Charity Support
INCH (INdian CHildren)
I asked my client Margaret, who is one of the trustees of INCH (Indian Children) to explain who they are and what the charity is set out to achieve.
INCH (INdian CHildren) is a small charity whose focus is the education of poor and destitute children and support for community development projects. At the heart of our belief is that Education is ultimately the way out of the poverty trap. Building sustainability is fundamental to all of the projects we support and very much reflects the St. James's Place strapline: together we can make a positive and lasting difference to people’s lives.
St. James's Place Charitable Foundation was able to grant a Local Office Allowance to INCH (Indian Children) of £2,500.
The current project supported by St. James's Place Charitable Foundation is to provide a Vocational Training Centre for Tailoring on the site of the 2 schools at Beldih which were built through a capital funding initiative. The purpose is to provide a skills development program, preferably for the older girls and young women from the local community. This will provide opportunities for home working through the various garment industries and possibly the prospect of starting up their own small business; thereby becoming self-supporting and increasingly independent.
The suggestion originated from the Head of School with whom we work closely and who described the project as a 'context of rural women empowerment'.
Margaret’s role with the five other Trustees is to work with their Indian partners (Headteacher and the RV Mission) to monitor the development of each project and to ensure accountability to those that support the charity. To that end, regular field trips are undertaken which are personally and separately funded by the Trustees and friends of the charity.
'Together we can make a positive difference to people’s lives'
Once again our small charity INCH (INdian Children) is indebted to SJP Foundation and DJ Brewster FCS for their continued support in helping us to achieve success with our project and thereby make a difference to the lives of some of the poorest and less fortunate in society. Our recent bid was again approved and the additional funding will make an immense difference to the small village community of Beldih in West Bengal.
The 2019 bid saw the building of a vocational tailoring centre for women and young girls to learn skills that will ultimately allow them to earn a living and support their family. The world pandemic impacted heavily on the success of the project not least due to rising costs and the State Govt changing their requirements for the dimensions of the workshop. This meant that In order to qualify for Government endorsement of the training program, the building had to be increased in size, which led to the workshop costing more than previously planned and leaving it unfinished.
This came at a time when the villagers were suffering higher than ever levels of unemployment. Day work dried up, school closed which meant that the daily ‘tiffin’ or lunchtime snack for the children was no longer available, putting added pressure on families. There has never been a greater urgency to provide employment following the current crisis.
Only 5 of the 10 sewing machines could be purchased and a building without doors and windows offered no security at a time when the virus began to appear in the village community. How inspiring it is then to hear that in the face of adversity, people can show such initiative, determination and fortitude. The Head of School was granted a loan to install doors and windows, so that work could begin as soon as possible. The training plan had to be amended: women would work 2 to a machine and make much needed face masks which were distributed free of charge to villagers along with bars of soap and information about protecting themselves through proper hand hygiene.
The 2021 funding from St. James's Place Charitable Foundation will allow the completion of the building and toilet refurbishment, the purchase of the 5 additional high quality sewing machines, workbenches, materials and resources to begin their training. The tutor is provided by the school itself and for each woman who ‘graduates’ as a tailor in completing the course to the State Govt standards, there is a commitment for a long term home loan of a machine. Orders are being sought from local businesses to provide outsourcing work and Government loans will be available for the few who might seek to start their own business.
In a year when the overseas aid budget is being cut the support of the Foundation has never been more vital. We are a very small charity. 100% of all monthly donations from sponsors is sent to India via our long established partners who monitor progress against target for each project, alongside our annual field trip. Working together we can achieve ‘Change through positive action’ – INCH mission statement.
MB 16/7/2021
