Dear Supporters,

Thank you for your love and support.

I've taken a while to write this update as I've been busy pouring over accounts and trying to see how we can make every penny stretch for
Anamika.

So far, we've withdrawn Rs. 13,500 and I cannot begin to tell you what a great relief it has been for Anamika. She has those 2 emi's to pay, every week, at the SHG's of which she is a part and its Rs. 1925 every week.

Then there's the money lender and if the domestic gas cylinder is procured, then its the electricity bill that's pending. No sooner is that cleared, the grocery bill unfolds itself. Its a challenge that she's been facing every month for the last 10 years.

But thanks to Milaap and all you kind-hearted folks, we've taken some burden off her shoulders.

She knows she's not the only one who's thinking and worrying about her and her lot. And for me and my friends who are in this together - trying to make Anamika's life a little less stressful, I can only say that we are truly humbled to see so much goodness all around.

Its not over yet - While we've managed to secure 70% of the registration amount required to settle matters of the property, I see that we'll need to support Anamika until April 2018 to ensure she is out of this mess, once and for all.

I'll keep you all posted on our next course of action for Anamika and her family.

Warmest,
Saumi & friends

Dear Supporters,

We've withdrawn Rs. 9500 from Milaap. Also there have been some offline donors as well (mostly my son's friends and a parent and a few students of ours) - with the amount collected, this is what we've achieved so far - paying off 2 installments (Rs. 6000 of a moneylender) - even he's chosen to be kind and has reduced the collectible interest from 10% to 7%. A pending quarterly fees has been paid to thee school (Rs. 1200); gas, electricity bills are sorted. Anamika's Bandhan and Sks installments (of Rs. 1000 & Rs. 925 respectively, each week) and May has 5 weeks of payment has also been fed with money collected. Like we said earlier, Anamika is able to breathe. We are still a long way to go - negotiations are on with the neighbors who've lent money at 10 and even 15% interest, time is being bought; plans (that will be implementable) for increasing revenue model for Anamika using her expertise of 10 years in the leather industry is being chalked out, regularly on the drawing board.
The week of June 2 - 9 is big for us - that's when we'll be meeting with family (for the purpose of finalising how to go about sorting out partition deed & gifting part property to Anamika), neighbors (who are lenders) will be shown our plan of returning money, in stagger.
As we also mentioned earllier, there is no help from Anamika's in-laws side of the family who are extremely well-off! Anamika's parents are alive and reside in a village near the Sunderbans. They are not cash-rich and are only able to help with grains and pulses and the occasional cash.
We are also about to speak with FDDI to understand what it'll cost to set up a small unit of manufacturing rexin and cloth bags and accessories, from home, for Anamika. We are also meeting with shop-owners of cigarettes, paan, & cold drinks to see if we can rent out the 50 square feet shop they have.
Please help us with implementable ideas should they occur to you! And thanks again for all your contributions.

Dear Supporters,

Thank you for the wonderful support.  We have made tremendous progress in the last 10 days and thanks to Milaap, the donors - known and unknown - who've risen to the occasion, all our volunteers and young students, and all the Milaap Impact Partners.

The first difference we've been able to create is this - Anamika has lost the pinched look on her face. Not even 1/10th of her troubles are over but now she's getting confident that there is support for her. People care. She now knows that she is not alone.

I see that even her elder son, Kaushik is not feeling so helpless. I think that's a great achievement and we could make this difference only because all of us cared to make this difference.

Yesterday, a few of our local donors and I visited Anamika and her family in the evening. Sristhi has clicked some impromptu snaps and we'll be putting them up.

We are touchy about clicking away endlessly. In fact, one of our donor cum volunteers, Sristhi (she not only has made her immediate family, 3rd cousins, and neighbours contribute, she also has been mobilizing the youth circle in her purview to come forward with contributions) who was also visiting yesterday was quite not agreeable to clicking randomly. She said the family might feel like they've been put up for a show like circus clowns - of course, that's not what our intention to take a picture is. So we clicked an impromptu pic so that there is a face to the name that we've been hearing about since the last 10 days.

Once again thank you to everyone who's contributed in cash and has made way for Anamika in her effort to get back on her feet. Special thanks to Mampi (who's on Brufen 650's due to a severe toothache and still travelled 40 km to meet the family), Sristhi (again with her foot in a cast - a collapsible gate collapsed on her foot a few days back), and Anindya for being there with the family and gifting them a happy evening.

Thank you!