“I love what HELP does and their generosity to this area. I know that school building could not be done without your organization and to know you manage so many schools, is really amazing. I had intended to go to London after I was to finish this project and possible meet, but the pandemic really changed things”. (Amit Lau: Sikkim, 2020)
What did Amit achieve during his curtailed assignment?
“I really wanted to do something great and help in many ways so I spent various things. For example I brought 100 stationary kits that included pens, pencils, erasers, a sharpener colored pencils, markers and a ruler. The kids loved it! But I had to ship it because it was so heavy and shipping was a problem and costly. (i lost a shipment of books in the mail… the kits at least i sent to Kalinpong but that took time) The rest I purchased locally as I went to the market on the weekends. I had many projects. For example a sports and board games club. I bought board games and the materials to make table tennis setup including imported nets, paddles, paints as well as a pro style badmington net and raquets. I bought materials to create two biourinals through an NGO which included materials, pipes, urinals, and labor. I purchases 3 sinks and all the piping and taps, and an extra water heater coil. I created a first aid kit and purchased medicines with the help of a doctor that cover all basic needs of children in without an immediate hospital nearby, I hosted a Holi party because the kids had never celebrated it as well and we had a cake party one night and a cupcake and tea morning one time because these simply little things are big deals for the kids. I purchased a portal Public Addressing bluetooth system so outside morning sequences could pitch with microphone. I also brought around 50 books and was working on trying to set up a computer lab and was fundraising for that. Finally, I initiated the services of a local advocate to see if the school could apply for a sister trust with a local Sikkim member to shore possibilities of future government support and protect against incursions by the landlords or neturalize their leverage.”
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