India has held a special place in my heart since the second time I went there in the summer of 2005. The richness of culture, the multitudes of people, languages, and religions…along with the best food in the world, make India special in my eyes. India has also held a special place in the work of Outreach International. The Gummiguda School in one of the poorest states in India, Orissa, is one of Outreach International’s first projects. We have funded this school for 30 years.
Perhaps the best thing about India is its possibilities. In the last few decades, India has developed tremendously. There are many economic opportunities for Indians to lift themselves out of extreme poverty. However, most of these opportunities have been limited to the elite. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening quickly in India. There are also a myriad of possibilities for Outreach International in India to help the poorest of the poor, which are some of the poorest people in the world.
Recently, Outreach International has made a strategic decision to dramatically expand the work being done in India to reach out to the families of the students in Gummiguda School. The new effort will give 25,000 people access to clean water, improved health, decent housing, increased crops and other needs they identify. And in the process we will build confidence, problem-solving skills and the capacity to change their own lives.
It makes me so happy to think of the children that I saw in Gummiguda School in 2005 realizing and taking full advantage of their true potential. However, this project will be expensive, so caring people like you and I will have to step up and invest in these children.
It brings me joy to know that through Outreach International, we can get involved in making a real difference in the lives of people all over the world.
To learn more about how you can help the people of India, check out Outreach International’s website.
-Stephen Donahoe
Stephen - glad you liked my post and thanks for linking. This is a good platform, and you seem to have a great team.
Posted by: Dweep | October 09, 2008 at 08:51 AM
Dweep,
Thanks for your support!
Stephen
Posted by: Stephen Donahoe | October 14, 2008 at 08:59 PM