Join Hands 4 India

Feb-2010
 From the Editor’s desk

I distinctly remember Rajesh Sir, one of my

seniors back at college. My lifestyle then
was, in short, stereotypical, while his never
conformed to any standards. One thing
common was that we both would bunk
lectures. But while I used to do that to hang
out with friends at one of those typical tea
joints, he would visit families in nearby
slums and convince them to send their children to that makeshift
school which he used to run under the shade of a tree. He provided
the children with all the needed books and stationary. For funds
and volunteers he would visit our hostels and persuade us to join
him for the cause.
Given our extra-curricular activities, both of us adopted the one-
night-out-per-exam study methodology to pass the semester
exams. While I managed to scrape through with just about decent
grades, he was one of the toppers. And being one of the toppers, he
had an option to take up a job with any of the multinationals,
which visited our college for campus. He did not. He instead opted
for a job with a government firm surprising each one of us. He
said that he had other things to focus on and joining an MNC
would not give him the required amount of time.
The makeshift school he started years ago resides today in a 3
room concrete house and is run by college students who pass on
his reign year after year. Underprivileged children are imparted
education there for no charge at all. Rajesh, is an IPS officer today
serving the country, and continues to do work at the ground level
helping the underprivileged.
Each of us has different priorities hence not all of us can be
Rajesh. However, we can all contribute within our own capacities
in one form or the other. Pitching in with what we can, together,
we can work towards, well the common goal, which is making this
world a better place to live.
I got my chance when some of my friends came up with this idea
of forming JH4I. Today JH4I is taking its baby steps, but when so
many bright dedicated individuals come together for a good cause,
there is no stopping them.
Respond to your calling. Join us and help make a difference.
JH4I, Who Are We?
Founded in 2009, Join Hands for India (JH4I) is a startup non-
profit volunteer organization. We at JH4I work towards satisfying
one of India’s most critical needs – educating children in need. By
promoting volunteerism and direct contribution towards this
cause, our mission is to strengthen India’s young and enrich lives
by imparting education and the right values to our future
generation. We believe that a small step in the right direction can
create waves. What could be a small step can create waves to
bring immense difference in the lives of children who were not
fortunate enough to get education because of lack of money and
resources. We dare to dream and believe that a great journey
starts with a small and humble beginning.

What We Want To Do
Throughout the year, JH4I will provide direct volunteer service to
the children in need in India. We will help the homeless children,
guide the at-risk youth, tutor the disadvantaged children, feed the
hungry and do much more. JH4I will offer a variety of meaningful
volunteer projects that will benefit the children of India. We will
provide volunteers with flexible volunteer opportunities to create
positive change. We want to simplify the process by organizing
and promoting incredible volunteer opportunities to make
community service accessible to all.
Members:

Few of JH4I start up members.

Hot, muggy and overcrowded “City of Joy” has no
dearth of poverty. In this city worked a little lady
named “Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu” who came all the
way from Albania to help the poor in then Calcutta,
West Bengal and India.
She is more famously knows as Mother Teresa. Isn’t
there anymore beautiful reason that Kolkata is
righteously called “City of Joy” and for me to get into
the act?
Judhajit Dutta from Kolkatta.

I remember in our childhood my granny used to say –

Earn money and invest in education...if you keep in
bank the government will take it, if you keep in house
the thieves would have an eye but if you educate a
child the investment will grow with time. This
encouraged us to be educated and understand how
important it is to be educated.
I am Reema from Jharsugda, Orrisa and want to help
make this world a better place to live. Please join us
and remember no help is too small.

I Believe People Through What They Do !!!

Not Through What They Talk !!!
Because Talk is Cheap
I am Sugu, currently with Infosys as Programmer.
I strongly endorse the deed of providing for
the underprivileged and as Churchill rightly
said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make
a life by what we give.”
A Marketing Graduate from Chicago. I am an ex-
employee of Infosys and a native of Bangalore.

I believe that education provides an opportunity for a

better future and I hope to help someone achieve it.
That's the reason I'm here.
I am Swetha Manda, an IT professional from
Hyderabad.

With the help of friends, here we are trying to take

one small step in a direction I had been thinking
about for quite a few years now.
On behalf of JH4I I request you to contribute in the
best way you can. Help us bring a well deserved smile
on every face.
I am Vikrant. Belong to a small town in Haryana.
Working as a IT professional with Infosys.
Current status/progress report

! Active Members: 22
! Active Moderators: 13
! Geographic Locations of Members: Bangalore, Mumbai,
Charlotte, San Jose, Boston, Chicago
! Website: www.joinhands4india.webs.com (under
construction)
! First Child to win JH4I Scholarship: JH4I members and
volunteers, in India, have worked real hard in this direction.
We found a suitable candidate Rohit, who is a student of
standard 6. He has been topper in his class for last 3 years.
His father is a daily wage earner. He is staying in Majra
Khurd (a small village in Mahender Garh district in
Haryana, India). In his 6th class December examinations,
Rohit secured 98.5% marks. The school he is studying in is
quite competitive and has a good reputation in and around
the town.
! Financial Condition: We are currently in a position to
support a child’s education for life by pooling the funds from
moderators in 18 months.
! Members contribute financially/ efforts and energy in once a
week meeting and on restricted forum on orkut –
JH4IModerators

Future Plans:

! Go public by last week of April 2010

! Spread awareness about JH4I and its cause
! Add donors and generate more funds for sponsoring more
and more underprivileged children
! Sponsor education for at least 5 children in 2010
! Acquire legal status (501 ©) in USA by end of 2010
! Short term Goal for next year – Add Volunteers, be 150
members strong volunteer organization
! Shift to permanent website
Quote of the month:

Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to

change the world.

-Nelson Mandela

To Support Join Hands 4 India, please visit the website @

www.joinhands4india.webs.com/apps/members/