Appeal - RKM, Ramharipur

PREAMBLE

Ramharipur Ashrama was set up in a remote rural area of Bankura district,West Bengal in the year 1944 by most revered Swami Maheswaranandji( Doctor- Maharaj), disciple of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi. To start with, Primary Education, Medical help & Relief during natural calamities for the impoverished people were the key activities. With the passage of time,for more than 60 years now, the Ashrama made steady growth in different spheres and embarked upon several new services, all directed towards the well being of the underprivileged people.
Thakur's shrine with a prayer hall, School buildings, Boys' hostels, Monks' quarters, Teachers' quarters, Guest rooms for devotees, common dining hall etc etc came up in due course to make it a comprehensive set-up geared up to manage the multifarious humanitarian services rendered by the Ashrama .

PRESENT MAJOR ACTIVITIES

A) Education Promotion

• High school for boys, up to class X level ( 798 students)
• Primary school for boys (125 students)
• Free Coaching center (68 students)
• 3 Non formal Education centers (138 students)
• Night school ( 60 students)
• Student's Home (150 students)

B) Medical Service

• Charitable dispensary, providing free medicines to the poor.(Average 60 patients per day)
• Ambulance services for the poor patients.

C) Rural Welfare

• Free milk distribution to poor children of surrounding villages.(160 daily)
• Distribution of study materials, school uniforms, sweaters & tiffin to poor students.
• Pecuniary help to the poor.

D) Relief -Work for villages
The nature of relief work varies from year to year, depending upon the prevailing situation. For the year 2005-06, the following was undertaken.

• 1000 new Sarees, 300 new Dhoties, 150 sets of children garments were offered to even number of poor people in 66 villages.
• 500 blankets were distributed to aged & poor villagers.
• About 46000 sets of assorted garments were distributed among 12767 poor people belonging to 3171 families of 68 villages.

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS & CONSEQUENCES THEREOF

To sustain the services in the spectrum & volume highlighted above, steady fund flow is a must. The Ashrama has to depend on the charity of devotees and well wishers. The State Govt. only provides the salary to some of the teaching staff of the High school. Primarily due to the Ashrama's location in an economically backward region, the fund shortage is almost chronic in nature. Inspite of best intentions, the Ashrama authorities are hardly able to organize routine maintenance of buildings & equipment; not to speak of undertaking development work howsoever essential. Natural deterioration of buildings can be kept under control only if regular maintenance is carried out. If not done, damage is unavoidable and Ramharipur Ashrama is no exception to this rule.

VIVEKALAYA, one of the hostel buildings,had to be abandoned as it is in a stage beyond repairs. 50 students are shifted now to a temporary and make-shift accommodation but this is not a satisfactory solution for long.

NORTH BLOCK of the school building is dilapidated to an extent that classes can not be held there any more from the point of view of safety of the students and staff.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS
The Ashrama is in immediate need of 5.5 Million Rupees,to get new constructions in place of the above two (3 Million for Hostel + 2.5 Million for North block).
The new syllabus of the high school is revised to include advanced courses in science as well computer education. To cope up with this requirement infrastructural development of the Educational set up has become essential now. As a minimum,
following is to be done -
(a) Adequate numbers of computers to be arranged with teaching/ training facility for students from an early stage.
(b) Modernize the science laboratory by adding latest equipment / instruments in replacement of obsolete ones.
(c) Update the library with new reference books, compatible with the new syllabus.
This developmental need involves an estimated expense of 2.5 Million Rupees. Thus the total present requirement sums up to 8 Million Rupees .(Equivalent of US $ 170,000 approx.)

The Ashrama has previously inserted Appeals in the local periodicals and also approached listed devotees/donors/well wishers for contributions but the response is not adequate to meet the target. Present Appeal is an attempt to try out new avenue and may the Almighty bless this effort.

REQUEST GENEROUS HELP

'Service to man is service to God'- is the Ideal Swamiji wished people to practise. Imparting education to underprivileged people no doubt comes in the domain of such service . I request sincerely for your generous help for this noble cause.

Please send your contributions payable to "Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama,Ramharipur". Contact particulars for the Ashrama are furnished for reference and use.

Postal Address :
The Secretary
Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama
P.O.- Ramharipur
District- Bankura
West Bengal, INDIA
Pin - 722203

Land Phones:
+913241259235 / +913241259699

E -mail :
"Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama,Ramharipur"<rkmrhp@sancharnet.in>

With kind regards & best wishes
Amaresh Chatterjee
(A house-holder member of the Ashrama-Managing-Committee)