MicroFinance Programs Keep Growing With Your Support

Letter from Shantidhara:

Shantidhara operates a children's library and a dormitory for poor children in the Visakhapatnam district of India who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend school. Presently 12 children live at the dormitory, receive meals and help with their homework, and attend the local schools. Shantidhara hopes to add 10 more children to the hostel and start a women's microfinance program for the families they serve.

Mountain Fund wants to help Shantidhara start a microfinance program much like, Aynikuy, the micro-lending program we are supporting in Peru. [See the December 2005 newsletter for the story--archived at www.mountainfund.org]. Below is a letter to Molly Loomis, Mountain Fund staff, from A.M. Jojayya, president of Shantidhara.

Dear Molly Loomis,

One of the child in Shantidhara Children hostel lost his mother. She committed suicide by consuming pesticide. The family was having disputes since one year and it seemed the poor woman lost her patience because of the harassment of her in-laws and committed suicide. I took boy to his village, was there till her final rituals completed. She was the victim of harassment.

Thank you for your concern and initiation of focusing on Shantidhara and its Mahila Mandals (woman Associations).

As it was mentioned in the website our women initiated small savings which they deposit in their woman association account in the village post offices very regularly every month. Though they are saving at their best, the amounts are so tiny to take any micro enterprise. So if you kindly focus on this and raise the fund, this amount together with their monthly savings will be useful for them to initiate small businesses such as vegetable vending, Milk and curd vending, Basket making, leaf plate making etc., so that they can earn the money which will supplement their other aspects of life like their children education and health etc.

Hope you understand me and do needful. In any case if anyone needs any other information about Shantidhara and its activities particularly with regard to Women associations, please do not hesitate to ask me and I will immediately submit it to you.

Thank you once again on behalf of the target women and I wish you very success...

With best wishes.

Sincerely,

A.M. Jojayya
President Shantidhara

website: http://www.shantidhara.org, Email: shantidhara@yahoo.com