“We are members of one another” – New Testament

Introduction: The Institute for Indian Mother and Child is committed to the welfare of children from poor, down-trodden and marginalized families, who have the desire to educate their sons and daughters but do not have the means to do so.

Motto: Dr. Sujit Brahmochary, a committed member of the medical profession who provided free medical assistance to the poor and needy, founded the organisation in 1989. He soon realized that providing only medical assistance to the marginalized and poor children was not enough. A more holistic approach was necessary, with education as the main tool. The spread of education would eventually bring all-round prosperity through better health-care and improved quality of life. Education would also improve their mental faculties and they would be able to distinguish between right and wrong.

With this objective in view, a trial was conducted in 1993 involving 10 sponsored children undertaking primary education. Results were seen after a year. Proper schooling and adequate health care eventually paved the way for a better and healthy life. Thus, our journey towards the fulfilment of our goal began in 1993 under the able guidance of Dr. Brahmochary.

Education and Population Control: As emphasized above, education at both primary and secondary levels is the need of the hour in a country like India, where the population has reached a substantial level and the rate of literacy is significantly low. Our population is threatening the economic stability of the country, and soon we will reach a point of no return. No wonder our former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi once said “Education is the best contraceptive”. She realized that it was only through education that people would understand the gravity of the situation, eventually allowing the correct path to follow.

Our unique sponsorship programme: Our educational sponsorship programme has stood the test of time. We have our own schools from primary level to secondary level, where sponsored children from the poorest strata of society are admitted. Their parents are mostly rickshaw pullers, street hawkers, domestic servants, day labourers and the likes. We have successfully convinced the poor parents of the importance of education, both primary and secondary. Here, by primary education we mean literacy programme and schooling up to class V, secondary education beginning thereafter. Literacy is the skill, and education is the understanding.

Sponsored children are selected through a door to door motivational programme. We provide school fees, study materials, uniforms, shoes, school bags, books, midday food, and try to meet their other educational requirements.

Sponsored children are required to come once or twice a month to our main indoor centre in Sonarpur to collect the requested money and materials.

Medical attention: In the event of a sickness, the sponsored children are treated free of charge. If the sickness persists, they are admitted to our own hospital for proper treatment and care. Moreover, if the malady is serious, they are referred to the university hospital where better infrastructural facilities are available. Even their family members are entitled to get free treatment in our clinics.

Financial support: Our intention is to make the poor parents financially stable. The mothers of the sponsored children can take small business loans from our micro-credit and savings systems for their small enterprise and thus become entire members of the self-help groups.

Counselling: Family counselling is encouraged whenever required. We play the role of the catalyst, which goes a long way in solving domestic problems of the poor parents.

Income generating projects for poor mothers: We have a number of such projects which includes a unit for making school uniforms and one school bag making unit which covers different types of handicrafts. There is also a small trading shop run by poor women.

Sponsorship and higher education:  As stated earlier, sponsored children come from very poor families. They can continue up to higher secondary education level in our schools until they are 18 years old. Thereafter, they are expected to employ themselves in gainful employment and help their parents and other family members. Meritorious students who wish to pursue higher studies in the universities may do so up to the age of 21 years. If however some students are unable to continue due to unforeseen circumstances, their sponsors are informed accordingly to discontinue sponsorship. In cases where sponsors desire to sponsor another child, they are welcome to do so. We shall respond by extending full cooperation in every respect.

Our vision: In rural and marginal areas, schools are few and overcrowded. Required numbers of teachers are not available due to various reasons including scarcity of funds. At times, the factor of distance is a barrier to children attending school. Consequently, education suffers in the rural areas. To bridge this gap to some extent, we intend to build both primary and secondary schools in the marginal areas. We have in the meantime built 8 pre-primary schools, 10 primary schools and 4 secondary schools in the rural areas of 24 Paraganas. We need your whole-hearted support by sponsoring one child in the rural belt. Such a step will go a long way towards alleviation of rural poverty in this part of the country.

Cost of sponsorship: 20 Euro or equivalent for one month will help to alleviate hunger, disease, poverty, economic injustices and social inequalities. Two or more kin-hearted persons can share a sponsor child. The cost of 2 meals or 2 pizzas through your generous contribution can give a total solution to the illiteracy problem of a child for one month.

How to get involved: Please get in touch with us through email and refer to our website.

How you will be kept informed: You will be kept informed through: a) annual school programme reports, b) written communication by sponsored children during new year and birthdays, c) institutional reports by IIMC authorities, d) you are invited to write to your sponsor child and e) sponsors are most welcome to visit Calcutta an our projects around the district of 24 Paraganas in West Bengal.

Conclusion: We are a non-political, transparent organisation with secular values. Having made a humble beginning in 1989, we are still growing. Our commitment is strong and our vision is clear. May we request our sponsors to lay more emphasis on the education of female children, who are more deprived in this unequal society. It is said that if a boy is educated, the boy concerned is educated, but if a girl is educated, the whole family is educated. The great Indian sage swami Vivekananda inspires us with his saying “Arise, awake and rest not until the goal is reached,” and keeping these ideas, we are marching ahead.