Various women’s groups from around Washington DC came together to celebrate International Women’s Day in a different way. They used their culinary skills to raise funds for toilet facilities for children in government schools in Tamil Nadu.
It all started with Jamuna Mahendiran of Pioneer Women’s Group, Herndon, Virginia, learning about the state of government schools in Tamil Nadu during her visit. “We wanted to contribute to the better hygiene of schools in a small way. We started gathering Indian women friends and came up with the idea of ‘Lunchbox Fundraiser’. A group of 20-25 women volunteered to cook and pack food. We managed to cook lunch and dinner for about 300 people and raised nearly $3,000 last week,” she said.
The proceeds will be used to build toilet blocks at the Government Higher Secondary School, Poovalur near Lalgudi, Tiruchi. Her group is now teaming up with groups like Ellicott City Team Shakthi and Aims India Foundation to create awareness about such needs in government schools here.
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Kothai Jayaraj of Cockeysville, Maryland, said “We faced many questions about the difficulties faced by children in government schools. Now, several people are coming forward to donate and volunteer. We have already received donations worth ₹35,000. We plan to hold more such fundraising events.”
A touching gesture
S. Satheesh Kumar, a teacher in Poovalur Government Higher Secondary School, said: “We had to deal with several struggles to improve basic facilities in the school that has 350 students. We are touched by the gesture of the people, including a poor farmer who donated his savings, and hope to have better amenities soon.”
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More groups of women in other places such as California and New Jersey are joining hands to raise funds for schools, particularly those affected during Cyclone Gaja, in the coming weeks.