I’m joining a group of
people led by Jill Beckingham (wife of the British Deputy High Commissioner in
Mumbai) to retrace the steps of Mahatma Ghandi’s Salt March in Gujarat, which
took place 80 years ago this year and was a campaign against the British salt
tax
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Satyagraha.
The reason I am joining the group for 4 days, 24
- 27 November is because I want to demonstrate the importance of standing up for human rights in a non-violent way, to help those less fortunate or able to help themselves.
I
am walking to raise money for 6 great charities, three in Mumbai and three
in Gujarat. The three in Mumbai were all founded by British people, and
are supporting waste pickers on a dumpsite, a school for slum
dwellers and an NGO working with young people through sport. In Gujarat the
charities support the deaf, leprosy sufferers and tribal people. Links to the
websites for these charities are below.
I am
collecting the money for them through the Sharma Foundation
http://www.thesharmafoundation.org/ which will
distribute the money directly to the charities (all costs associated with the
walk have been covered through corporate sponsorship). Seema Sharma (who
featured on Channel 4's Slumdog Secret Milllionaire) will also be joining the walk.
The
following website, which is currently being set up, will track our progress day
to day and has more information about the 6 NGOs
http://www.dandiwalk.com
On
behalf of all the children, young and old, who will benefit from your donations,
thank you so much for your support. If any of you are thinking of buying me a birthday present for 19 November - I'd love you to make a donation instead - that would make my day and help to make so much more for others :)
Take
care
Rachel
http://www.muktanganedu.org/mukwismuktangan.htm
http://www.apnalaya.org/
http://www.magicbusindia.org/
http://akshartrust.net/
http://smtlep.org/index.html
http://www.karmayog.org/ngo/brpc/index.asp?r=204
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