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”.

A nice surprise in my in-box … my Project Mala’s sponsored child’s school report

Amidst the adverts, circulars and scams it was nice to see in my email inbox a message sent to me by Project Mala. The charity through which I sponsor a school child in India seems to have just the right balance between making me feel acknowledged and involved without being bombarded or pestered. The message I have just opened is particularly exciting as it tells me that they have updated the latest school report of the child I sponsor so all I have to do is login with my own username and password to find out how Neha and her family are.


The report tells me the percentage marks Neha has achieved in mathematics, English, Hindi and general knowledge. It also tells me her percentage attendance: a very impressive 96.7%. I think this is particularly admirable when I read further in the report that Neha lives 4km away. I am pleased to read elsewhere in this school report that she has not had any major illness.


At the end of the report are some brief ‘general comments’ which provide me with an interesting insight into what life is like for a family in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the area of India where Project Mala works. Apparently the parents of the child I sponsor are agricultural labourers. In December last year her father sold his cow (for £31.25). His January purchase is perhaps a ‘sign of the times’…. a new mobile phone.

Newsletter: How would you read yours?

When this blog began, (please see my first entry, ‘introduction’, April 2010) I explained that one of my reasons for becoming a sponsor with Project Mala, the charity that gives quality education to children in remote villages of India, was a hope that it would be an interesting experience that would give me a chance to learn new things…as well as the child I sponsor! Receiving 'Mala News', the Project Mala Newsletter, is one of the ways I am able to learn more about what life in India is like for some children and what a small charity in England can do to make a positive difference...with a bit of help from people such as you and me. 


I appreciate the Project Mala Newsletter very much for several reasons. I appreciate ‘the reminder’ that I am a Project Mala child sponsor: having set up the sponsorship arrangement no further commitment has been required of me which must be good for anyone with a hectic lifestyle as time inevitably flies by. I am happy though to take the time to read about the impressive and significant work that is being done by Project Mala since the last newsletter I received six months ago. I do feel the newsletters are well-timed: I am contacted enough to make me feel regularly informed but I am not contacted too much that I feel bombarded with communication. Nor do I feel that a disproportionate amount of the charity’s resources are being spent on the sponsors rather than the children as the Project Mala Newsletter is just two A4 sides long, covering a range of topics in bite-sized chunks. I find the newsletter is a quick and easy read which leaves a lasting impression. I have found that a particularly memorable part of the Project Mala Newsletters is the photographs of the children, their classrooms and their teachers. See some for yourself just by clicking here.  


The latest edition of the Project Mala newsletter has been sent to me by email whereas previous copies have been paper versions, posted to my home address. The email that the Newsletter is attached to expresses concern that when sending email to their sponsors ‘on mass’, the message may be caught by a spam filter and so Project Mala requests acknowledgement that the newsletter has arrived ok. They also ask whether sponsors are happy to receive the newsletter this way in the future. Although I like a paper copy so I can read it during my daily commute, I am happy to print a copy of the newsletter for myself, thereby saving this small charity’s time and money so they can be spent on the hundreds of children and their families who are benefiting from the life-changing opportunities Project Mala provides.

Have you got a moment to take a look at a copy of Mala News now? I'm sure you'll find a fascinating read if you do. There are several copies of Mala News available on the Project Mala website which is where you can also start to sponsor a child or make a donation. I am so pleased I found Project Mala ...I hope you may be too.

Project Mala film part two

I notice that there is another Project Mala film on the list alongside the film I have been watching on You Tube. As well as further footage of the schools, staff and pupils, Documentary on Project Mala - part 2 features a parent of one of the children who attends a Project Mala School. By listening to what this mother has to say about why her family has decided they want their daughter to go to school viewers gain an insight into the significant difference Project Mala makes … or can do with support from people like you. If you or anyone you know may want to know more about the work of Project Mala please visit the Project Mala website or find ten minutes to watch the films.

See Project Mala in action NOW ~ using You Tube

On a recent visit to the homepage of the Project Mala website I was delighted to notice the addition of a new film. I remember well, a short film I watched a while ago about the children helped by Project Mala. It included some amazing scenes of happy, hard-working children, keen to study and grateful for the chance Project Mala gives them to learn. So I am intrigued to see what this latest film will show me.


Just by clicking on the You Tube link I am able to start watching this new film which begins with views of Varanassi, the area in India where Project Mala schools are based. As I have not visited Varanassi yet I am interested to grab a quick glimpse of the location whilst listening to some information about how and why Project Mala began. What I see next in the film is familiar…it is the lovely chalk-board logo of Project Mala, on a big banner at the road-side, indicating that one of the Project Mala schools is near. As I continue watching the film I get the opportunity to hear the teachers and the pupils at Project Mala schools. As a sponsor of one of the children Project Mala works with, I really appreciate being able to see and hear about the work of the charity, from those who are receiving it or helping to carry out its mission. I think a film such as this can really reassure sponsors and potential sponsors what their 30p sponsorship money, or other donated amount, can achieve.

Although I keep a watchful eye out for the particular child I have been sponsoring, there is a lot in this short film to catch my attention. I am particularly struck by the sight of the children smiling as they enter their school and how smart they look in their school uniforms. Listening to one of the teachers talking in the film I am impressed to hear about the range of subjects taught at the school with opportunities for vocational and academic lessons as well as games and sport…. no surprise that cricket is a favourite! It is also good to see the children tucking into a decent dinner. But perhaps the most memorable and heart-warming moments in the film are the children telling us why they like going to school and describing their dreams for the future. Thanks to Project Mala these children can dare to have dreams and dare to believe that one day they may come true. I for one hope that Project Mala continues to receive enough support to enable it to continue providing all it does for even more children in India. If you have not already seen the film, can you watch it now and decide what you think?

Message from Project Mala: Spread the word

It was good to receive a message recently which Project Mala sent to all its sponsors. Messages to sponsors from Project Mala are not so frequent they become troublesome...but received often enough to know I am not forgotten. This latest message is interesting as it is giving sponsors an opportunity to help in a small way which can make a big difference. The message asks sponsors such as me to consider putting a link to the Project Mala website on any websites we have. Apparently this could increase the likelihood of Project Mala appearing 'higher up the list' of results when surfers search the internet. Obviously this is crucial as many Project Mala sponsors find Project Mala through an internet search. It is only through more potential sponsors finding Project Mala and agreeing to sponsor a child that more children who need the help that Project Mala can provide will benefit from what Project Mala does. I already have the Project Mala website link on my Facebook page but as soon as I can I must think of other sites that I could add the Project Mala link to. Project Mala offers to help e.g. by supplying further information or the logo.

Another suggestion Project Mala makes in its message is to use printed media to get Project Mala into the public eye. They offer to supply any of us with press briefings about the work of Project Mala and/or the carpets if we would like to write to, or for, a local paper about our work. Perhaps I can approach some of the organisations I work with who have an interest in literacy. Can you think of anywhere or any way you could spread the word about Project Mala?   

It is good to see yet again how hard this charity works, dedicated and determined to reach as many potential sponsors as possible, thereby helping more children.         

London Marathon

 

While watching the Virgin London Marathon last Sunday I wondered whether anyone may be running to support Project Mala, the charity through which I sponsor a school child in India. I notice from the running vests and a quick look at the London Marathon website that some of the participants are supporting very large charities who arrange child-sponsorship agreements.

I sometimes find it frustrating that because Project Mala is a small charity, there are not more people who know about Project Mala. I am sure that if more people did know about Project Mala they couldn’t fail to be impressed by its work and achievements and want to sponsor a child. This is important because whilst there is already a huge amount of work being done to help the children in India which Project Mala works with, the charity needs more sponsors because there are more children in need.

Just a couple of the things that I have found particularly impressive about Project Mala which I don’t think you find with a large charity are: Firstly, the incredibly low overheads of Project Mala meaning there is very little of the money donated that is needed for the charity’s essential running costs rather than going directly to the children, their education, their food, their uniforms and their schools. The charity achieves this efficiency through the generosity of its staff who are mostly unpaid for all of their hard work.

Which brings me to the second point, the ‘personal service’ you receive as a sponsor. I have mentioned in other blog entries how impressed I have been whenever I have received communication from someone in the Project Mala team that the response has always been prompt and polite as well as appreciative.
 This is why I am interested to find ways to ‘spread the word’ about the work of Project Mala. Any ideas? I hope that this blog will be one way of encouraging other people to sponsor a child through Project Mala. Another way of raising the profile may well be through events such as the London Marathon. But I am under no illusion about how difficult and demanding it must be to run the 42.195km ~ even if it is just once in a lifetime. Having said that I am mindful that many of the Project Mala children have to travel half of that distance every day to attend school ~ but they do so gladly, such is their determination to take up the chance of the education that Project Mala can provide. Yet another reason why supporting Project Mala is such a worthwhile thing to do and why I hope more people will want to do so.

Project Mala provides bicycles free of charge while the children are at middle school so they can cycle the 10km or so between their home and school. You can read about this in a recent Project Mala newsletter.

A sponsor's visit to a Project Mala school

My last blog entry reflected on the email I had received from Project Mala about a trip that is being organised for sponsors. I mentioned that Project Mala is willing to welcome individual sponsors to visit its schools in India and commented that I expect it would be an amazing experience to do so.


Well Celia Davies and Jonathan Waters, Project Mala sponsors who have had the experience of visiting a Project Mala school have written the following few lines of their impressions of the visit to the school and given permission for me to add their account to this blog.


Reading about their visit is another reminder to me of how much I would like to visit one day but in the meantime how pleased I am to have come across the charity Project Mala and enter into a sponsorship arrangement so for just a few pounds a month from me a child in India can receive an education … and so much more. Please read on to see what I mean. Please visit the Project Mala website if you can sponsor a child.


“We arrived in Varanasi on an overnight sleeper train from Agra. Unfortunately we did not arrive until about 9.00, it should have been 6.30 and we had difficulty with signals on our mobile phones but our Tour leader assisted. Anil picked us up from our hotel around 11.00 so we had time for a quick breakfast before setting off to the schools.


Anil had kindly arranged for us to actually visit all of the classes so we saw children of all ages and had the opportunity to see a wide range of subjects being taught. We were particularly impressed with the maths class where quite young children (I think about 10 or 11) were doing percentages and profit and loss without the luxury of calculators UK children have. Although the classes were large by UK standards the children were working hard to learn and seemed happy and contented if somewhat bemused by these two strangers arriving in their school. One or two older ones took the opportunity to try out their English on some native speakers and the younger classes delighted us by singing us English songs.


All the classes were well attended and the children smartly turned out and despite a lack of resources as we know it, the benefits were obvious.

Anil then took us to one of the other schools but on the way stopped off at a state school with the aim of showing us the difference. As we approached the school it seemed strange that it was so quiet. We spoke with the headmaster and one of the children had been killed in a road accident during the day and the children had been sent home. The school had no toilet facilities and the child had been killed crossing the road to a field. It cast a shadow over what had been a very happy and positive experience.


In summary we were very impressed and very happy to see how so many children benefit by your charity. Our trip was very busy and very varied and the day in Varanasi was actually the only free day we had in India, we consider ourselves very fortunate to have shared it with Anil and his school.”

Thanks to Celia Davies and Jonathan Waters for their account and for their permission to use it here.

An exciting invitation from Project Mala

The latest email I have received from Project Mala, the charity through which I sponsor a child in India, is particularly exciting. It is an invitation to an official opening of the new Project Mala school. Wow! What an amazing opportunity! Since I first started looking at the website for Project Mala and considering whether I would sponsor a child through the Project Mala charity, I was aware that the project allows – in fact encourages - sponsors to visit its schools. One of the pages on the website that I particularly found useful and reassuring when I was considering whether to become a sponsor of a child with Project Mala was the “visitor comments page” which shows comments written by people like you or me who have been able to visit a Project Mala school. See for yourself what visitors have said just by clicking here and you may be as impressed as I was and decide to sponsor a child too! There are also pages on the website where you can read what sponsors have said, look at press comments, see what major funders have said and view for yourself independent reports such as a report from Unesco which states “the work undertaken by the organisation is really of great quality….”. I honestly think it is absolutely amazing what this small charity can achieve through being focused, efficient and receiving the support of individuals who offer to sponsor a child for a fee of £9 per month for primary children or £15 per month for secondary children; an amount which covers the total costs of an individual child, including schooling, uniforms and a midday meal. What better value for less than 50p per day can you get than that these days?

From the quotes I have read by sponsors who have visited a Project Mala school, I am aware that it is an impressive, interesting and inspiring experience to visit a school …something I will write about to share with you in another blog post soon. This invitation to visit though is clearly extra special as sponsors are being given the chance to attend the opening of a school which must be such a momentous occasion ~ a chance to see Project Mala expanding its vital work in order to help more children who need to benefit from what they do. Seeing the children benefiting from the wonderful work this charity is able to do thanks to its sponsors, and at the same time experiencing a trip to ‘Incredible India’ as the adverts say, would be amazing experiences by themselves I am sure, but combined with co-inciding these experiences with witnessing such a special occasion as a new school opening seems like an opportunity any of us would love to take up if at all possible.

The email I have received from Project Mala goes on to explain, helpful as ever, that they have asked a New Delhi travel agent to put together a draft itinerary with an approximate cost. This itinery is just a suggestion though as sponsors are welcome to make their own arrangements and organize a trip that suits their own pace, pockets and preferences. To attend the opening of the school, sponsors just need to be in Varanasi, a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on 9 – 11 February 2011. Varanasi is regarded as holy by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest of India.The email I have received from Project Mala explains more and maps of where they work can be found on the Project Mala website.

Project Mala advises booking soon because February is a very popular month to visit India due to the temperatures usually being very comfortable. Early booking may also be advisable to maximize the time there is to look forward to the trip! The suggested trip sounds very tempting for tourist reasons alone. As I look through the itinery some of the place names and activities are familiar as I was lucky enough to go to India for a holiday a couple of years ago and enjoyed visiting these places as part of that trip. I found my trip to India was indeed an incredible experience so I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to revisit places such as the India Gate War Memorial at New Delhi ...

... and would love to repeat activities such as an elephant ride in Jaipur.

Seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise is a highlight for many people.

The Project Mala suggested trip also includes viewing The Ganges, something I did not see during my holiday to India which I hope to experience one day.

But this trip which Project Mala is suggesting to its sponsors has the unique offering of a chance to meet the Mala Team in India, visit rural India to get a first hand opportunity to assess the value of the work Project Mala is doing, see some other village schools, watch some carpets being woven and meet the sponsored child(ren)…it truly sounds awesome. If you watch the film on You Tube you can get a fantastic flavour of the work of Project Mala but to be there is bound to be brilliant. I imagine the team in India as well as the children and staff at the school will be pleased to welcome sponsors to their school’s official opening, some presentations by Mala children and a buffet lunch in a Chamiana (Marquee).

 

My job as a teacher means I am unlikely to be able to take part in the suggested trip because I am committed to being at work on particular dates but I will certainly investigate whether I can take part in some way….wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity like this, would you?

Have you heard of Ploink?

I hadn’t heard of Ploink until I came across it today. Now I know that Ploink is a new website that gives people the chance to donate small amounts of change to charities of their choice. It seems to be an ‘ICT equivalent’ of a jar you put 1p or 2p coins in. We are currently seeing politicians turning to digital ways of getting their message across in an attempt to win every vote in the forthcoming elections. Likewise charities are moving with the times and increasingly using the website as an easy way for people to make donations to causes they would willingly support but perhaps haven’t thought of doing so. I am not sure whether this electronic version is any easier for the donor than putting coins in a jar – or whether it is better for the charity - but for charities that can make a difference with ‘small amounts of change’ and benefit from spreading their message in a way that only the world wide web can do, perhaps Ploink is a good idea.

I am reminded that whilst my standing order to sponsor a child through Project Mala is a simple way for me to regularly contribute to work that makes a difference, one-off donations to Project Mala can make a difference too. Individual expenses such as a school bag costing 63p and a school uniform at just £4.50 for a child for a year could soon be achieved through putting 1p or 2p coins in a jar…. whether it’s the modern ploink version or the traditional glass version!

More Project Mala website developments to come

I explained in previous posts on this blog that Project Mala had recently informed me and other sponsors that they have been working on some enhancements of the website to make it even easier for sponsors to see information about the child(ren) they sponsor. When I had a spare moment the other day I thought I would look through the new pages. When doing so I found a ‘my payments’ button and was a little concerned to find that the ‘last paid’ and ‘next due’ on my records were blank. I hoped there was no problem with my payments but thought I would check. Project Mala offer sponsors a wide choice of when and how to pay. Whether someone chooses to sponsor a primary school child for £9 a month or a middle school child for £15 a month, payments can be made monthly / quarterly / annually. The choice of how to pay includes standing order / cheque / credit card / paypal / bank transfer. It really feels like it couldn’t be simpler. I contacted Project Mala about my query and received a reply to reassure me that there is no problem with my payments but that particular part of the website is currently being upgraded. Once again I am grateful for the personal, prompt and professional service provided by Project Mala….just one aspect of their work I really appreciate.

Technorati

Just adding details of this blog to Technorati, an Internet search engine for searching blogs, because I am keen to make it effective and helpful for Project Mala sponsors and potential sposors. If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch.  

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India launches biometric survey

I think of the child I sponsor through Project Mala when I hear on the BBC news that India is launching a new census in which every person aged over 15 will be photographed and fingerprinted to create a biometric national database. The government will then use the information to issue identity cards. Apparently officials will spend a year classifying India's population of around 1.2 billion people according to gender, religion, occupation and education. Although this exercise takes place every 10 years this is the first time a biometric element has been included. It is also the first time that information about the use of the internet and the availability of drinking water and toilets in each household will be recorded. The BBC reports that over the next year, some 2.5 million census officials will visit households in more than 7,000 towns and 600,000 villages.

From the information Project Mala passed on to me I know that the child I sponsor is under 15 so she will not be included in this survey but her parents and older siblings will be. I have also been given some details about where she lives. From this information I gained an insight into what life may be like for her, living in mud rooms, with no electricity, relying on the village handpump for water. The family own two cows.

Making life easier for sponsors

I have received an email from the Project Mala team letting me know that they have been working hard to improve how sponsors such as me receive information about the children they sponsor. In some ways I am surprised to receive this message as I have not had any difficulty finding information about the girl I sponsor through Project Mala. When I first became a sponsor I was given a user name and password, and it was explained to me that this would allow me to access information about the child I sponsor. School reports are posted on the Project Mala website so all I had to do to find out about her progress was visit the Project Mala website, enter my user name and password in the ‘Sponsor login’ box on the homepage and check for updates.

One of the new features is that Project Mala will be able to notify sponsors when any new information or picture of the sponsored child is loaded into your login, rather than the sponsor have to keep checking.

Felicity Kendal opens Indian carpet exhibition

I was interested to find a short article about a carpet exhibition opened by one of Project Mala’s patrons, Felicity Kendal CBE.

The fact that this event took place several years ago makes me realise that Project Mala is a charity that must have dedicated and hard-working people involved who are committed to achieving everything possible for the cause they work for. To think I can support this for 30p per day seems amazing to me and something I can recommend to others.

Fair Trade Fortnight

Media reports and displays in shops remind me that Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual campaign to celebrate and promote fair and ethical trading values is fast-approaching. It prompts me to think about the fair trade aspect of Project Mala.

During my initial look at the Project Mala website I noticed that the project’s patrons include Sir Mark Tully KBE. I know he has written several books about India, was BBC’s India correspondent for 22 years and is now a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in New Delhi. I have heard him referred to as “the voice of India”. So when I notice his name I am interested to read what he has to say.

I came across an article where Sir Mark looks at what a buyer gets when they buy products that bear a fair trade label. Perhaps potential consumers like me think that purchasing a product with some sort of fair trade label means the item has been produced without treating the producers unfairly. But Sir Mark Tully points out that “fair trade organisations are only as good as their understanding of the situation where their products are made and their ability to keep an eye on what goes on there.” He goes onto explain that the Indian carpet industry is particularly difficult to monitor yet an organisation called Rugmark Foundation India says it has a system with a certification trademark which assures importers and buyers that carpets with this label have been manufactured / exported by a company which has committed itself to work without illegal child labour and which is subject to an effective surveillance mechanism. Sir Mark’s experience is that looms for carpet weaving are mostly situated in homes in remote villages making thorough inspection unrealistic.
As Project Mala works with children in the carpet weaving belt of India I am curious to find out more. I discover that Project Mala is not about stopping children from working. It is about ensuring the children have an opportunity to receive an education. The two are not mutually exclusive. And just because it may not be the norm in England for children to make a financial contribution to their family income, it is important to realise and respect what works for another culture. Hence the products available to buy from Mala Carpets – Mala Handicrafts Ltd, a subsidiary of the registered charity Project Mala do not display one of the fair trade labels which people may be familiar with but customers can be assured that any profit Mala Handicrafts makes, goes to Project Mala to fund their schools programme.

Communication from Joan

I received an email today from Joan, the part-time secretary/accountant at Project Mala, explaining there had been a technical hitch with my payments. As with all communication I have received from Project Mala, Joan has been kind, efficient and courteous but I feel awful that I have not noticed this problem. Within a couple of emails everything is sorted out and I am left feeling reassured that everything is working properly and genuinely appreciated as an individual sponsor.

FaceBook

Another impressive feature of Project Mala I have noticed is its involvement in a range of communications including those which rely on ICT. Having worked for small charities myself, I appreciate that it is not always easy to do so. So although I do not use FaceBook much I wondered whether there may be a FaceBook page for Project Mala. A quick search and I found my answer: Yes! Can you join our FaceBook page?

Indian Winter on Channel 4

Channel 4 have been running a series of programmes about India and I have tried to make sure I catch sight of a couple as I am always interested to try and learn more about India. Seeing programmes such as ‘Gordon’s Great Escape’, where Gordon Ramsey discovered the diversity of Indian cuisine, ‘Slumming It’ where Kevin McCloud spent time with people in Mumbai and the film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ makes me think about the children that Project Mala works with. Although I realise that the children Project Mala works with are not in the same situation as those shown in the slums of Mumbai it nonetheless reminds me that the lives of the children in India are very different from the lives of children in England.

Once again I feel grateful that there are organisations such as Project Mala working to bring us together in some way. Project Mala makes it easy for people to contribute to making a difference to someone who will appreciate it, either by sponsoring a child or by making a donation.

Other sponsors

Another way for me – and you - to find out about Project Mala is by reading reports from other sponsors. I came across a great description by Aline Dobbie who has been a Project Mala supporter for many years.

See for yourself NOW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yA1dR0VcWI Just follow this link and see for yourself, from the comfort of where you are now, Project Mala at work. Five minutes of footage I found incredible and inspiring…don’t you agree?

First impressions

Having been impressed already with what I had seen on the website I have continued to be impressed since becoming a sponsor. Messages from the two-part-time staff the Project employs are prompt, polite and professional ~ yet warm too, giving a very personal impression of people who genuinely care about the work they do and appreciate the importance of not taking anyone, including any sponsor, for granted.

Another nice surprise was a message on my answer-machine from Project Mala’s Chairman, Robin Garland asking if I was happy with being a sponsor so far. I was flabbergasted but impressed and delighted to receive such a message. If only other organisations took the time and trouble to value its customers / supporters I thought.

It was lovely to receive Christmas greetings from Project Mala. I can think of nothing nicer to see at Christmas than a picture of some of the Project’s children and the bikes the project has provided them with to get to school. As a sponsor it made me feel included in the Project’s work and not forgotten once I had ‘signed on the dotted line’ to become a sponsor. The enclosed Newsletter updated me on recent work of the Project. I really enjoy reading about the lives of some of the children Project Mala is working with and seeing some pictures.

This newsletter also has a picture of a sponsor with their child at a Project Mala school. The project encourages all sponsors to visit schools and see the child they sponsor in class. Maybe this is something I will do one day. I also enjoy reading in the newsletter about the innovative and pragmatic ways Project Mala works. For example it was noticed that none of the children at Mala schools wore glasses. It was not possible for the children to go to an optician so the teachers have been trained to carry out a simple eye test to help establish which of the children have an eye problem. I feel sincerely grateful to Project Mala for their hard work with the children and for giving me this opportunity to be involved in some small way. I look forward to finding out more about Project Mala in 2010.

What happened next?

So, having read through the web pages I decided that Project Mala was the charity through which I wanted to sponsor a child. The procedure for doing so seemed comprehensive and secure although simple and straight forward, even in these days of being used to doing most things at the touch of a button.

Although it was nice to be given the option of selecting a child from a picture I decided I was happy for the selection to be made randomly on my behalf by Project Mala although I did make the decision that I would like to sponsor a female child.



I chose to sponsor a child by completing the short and simple application form online and selected payment through paypal, although downloading a form and paying by credit card or standing order were other options offered to me.
Within moments it was done and I received a prompt and warm acknowledgement from Caroline, Project Mala’s Sponsorship Secretary letting me know that my account had been set up and a password already sorted for me. Caroline also sent me lots of information about the child I would be sponsoring, a couple of photographs of the child and a copy of 'Mala News', the Project’s latest Newsletter.

Frequently asked questions

The concerns I had before starting a sponsorship arrangement related to practical issues and I’m pleased to say Project Mala has been able to assure me of all of these. I’ve noted below some of the thoughts I had in case you are considering sponsorship and have similar queries:

What if the amount of sponsorship requested is more than I feel I could afford?
With Project Mala you can sponsor a child for just £9 a month ~ that’s just 30p per day.


What if my circumstances change?
Before checking the FAQ section of the Project Mala website, a query I had always had about child sponsorship arrangements was the length of the commitment. I worried about ‘signing up’ to something that could become difficult if my circumstances change. But as a Project Mala sponsor you are only committed for as long as you want to be. Sponsorships can be terminated at any time, without affecting the sponsored child receiving education in Project Mala schools.

How demanding will the arrangement become?

Another concern I had was how demanding the arrangement could become ~ both in terms of time and emotional involvement. I had heard of charities that encourage or require sponsors to exchange letters with their sponsored child. Project Mala’s way of working appealed to me because there is no facility for exchanging letters with the child you sponsor but you are given information about the individual child you sponsor as well as updates about Project Mala’s work as a whole. A sponsor receives information about the physical and academic profile of the child, details of their family and home then updates about the child’s progress. Project Mala’s explanation for this way of working, displayed in the faq section of their website, satisfied me as being sensible and sensitive to all concerned.


How difficult will it be to set up?
So far Project Mala sounded as if it was the perfect child sponsorship arrangement for me. All I was left to wonder was how difficult it would be to set up? The answer was not difficult at all….

An explanation: how did I find out about it and why did I decide to do it?

So what prompted me to become a Project Mala sponsor? Well I have been considering – and then intending – to set up some sort of arrangement to sponsor a child for a while. The ads on tv, the reports to be read in a newspaper, even an appeal at a concert I attended all persuaded me of the significant difference that can be made through supporting charities which work hard to help children who don’t have the opportunities that children in this country have. But I wanted to find a charity which would



(i) ‘tick the boxes’ of my particular areas of interest

(ii) reassure me that my money would be well-spent and

(iii) allay any concerns I had about starting a sponsorship arrangement.

Project Mala met all three of these criteria ~ I’ll explain how later. But first, how did my search begin?

Aware that there is a ‘choice’ of child sponsorship arrangements I decided that I wanted my search to find one which addressed education. Education was an important factor in my choice partly because I have read about – and believe in – the empowerment of education. And partly because education has been so important in making a difference in my life that I like to find ways of supporting access to education. Another factor that was an interest for me was the setting: India. I have not travelled much but I wanted to go to India. I was lucky to go there for a short holiday. I enjoyed the trip immensely and was impressed with many things about India, not least the children who always seemed to be polite, pleasant, hard-working and keen to learn.

How did I find Project Mala? For me it was the result of a google search. I think I typed into the search engine ‘child sponsor, India, education”. I read through the website of Project Mala carefully. It was easy to do so because the information is well-laid out and I found navigating around the different parts of the website was very user-friendly. Already I was realising – and impressed by – the effectiveness of what this organisation does. I was not put off by the fact that they are not one of the large charities who advertise on TV or enclose flyers in newspapers. Far from it, I felt even more inclined to support a charity that has supported thousands of children through its six schools.

I guess I am not alone when giving money to a charity that I hope that it will be well-spent, used for positive and not negative outcomes. Having worked in the charity sector myself for a number of years I have sometimes been dismayed with what I have seen or heard about what organisations do. Therefore efficient and effective use of donations is not something I take for granted. I was really impressed when I read that Project Mala UK administrative costs are for just two part-time employees. I found the list of what each sponsored child receives and the summary of the project’s achievements extremely impressive. I was also reassured when I read about the patrons who are connected with this charity as well as the comments made by independent people.

An introduction

Hello I’m Helen. I recently became a Project Mala sponsor, which means I make a small donation each month to a charity that works with children in India. Sponsoring a child in some way is something I have wanted to do for a while and I hope it will prove to be interesting as well as worthwhile. So I thought I would use this blog to let people know about my experience. I also hope that this blog may encourage readers to get involved with Project Mala ….there are various ways to do so. There is a lot of clear, concise and comprehensive information about Project Mala on their website (www.projectmala.org.uk) as well as some wonderful photos! I don’t want to duplicate that information, so this blog is an insight from a new sponsor’s perspective. I hope you will follow my journey and get in touch with any questions or comments you have.