Grail Trust in
INDIA
 |
India
No other nation on earth has slum settlements on the scale of those in Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta, nor so many malnourished children, uneducated women and homes without access to clean water and waste disposal.
Jonathan Robinson, Director of the Grail Trust writes:-
MOST OF US KNOW THE ENORMOUS DIVIDES WHICH SEPARATE THOSE WHO ARE COMFORTABLY OFF FROM THE VERY POOR ACROSS THE WORLD
So often, however, we don't know how to make a practical contribution to those who most need our support in a way in which we can be sure will truly benefit them.
The Grail Trust works in a rural and very dry part of India in an area which remains extremely poor, and largely untouched by modern economic benefits and technological advances.
Our aim is "UPLIFT THROUGH EDUCATION" and we also aim to help young people to acquire skills which will help them to independence.
After working for some years with Indian caring agencies, we have now set up our own "Grail Home" for disadvantaged children who urgently need our care, in the extreme south of India, in the state of Tamilnadu (about 30 miles from the southern Cape). We work with the local community.
The children come from a wide area, and are selected according to need, regardless of background and religion. The need is vast. It is estimated that may be half of the population of Tamilnadu live below the poverty level, large numbers of children are child labourers, and only a trickle of state government development schemes reach the poor. Without our help many of these children will migrate to the big cities and become street children.
Our own Grail Home opened in July 1996 in the village of Chinnammalpuram. We have our own pleasant compound, on the edge of the village which gives space and a bright, clean home. The children attend local schools. Our care team consists of our care manager who is in overall charge, lady warden, cook, assistant cooks and watchman, and we also have part-time tutors to help the children with their studies. We welcome visitors and encourage exchange, to build mutual understanding and respect.
We have around 80 children in our care and we help to support some children in their homes.
- Some of our children are orphans.
- Some have lost a parent and cannot adequately be supported in their own homes.
- Some come from home situations where education is impossible.
- Some are just incredibly needy.
All the children, despite their background of extreme deprivation and poverty, are nevertheless rich in their own culture and dignity.
WE WELCOME INTEREST AND SUPPORT IN WHATEVER WAY YOU FEEL ABLE TO GIVE
We are a small organisation concerned to ensure that aid really reaches its target, and to achieve this we have set up a partner organisation Grail Trust (India) which has Indian trustees and works through local people to administer the Home on our behalf.
SPONSORSHIPS of children are extremely valuable to us. It currently costs about £180 to keep a child for a year. Whilst sponsorship contributions go into the general care fund for all the children, we are glad to supply information and a photo of a particular child, and to keep you informed of progress.
Our current maintenance requirements are about £1200 a month, plus the "extras" which any home has. These extras may include expenses for particular medical and educational requirements and for occasional social functions.
With your help we can make possible a good future for many deserving children.