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Garibi Hatao - Remove poverty in our community

From Pranbhai C. Arjan Dhanak, Editor, Pattni Connection

My visit to the Samaj in India was an eye opener. During my three hour meeting with the Rajkot Samaj committee, I was given a vivid picture and heart rendering stories of dire poverty that still exists in our community. While we worry about the credit crunch and try to cut down expenses on the luxury items in the developed country where we are fortunate enough to live, there are hundreds of Pattni families living in extreme poverty in the small villages in India. They our own brethrens, our own blood who crying out for your help.

 

Education is Key to Remove Poverty

The best legacy any Samaj and the community can give is education. It’s the best way to spend our funds; investing in our future. If we focus on proper education of the youths, the issue of poverty would be a thing of the past. Let us commit ourselves to building our future and bequeathing to our children the greatest legacy a future can give - education.


Illiteracy compounds poverty. Education does not only enlightens the children but also give them confidence. So, to ensure that the children of poor are not deprived, the benefits of good Samaj funds can become their lifeline. You will be absolutely shocked to know that many families depends on Rajkot Samaj who sends them a bank draft of  Rs 100 per month (mere $2.00 - USD $3.00). This is their lifeline.  We can’t even think of the consequences without this support given by the Rajkot Samaj.

 

Yet, the question many still ask is: How can we help our needy community members.

The Rajkot committee members told me that every month; there is a shortfall in their finances. So in order to make ends meet, committee members go from Pattni shop to the next pleading for their assistance and collecting funds. Sacrificing their own time to do such a noble work, we consider is their real Samaj Sewa. We must, especially those of us who are relatively well off, unite and support in their noble cause.

 

Mohit Chimanlal Soni, Secretary of Rajkot Mahamandal has written details of the Rajkot Mahamandal activities and how the Samaj is helping the needy and how they struggle to make ends meet. The committee needs our support. Please, please, please, do whatever you can. We know that when it comes to the crunch, our community members always rise to the occasion and donate generously. Whenever you feel like giving a donation in memory of your lost loved ones or in celebration, please always think of our own Samaj first. Your financial assistance will help hundreds of Pattni families.

 

Activities of Gnati Mahamandal, Rajkot

Mohit Chimanlal Soni, Secretary.

 

S.P.P.S. (Shree Samast Parajiya Pattni Soni) Gnati Mahamadal, Rajkot is the only Trust in the world where maximum number of Pattni students are provided free lodging and boarding with the best facilities required for a student.

 

Every year around 50 to 60 students of 5th std to the college grade come from the nearby villages & towns for their education to Rajkot. Rajkot having some of the best schools & colleges has become an educational hub.

 

It is with the help of generous donors that students facing financial problems are given admissions with of token fee of just Rs.1. At present there are 45 students studying in the hostel out of which just 5 have been able to pay for their fees. The rest are supported by the Mahamandal.

 

How Much Doest it Cost to the Mahamandal?

 

Students are provided with a prayer hall, a computer lab which is a first in our community, a well-stocked library and very soon an indoor game zone. -  Fees for each student is Rs1200/- per month.

           

Even in these times of hard recession students are daily served unlimited, scrumptious & healthy fresh cooked breakfast, lunch & dinner with sweets served every Sunday. The menu is prepared weekly by the students themselves, thus making them feel at home. - The cost per student per year is Rs. 14,000/-.

          

All students get admissions by the end of May. Mahamandal provide free notebooks & textbooks, according to their syllabus.

 

We provide not only to the hostel students but every aspiring child of our community. Every year around 250 students benefit from this scheme with a total cost of Rs. 25,000/pa

          

It is through this trust that the donations are made in the form of scholarships which are given out to students every year, according to their academic achievements which are verified and scrutinized by the trustees.


Those studying in the 2 std to 9 std + 11 std are given cash Rs.500/- to 600/-.

10th std & 12th std students are given Rs.1500/-,  college students get Rs.2000/- and

Those pursuing their diplomas get Rs.3000/- to Rs.5000/-.

This year around 109 boys & 164 girls who applied from all over India were given scholarships to the tune of one hundred and fifty thousand rupees.(Rs 150,000)

           

At the end of August every year, we organize a function to honour students for their academic success and with the help of generous community members. We award gifts and certificates to around 400 students, all students studying right from the 5th std to the diploma graduates.

 

Prizes given to each student ranges from Rs 250/- to Rs 500/- according to their standards and percentage.


Special prize of a 10gm fine Gold medal and 10gm fine silver medal are given out to the highest achievers in 10std and 12std.

Such function is attended by nearly 1200 to 1500 Pattni members.

 

            Total cost of this function reaches around one hundred thousand rupees. (Rs 100,000)

 

Thanks to the Donors

Although education is a major activity, it is only with the help of lifelong supporters of this trust that we also help out and reach out to our community members.

 

We appeal for funds regularly through our monthly publication Parajiya Samachar. Now we appeal to the members around the world through the Pattni Connection website.

 

PARAJIYA SAMACHAR is a monthly newsletter providing news about the happenings of our community, creating a platform from where our brothers and sisters can express their thoughts and views. Around 3500 copies are published every month with a paltry life-time subscription price of just Rs.350/- for resident Indians.

 

The total cost of publishing per month is approx. Rs.28000/ and increasing every year.

            

FINANCIAL HELP: How we offer assistance to the most deserving Pattni families

First week of every month, we help out the under privileged and old people of our community from all over India by sending them money through postal services. The amount that we send out varies from Rs 100 to Rs 300 per month according to their needs. At present 157 families are benefiting from this scheme. More families applying so the numbers are likely to increase every month.

 

At present it cost the Mahamandal Rs 18000/-per month to support the most under privileged Pattni members.

 

MEDICAL HELP:

Our assistance to the neediest Pattni members  

This help is of two types one is that where our community members suffering from lifelong illness like BP, DIABETES, etc and facing severe financial problems but need medicine everyday of their lives to survive are helped out and are given medicines worth Rs.300/-per month. - At present Rs. 9000/ is monthly required to support them.

 

The second type of medical help is where a person meets with an accident or requires an operation in any unforeseen circumstances. He or she is given cash according to their needs with a minimum of Rs. 500/- to Rs. 5000/- max.

Per month approx Rs.20,000/- is used for this purpose.

 

We need YOUR Support

It is through generous donations received from our respected elders and our fellow brothers and sisters that supports our above  activities.

 

Dear Pranbhai, I have sent you information to the best of my knowledge, please do the needful and give maximum publicity to our Pattni members worldwide to support us in the good cause.

 

JAY SHREE KRISHNA.

 

How to Support Us
A: To sponsor one student who are unable to pay addmission fees;

   RS.1,200/ per month

   RS.14,400/per year per student (£175 – USD $280)

 

B: To sponsor students food ;

   RS. 1,5OO/ per month/per student

   RS. 18,000/ per year/per student (£225 – USD $375)

 

C: To be the sponsor for free books and text books, benefitting around 250 students

    RS. 25,000/ for one year (£325 – USD $520)

 

D: To be the scholarship - sponsor which benefits around 200 students annually

    RS.150,000/ (£1,875 - USD $3,100)

 

E: To sponsor the gifts which are awarded to around 300 students for their academic? 

   Excellence, through a function held every year.

   RS. 75,000/ (£935 - USD $1560)

 

F: To sponsor one month financial help sent to around 157 families is

   RS. 20,000/per month (£250 - USD $520)

 

G: To give the medical bills of patients of our community

   RS.25,000/ per month (£320 – USD 520)

 

All the donations received will be published in PARAJIYA SAMACHAR AND PATTNI CONNECTION WEBSITE

 

Please send your donations to
Shree Samast Parajiya Pattni Soni Gnati Mahamandal,

Near Phool Chab Chowk, Rajkot – 360 001.

Or contact me at mohitchimanlal@hotmail.com

 

Jai Shree Krishna

Mohit Chimanlal Soni

Secretary