Meaningful Gifts - reaching out to those living in poverty and ill health in south India
Giving is not just about donation, it is about making a difference
Stuck for Christmas gift ideas?
Why not give a Meaningful Gift Card? This will make all the difference, in a practical way, to the lives of many impoverished people in Kerala, already struggling to survive, but at the moment, made worse due to Covid-19.
In Kerala over the last 8 months, 90% of people have had no work. Employment in Kerala is mainly fishing/harbour work and tourism, with some occasional construction work paid on a daily basis - but this has all ceased and people are at rock bottom, with no state help.
Your gift card can be for any occasion, left blank to enable you to write your own personal message to friends & family, but will have an attached note for the recipient of the card stating that a donation has been made by the sender.
Giving is not just about donation, it is about making a difference
Stuck for Christmas gift ideas?
Why not give a Meaningful Gift Card? This will make all the difference, in a practical way, to the lives of many impoverished people in Kerala, already struggling to survive, but at the moment, made worse due to Covid-19.
In Kerala over the last 8 months, 90% of people have had no work. Employment in Kerala is mainly fishing/harbour work and tourism, with some occasional construction work paid on a daily basis - but this has all ceased and people are at rock bottom, with no state help.
Your gift card can be for any occasion, left blank to enable you to write your own personal message to friends & family, but will have an attached note for the recipient of the card stating that a donation has been made by the sender.
Dignity Pack for 4 girls for one month
£5 + £1.20 p&p
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State-run schools often distribute pads to female students under a government scheme to promote menstrual hygiene. Only 36% of its 355 million menstruating females use napkins and nearly 23 million girls drop out of school annually after they start their periods.
With schools shut because of lockdown, the supply of pads too has stopped. Many girls are dependent on the supply from their school because they can't afford to buy sanitary napkins. Schools will not re-open until June at the earliest, so there has been no school attendance for 15 months.
It has been suggested that only 15% of girls had access to sanitary protection during lockdown.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts which will provide a Dignity Pack for 4 girls
for one month
Many impoverished girls in India drop out of school and everyday activities during their period because of inadequate sanitary protection. Providing essential supplies of sanitary pads to girls enables them to maintain dignity, health and well-being as well as being able to fully participate in life.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts, which will provide food for one family for one week |
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No work = no food on the table. Support for the most basic of human needs will provide food essentials for a family, keeping them nourished until their situation improves, giving immediate help. The poor in the community in India struggle to feed their families at the best of times, but during Covid the situation has become acute.
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You can't put a price on love and compassion, but you can offer practical help where it's needed most now. Covid has had a devastating effect on communities in Kerala, particularly the very poor ones already struggling, which has resulted in illness, death and human misery and need.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts, which will provide help for where it's most needed in a practical way for the most vulnerable in society in India, namely:
- providing nourishing food parcels and nursing care
- providing care, comfort and support to bed-ridden folk, ill at home, unable to afford further treatment
- providing health care in rural areas
- providing nutritious food for a mid-day meal for an elderly people's lunch club
Smart phone for rural children to enable online studies
£65 + £1.20 p&p
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Children in rural areas do not have access to a smart phone that can be utilised for their studies. Therefore they fall behind with their education, and are unable to send in their homework or do their school work online. The pandemic has turned the smart phone from a luxury to a must-have! Already in debit, a farmer from northern India sold his only cow (his one asset) for Rs6000 (£62), to buy a device for his children to share, so that they would not fall behind with their school work. Neighbouring children benefited too.
Schools will not re-open until June 2021 at the earliest - which means that there has been no school attendance for 15 months.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts, which will provide a Smart phone for rural children in Kerala, India to enable online studies
Children in rural areas do not have access to a smart phone that can be utilised for their studies. They will fall behind with their education, and are unable to send in their homework or do their school work online. One phone can be shared amongst the family and neighbours.
Schools will not re-open until June 2021 at the earliest - which means that there has been no school attendance for 15 months.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts, which will provide a Smart phone for rural children in Kerala, India to enable online studies
Children in rural areas do not have access to a smart phone that can be utilised for their studies. They will fall behind with their education, and are unable to send in their homework or do their school work online. One phone can be shared amongst the family and neighbours.
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Tablet with keyboard for higher level students
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Schools, colleges and universities have been closed in Kerala due to the pandemic since March 2020, and are not due to re-open until June 2021 at the earliest. Learning is severely disrupted and it seems that this is set to continue indefinitely, so education is going to be a casualty. Older children in Kerala would benefit from a tablet with keyboard as they have work presentations to submit as well as working online, which will enable them to keep on course with their studies. It will also open up enhanced opportunities for distance learning for other family members.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts, which will provide a tablet with keyboard for a higher level student and family.
Older students from poor families in India will be able to benefit from a tablet with keyboard so that they can study online and also work on their presentations and submit their work, keeping them on course with their studies. It will also open up enhanced opportunities for distance learning for other family members.
The wording inside this card includes the following information:
This is my gift to you and includes a donation I have made to Kerala Crafts, which will provide a tablet with keyboard for a higher level student and family.
Older students from poor families in India will be able to benefit from a tablet with keyboard so that they can study online and also work on their presentations and submit their work, keeping them on course with their studies. It will also open up enhanced opportunities for distance learning for other family members.
OR SPONSOR A CHILD - SEE http://www.keralacrafts.co.uk/sponsorship.html
Having a sponsor means so much to the girls - and they will never forget you. A few comments from Kerala this Christmas from sponsored girls:
'... for us you mean so much - since we don't have anyone. We kept all your photographs with us ....'
'....I am always grateful for your support and concern about me'
'....I am keeping your gift in my hand and I like that very much and when I see the gift I remember you so much'