By Jane Manson | Fundraising
It is Ramadan, a time of prayer and fasting. This year Ramadan falls at the hottest time of year. Between 3.30 am and 6.20 pm no food or drink is taken. But the people in the Topsia canalside squatter community in Kolkata are accustomed to hunger. It is what drives them out in the small hours of the morning to collect other people’s rubbish so that they can earn enough each day to feed themselves and their families. With the recent introduction of waste compactors by the Kolkata Municipality, there is less waste to be found and the prices paid by the dealers have halved. Where they were very poor a year ago, many are now regularly hungry.
We are working hard to help these rag picker families find alternative livelihoods so that they no longer need to depend on the uncertainties of rag picking. (see our project here) And your generous donations to the weekly feeding programme help us to give a nutritious meal to 450 people every weekend, but I would like to ask you to consider a special donation this month of Ramadan, so that we can provide a celebration Iftar (breakfast) to every one of our neediest target families.
This Iftar breakfast will consist of fruit, savoury snacks, chicken halim, milk drinks, paratha, sweet flattened rice, cucumber, dates and sweets. We can hire or borrow a hall, hang up decorations and give everyone a party to remember. The cost will be around Rs140 (USD2.20 GBP 1.70) per person.
I am looking forward to reporting back how your generosity has brought smiles to the children’s faces and filled their empty stomachs.
There is one more thing we’d like to do with your very kind donation: the oldest member of the Topsia community is Sabra. She is a widow of around 80 years old. She used to walk every day to collect a free lunch from another organisation, but she is now too frail to make the journey. Her neighbours will sometimes spare her some food from their own meagre supplies, but she often goes hungry. For this month of Ramadan, at least, we will ensure that has at least two good meals a day. If enough funds are raised we will continue to ensure she is fed daily. (cost of feeding Sabra Rs2500 (GBP30 or USD39)
Please help us to remind the rag pickers of Topsia that they are not forgotten, by giving them a wonderful Iftar celebration and by ensuring that the most vulnerable resident is cared for.
By Jane Manson | Fundraisng Director
By Jane Manson | Fundraising Director
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