On behalf of the Open University Students’ Association, I would like to thank you and your family for the very generous gift of the “Attalia Trophy”. We are delighted that you have presented us with this and it will used to encourage our students to raise funds to help their less advantaged, disabled and housebound fellow students.
Each year the “Attalia Trophy” will be presented to “The Branch coming up with the best idea for fundraising”.
We will thus be able to encourage the smaller branches to compete to raise funds.
My thanks once again to you and your family for this most generous and thoughtful donation.
Yours sincerely,
Iris Price VP Welfare OUSA ~ The Open University Students Association OUSA Office Sherwood House, Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6RN Phone: 0908 71131
Welcome to our very first newsletter. We have not completed one year yet but so much has happened (and so much needs to happen !) that I feel it is now appropriate to review, reflect and consolidate on our accomplishments so far.
For the uninitiated, a brief resume on the background... November 2002 ~ Three trustees of Polio Children visited Sucheta Kriplani Shiksha Niketan (SKSN, a school/hostel run specifically for four hundred physically disabled children in Jodhpur, India).
The facilities there were basic with water and electricity very scarce and good nutrition non-existent.
December 2002 ~ Polio Children charity registered in the U.K.
January 2003 ~ Nutrition programme started at S.K.S.N by Polio Children.
April 2003 ~ 2nd visit to SKSN by our Trustee & Field Consultant to review what Polio Children can do.
May 2003 ~ Plans to build a hostel for one hundred physically disabled girls at SKSN given approval and work commenced.
Polio Children provides a generator (for basic electricity needs) and funds for a tube well (600 feet deep) to SKSN.
July 2003 ~ 2nd visit to SKSN by Trustee to review progress & inaugurate hostel facilities for fifteen students taking up university courses. (All physically challenged SKSN students)
"Whilst the rest of the newsletter will bring you up to date with all that is happening as a result of your wonderfulsupport,
I would personally like to share two precious moments with you.
When I first visited SKSN last November, there were two categories of students who had showed a lot of apprehension and deep concern about their uncertain future.
One group was the girls who were temporarily housed in a dangerous environment (part of a deaddiction centre).
There were no hostel facilities for them and providing education to girls in that part of the world has been the lowest of all priorities and for disabled girls- even lower.
The second group was that of the 12th graders.
These children were about to complete their studies at SKSN and would be facing a bleak future of going back to their villages. There was no support for them to continue with university education.
On my return to SKSN in July 2003, those two groups were the happiest and most vibrant ~ Thanks to Polio Children's initiatives (see the following pages).
The second precious moment which gave me immense satisfaction was when I witnessed a complete change in attitude (for the better) towards physically challenged girls from everyone, and I mean everyone! - parents, relatives, friends and the society as a whole.
This started with the girls winning fifteen Gold medals in the 'U.K. Disability Sports' in May 2003 (right).
Girls with physical disabilities are now seen as precious human beings who will create a future for themselves. It is an unbelievable change!
We at Polio Children are creating new social waves that will have a significant impact not only on the future of those young, devastated lives but also on everyone associated with them.
A lot still needs to be done. There is a considerable shortfall in a number of our major projects. But for the moment let us congratulate ourselves for starting this wave of change. Long may it continue and far, far may it spread!
"God bless you all.
Arun Patel
Looking Ahead What Can We Do Now?
1: Support a child scheme - (for 50p a day price of a cup of coffee) You can support a child that would change her life for good. Please ask us for further details.
2: Fund Raising Activitiesa: Collection Boxes 500 boxes to be installed in various shops and retail outlets we need field support and volunteers.
b: One major event for 2003 Dinner & Dance with a difference any suggestions?
c: Greeting cards designed and produced by SKSN students.These would prove to be excellent Diwali / Christmas cards.
3: Polio Children in U.S.A starting in September 2003.
Some youngsters have already made start there by collecting US$ 250. Do you have any connections in the US?
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