From Samiur Rahman, executive director, Hope Project Nizamuddin
Dear all,
Due to heavy rain and waterlogging very early Friday, the 27th June 2024, overflowing drains with heavy speed broke windows, exhaust fans etc., allowing sewage water to pour into the basement, which contains the library, computer lab, vocational skills centre, and finance department. Besides losing data, the estimated loss is at least $40,000 US. All items were submerged in water, which reached the ceiling of the basement. The flow of water was so fast that we could not risk trying to recover any items, so everything was lost.
But no one was injured!
We are now working to clean out the basement, and determine next steps. The earlier problem of underground water was solved long ago. Fortunately, this did not recur. After having experienced this situation, it seems that we can only minimize the risks. The problem cannot be solved forever. We had to turn off the electricity and water connections until the water is pumped out & the walls are dried.
We have extended the school summer holidays for one week.We are trying our best to do as needed. I am attaching a few photos [see below].
A Visit to the Hope Project
I’m Jelehla Ziemba, and I help the Hope Project (from the US) with various technical needs, like sending this email.
I first visited the Hope Project in 1992. In April, my husband Kabir and I went to Hope for a one-week visit. I was struck by the difference I saw in the basti in the intervening 32 years, which saw the construction of a fine building to house the project, allowing Hope’s mission to expand. You surely know about all the programs that Hope runs now — the creche, the K-12 school, the vocational programs, the medical clinic, Kids in Nature, and more — but if you don’t, please visit ChildrensAshramFund.org, Hope’s fundraising nonprofit in the United States.
Today’s basti has many more vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, household items, clothing, and more. The neighborhood’s people appear to feel more confident, and they smile a lot more. The children playing near Hope are delightful and curious, and we had several conversations with them about who we were, and why we were staying in the basti. By the time we left, they’d see us and call out our names. It’s clear to me that Hope has had a major impact on the basti and its residents over the years. Alhamdulillah!
Sadly, I’m not very good at taking photos while in the midst of visiting with people, so I can’t show you how wonderful it feels to visit the Hope Project, but I can tell you! Mr. Samiur Rahman, the executive director, was hospitality personified! We stayed in the volunteer room on the fourth floor, which was perfect for our needs. We had a tour of the whole building, and every department. Both Masoom, who runs the computer lab, and Tasneem, who heads up the school, were so welcoming and helpful; they both clearly love working with Hope (and we loved just being with them!). The teachers let us hang out with them in their break room, where we heard about successes with their students. Sameer, Hope’s maintenance director, was very helpful. Parveen, an alumna of Hope’s school, is now the school’s cook, and we had many of her delicious meals (and fantastic chai!); she is so sweet and attentive. Shafee, another alum of Hope’s school, guided us all around the basti and its environs. And I got to meet Carmen, a long-time member of the Hope Project board, who lives nearby! All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable visit, and we’re so grateful!
So we are particularly devastated by the flood, which filled the basement to its ceiling, two months to the day from our departure. In the computer lab, all the computers and other equipment were destroyed — this is where kids come in to learn and hone their tech skills, and sometimes bring curious parents along so they can learn too. It breaks our hearts to remember the vibrant and busy vocational school — such beautiful sewing machines and embroidery frames, and all the supplies for teaching beauty culture. Though we never entered the basement financial office, we know its loss is a huge setback for Hope. And thinking about the loss of the library is just too much. In the pictures below, you can see books just floating around in the filthy flood waters.
Kabir and I will be sending a big check to Children’s Ashram Fund as soon as our next paychecks come in.
We hope you will join us in helping Hope rise from the flood waters!
