DHOPAGACHI VILLAGE , 24 PARAGANAS (SOUTH)
KOLKATA

As you will remember the collections at Christmas 2005 were used to support two charities. One of them was the Three T project in India.

The Three T project (trees, tube wells and toilets) is based in the village of Dhopagachi near Calcutta. The money we collected was channelled through the personal link established by Stewart Grainger through his work with the Rotary Foundation. Stewart visited the village in January to see the work being done and to report on progress.

I visited the Village on 15 January together with a GSE team (Group Study Exchange is a unique vocational and cultural exchange opportunity for young (25 to 40) business and professional men and women. A District from one country exchanges a team of 4 non-Rotarian business and professional people led by a Rotarian with a district from another country) and here is my update and some photographs from the trip:

These people live off the land and have no other means of support, they are in poverty. The scarcity of Tubewells means that pond water is still used by many, for everything – drinking, washing, laundry and cooking.

The humanitarian projects continue and there is a great demand for Tubewells, Toilets and Trees. Have a look at the school. Small contributions can have great impact: a table, a chair, some books or some pens.

You will note that the village placed bottles of mineral water on the table to welcome us a gave us sweets and tea. The tea was good, marsala. The GSE Team gave the sweets to the children and would not take water as they knew they spent their last rupee to buy it!

Conclusion

This village needs support. The help of the Rotary Projects is doing good and is very much appreciated. The money from Fawkham and Hartley is being well used.

Stewart Grainger
10 February 2006