Synopsis
Project MyPragati in collaboration with OurGuest will be organizing a book collection drive for
the underprivileged children of Lower Aloobari Busty, Darjeeling, and
orphanages of Ravangla (South Sikkim). The project aims to provide equal
opportunities and access to children from the marginalized sections of society
in these remote and isolated communities which have no proper access to
learning and research.
Shanti Mohan
Project Pragati,headed by Ms. Shanti Mohan, Founder, LetsVenture Technologies Pvt Ltd, seeks to
support such communities and empower the youth. The project aims to achieve
small term goals by settings up monthly targets with their on ground volunteers
who assess the situation and requirements of the hour.
The end goal is to hopefully find means and ways of equipping children with the right tools to
make them employable in the near future.
Background:
Project My Pragati- Lower Aloobari Basti, Darjeeling, West Bengal:
During her travels as an avid trekker, Ms Mohan became very good friends with her trek
guide Sanjeev, who hails from the village of Aloobari. With this new found
friendship, she also was able to understand in first hand, the difficulties
children from Sanjeev’s village faced in acquiring a decent education and extra
tuition.
Lower AloobariBasti, is a village in Darjeeling, West Bengal that lies at a walking distance
of an hour from Darjeeling town, with no motorable road access. All the village
children make the one hour walk to school daily as many of them study in the
main town of Darjeeling and the school in the village is only up to the 5th Standard.
This was how the idea of setting up a project based on education and counseling was
conceived.
To know more about the project you can visit our page at https://www.mypragati.in
You can also contact us at: 8159966056
Kapinzal Children’s Home, Ravangla:
This orphanage homeis a child care institute for those children who come from difficult and
problematic circumstances. The institution was started on 27th May2016 by the Kapinzal Social Foundation and is a female only unit located in the
sleepy hill town of Ravangla, South Sikkim. The facility houses 34 girl
children currently and has a maximum capacity of 50 seats. Ms. Deep Mala Rai is
the officer in charge at the institute and functions with the help of a total
of 8 service staffs for the day to day operations.
OurGuest:
OurGuest is atravel company based in Gangtok, operating in the north eastern region,
aggregating over 180 homestays and farmstays and has been engaged in social
impact initiatives as one of its core values.
The company having worked to a large extent in the semi urban, rural sectors, is always
keen to find meaningful ways to help generate livelihoods, and children’s
education and skill up gradation is something OurGuest finds purpose and
objective in.
CollaborationcPartner Gangtok: Rachna Bookstore – ‘Bookmans’
Bookmans, a well established book store in Gangtok, and the promoter, Mr. Raman Shrestha,
who is known throughout the literary world (and now a publishing house too) has
graciously agreed to be a part of the initiative.
CollaborationcPartner (Kalimpong): Café Kalimpong, East Main Rd, near Paramount school
Café Kalimpong is a local cafésituated 10 mins off the main town.Sticking to the roots of the town, the café is often involved in projects with and for the people. The café started in the year2017 on the Eastern hill that leads to Durpin Monastery. Café Kalimpong is arendezvous to enjoy the warm company of friends, good food, and clouds rollingamidst Himalayan ranges.
The aesthetics are minimal and homely, breathing in harmony with the naturallyscenic disposition of the Kalimpong hills. The cozy outdoor space overlooks themain town and glows up in warm lights against the breezy evening sky. There’s alaid-back library that one can read, refer, or research over a strong cup ofcoffee. Cafe Kalimpong is not just a place where you enjoy good food, itis a safe haven for artists, musicians, gamers, poets and writers.
CollaborationcPartner (Siliguri): Himal Tree Korean Bakery, Dagapur,Siliguri
Located Near Dagapur Petrol Pump, on Sukna Road, Siligurithis café is best known for its wonderful bakes and authentic Korean dishes.Moon the owner and proprietor of the bakery is a Korean national who hasdecided to make Siliguri his home. His two outlets at City Center and Dagapuris very popular with the young crowd and is frequented by both students andgrown ups for their delectable offers.
CollaborationcPartner (Darjeeling): Nerdvana Books and Coffee, Dr Zakir Hussain Rd, Darjeeling
NERDvana Books & Coffee came intoexistence in 2015 with a purpose to create a safe place for the NERDs, sociallyawkward people, poets, artists and everybody. A place where they could meet,discuss and share ideas over a cup of coffee. Poetry meets, music, book launch,discussions etc all the while being socially and environmentally responsible.
· The team above at OurGuest and other collaborators will reach out on social media, friends and family to donate books that are to be collected at the above collabrating space as the main collection center.
· A simple list of donors and their books will be compiled which we can then label
as to where these books have been sent.
· A common description can be decided upon for all promotions/social media outreach
with ‘collaborators’, ‘Ourguestdiary’ and MyPragati tags (social media handle names) to put
out.
· Names of donors and the books donated list will be put up at the book collection centres..
· The books will be packed and then dispatched by the OurGuest team and anyone
interested to join at the Project Pragati classroom in Darjeeling, and
children’s home in Ravangla.
“Remember, a book is always a gift.”
—Sheridan Hay, The Secret of Lost Things