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From Canada to India
With Love
In early 2004, a new Canadian charity (with federal
government status as a charity), Nishkam Sikh Welfare Organization, Canada (www.nishkamcanada.org)
came into existence. Its goal was to leverage the large Sikh community in
Canada to achieve progress in areas of homelessness and lack of access to
proper education for the underprivileged in India.
Given the magnitude of the task at hand, Nishkam Canada
decided to work with an established Indian charity and to focus on a
specific area and community in India. Nishkam Canada, chose Nishkam India (www.nishkam.org)
as its partner for the actual execution of the work on the ground.
As a young and a non profit, it was imperative that Nishkam
Canada worked with existing charities and NGO’s so that there was no
duplication of effort. This was also necessitated by Nishkam Canada’s,
insistence on remitting 100% of the donors funds to India for charitable
purposes. With this in mind, Nishkam Canada decided to staff it self solely
with 100% volunteers.
The first year for Nishkam Canada, 2005, has provided a
respectable start. As the housing project is a much larger undertaking
given land, construction etc., Nishkam Canada decided to focus on a smaller
but equally important project, the Sikligar Sikh Children's Education
project.
While most of the Sikhs in India, live in the Punjab (one of
the most prosperous parts of India), some Sikhs live in other parts of
India. Some of these Sikhs, especially from the economically weaker
sections of society are referred to as “Sikligar Sikhs”. The word Sikligar
also refers to Sikhs that worked in metal and weapon manufacturing in the
1600’s. These Sikhs followed the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind
Singh, to distant parts of India. Today’s Sikligar Sikhs are descendants of
these Sikhs and many still work in metal related occupations. Given the
noble history, but the trying current circumstances of the Sikligar Sikhs,
Nishkam Canada decided to focus on this community.
In 2005, Nishkam was able and raise and remit enough funds
to pay for:
1.
School bags
for 106 children in the Sikligar Sikh community in Karnataka, India
2.
Shoes and
socks for 140 children in the Sikligar Sikh community in Karnataka, India
3.
School fees
for 60 school going Sikligar Sikh students in Karnataka, India
4.
Purchase of
books and other stationery items for Sikligar Sikh students in Karnataka,
India
5.
Commencement
of an after school tuition program for the Sikligar Sikh children in
Karnataka, given that most of the parents are not able to help the children
with the homework
6.
School fees
for the first year for a young but needy Engineering student in North India.
The Sikligar Sikh community has 351 school going children
which will go up every year. While Nishkam Canada has made a small start,
the challenge of providing for each child is a tall one. Nishkam Canada
hopes that additional interested donors will come forward and assist in
bringing smiles to the faces of young children.
Those interested in additional information can reach Nishkam
Canada at
nishkamcanada.org@nishkamcanada.org or call and leave a voicemail at
416-830-1313. Those residing in Brampton may contact Nishkam Canada’s local
volunteer Mr. Prehlad Singh Kohli at 905-487-2436. Nishkam Canada’s web
site is
www.nishkamcanada.org. Donors can either donate online at the Nishkam
Canada web site (www.nishkamcanada.org)
or mail a cheque to Nishkam Sikh Welfare Organization Canada, 2025 Dundas
Street East, Unit 10, Mississauga, ON, L4X 1M2.
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