CINI Australia, Child In Need India
CINI Australia, Child In Need India held its launch at Royal Perth Yacht Club
in April 2011. It was a great success with over 150 people from diverse
backgrounds attending the night. We were much honored to have both Dr
Chaudhuri and Sister Pauline Prince present at the launch. Together they
founded Child In Need Institute India in West Bengal in 1975.
Dr Samir Chaudhuri, from Kolkata spoke about the current situation in
India with over forty percent of children still suffering from malnutrition in
spite of India’s economic growth. Sister Pauline told of her early experience
in Thakurpukur, with young children who were unable to learn because
malnutrition had affected their intellectual development.
Dr Jennie Connaughton, a GP from WA, introduced CINI Australia, Child In
Need India that will support Child In Need Institute’s programs for women and
children who are living in poverty in India. These programs focus on health,
nutrition, education and protection. Families receive health care, education
and develop skills so that this generation and the next are able to move out
of the cycle of poverty and disadvantage. CINI works with women from early
pregnancy to ensure best chance of safe childbirth and a healthy baby.
CINI Australia is an independent registered Australian Charity with its own
Board and has a close working relationship with Child In Need Institute, India.
We have chosen to join CINI India because of its long track record of effective
work with very poor women and children, the organization on the ground is
staffed by a team of dedicated and skilled Indian men and women and it works
with the best principles of development. CINI is recognized by the Indian
Government, UNICEF and Save The Children Fund for the high quality of its
programs.
We aim to develop a reliable support base here in Australia so that long-term
programs can be planned with secure funding. We will give donors feedback
about what is happening in India as a result of their contributions. Later in the
year we will have other fundraising events for CINI Australia and will keep in
touch through our newsletter. We hope that many people will hear about this
wonderful work and see that a relatively small contribution in Australia can go a
long way to change opportunities in India.
We have been very pleased with the amount of interest and support already
for CINI Australia. Our web site provides more information and details of how
to donate. CINI has a special way of supporting families through sponsoring
a Mother and her baby from early pregnancy or a child through education. If
anyone plans to fundraise we are able to help further information, brochures or
speakers and can be reached through the website or at info@ciniaustralia.org.
Child In Need Institute in Kolkata welcomes people to come and see what they
are doing as this is the best way to really understand why their work is so
effective. It was after being at CINI and talking with women and children whose
lives had been changed that Jennie Connaughton was inspired to establish this
link in Australia.
We are grateful to members of BAWA for the interest you have expressed in CINI
Australia and look forward to continuing contact with the Bengali community.