An adventure for Project Mala?

One of the organisations I have ‘liked’ on my facebook page is The Adventure Company because I had the great fortune to enjoy a wonderful trip to India with them. It was after I returned from that trip that I felt inspired to sponsor a child in India and set about searching for a charity through which I could do so. I have explained at the start of this blog how I was pleased to find Project Mala and why I chose that charity through which to sponsor a child. Two years later I am still pleased to do so!


I recently noticed on the Facebook homepage the following post from The Adventure Company: “We are looking for new projects to support! Do you know any good, sustainable grass roots projects / charities who might like to be part of our Foundation?” As you can imagine, Project Mala immediately came to my mind. I don’t know whether Project Mala would be interested in receiving support from The Adventure Company, so I have merely added the Project Mala website address and a brief description of its work, as my comment in response to the Adventure Company’s invitation for suggestions. I hope The Adventure Company may want to find out much more about Project Mala. I also hope that anyone who reads about The Adventure Company on its facebook page may see my suggestion and be curious enough to follow the link to find out more about the life-changing achievements of Project Mala. I think anyone who reads the Project Mala website will be as impressed as me and inclined to consider making a donation or sponsoring a child for just £9 a month, knowing how much Project Mala can accomplish with the financial support they receive. If you have not yet visited the Project Mala website and read about the schools it has set-up, please do have a look, just by clicking here. And if you are an Adventure Company fan, “happy travelling”.

What can you get from Mala News?

It’s been another hectic half-term but I have not forgotten that on my ‘reading pile’ is the latest edition of the quarterly newsletter I received from Project Mala. I appreciate very much receiving this double-sided A4 page of words and pictures as it seems a perfect way for a child-sponsor such as me to keep in touch with the organisation that I am keen to be involved with, even though other commitments may limit my availability to do so. I am reminded that being a child-sponsor with Project Mala is ideal for me as I am not required to do anything on a regular basis or specific date ~ other than ensure there is £9 per month available in my account on the date of the direct debit ~ yet I receive much from the sponsorship arrangement including interesting information and intriguing insights of life in India.

It doesn’t take me long to read through the extremely well-written newsletter so I am able to read every word and find out a lot about the project, the pupils and life in eastern Uttar Pradesh. As I read the newsletter I reminisce about my own school-days. I learn a thing or two too!

As always, I am impressed with the dedication of those who work for the project and the attitude and achievements of the children. There is some sad news conveyed in this edition of the newsletter; I appreciate the sensitive way the matter has been handled by Project Mala. I enjoy looking at the colour photos which show the remarkable range of activities undertaken by the pupils, teachers and other people involved in Project Mala. Why not have a quick look at a copy of Mala News now so you can see for yourself what I mean? Pdf copies of the newsletters are available on the Project Mala website, just click here!

Christmas Greetings

I was delighted to open an envelope and find inside a Christmas card to me from Project Mala. The project sends Christmas greetings to its sponsors as one way of keeping in touch and showing appreciation throughout the year. It is nice to be remembered in this way. This year’s card has a wonderful picture of some of the children from one of the Project Mala Schools. Each child is holding up an individual letter card to spell out the message, “Merry Christmas from children of Project Mala”. It is great to see the children’s smiling faces…yet again the cliché, “a picture tells a thousand words” proves to be true... so a scanned version of the card is pasted below so you can see what I mean.

The envelope also contains the latest edition of ‘Mala News’, the quarterly newsletter which is sent to sponsors to update us on the work of the project. I look forward to reading it – and blogging about it – when the commotion of Christmas has passed.

Something to consider when choosing a child sponsorship charity?

As a Project Mala child sponsor, I read with interest an article written by someone who sponsors a child though another charity. In her article, published in The Guardian, the author describes what happened when she was introduced as the child’s sponsor to the child and her family. This is not an experience I would ever have because the Project Mala arrangements for child sponsorship do not include any personal contact from the sponsor to the child or his/her family, although the project provides a sponsor with information about the child s/he sponsors and encourages sponsors to visit Project Mala schools where they can see their sponsored child. This is a boundary I have always appreciated, respecting the explanation given on the Project Mala website for this stance. At the same time I realise that some people may feel they want to be more involved with the child they sponsor.
I have concluded that it is good there is a choice for potential sponsors when deciding which charity to support to sponsor a child and that an important factor for potential sponsors to consider may be a desire to write to the sponsored child. I am therefore surprised to read the following statistic in this article: “only 10% of all those who sign up to sponsor children with ActionAid ever get round to writing to them, let alone meeting them”.  
I am interested to know the views and experiences of other people about this aspect of child sponsorship. Please post any comments below.      

One year anniversary as a sponsor

 

Since my last blog entry it has been the first anniversary of me sponsoring a child with Project Mala. I feel that I have gained a lot although my input has been minimal, by which I mean

(i) the monetary amount of just £9 per month is much less than other child sponsorship charities require


(ii) sponsoring a child through Project Mala has not made any demands on my time of a practical nature. I became a sponsor just by clicking on a link on the Project Mala website then chose to complete one short and simple form provided by Project Mala so a standing order could be set up to deduct the sponsorship amount from my bank account without me having to do anything further


(iii) unlike some other sponsorship organisations Project Mala does not require sponsors to have direct personal contact with the child s/he sponsors although all sponsors receive photographs of their sponsored child as well as family information and school reports. Sponsors also receive updated information about the work of the project through its quarterly newsletter which is posted or emailed to each sponsor. Personally I find these newsletters incredibly interesting and inspiring.


The newsletters are one of the ‘gains’ I have made from my sponsorship year. Through the newsletters I have an insight into an aspect of life which I wouldn’t otherwise come across. This is both informative and thought-provoking ~ often helping to give me a sense of perspective.

Another gain for Project Mala sponsors is an altruistic feeling of doing something useful ~ helping a child and his/her family who have not been fortunate enough to have the opportunities which I have. Also helping Project Mala itself; when you read about the work and achievements of this small but highly effective charity you can’t help but want to be a small part of what they do.


Personally I have also gained the experience of writing this blog ~ teaching myself how to do it and trying to find the time to do it has been far more challenging than I expected. But I have persevered in the hope that it may encourage other people to sponsor a child with Project Mala.


I am so pleased I came across Project Mala and became a child sponsor a year ago. Throughout the year I have been impressed with how I have been treated as a sponsor and amazed with the life-changing achievements the project makes with a small amount of money.


If you are considering supporting the work of Project Mala, either as a sponsor or as a one-off donation, and have any questions you would like to ask me about my personal experience of Project Mala please get in touch.

 

Strictly Come Dancing 2010 and Project Mala

Any idea what links Strictly Come Dancing 2010 and Project Mala? Here’s the answer:

Felicity Kendal, the English actress well-known for stage work and television programmes including The Good Life and Rosemary and Thyme, is one of the celebrity contestants in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Felicity Kendal’s link to Project Mala is her role as one of the charity’s patrons. If only some of the millions of Strictly Come Dancing viewers could be made aware of the work of Project Mala, I’m sure they would be interested in becoming Project Mala sponsors, donating £9 per month so a child can benefit from all that a Project Mala school provides. Click here to find out more.

School to be opened by 'The Voice'

I guess most of us have noticed that it is getting lighter later in the mornings, darker earlier in the evenings and children have returned to school after the summer break. So for most of us, holiday plans are not something we can think about for a while. But I am mindful that Project Mala sponsors who are able to take up the chance of joining the sponsors’ trip to India in February 2011, are able to “count the days” ‘til their fascinating experience begins. One of the exciting aspects to look forward to is the opportunity to hear from the range of people who are involved in Project Mala. An arguably important role in any charity is that of ‘patron’. Project Mala has several distinguished patrons, the names of whom can be seen on the Project Mala website. One of their patrons, Sir Mark Tully, has agreed to officially open Project Mala’s new Turkahan School during the sponsors’ trip. Sir Mark Tully has been described as “the voice of India” . A BBC correspondent for India for over 20 years he has written several books based on India and earned much recognition for his writing so he is bound to have something interesting to say. To me it “speaks volumes” that a man of Sir Mark’s reputation wants to support the work of Project Mala. I look forward to hearing what happens when he opens the new school.

Sir Mark Tully signing the visitors book at Guria.

Through some internet research I have found out more about the new school which Sir Mark is going to officially open during the sponsors' trip. Learning new information, which makes me think about what life is like for other people in a different part of the world, is one of the things I enjoy about being a Project Mala sponsor. Apparently the Project Mala school known as Turkahan School is in a village called Turkahan in Mirzapur District. It serves 7 villages within a 3km radius. The main Mirzapur station is approximately 15 km away. Turkahan School started in a small building consisting of two rooms.

But because more children needed a place at the school than the building could accommodate, a new school is being constructed with another charity which helps children in India, BaalDan

 
Learning that other charities want to work in partnership with Project Mala is another indication to me of the hard work and success of Project Mala; this also encourages me to be one of their sponsors. The new school expects to help three times more children than was possible in the old building. How impressive! As a person who values education, I am moved that so many children and families in Mirzapur will make the effort and sacrifices that have to be made in order to gain some education. I am also grateful that Project Mala, its staff and volunteers have the vision and dedication to work so hard that such opportunities can be possible. But it is only possible if potential sponsors play a part too. It really is amazing what can be achieved with £9 per month if you can give it to “the right people”: I think Project Mala are “the right people”.