The nominated charity for this event is, The I-India Project


I-India Project Australia was founded in 2007 to support the work of I-India, an Indian NGO based in Jaipur.

I-India was founded in 1993 ,by Mrs Abha and Professor Prabhakar Goswami following their research into the living conditions of street children in Jaipur. I-India offers care, love and development for all children in need, irrespective oftheir gender, caste or creed. Celia Barnett and her mother Renate met with Abha and Prabhakar Goswami in early 2007 to see how they could contribute. They were taken on a tour of the many projects that I-India runs around Jaipur that benefit thousands of childreneach day. I-India's projects include Schools on Wheels, Shower Bus, vocational training centres and shelter homes. They were also shown a bare 5-acre plot outside of Jaipur, where Abha and Prabhakar dreamed of building a Children's Village for rescued street children. Celia and Renate became determined to bring this beautiful dream to fruition.

Together with I-India Project Australia's sister organisation in Singapore, Street Child Project, the bare block in the poorrural village of Jhag has been transformed into a vibrant and dynamic place. Beautiful traditional Rajasthani designed buildings now grace the land and the wonderful sounds of happy children are testament to the successes achieved to date.

A shelter home accommodates fifty boys who hadbeen orphaned, abandoned or rescued from abuse and neglect.

'Prem Pathshala' School provides two hundred and twenty five 'below poverty line' children with quality education.

The girls' shelter home is currently being fitted out for up to fifty young girls who need the safety and security of a home.

Stage one of a medical centre has been constructed. When fitted out, it will provide vital medical services to the area that suffers almost complete lack of professional medical services. Mother and child welfare will be a priority.

A vocational centre is planned, to provide women and older girls with valuable skills in jewellery making and other crafts. This will allow them to earn an income and become self-sufficient. It is well known that the entire family benefits when the mother's self-esteem and earning potential are increased. They are given the chance to lead dignified lives as dynamic members of their society.

The local population of Jhag and surrounding villages have benefitted tremendously by I-India's investment in their poor village. The villagers take great interest in all the developments and gain economic benefit from the employment opportunities and the stimulation of the local economy that the infrastructure provides. They are excited that their children now have the opportunity to attend school, something that they hadonly dreamed of, but were denied due to grinding poverty. It is I-India's goal to achieve gender balance in the school to address the traditional inequities that exist in traditional Rajasthan rural societies.

www.i-indiaproject.org.au