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Home of Hope Raises $70K as Projects Expand in India
By RUPAL SHAH
India-West Staff Reporter
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Home of Hope, Inc. held its annual benefit dinner here Oct. 11, as some 850 guests helped raise over $70,000 for the organization's projects in India serving 1,200 orphaned and underprivileged children.
One of the many highlights of the evening was a proclamation presented to HOH and its board of directors and supporters by California Assemblyman Manny Diaz, which stated his district's support for, and appreciation of, Home of Hope and its founder, Dr. Nilima Sabharwal. "Our children live in a bubble. We are all blessed and we should all give back because each one of us could have easily been born into a slum, like many of these children we are trying to support," said Sabharwal, as she urged the attendees to donate generously. Anil Lal, co-founder, treasurer and the "muscle and brains" behind the organization according to Sabharwal, also urged guests to give to the cause. Lal was instrumental in organizing the event, and was recently a recipient of the "Outstanding Community Service Award" from the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.
HOH's main goal is education, with a priority on computer science education and vocational training, such as sewing, candle-making, carpentry and other skills. HOH operates the following project centers, each one overseen by a project coordinator from the organization: Children's Home of Hope in Chennai; AtmaShree Educational Association in Bangalore; Udhyan Ghar and Manovikas Charitable Society in Delhi; Puttaveeramma Educational and Charitable Trust and Sri ChayaDevi Anathashram in Mysore; Manisha Mandir in Lucknow; Mijwan Welfare Society in Azamgarh, UP; and Society Undertaking Poor People's Onus for Rehabilitation in Mumbai. HOH successfully implemented a mental health program at Udhyan Ghar, which helps abused kids by funding professionals like social workers and clinical psychologists to help heal their emotional scars. Several of the project centers have vocational training in place, as computer literacy is becoming a growing service offered by HOH. Each project is undertaken with six main principles and goals in mind: sanitary living conditions, quality educational services, quality basic medical services, quality basic nutritional programs, vocational training and psychological counseling.
A new project will soon be underway in Amritsar. The initial funding of the program at Pingalwara was recently approved and an initial donation of $5,000 will help children without disabling handicaps, ages 7-15 years, to receive an education and training in computer usage and English. Sabharwal recently began traveling around the Bay Area and surrounding areas to raise awareness about HOH and the work it does in India. By speaking to different communities about her work and the importance of HOH and its undertakings, Sabharwal believes she is furthering the cause of "her calling and the higher power."
Many people donated their services and talents to help make the HOH fundraiser a memorable and enjoyable experience. Vikas Singh of Nishana Band entertained guests with his melodic voice as he sang renditions of popular bhajans, and Namita Kapoor donated a piece of her artwork for auction and performed a beautiful tap dance piece to classical Indian tabla music. The father-daughter duo Anil and Tanya Gupta sang popular film songs and bhajans. Singh has agreed to be a lifetime donor of his services.
Others donated services, such as Neera Sharma, who donated the floral arrangements; Taj Palace, who donated the food, and many others who helped make the event a success. Sabharwal has worked tirelessly since 1999 to help improve the living conditions of poor children. Inspired by the work of women volunteers at Children's Home of Hope in India and by what she calls "the true calling from the higher power," Sabharwal has expanded HOH into a thriving charitable organization that works in Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Mysore, Lucknow and Mumbai.
A pathologist, Sabharwal takes pride in the fact that hers is one of the few charitable organizations that is completely transparent. Each year, HOH provides its supporters with a breakdown of every penny spent and an indication of where the money goes. The HOH overhead costs are minimal, as most of the services are donated and its board works on a volunteer basis. Sabharwal and the many board and committee members worked hard to raise some $103,000 this year alone. The board of directors include Anil Lal, Anoop Judge, Shanti Mathan, Sanjeev Singh, Dolly Dham, Shilpe Minocha, Karishma Chandani, Isaac Hussain, Rekha Gupta, Amritha Sethi, Dr. Nalini Bhat and Rajesh Relan. This year's committee members included Nandini Saraiya, Savitha Biyani, Neelam Bhavani, Barbara Singh, Betsy Matson, Yasmin Bahl, Gita Patel, Vikas Singh and Namita Kapoor.
For more information about Home of Hope, call Dr. Nilima Sabharwal at 650-574-0374 or visit www.hohinc.org.
