Message from the President - Spring 2021

It feels like I am in two worlds – along with all of you who live in the U.S. but care deeply about India and other places facing severe Covid-19 outbreaks.

Here at home, there are bountiful doses of vaccine. There are the joys of “freedom day” when we’re fully vaxxed and long-delayed hugs with friends and family. But in India, each day brings more devastating news as we see that the fears of an overwhelmed health system—the fears we had a year ago—have become a reality for 1.4 billion Indians. We are fortunate to be seeing the light here at home. But we are also fortunate that we can support the many amazing ways Sambhali Trust is responding to the crisis in India, as discussed in more detail here.

Sambhali means “rising of the deprived women” and Sambhali Trust works to make that true every day no matter the situation—and we are proud to be a part of their efforts.

In keeping with the beautiful words in the photo below, “The World is One Family,” there is support coming in from around the world from those who have learned of Sambhali Trust’s work over the last 14 years. In addition to Sambhali U.S., there are organizations focused on supporting the Trust’s efforts in Austria, France, Germany, and the UK.  In March, the leaders of these organizations had our first-ever joint zoom meeting with Govind Rathore, founder and director of Sambhali Trust. Govind provided an update on ongoing programs, and we discussed how our organizations could best support the Trust in finding the best volunteers when volunteers can again go to India. Two months later, we met again with key Sambhali Trust staff and volunteers to discuss ongoing Covid relief efforts and the path forward.

In April, we completed our first annual report. If you haven’t had a chance, please take a look. The theme, “The Language of Resilience” grows in relevance every day. And in May we launched our beautiful new website, better enabling us to tell Sambhali U.S.’s story.

 At our spring meeting, the Sambhali U.S. Board approved 2021 grants. (Sambhali Trust is on a fiscal year that begins in April.) In response to the growing pandemic, we later added an emergency covid grant. In all, we approved $71,689 in grants for the following programs:

• Sheerni Boarding Home

• Fatima, Laadli, and Jodhpur Empowerment Centers

• Nirbhaya Gender-Based Violence Program

• Sambhali House

• Sambhali’s Fight Against Covid-19

Currently, the boarding homes and empowerment centers are closed because of the lockdown and, like last year, will reopen when it is safe to do so.

The Nirbhaya gender-based violence project continues through counseling by phone and video conferencing. The operation of the hotline is essential as domestic violence increases during the lockdown.

In 2019, Sambhali Trust moved its headquarters to Sambhali House in Jodhpur. At the time, the Trust was able to purchase the ground floor, which now houses the office and Sambhali Boutique, and rent the top floor and roof for the Graduate Sewing Center. The Graduate Sewing Center is where very talented graduates of Sambhali Trust’s Empowerment Centers create the clothes, accessories, and toys that are sold at the Sambhali Boutique or through special orders around the world. It is intended to be a self-sustaining program within the Trust providing ongoing income for its members. This space also houses the young women from the Sheerni Boarding Home who are now attending college and has a room reserved for women and children needing emergency shelter as a part of the Nirbhaya project. To provide a secure and stable home for these programs, Sambhali Trust must purchase this space by the end of 2021 when the lease expires. Sambhali U.S. is joining with other international partners to raise funds to make this possible.

Although these are our approved grants we realize we may need to pivot to respond to changing needs, including potentially reallocating funds depending on when programs can reopen. As we did last year, we will work closely with Sambhali Trust to make sure all donations are used as effectively as possible during this ever-changing situation. We take that responsibility seriously, and we also know we’ve gotten good at it.  We’re resilient that way . . .

Thank you for your tremendous support,

Shereen Arent
President, Sambhali U.S.