|
CARE TODAY
The
Day the Earth Moved
Care Today has worked on tragedies like the Kargil War, the Orissa cyclone
and the drought. Now another big tragedy has hit the country. As the people
of Gujarat struggle to cope with the ravages of the devastating earthquake,
Care Today offers readers an opportunity to lend a hand.
Care
Today was set up by the India Today group in August 1999 to help lighten
the burden of the victims of the tragedies that take place around us.
It was set up to provide readers an opportunity to contribute for a cause
with the knowledge that the contribution was being used judiciously and
that it would have an impact on the lives of the victims.
In the past 16 months, Care Today has worked on three tragedies. The first
was the Kargil War, in which scores of Indian soldiers were disabled during
the conflict. The Lest We Forget programme of Care Today adopted 28 of
the permanently disabled soldiers and provided them financial support
to begin life afresh. Two more soldiers will be taken under the programme.
In October 1999, a supercyclone ravaged Orissa, killing thousands of people
and rendering lakhs homeless. Care Today worked in the worst affected
villages in Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur district. Today, 100 of the
poorest widows now live in houses built under the Hope For Orissa programme
of Care Today. Another 106 orphans are being fed, clothed and educated
with support from Care Today.
Last summer, large tracts of the country were hit by one of the worst
droughts in recent time. Care Today’s Fight the Drought fund provided
assistance to villagers in badly affected Gujarat and Rajasthan for constructing
check dams and other rain harvesting measures.
The earthquake that struck Gujarat on January 26 this year has left in
its wake a horrifying trail of death and destruction. Some estimates say
the death toll could touch 20,000 in the state.
The government machinery has already been set rolling for rescue and relief
operations. But such is the extent of the tragedy that it will not suffice.
Given the paucity of information at this stage, Care Today is still formulating
the exact nature of its intervention, though it seems that the worst affected
Kutch district is a prime candidate for help from Care Today.
We propose to ensure the survival and security of the poorest families
in this area by providing support over a long term (possibly over the
next year) for food supplies, rebuilding of shelters and income generation
activities. We also propose to support the rebuilding of schools and healthcare
centres in the area.
We seek your support and financial contributions for such an endeavour.
We will carry regular updates on our activities and the progress achieved
in the pages of india today. All contributions will be individually acknowledged.
Donations of Rs 5,000 and above will be listed in the pages of the magazine.
Please
make out cheques/drafts to: "Care Today Fund, A/c Rebuilding Gujarat",
India Today, Hamilton House, 1A Connaught Place, New Delhi 110001. All
contributions to CARE TODAY are entitled to deduction at the rate of 50
per cent under Section 80(g) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Top
|
METRO TODAY
