Elina's New Photo

I began sponsoring sweet Elina in Zambia in February. I just logged on and found her new photo for this year. Just as her older photo, this continues to confirm that she is super cute! She turned 6 in April and started 1st grade. I look forward to getting to know more about her, and am close to being able to send in an SNG to help her and her family receive needed food, school supplies, and a comfortable storable mattress for Elina (see the link to the right).

SNG for Saba and siblings complete!

My good friend and sponsor of Saba's brother Afaque donated the second half needed for all three to receive tutoring for the year!

Report received for Special Needs Donation (SNG) for Saba and her siblings

I got the report today for the SNG sent in for Saba and her two brother's tuitions (private tutoring). The total for the year for the three was about $200, but I sent in $100 at the time (since I couldn't do $200 then). I will have to send in the other $100 when I can so they can continue for the whole year before October, 2011.

This half SNG got:

6 months private tuitions- Grade III for Saba, age 12

6 months private tuitions- Grade IV for Ashraque (brother sponsored by unknown person), age 10

6 months private tuitions- Grade II for Afaque (brother sponsored by my friend Wendy), age 9

(left to right): Saba, Afaque, and Ashraque pose at the CI community center, showing off their studious ways!

I have seem many variations on both the names and ages of her brothers, and I am hoping now it is right! As you can see, there ages and grades don't really "match up"-- these three siblings come from a family that is really struggling. The family makes only $53 per month for at least 6 people. They live in a small dark room in a large slum building in Kolkata. I was able to meet Saba, her mother, and grandmother in January. Her family is so thankful for the help they have received for Saba and her siblings. Still the three children are struggling in school, and their oldest brother who is 16 was forced to leave school to support the family. I believe that the parents were not able to receive much of an educaiton and therefore cannot help their children with school

Without this extra help, I am not sure the three kids will be able to succeed in school. I know Saba had been "stuck" in grade-II for many years, and has finally passed to grade-III. The report states:

"The child said, "Thank you Sponsor for providing me and my siblings with tuition assistance in our studies which we needed most. Now, we will get the much needed help to do our school assignments properly."

The child is in grade-III at present and her sibling Sk. Ashraque is in grade-IV, while her other siblings Sk. Afaque is in grade-II. The child and her 2 siblings have been provided with 6 months of tuition support from May'11 to Oct'11, so that they get proper guidance and attention in their studies that will help them to perform better in school.

I feel that continuing to help these three is really important for their success and for their family. I have set up a firstgiving page to raise the second half of the money to make sure it is raised and gets to them in time to maintain the tutoring without breaks. Any donation will help get towards the goal, and help these three siblings have a bright future to look forward to. Please check out the page here, thank you!

CI Community Book Initiative Updates

There are quite a lot of exciting updates for the community book initiative I started. with the $257 in donations I received, I was able to purchase 97 books, in Bangla (Bengali), Hindi, English (and 1 in Urdu, no others were available). Please see below for the list of books purchased today, June 15, 2011. This first set of books will be going to Neha's community center, which is an urban center serving about 3,000 children currently. The center will send photos and letters of them receiving the books.

In addition to the exciting news of the first books order, I have also been working with Children International to create an easier way to continue this initiative for all the centers in India. CI has now made it possible to donate directly to them for the initiative, which means there will be records for tax refunds. This initiative will continue to help ALL the CI centers in India stock their libraries with high-quality books in appropriate languages for the children.

To donate directly to CI, you can call CI or send a check and mention "CP- Sahay Library Books". If you wish to donate online, you can send it as an emergency fund, and reply in the email receipt stating that it is for "CP- Sahay Library Books". Additionally, the CI staff are going to try to work with the book publisher Tulika Books and attempt to create a relationship with them to get discounts in the future (and perhaps more books published in Urdu!)

The list of books purchased with the $257 already donated:

Product ID # Description115 Unit Price Qty Total Price ISBN81-86896-12-0a Why are you afraid to hold my hand by Sheila Dhir INR 50.00 1 INR 50.00 ISBN81-8146-027-8a Look, the Moon - Hindi INR 70.00 1 INR 70.00 ISBN978-81-8146-809-3a LITTLE FINGERS by Sheila Dhir - Bangla INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN81-86896-00-7a Malu Bhalu by Kamla Bhasin art Bindia Thapar - Hin INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN978-81-8146-802-4a LITTLE FINGERS by Sheila Dhir - Hindi INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN81-86895-29-9a Priyas Day by Cathy Spagnoli - English - Hindi INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN978-81-8146-480-4a Baby Beboo Bear text and illustrations Deepa Bals INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN978-81-8146-679-2a Upside Down story by T.R.Rajesh - English-Bangla INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN81-8146-330-7a CRICKET! text Sandhya Rao English-Bangla INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-8146-311-0a AVNEET AUNTY'S MOBILE PHONE by Kavita Singh Kale E INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN81-8146-153-3a AIYAPPAN AND THE MAGIC HORSE - English INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-86896-14-7a Hina in the Old City by Samina Mishra INR 140.00 1 INR 140.00 ISBN978-81-8146-998-4a Postcards from Ura by Savita Rao - English INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-86895-28-0a One World edited by Radhika Menon and Sandhya Rao INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN81-8146-041-3a THE FORBIDDEN TEMPLE - English INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN978-81-8146-357-9a MATHEMATWIST number tales... by T V Padma illustr INR 250.00 1 INR 250.00 ISBN81-8146-172-Xa THE SHINING STONES by Shanti Pappu INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN978-81-8146-845-1a Stone Eggs a story about Indian dinosaurs - Englis INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-86895-42-6a That Summer at Kalagarh by Ranjit Lal - English INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-8146-161-4a ADITI AND THE TECHNO SAGE - English INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-8146-040-5a ADITI AND THE MARINE SAGE - English INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-86895-57-4a ADITI AND THE THAMES DRAGON - English INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-86896-13-9a Aditi and the One-Eyed Monkey by Suniti Namjoshi a INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-86895-14-0a ANDAMANS BOY -English INR 175.00 1 INR 175.00 ISBN81-8146-168-1a KABIR THE WEAVER POET - English INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-8146-169-Xa The Smile of Vanuvati - English INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-8146-167-3a JUST A TRAIN RIDE AWAY by Mini Shrinivasan - Engl INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN978-81-8146-855-0a Mayil will not be quiet INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-81895-91-4a Pippi Lambemoze - Hindi INR 75.00 1 INR 75.00 ISBN81-8146-768-3a DINABEN AND THE LIONS OF GIR by Meera Sriram and P INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN978-81-8146-623-5a Gulla and the Hangul by Mariam Karim Ahlawat -Bang INR 125.00 1 INR 125.00 ISBN978-81-8146-477-4a High In The Sky retold by Cathy Spagnoli - Bangla INR 125.00 1 INR 125.00 ISBN81-86895-35-3a Who will be Ningthou by Indira Mukherjee art A V I INR 75.00 1 INR 75.00 ISBN81-86895-43-4a Kali and the Rat Snake by Zai Whaitaker art Srivid INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN81-86895-96-5a KOLABA by Sandhya Rao - Hindi INR 70.00 1 INR 70.00 ISBN81-8146-020-0a THE WHY-WHY GIRL by Mahasweta Devi - Hindi INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN978-81-8146-443-9a And Land Was Born by Sandhya Rao art Uma Krishnasw INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN81-8146-412-5a ISMAT'S EID retold by Fawzia Gilani-Williams - Ban INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN81-8146-406-4a ISMAT'S EID retold by Fawzia Gilani-Williams - Hi INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN978-81-8146-662-4a Sabri's Colours story Rinchin - Bangla INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-655-6a Sabri's Colours story Rinchin - Hindi INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN81-85229-26-0a Ka Se Kapde Kaise by Bindia Thapar - Hindi INR 170.00 1 INR 170.00 ISBN81-8146-388-9a Jhakkad by Amra Alam -Bangla INR 70.00 1 INR 70.00 ISBN81-8146-390-6a COLOUR-COLOUR KAMINI by Radhika Chadha illustratio INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN81-8146-362-3a Dancing on Walls - Bangla INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN81-8146-367-8a The King and the Kiang - Bangla INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN81-8146-352-4a MY MOTHER'S SARI by Sandhya Rao illustrated by Nin INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN81-8146-351-7a MUKAND AND RIAZ-story and pictures Nina Sabnani INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN81-8146-345-6a MUKAND AND RIAZ - story and pictures Nina Sabnani INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN81-8146-205-Xa PUTUL AND THE DOLPHINS Hindi INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN81-8146-317-Xa PUTUL AND THE DOLPHINS Bangla INR 120.00 1 INR 120.00 ISBN81-8146-321-8a It?s Only A Story -Bangla INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN81-8146-319-6a SAMEER'S HOUSE Bangla INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-8146-255-6a SAMEER'S HOUSE Hindi INR 80.00 1 INR 80.00 ISBN81-8146-248-3a THE NEVERENDING STORY Hindi INR 70.00 1 INR 70.00 ISBN81-8146-318-8a THE NEVERENDING STORY Bangla INR 70.00 1 INR 70.00 ISBN81-8146-323-4a WHAT SHALL I MAKE Bangla INR 75.00 1 INR 75.00 ISBN81-8146-316-1a SNORING SHANMUGAM by Radhika Chadha illustrations INR 90.00 1 INR 90.00 ISBN968-464-158-6a THE MOUNTAIN THAT LOVED A BIRD-Bangla INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN81-8146-171-1a THE MOUNTAIN THAT LOVED A BIRD-Urdu INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN81-8146-157-6a DANCING BEES -Hindi INR 75.00 1 INR 75.00 ISBN81-8146-069-3a BASAVA AND THE DOTS OF FIRE -Hindi INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN81-8146-134-7a GADAGADA GUDUGUDU -Hindi INR 65.00 1 INR 65.00 ISBN81-8146-770-6a YES, HUTOXI! - by Radhika Chadha - Hindi INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN81-8146-632-7a MALLIPOO, WHERE ARE YOU? by Radhika Chadha - Bang INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN81-86895-54-Xa Sunu-sunu Snail: Storm in the Garden by Sandhya Ra INR 70.00 1 INR 70.00 ISBN81-8146-034-0a I'M SO SLEEPY - Hindi INR 90.00 1 INR 90.00 ISBN81-8146-066-9a TEN by Shefalee Jain - Hindi INR 50.00 1 INR 50.00 ISBN978-81-8146-398-2a Birdywood Buzz: the vulture returns -Hindi INR 130.00 1 INR 130.00 ISBN978-81-8146-532-0a The Tamarind Tree by Lata Mani - Bangla INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN978-81-8146-525-2a The Tamarind Tree by Lata Mani - Hindi INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN978-81-8146-710-2a WHERE'S THAT CAT by Manjula Padmanabhan - Bangla INR 95.00 2 INR 190.00 ISBN978-81-8146-734-8a Ju's Story by Paul Zacharia - Bangla INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-737-9a Ju's Story story by Paul Zacharia - Hindi INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-611-2a Who Will Rule? by Meena Raghunathan - Bangla INR 125.00 1 INR 125.00 ISBN978-81-8146-642-6a The Spider's Web by Lata Mani - Hindi INR 100.00 1 INR 100.00 ISBN978-81-8146-699-0a HOME by Nina Sabnani - English INR 450.00 1 INR 450.00 ISBN978-81-8146-505-4a THUMB THUMB BOOKS : SET 2 - Bangla INR 200.00 1 INR 200.00 ISBN978-81-8146-514-6a THUMB THUMB BOOKS : SET I - Bangla INR 200.00 1 INR 200.00 ISBN978-81-8146-844-4a My Grandfather, Aajoba - English INR 115.00 1 INR 115.00 ISBN978-81-8146-800-0a Out of the Way! Out of the Way! By Uma Krishnaswam INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-811-6a A Silly Story of Bondapalli by Shamim Padamsee - H INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-759-1a SAME AND DIFFERENT by Manjula Padmanabhan - Englis INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN978-81-8146-836-9a Gajapati Kulapati by Ashok Rajagopalan - Hindi INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-843-7a Gajapati Kulapati by Ashok Rajagopalan - Bangla INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-854-3a Why the sky is blue - Bangla INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN978-81-8146-847-5a Why the sky is blue - Hindi INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN978-81-8146-915-1a Pintoo and the Giant by Sulabha R. Devpurkar - Ba INR 135.00 1 INR 135.00 ISBN978-81-8146-924-3a Where is Amma? by Nandini Nayar - Bangla INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN978-81-8146-917-5a Where is Amma? by Nandini Nayar - Hindi INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN978-81-8146-951-9a The Lonely King and Queen by Deepa Balsavar - Bang INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN978-81-8146-944-1a The Lonely King and Queen by Deepa Balsavar -Hindi INR 95.00 1 INR 95.00 ISBN978-81-8146-942-7a Let's plant trees by Vinod Lal Heera Eshwer - Bang INR 50.00 1 INR 50.00 ISBN978-81-8146-935-9a Let's plant trees by Vinod Lal Heera Eshwer - Hind INR 50.00 1 INR 50.00 ISBN978-81-8146-996-0a Black Panther by Aravind Krish Bala - Bangla INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN978-81-8146-989-2a Black Panther by Aravind Krish Bala - Hindi INR 150.00 1 INR 150.00 ISBN978-81-8146-997-7a The Enchanted Saarang Stories from Kashmir- Englis INR 385.00 1 INR 385.00 Grand Total : INR 11570.00