Bhalobasa ONLUS
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Mission Statement
The (No Profit/Socially Oriented) Association Bhalobasa ("love" in Bengali) OdV was established after an Italian and Indian priest met each other in the early 90's. Father Orson Wells, from the Diocese of Kolkata, was due to return to India after having studied in Italy for two years. At his departure, the community of Perignano (Pisa) wished to make a substantial donation to this parish priest's needs in India. Father Orson's reply took them by surprise: "I don't want anything now, let's become friends first, then the help will come ...." Subsequent to this provocation, our first three intrepid volunteers travelled to India in 1991, giving rise to this great adventure that still continues today. True to the heart of the message left by Father Orson, the Association has always given foremost importance to the deep meaning of the relationship, even in situations of desperate need, as can be found in India. As Mother Teresa - a great friend and teacher of Father Orson - taught us, it is essential that the poor are not treated as beggars panhandling the "crumbs" from their benefactors, but that both members of the relationship are considered on the same level. Only in this way, the aid provided becomes not merely a one-way act of charity, but a mutual exchange. Animated by this awareness, the Association has tried to respond to the various needs encountered along the way during our many trips to India. Bhalobasa has increasingly focused on supporting projects that aren’t only short-term reactions to emergencies but attempt to find and/or create the necessary instruments to enable those who receive our help today, to no longer need it in the future. In 1991, we were honoured by a visit to the Association's headquarters by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, on one of her numerous trips to Italy. By doing so, she affirmed our way of working and sent us a message of encouragement that lies at the heart of all our efforts even today. The initial major intervention area was to support educational sponsorships. This solution provides a slow but "revolutionary" overhaul of the injustice faced by developing countries. An "ignorant" nation is a manipulated nation. An educated individual is able to defend him/herself and fight for his/her rights. Education also generates better employment opportunities that in turn raise the living standards of the whole community, breaking the vicious circle that links poverty to lack of education, to lack of work and therefore renewed poverty. Our educational work has led us to gradually expand the scope of our support to include larger projects such as building of schools, hostels, setting up after school activities, teacher training, etc... In addition to educational projects, we have also attempted to respond to health-care needs by providing significant support to dispensaries in remote villages, training health-care personnel and building facilities such as reception centres, homes for the disabled, etc... In the spirit of the early years, the Association has continued to form many "friendships" with those who have sought our help, starting up activities in other countries: in Uganda, from 2003, supporting hundreds of children in local schools and implementing educational and health-care projects; in Burkina Faso, Congo and Ecuador, from 2006, setting up health-care, educational and social initiatives; and in Brazil, from 2008, working with young people living in slum conditions. Among the other characteristics of the Association are that we choose to be secular, as an element of freedom, even if our founders and managers are two priests, that we chose to use volunteers only (the Association has no employees), and that we believe in the importance of maintaining a constant presence at projects sites. Indeed, the idea of putting friendship before aid requires this continued support and we therefore travel to project areas several times a year. Our supporters are free to come along and verify the validity of the projects for themselves at any time. This style of transparency it's no longer a benefactor's right but his duty towards those in need!
About This Cause
Animated by this awareness, the Association has tried to respond to the various needs encountered along the way during our many trips to India. Bhalobasa has increasingly focused on supporting projects that aren’t only short-term reactions to emergencies but attempt to find and/or create the necessary instruments to enable those who receive our help today, to no longer need it in the future. In 1991, we were honoured by a visit to the Association's headquarters by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, on one of her numerous trips to Italy. By doing so, she affirmed our way of working and sent us a message of encouragement that lies at the heart of all our efforts even today. The initial major intervention area was to support educational sponsorships. This solution provides a slow but "revolutionary" overhaul of the injustice faced by educated individual is able to defend him/herself and fight for his/her rights. Education also generates better employment opportunities that in turn raise the living standards of the whole community, breaking the vicious circle that links poverty to lack of education, to lack of work and therefore renewed poverty. Our educational work has led us to gradually expand the scope of our support to include larger projects such as building of schools, hostels, setting up after school activities, teacher training, etc... In addition to educational projects, we have also attempted to respond to health-care needs by providing significant support to dispensaries in remote villages, training health-care personnel and building facilities such as reception centres, homes for the disabled, etc... In the spirit of the early years, the Association has continued to form many "friendships" with those who have sought our help, starting up activities in other countries: in Uganda, from 2003, supporting hundreds of children in local schools and implementing educational and health-care projects; in Burkina Faso, Congo and Ecuador, from 2006, setting up health-care, educational and social initiatives; and in Brazil, from 2008, working with young people living in slum conditions. Among the other characteristics of the Association are that we choose to be secular, as an element of freedom, even if our founders and managers are two priests, that we chose to use volunteers only (the Association has no employees), and that we believe in the importance of maintaining a constant presence at projects sites. Indeed, the idea of putting friendship before aid requires this continued support and we therefore travel to project areas several times a year. Our supporters are free to come along and verify the validity of the projects for themselves at any time. This style of transparency it's no longer a benefactor's right but his duty towards those in need!