From: Val Souza (Valentine de Souza) [formerly, Editor - Express Computer]
Dear Saligaonet Friends
Happy New Year!
Im sure you will be pleased (and maybe a little surprised) to hear that I
have been preparing to participate in the Mumbai Marathon 2006, to raise
funds for charity.
I will be doing the Half Marathon, a distance of 21 kilometres. As I have a
defect in the bone structure of my foot and ankle, I will cover the distance
with a combination of walking, jogging and slow running, but am quite
confident of completing the race. I will be taking part along with a few
friends, under the banner Team Shamrock. Were running to support an
education NGO called Parisar Asha. [BTW, Parisar Asha was founded by Gloria
de Souza, who also hails from Saligao].
This e-mail to you comes as a request to support my run for Parisar Asha by
sending me a donation pledge today. A pledge of any amount, however small,
would be much appreciated. You may choose to pledge a fixed amount (say, Rs
10,000) or pledge an amount for each kilometre I complete in the run (say,
Rs 500). In the latter case your pledge would amount to Rs 10,500 if I
complete 21 kilometres, or Rs 5,250 if I give up at the half-way mark (I
certainly dont plan to!). Of course, the amounts Ive mentioned are merely
illustrative -- you can pledge much more or much less, as you see fit. After
the race, one hundred percent of the donated amount will go directly to
Parisar Asha, the NGO we have chosen to support. All cheques should be in
the name of Parisar Asha and will qualify for tax exemption under section
80G of the Indian Income Tax Act.
What is Parisar Asha?
Parisar Asha is a professionally managed non-profit organisation, promoting
the Environmental Studies Approach to Learning (ESAL). ESAL is a creative
alternative to the rote-learning method prevalent in most Indian schools.
With ESAL, children learn via constructive interaction with the people,
places, living and non-living things within the environment. If you would
like to understand why this is important, visit the Parisar Asha website at
www.parisarasha.org.
Already, 2.4 million children and 40,000 teachers in hundreds of urban and
rural Indian schools have benefited from the ESAL system.
Parisar Asha is self-sufficient and does not need donations for its own
sustenance (a rarity among NGOs!). However, any money it receives through
pledges made at the Mumbai Marathon (via Team Shamrock) will be used to
subsidise or totally fund an urban poor, semi-rural, or rural school (or
schools) to sign on for the ESAL system [Material costs, including
worksheets and learning aids, work out to around Rs 200 per student per
year]. Alternatively, the funds could be utilised by Parisar Asha to
translate the ESAL worksheets into additional regional Indian languages
(they are currently available in English, Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati).
Complete details of ultilisation of funds will be put up on the Parisar Asha
website subsequently.
More details on Parisar Asha are available on the Web at www.parisarasha.org
What is Team Shamrock?
Team Shamrock is a group of friends who have got together to participate in
the Mumbai Marathon 2006 and collect donations for charity. Led by Nicholas
DSouza, director of the Shamrock group of companies (garment exporters),
the team also includes Bhaskar Mendon, Sanjay Yalavatti, Peter Rodricks and
myself, among others. More details on Team Shamrock are available at
www.parisarasha.org/marathon.php
What is the Mumbai Marathon?
The Mumbai Marathon 2006 -- officially Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon
2006 will be held on January 15, 2006. It is among the top ten marathons
of the world and also part of the Greatest Race on Earth along with the
marathons of Nairobi, Singapore and Hong Kong. The race categories for the
Mumbai Marathon are Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), Dream
Run (7 km), Senior Citizens' Run (5 km) and the Wheelchair Event (3.5 km).
The official website says: A very special aspect of the Standard Chartered
Mumbai Marathon is that it provides a platform for everyone to run on the
same track for a charity they believe in. For the SCMM 2005, celebrities and
participants from all walks of life had lent their might to raising money
for charity and over Rs. 4 crore was raised
This time around, everyone is hoping that more than double that amount will
be raised [Incidentally, the London Marathon raises about £35 million (over
Rs 250 crore) every year for charity]. You can also do your bit for a good
cause by pledging your support for my run. All you need to do now is to
reply to this e-mail indicating the amount of your pledge. Your name and
pledge details will be put up on the Parisar Asha website
(www.parisarasha.org/marathon.php) along with the names of other donors.
Cheques need to be issued only after the Marathon is over. I will contact
you again at that time with details on the procedure for collection.
Please do reply positively at the earliest. Together we can make a
significant difference to the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.
And thats what will make this a truly Happy New Year!
Thank you.
- Val Souza
(formerly, Editor - Express Computer)
Mobile: (+91)98200-31895
Please see:
www.parisarasha.org/marathon.php
www.parisarasha.org
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