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Re 1 Project
-An effort to reach out to the Rural Children
College to Village and Village to College, It is a novel project started in January 2006 at St Xavier's College by the collective effort of the teachers and students. One fine day Fr Felix Raj threw a challenge to the first year student community whether they could reach out to the rural children in a humanitarian and philanthropic way. The response was overwhelming. Class Representatives came forward to co-ordinate the effort.
According to the project each student contributed Re. 1 per day and the collection was sent every month to students of Gurap and Pandua villages. 50 children of each village was sponsored by the students of St Xavier's College.
Fr Felix Raj insisted that it was not just financial assistance to the students but it must be an experience. Fr. Raj’s message to the students was “What ever you give must come from within. It must be a sacrifice. Sacrifice one tea, one singada, one cigarette ---- a day and extend your helping hands to the less privileged children of our villages.” He emphasized that the college must go to the village and live with the village children and teach them. This is what two groups of students did in the month of May.
College must go to the Village and the Village must be brought to the College that's what our students did on two occasions. The village children were taken to St Xavier's College where they were shown the campus and the city. It was an opportunity for them to visit Kolkata an exposure and education the whole thing was managed by the students themselves.
It is our student’s humble prayas that we have supported these children from January to June and they will continue their assistance to these children, such project will definitely improve the education scenario of rural India in times to come through the collective efforts of our sincere students who are ever willing to keep the Xavierian motto "Nihil Ultra" Nothing Beyond.
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SNEGAM SOCIAL WELFARE AND RESOURCE SOCIEY is a registered body registered under the Societies registration act 1961. It was established on 20th December 2005. Work however began much before registration under the inspiration and guidance of Fr. Felix Raj SJ.
Snegam first started in a remote village of Tamil Nadu providing training to women in tailoring. After completion of the 6 months course, the women are given certificates, which help them to find jobs, or some have even started their own small-scale business. Besides tailoring, women are also trained in candle making etc. About 250 women have been trained so far in the past 5 years.
It was felt that in Kolkata too Snegam could start its intervention. However, here the focus is more on education. The main objective of Snegam is to provide education to underprivileged children who have no means of going to any formal school and whose parents are not interested in educating them. After a visit to about five slums under ward 78 it was observed that many families didn’t send their children to school because they couldn’t afford to pay the high fees charged in regular schools.
Therefore, Snegam took up the matter with one of the local clubs, which provided a room to start a learning center. Once news spread to people about the center, more children started coming in. The center that began with about 6 to 7 children in September 2005 presently has about 40 children on register, in the age group 4 to 14 years attending classes, nursery to II. The learning center has been shifted from the clubhouse to the premises of a local school. Classes are held from 8 – 10.30 in the mornings and 5 to 7 in the evenings. We have one Teacher-in-charge and two other teachers to help in the running of the center. Besides education children are also trained in extracurricular activities like sewing, yoga etc.
A Mahila Samiti has also been formed recently called Ekta Mahila Samiti consisting of 21 mothers of the children attending the learning center. It is hoped that this Mahila Samiti will be further strengthened and a number of trainings will be carried out. The women expressed a desire to become literate which was very positive.
We hope that through this learning center we can mainstream children who show keen interest in studies. The other children especially older ones may be attached to some vocational training centers.
Your generous contribution will help in making this small initiative a big future for the less fortunate. Donation in cash/cheque and kind are accepted. Cheques can be drawn in favour of Snegam Social Welfare and Resource Society and sent to Fr. Felix Raj SJ, St. Xavier’s College, 30 Park Street, Kolkata – 700 016.
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All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF)
(Student participants of the State Congress in October 2000 having tea during break.)
AICUF is a Student Movement organising leadership and exposure programmes for the development of Students.
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AICUF Educational Scholarship Fund
AICUF Educational Scholarship Fund :-AICUF, with the help of AICUFers and benefactors has instituted a Scholarship Fund for the poor and the needy students since 1998. This year 27 students were helped with scholarships of Rs. 3000/- each, on August , 2006.
["The recipients of AICUF Scholarships with Fr. Felix Raj, SJ and Sch. Pankaj Pereira. This year 15 Scholarships were given to needy college students."]
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Goethals Research Fellowships
Goethals library and Research center gives research fellowships. Each fellowship carries Rs. 2000/- per month.
Your generous assistance will initiate many research works. Send your donations in favour of “Goethals Indian Library and Research Centre”