I initially posted this under the school development task, but parts of it belong here too:

Sushmita, I know I have sent you a link to this list before but I will post it here too. It is a list of potential sources of funding, books, equipment etc. More focused on Africa than India, but there is the possibility that some may be able to assist the school.

http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dgs9fnp6_0g5zp8p3n

Mary

Mary,

What you have provided us is absolutely FANTASTIC! It is simply brilliant. A huge thank you from me, on behalf of everyone involved here. It certainly has given us a head-start and I'm certain that we could probably jump to next level very quickly soon.

I have gone through the list and short-listed the organisations, in relevance to our project here in Kalna. I'll be posting the list in Step 1 as well as Step 2, according to the tasks, respectively.

The 1st list that I'll post will be in Step 2 for "Organisations To Look At" that has the possibilities to help us, in relation to education and geographically speaking. There will also be another list in Step 2 for "Partnerships / Twin Schools."

The 2nd list will be in this section (Step 1), which is a list of organisations that could help us to provide books for the school.

In total, we'll have 3 lists in the format of Microsoft Word to look at and move on from there. I hope everyone can stay tune to Kalna and we can divide the tasks between us.

Once again, THANK YOU Mary!

Hi Az'farr

You are welcome!

It started as a list for a school in Congo a while ago, and kind of grew....

I don't think that I will have the time to follow up on any of it, but hope it will give you a start point. I do add to it now and then as I find things, so keep an eye on the original.

Mary

Dear neighbours,

Attached, is a document that contains a list of organisations that could donate or provide books for the school, based on the link provided by Mary. We would need to do the usual task of shortlisting the list by analysing each one of the organisations and make a summary of it.

Questions we need to keep in mind when analysing are:

(a) Can their assistance reach to this part of the world - Kalna, Culcutta, India.
(b) What are the costs that we might have to bear (transportation / delivery / clearance fees, etc...)
(c) What are the requirements needed to apply.

It'd be best to have this task divided between us. Please let me know which organisations you'd like to handle.

Cheers! :-)

List of Organisations For Books (Step 1).doc

Dear All,

I can't particularly recall but I remember a fact that 'The Green Stationery Company' does give out to charity by donating their stationery products to the ones who need them most.

Perhaps we could take a look at their website or google for some news on this matter. A general enquiry would be ideal as well for the next step afterwards.

Here is the link: http://www.greenstat.co.uk/storefront/evolution_index.html

Dear Baginda

Thank you a lots for your message.
Thanks again for your posted charity links

As soon as possible,i will contact it.

Thanks again for your concern and support for the school and it's downtroddens.
Take care,
Best regards,
Sushmita,
India

Dear Baginda

I have gone through the details of your mentioned link.

It's a paid organisation.

Thanks again for your concern and support for the school and it's downtroddens.
Take care,
Best regards,
Sushmita,
India

Hi Sushmita,

Are you sure you would like to contact The Green Stationery Company before the neighbours and I do any research on it?

Yes, the company is a commercial institution but I have read an article (online) that they hand out their products to NGOs as part of their pro-bono campaign. I can assure you this but I can't seem to recall where I read it. However, I will search for the article and post the link here.

In the mean time, I would like to suggest the neighbours to help me with the task to analyse and make a summary of the organisations listed that I've provided earlier.

Cheers everyone! :)

Dear Sushmita,

I have to agree with Az'farr on his point: it's more productive and less time-consuming if, while a list of organizations is compiled, research is done on these organizations before ANY contact is made.

While it may take time to go through the organizations, their mandates, requirements, etc. it will save the neighbours time and resources if we know exactly what can and can't be provided by an organization. That way we know if an organization is worth the contact or not.

Also, don't hesitate to ask the neighbours to make the contacts on your behalf. A template letter can be drafted by you and the neighbours, and agreed to be used when contacting these organizations. As local rep, the burden of the tasks aren't solely on your shoulders - that's what your neighbours are for, to help - and they're more than glad to do it. :)

Romina

Hi Sushmita

I also agree with Romina's and Az'farr's comments about contacting the organisations that are found.

Its important to research them first, find out what sorts of projects they support, how much funding they will provide, what their application process is etc.

Also to have clear plans of how much money you need and for what purpose. I have seen a list of required supplies at the top of this task, but no indication of the costs involved. Also I don't know whether you are simply looking for funding to buy basic equipment or whether you have any long term plans of how you hope the school will develop (more of that under the Project Room task when I have written it!!)

The majority of applications fail for all sorts of reasons. They are more likely to succeed if they are well thought out and contain all the necessary information.

Mary

Dear Baginda,Romina,Mary

Thank you a lots for your message.

Baginda,the link you posted i had gone details of every page of the website.Only at one place i had found"discount" word,but could not find out the details."Usually" in other charity links(organisations),they write in "details" which was missing here.If you think,some more research should be done,it's ok.You are "Most Welcome" to do so.

Baginda in the meantime,if you want to make!!! the list of organisations in a more systematic way with help of neighbours,you are "Most Welcome" to do so.Please tell me,whenever you need my assistance,i am always!!! there at your!!! side!!!

Romina,if the neighbours are willing!!! to volunteer to help in the development of the project they are "Most Welcome!!!I had already made a "funding letter",as you very well know i am good in drafting it,and always help the other projects of Nabuur in drafting funding letter,if i come across.I had been using this funding letter,in contacting other charities.When any neighbour is willing to volunteer for contacting any organisatiosns,i will send her the funding letter.

Mary,i have already of some future plans to make the school self sufficient as opening some ladies working centre(which is not common in India).They will be employed for making/stiching the things which have demand in Indian market,and money for school can also be earned by selling or stiching those goods.From the profit,the ladies staffs will also be paid..But my "priority" is my school.After the school develops to some extent, then i will think of that.The things(names of lists) i have posted ,any charity/sponsor can give "whatever" they want.

It is "not possible"!!! for me to make a fixed list.India is "full of poverty",with "majority" living below poverty line.It ranks 2nd in world in population.It is "never" possible for me to make a "fixed limit".Suppose i make a fixed list but i know more will come,as the "English mediums" schools have "great demand" in India.How!!! can i restrict!!! myself(if i make a fixed list) when i see other "new"(who wants to take admission beyond my fixed list) downtroddens coming to take admission in my school!!!with half or no meals!!! a day!!! or almost half starve daily!!! or leaking(in rainy season) roofs of the huts!!! or tiles of the roofs of the huts flying away in the strong summer storm!!! or heavy rains making the muddy huts crumble down!!! or biting cold wind entering their broken huts in winter nights with no good warm garments/blankets/quilts!!! or downtroddens suffering(many in my school) or dying due to lack of adequate medical facility!!!

Mary ,I also know,that the development of project will be slowed down!!! if "numerous" come,but still as i know myself, my "conscience" will never permit to do so.If i restrict myself by making a fixed!!! list!!!then i will feel "guilty".Almost everyside you see in India,you will find the sign!!! of poverty.Here tricycles are pulled by downtrodden people,& the rich sit on that and go to their destinations,& then pay the downtrodden tricycle puller.Such extreme is downtroddens!!!poverty

As i am very much used up in seeing their everyday poverty struck hard life,which is a "very popular" picture in India,so it is not possible to restrict!!! myself ,by making a "fixed list"

Mary ,all the tragedies i have explained are due to "lack" of "good education"Now i hope you can understand how much this school project will "benefit" the "downtroddens" in "overcoming" their poverty.As English medium students get "quick jobs" in "good department"

Dear all, i will be posting in the "project page"the names of "all" charities who have "already" started assisting my project

Thanks again for your concern and support for the school and it's downtroddens.
Take care,
Best regards,
Sushmita,
India

Hi Sushmita

Thanks for the information.

I know that there will be a lot of kids in your area who need education. But if you try and take them all at once you will find that you cannot cope because you don't have the space or the staff to teach them.

I know its hard, but I would suggest that you limit numbers to what you can deal with right now.

Try not to feel guilty about those that you cannot help at the moment, instead see the good you are doing and build on that slowly over time.

Mary

Hi Sushmita,

I agree with Mary, you have to pick your battles. I was in Kolkata a month ago-there were so many people in need of better opportunities, better education, better living conditions, better sewage system...And there is only one of you - you cannot save the world, but you can make it a better place step by step. I am not trying to tell you how to run your school, just suggesting that you start thinking about ways to make the school sustainable ( even if you are not around to support it) and start documenting the success stories of your students so you can prove to future funders that your idea is working.

Best regards,
Tanja

Dear Sushmita,

I supposed that it's clear to you that the neighbours and I are here to assist you. Being your fellow Asian, I very much understand the situation in India, although Malaysia is a lot different.

We need to have a system to be able to assist you in the projects. As Mary and Tanja have mentioned in their last 2 postings, that you need to focus on one at a time because there's only you. Therefore, we are here in Nabuur to assist you with everything else so that it'll be less of a burden to your good self.

The list of organisations is not much of importance to me if you don't need them in the development of your school. However, that list is just to initiate progress and we would continue from there but the final say shall be yours.

Anyway, do let us know how we can be of any assistance to you. :)

Dear Mary,Tanja,Baginda

Thank you a lots for your message.

Mary,there is sufficient of "free space" besides our house building.At the present moment,i have not arranged for any more constructions because the number of students are less.As soon as the number of students becomes more(which cannot fit in the present room) i will arrange for more of rooms.Regarding staff, it's also the same.As me and assistant teacher can "manage" the present number of students,so i have not taken any more new staffs(employees).But as soon as numbers increase,i will arrange for more stafs.

Mary, the local well wishers of my school,always suggest to maintain the " quality" of "teaching".So i "always" keep that in mind.Morever,me and assistant teacher have to teach all the subjects mentioned in the "daily routine" of the students of each class.Having 4 classes,& running with 2 staffs have been "only possible" because the downtroddens are "less".I always "want"my school downtroddens not to be oneof the "easy go round" child but a "good,quality" downtrodden student. All the subject teaching is only possible because there are less students,but when the downtroddens number increase,& goes beyond's our "time control",i will "of course" arrange for more teacher.

Tanja,thank you for sending the Crossroads International form.As soon as the donated things are located(in other parts of the world),i will apply with help of you's sent form ,to the CrossroadsInternational for free shipment.

Baginda, the neighbours can assist in any of the way they like!!!.I do not "like" to make any sort of "binding" on them.If they are "themselves" "willing" to do any type of work,let them choose!!!

As you all the 3 and other neighbours are "very concerned" about the "future" of this "school project",i too am "very concerned" of it's "far future".I am such a lady ,who is ready to" work very hard" to the "extreme" at "present",to make the "far future" "good".Thank you all once more, for reminding me the same.As i very well know,on me depends the "future" of these downtroddens,so i have to be thoughtful and planned lady too.

Thanks again for your concern and support for the school and it's downtroddens.
Take care,
Best regards,
Sushmita,
India