family in India, you'll be able to send some truly exquisite and

quality Indian products.

Visit Craftsbridge. The site offers a wide range fantastic items, from all parts of the

country.  Help the Indian artisans -- who have rarely had direct

access to customers -- bring their creations to your homes. You can

help those who have been exploited over generations, keeping them in

poverty.

 

2) If you're interested in being more involved and doing something more

substantial, you can be a part of a novel venture to help promote the

largely ignored entrepreneurial potential that exists in rural

India. Join the Aavishkaar India Micro Venture Capital Fund

(Aavishkaar India or AIMVCF), a rurally oriented, for-profit social

venture capital fund. It aims to provide timely, appropriate venture

capital financing, management support and professional expertise to

promising micro ventures. It accords priority to projects with limited

or no access to established institutions. 

Visit http://www.aavishkaar.org

As an investor and an advisor for Aavishkaar,

I can personally vouch for its value proposition.

 

3) Another exciting project is SRIVIDYASRAM, a modern English Medium School in a tiny village, Vadakurangaduthurai, on the left bank of the River Cauvery. It is 21 Kms southwest of Kumbakonam and 11 Kms northeast of Thiruvaiyaru, (the small town where Saint Thyagaraja lived and composed his immortal musical compositions). It is in the Papanasam Taluk of Thanjavur District.
It is a highly subsidized school without an eye on profit. The children studying there do so either free or on subsidy or scholarships. The school does not get any assistance from the Government the parents, predominantly agricultural laborers are too poor to pay fees covering the total expenditure of the school. That is why the school needs your kind help. To help, visit

http://www.sripoornamahameru.org/school.html.

 

Several Government officials and other agencies that conducted inspections after the tragic fire in a school in Kumbakonam in July 2004, had only words of praise for the foresight and attention with which the school has been built. It is a model school that others can emulate. There is no other Nursery and Primary school like SRIVIDYASRAM in the entire district.

As someone who has seen the school grow, I wish we had at least one such school in every district of India.

 

 

4) So, that takes care of your inner needs. What about your kids? You

can sensitize your children and help them learn about the real

India. Encourage them to become Indicorps fellows and thereby obtain

invaluable hands-on experience by getting to work with NGOs and execute

projects that are created/defined by local developmental experts.

Check out http://www.indify.org/index_indicorp.htm

 

 

5) Fine, before you decide, you want to know what else is being done

to help the usually forgotten lot?  Many sites consolidate such information:

http://www.infochangeindia.org

http://www.goodnewsindia.com

http://www.propoor.com

http://www.indev.nic.in

http://www.cseindia.org.

 

6) Finally, you feel that nothing in India will change unless better

governance prevails?  You can join forces with many who think this way. 

A visit to

http://www.adrindia.org

http://www.loksatta.org

http://www.wakeupcall.org/

will convince you that there is hope.

 

Whatever you decide to do, for India's sake, do it now.

 

Sarve JanAha Sukhinaha Bhavanthu!

 

Let us work to make tomorrow a better day for the forgotten.

 

Krithi