Nav-Jeevan

Newsletter April 2012

Republic Day, January the 26th 2012

Nav-Jeevan has gone through an enormous development the past nine years.
In January 2003 we started the project: give shelter to and educate street kids. We started with 10 children in a small, rented accommodation.
At present we've grown into a school with 243 students, half of them stay in the hostel. Our project in a nutshell:

• January 2003: accommodating 10 children;
• January 2004: accommodating 30 children;
• July 2004: purchase of 2,800 square meters of land and start of building;
• November 2005: opening of the school (ground floor school building): 40 children at school;
• School year 2006 - 2007: 60 children at school, 32 of them stay in the hostel;
• July 2007: completion of the 1st floor of the school building;
• School year 2007 - 2008: 90 children at school, 40 of them stay in the hostel;
• December 2007: completion of ground floor 2nd building;
• School year 2008 - 2009: 122 children at school, 60 of them in the hostel;
• School year 2009 - 2010: 148 children at school, 77 of them in the hostel;
• School year 2010 - 2011: 201 children at school, 109 of them in the hostel;
• July 2011: completion of the 1st floor of the 2nd building;
• School year 2011 - 2012: 243 children at school, 121 of them in the hostel.

From June 2011 we've been working on building 4 extra class rooms on the 2nd floor of the 2nd building + 2 big dormitories on the hall that connects the two buildings. At the end of February we had to stop the building activities because of lack of money. Prices have risen enormously in India. At the moment, the fixed costs (wages, food, medication, transport, etc.) amount to € 6.000 a month. Fortunately, we received quite a donation from the owner of welfare to work organisation Alexander Calder. Owing to this and to periodic payments from our benefactors we have money for the fixed costs till the end of 2012.

• 10 additional computers: 4.000 euro (€ 400 per computer)
• finishing the construction of 4 class rooms on the 2nd floor: 12.000 euro
• furnishing 4 class rooms:: 2080 euro (€ 520 per room)
• finishing the construction of 2 big dormitories on top of the hall: 18.000 euro

We will organise fundraising events to reach these targets. You can assist us by telling your family and friends or your employer about Nav-Jeevan. Perhaps the school your child attends is looking for a charity they will receive the funds from a fundraising event. We are more than willing to come and see you and give you more information.

School trip January 2012: the big girls are happy and sing

Isha in the computer room. Isha is a wonderful child, an orphan who lives in the hostel, together with her sister Saloni.

Anil, you've already met him in previous stories. He has been with us since we started in 2003. At that time he used to beg with his sister Ranjeeta and brother Sunil.

Both children are very bright and inquisitive. When we have more computers and a good working internet, we intend to match the children with our benefactors who communicate with them in English and also coach them by means of the computer, e.g. helping them doing sums.

Lunch

Construction

Dancing on a no-school Sunday

For the very first time, two of our grandchildren accompanied us to Nagpur. The boy with the blue yeans is 4-year-old Pepijn and the girl on the front bench with the two ponytails is 2-year-old Isabel.
Without any problems they were lovingly accepted in the group and spent some lovely weeks at the project.

We thank you very much for your support of the Nav-Jeevan Foundation.