A LITTLE HELP FOR MISTER AND NASSIN

Mister and Nassin are a Varanasi couple. Here is their case:

THEIR STORY

Mohamed Ali Khan, also known as Mister, is a 40 years old man. He is married to Nassin Bano and the couple have had 4 children of which only 2 are alive; Sharuk Khan, a 17 year old boy, and Sabha, a 11 year old girl. One of their 4 children passed away 4 years ago and the other child 3 years ago, respectively due to illness.

Mister has worked all his life on a loom, weaving saris and silk. He was working for a Company that closed down 5 years ago. Since then, in order to survive, Mister has been riding a rickshaw bicycle – a three wheeled passenger cart.

His wife is a housewife and her health is weak (at the moment she is undergoing treatment for anemia).

Their son works from time to time also weaving. He has never been to school and he barely knows how to read and write.

Their daughter left school when she was 5 years old due to lack of money. Now she is attending coaching classes with her aunt, learning how to read and write in hindi and English.

Mister and Nassin with their children

Mister and his family live in the neighborhood- Shivala, in Varanasi. The house where they are living is a property Mister shares with his brothers in dual ownership . Their father divided it up, giving one room to each son. Mister and Nassin are living with their children in a small room without a bed (they sleep on the floor), were they also cook. They have to share the toilet with the other family members too.

Even though Mister is a hardworking man, pulling the rickshaw (which he is renting for 50 rupees a day) it is very hard work for his health, and it is not earning him enough money to survive monthly.

That´s why Mister and Nassin count on Swawalambi to help them open a small grocery shop where Mister and his son could work and become self- sufficient.

THEIR CONTACT WITH US

Through a friend of Ravi Dubey (secretary of Swawalambi Society), Mister learned about the existence of the NGO and decided to contact with us.

Swawalambi team went to his house and after collecting the necessary information and having seen the situation in which the family are living in on a daily basis, stablished their first contact and decided to work together.

MISTER AND NASSIN NEEDS

In order to become self-dependent and have a dignified job for him and his son, Mister and Nassin have asked for help to open their own grocery shop. Their needs are:

MATERIAL	RUPEES	EUROS
Deposit for the shop rent	₹ 17,600	244.44 €
Six months rent ACHIVED!	₹ 6,600	91.67 €
Fan for the shop	₹ 2,200	30.56 €
Shelves and counter	₹ 11,000	152.78 €
Raw material	₹ 44,000	611.11 €
Other expenses (locker, paint…)	₹ 5,500	76.39 €
TOTAL	₹ 86,900	1,206 €

MISTER AND NASSIN COMPROMISE

Mister and Nassin have accepted to compromise with Swawalambi NGO, so after recieving their help and after starting their bussiness, they will periodically return 50% of the shops income according to the money they recieve.

This money will remain in Swawalambi, and will be used to help the next beneficiaries and to cover administrative expenses and human resources.

HOW CAN YOU HELP MISTER AND NASSIN?

Ways of collaborating with Nassin and Mister are the following:

1.       To donate money to cover some expense from the list given above. Eg: shelves and

           a counter, fan, etc.

2.       To make a donation for the amount that you wish, and choose the method in which

           you would like us to invest that money. Eg: 20 euros for the raw material, etc.

3.      To make a monthly donation for the amount you wish until the case is finalised.

         Eg: 10 euros per month.

4.      To completely cover all the expenses of the shop.

5.       To make a deposit directly in our account without specifying the use of your donation.

          Swawalambi will use the money for the needs that will be considered more important or

           more urgent at that moment . (ACCOUNT NUMBER: ES73-0081-5249-1600-0115-7321).

*May we remind you that for every Swawalambi policy, 10% of the donations will be reverted   to the NGO.

To collaborate, please contact Swawalambi NGO via their email: swawalambi15@gmail.com or through our Facebook page: Swawalambi Society.

Once your donation has been made, Swawalambi will inform you about the progress of the case, with photographs and written reports. If you visit India at any point, and you wish to visit Mister and Nissan, you are most welcome to! You will then be able to see the result of your share in this project.

THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING SWAWALAMBI AND COLABORATE TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD!

A LITTLE HELP FOR MANJU. ACHIVED!

Manju and her family need a little support to imprve their business and be able to improve their life.

Here is her case:

HER STORY

Manju Devi is a young adult of 35. Unfortunately, she is also a widow and a mother of 4: Sandeep 20 years old, Shalu 18 years old, Neha 15 years old and Shivani 12 years old. Manju´s husband, Rajesh, passed away a year ago due to a liver infection. Apart from her children, Manju also lives with her 80 year old father- in- law, Shyam Lal.

Despite having an old house from her father- in- law with a little shop downstairs, Manju´s life is not easy. Her shop was working well until her husband fell ill and they had to invest almost all their money and jewelry in treatments that were unsuccessful. Now Manju is in charge of the little shop in which she has no capital to invest and buy new products to sell and make a profit from; the only products available are salt, some soap, spices and a few more.

The shop’s income is not enough for the survival of the family and that is why Manju´s father- in- law, despite his age, spends his days as a street- cart vendor selling tobacco. Both their income, put together, is less than 50 euros per month.

Marju´s elder children, Sandeep and Shalu, have completed their college education  but they can´t continue studying further because their mother can´t pay for their university education. Her two younger daughters go to a public school.

Manju has studied up to Class V (10 years old), this is the reason she knows how to read and write and can take care of the family business. In addition, her two elder children help her in the shop due to the fact that they aren’t studying.

Manju and her family on their shop

HER CONTACT WITH US

Manju´s father- in- law, Shyam, has his street cart in front of an apartment building where Cristina, a member of Swawalambi, was living. Shyam knew Cristina and Ravi, because he sometimes purchased products from his shop. That´s how Shyam informed Ravi about the difficult situation that he and his family were in.

After talking with Cristina and the other members of Swawalambi in Spain, the team decided to conduct a social interview with Manju and verify their needs.

Manju has asked for some help to improve her business and in this way be able to take care of her family.

Swawalambi Society interview

MANJU NEEDS

In order to make her shop work productively again, Manju has to invest some capital to improve the layout as well as buy new products to sell. 

That is why she needs:

MATERIAL	RUPEES	EUROS
Fridge for drinks ACHIVED!	₹ 11,500	166 €
Painting of the shop ACHIVED!	₹ 1,500	21  €
Products to sell ACHIVED!	₹ 7,000	101 €
TOTAL	₹ 20,000	273 €

MANJU´S COMPROMISE

Manju has accepted to compromise with Swawalambi, that is why, after receiving the money and improving her business, she will return 50% of the total amount received periodically depending on her income.

This money will remain in Swawalambi´s account and will be used to cover the needs of another beneficiary, administrative and human resource expenses.

Manju´s father- in- law with his cart

HOW YOU CAN COLABORATE WITH MANJU?

 Below are ways in which we offer you to help Manju:

1. To cover one specific expense from the list above, for example painting the shop, etc.

2. To make a donation for the amount you wish and choose to invest it in, for example 20

    euros for the fridge, 15 euros for material, etc.

3. To choose to make a monthly donation for a fixed amount until Manju´s needs are  

    covered , for example 10 euros per month.

4. To cover all the expenses of Manju´s Project.

5. To make a transfer into our account without explaining for what you want your money to be  

     used for. Swawalambi will then invest the money on the needs that will remain to be

     covered or they  will be considered more urgent. (Account number: ES73-0081-5249-1600-

     0115-7321).

*May we remind you that for every Swawalambi policy, 10% of the donations will be reverted   to the NGO.

To collaborate, please contact Swawalambi NGO via their email: swawalambi15@gmail.com or through our Facebook page: Swawalambi Society.

Once your donation has been made, Swawalambi will inform you about the progress of the case, with photographs and written reports. If you visit India at any point, and you wish to visit Manju and her family, you are most welcome to! You will then be able to see the result of your share in this.

Manju´s shop at the present moment

THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING SWAWALAMBI AND COLABORATE TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD!

CLOSER TO HER DREAM

Thanks to the generosity of our Spanish donors, Ruksana and Firoj are closer to their dream. Two days ago they got the keys from the local, and they have already clean it and paint it.

Now, slowly slowly they will start to purchase all the materials required to make it a nice restaurant, which they will name "Suhana", like their elder daughter.

Firoj and Ruksana´s life will change thanks to the support of Swawalambi and it´s donors! And we feel really happy about it...

Thanks to all of you: Mireia, Xabier, Carmen M. Mar, Adelaida, Gadea, Nuria,  Sofía, María G., Ania, Carmen G., Maribel and her husband, Ana Maria Ll., Manuela and María H. for your support.

A SMALL RESTAURANT FOR RUKSANA. ACHIVED!

Ruksana and her family have a dream: to open a small restuarant to become self-dependent.

Together with your support, we would make her dream come true.

Come and learn more about her...

HER STORY

Ruksana is a 29 years old woman, living in Banaras city with her husband Firoj Ahamd and her 3 children: Suhana 11 years, Ruhana 9 years and Faez 5 years.

Ruksana lives in a small, rented room of around 50 square meters with her family. She pays 2000 rupees for the monthly rent, around 25 euros, plus electricity. The house does not have a toilet, so her family has to share a joint- toilet with the rest of the neighbours.

Inside the room they have an old TV, a gas cooker and a bed.

Ruksana attended school until the age of 16. After she got married, she left school to become a housewife.

Due to her obligation towards her family, Ruksana started working  at a school close by where her children are being educated . She works as a laborer, cleaning the premises. Her basic salary is around 60 euros per month for 10 hours of work per day, from which the 25 euros are for school fees. With the 35 euros remaining, she pays for the food and the rest of the family’s expenses.

Her husband Firoj has been working as a construction worker for some time, but it is not easy for him to find a job. Sometimes he goes to his village to look for work but he does not always succeed.

Ruksana´s family situation is very precarious. That is why she contacted Swawalambi asking for support.

Ruksana and her family in their room

HER CONTACT WITH US

In July of 2015, Ruksana met Cristina, a member of Swawalambi, while she was working at the same school as her.

Due to a personal problem in which Ruksana was in need of some money, that she did not have at the time, Cristina offered to lend her the money from the Swawalambi account. In this way, Ruksana got to know about the NGO.

After a few days, she came to Cristina asking for support for herself and her family.

Consequently, Cristina and Ravi (secretary of Swawalambi India) went to her home on a social call to interview her. Ruksana then decided what she would like to receive from the organization: help to open a small restaurant that her husband will run.

Ruksana will help her husband in her free time, as well as continue working at the school since it is a stable job for her and guarantees her children’s education.

RUKSANA´S NEEDS

Ruksana has found a place to stablish her restaurant.

Now she needs Swawalambi and his donor’s support to make the family self-sufficient and improve their quality of life.

Detailed description of needs:

MATERIAL	RUPEES	EUROS
Refundable deposit for the place ACHIVED!	15,000	205 €
Monthly rent x 6 months (1500 x 6) ACHIVED!	9,000	123 €
Fridge ACHIVED!	11,000	150 €
Kitchen and gas ACHIVED!	4,000	54 €
Benches for sitting (800 x 4) ACHIVED!	3,200	44 €
Tables (1200 x 4) ACHIVED!	4,800	66 €
Stools (300 x 6) ACHIVED!	1,800	24 €
Kitchen materials (services, pans, etc.) ACHIVED!	3,000	41 €
Raw material (oil, sugar, wheat, etc) ACHIVED!	2,000	27 €
Water container ACHIVED!	2,000	27 €
TOTAL	55,800	764 €

RUKSANAS AND FIROJ COMPROMISE WITH SWAWALAMBI

Ruksana and Firoj have both accepted the agreement with Swawalambi NGO, so after receiving help and beginning their business, they will return the funds on a monthly basis and depending on the income from the restaurant, 50% of the borrowed amount.

This money will stay in Swawalambi´s account and will be used to cover the needs of other beneficiary, administrative and human resource expenses.

HOW YOU CAN COLABORATE WITH RUKSANA?

The way of collaborating is as diverse as Ruksana´s needs.

1.         You can decide to cover one of the expenses from the list below, for example her fridge, the kitchen utensils, and so on.

2.         You can donate any amount and decide for which purpose you want to use it for, for example 20 euros for the fridge, 15 euros for the rent…

3.        You can give a monthly amount for the money that you want to collaborate with Ruksana´s project until it will be complete, for example 10 euros per month.

4.           You can take care of the expenses fully and fulfill Ruksana´s needs.

5.          You can also make an anonymous donation directly on our account: ES73-0081-5249-1600-0115-7321 or through Paypal in our Swawalambi account.

*May we remind you that for every Swawalambi policy, 10% of the donations will be reverted to the NGO.

If you have any question, please contact us through our email address:swawalambisociety@gmail.com

We will contact you and send you the form on which you can write how you wish to collaborate.

Once your donation is made, Swawalambi will inform you about the progression of the case, with photographs and written reports. If you visit India at some point, and you want to visit Ruksana and her family, you are most welcome! You will then be able to see the result of your share in this.

THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING SWAWALAMBI AND COLABORATE TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD!

AMARJIT. HIS STORY

Amarjit is a 16-year-old boy who lives in the southern area of the city of Varanasi. Son of Kusum and Bethu, Amarjit is the third of the four children in the family.

His two elder sisters, Neha and Sneha, are studying in Class XII and Class X respectively. His small sister Nisa is in Class VIII. Amarjit, the only son, is also in Class X like one of his sisters. They all attend a public school near to their house.

Amarjit´s parents are humble people. His mother works cleaning houses. His father, who has had a stomach sickness for years can’t move too much, which is the reason why Amarjit has to work during the time he is not at school, selling flowers at the Ghats or rowing a boat on the Ganges for tourists.

Amarjit’s dream has been always to dance, but his family responsibilities and lack of money does not permit him to do this.

They have their own house, which they share with their relatives, so the space for the family is not big enough.

Contact with us:

In the month of October, two of the Swawalambi members, Ivan and Vicenta, met Amarjit and with the support of some Spanish friends they decided to help him to open a small shop in one of the rooms in his house, so he could stop working and his father could work without going out of the house.

In order to achieve this, Iván and Vicenta, with the help of Cristina, a social worker living in Varanasi and the other member of Swawalambi, came to the following agreement with Amarjit´s family:

-          The family would be responsible for organizing the preparation of the shop: carpenter, painter, contacts with the suppliers, etc…

-          The family would allways give Cristina the bills justifying the money they had spent.

-          Cristina would give them a certain amount of money, and once finished would give them another amount.

-          Amarjit would stop working and his father would work at the shop. Also Amarjit would start attending some dance classes that the sponsors would finance for one year, on the condition that once the year was over, Amarjit’s family would continue paying for the classes, assuming that they were earning enough money.

Results:

After 4 months Amarjit and his family had a small grocery shop. Amarjit’s parents work in it and sometimes the children help them. Meanwhile they are studying and Amarjit is attending dancing clases.

 The shop has allowed them to have more stable incomes to. Now Amarjit is very happy and very grateful for the support.

"Now my family is happier" says Amarjit

 

OUR PHILOSOPHY

There are 2 Swawalambi NGO’s. They both have the same philosophy and objectives, but their roles and responsibilities are different.

The aim of Swawalambi Spain is the sensitization of the western world towards the plight of many Indian people, and fundraising for the project and the NGO in India.

 Swawalambi in India has an additional aim of direct intervention with the beneficiaries.

 The philosophy of both NGOS is based on respect to the individual’s traditions, culture and decisions. We want to upgrade the living conditions of the neediest people, but without forgetting that they are the agents of their own change.

 The intervention of the NGO in India will be based on co-operation between the professionals and the beneficiaries, the beneficiary allways being the protagonist of his/her story. We will accompany them through their process of change, but at no time will we try to influence the direction that the beneficiary want to take.

ORIGIN OF SWAWALAMBI

In August 2014 the Spanish actress and actor Vicenta Ndongo and Ivan Hermes travelled to India as part of their trip around the world. In Varanasi they met Cristina Iglesias, a Spanish Social Worker who at that time was working at an NGO in this city.

 

From right to left: Vicenta, Cristina, Ivan and Ananda (Cristina´s daughter)

 

During their stay in Varanasi Vicenta and Ivan met Amarjit, a 16 years old boy who, besides studying, was working in the evenings to help his family, because his father was sick with a stomach problem and couldn’t work outside the house. During the days they spent in Varanasi, Vicenta and Ivan established a relationship with Amarjit and they proposed that he open a little grocery store in his house that would allow him and his family to have some income. His father would work at the shop and Amarjit would then be able to study and make his dream of receiving dancing classes come true.

Vicenta and Ivan spoke then with Cristina, who met Amarjit. After a social interview with him and his family, Cristina decided to be the intermediary between the donors (Vicenta, Ivan and some of their friends) and the beneficiary, Amarjit.

After 4 months Amarjit’s shop became a reality. He is now studying and taking “cramping” classes, while his parents are managing the shop.

 

This story was the inspiration for the creation of the NGO “Swawalambi”, whose objective is to work for the self-sustainability of people and/or families in India, and the creation of the Amarjit Project.

 

 

Amarjit at his shop