planet why - just for children

planet why - a social business

2008-08-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

PLANET WHY – A GUEST HOUSE WTH A DIFFERENCE

Planet Why, will be a social business, generating income to support itself and enable Project Why’s mission to continue into the long term.

Planet Why will employ, train, and house disabled young adults, vulnerable women and their children. It will provide employment and other opportunities for local people through the foreign visitors it will bring and the education and training it will make available.

Although this is a social business – that is, driven primarily by the mission not the maximization of profits – it will have to succeed first as a business before it can achieve its social and environmental objectives or succeed as the sustainability concept for Project Why.

Just as no commercial business can start without capital investment, and very few commercial businesses make a profit immediately, Planet Why similarly needs initial investment and support during its development phase.

Because business investors normally expect returns that a social business cannot achieve, we have to look to non-traditional sources for the start-up backing we need.

That is why we ask you to read this.

Let me be clear: we are not just another charity asking for more handouts. Our proposition is different. We are offering you the opportunity to join us and enable us to become very much more self-sufficient financially.

The social business we propose makes sound business, social and environmental sense. We know we can make it a success and by working with the right partners, we will reach that goal more quickly, efficiently and effectively.

This is no dream. It is rooted in reality. We have already taken the first step – we own a prime site, ideal for this particular social business.

Let me now tell you a bit about Planet Why – our guesthouse with a difference that will make a difference – and our vision for the future. You also need to know about Project Why, our finances, the legal position etc. All these are covered in more detail in the annexes – referred to below and listed at the end - so if what you read here interests you, do read them too.

PLANET WHY (Annex 1)

Planet Why Guest House will offer travellers a chance to enjoy authentic Indian hospitality and culture in a clean, well-run, reasonably priced place, furnished using local materials. Because the site is near the Delhi green belt, but close to the Metro, the proposed motorway, and the airport, guests can mix quiet rural days with the bustle of central Delhi. While it would be a good base for a complete one to two week holiday, or for a longer period for those seeking time to relax and immerse themselves in India, it would also be ideal for travellers looking for somewhere to start and/or end their wider travels in India because of its closeness to major roads and the airport.

Given India’s fast-growing economy, and Delhi’s booming tourist industry, an obvious opportunity for commercial investment is the hospitality sector. It is well publicised – in The Lonely Planet, for example - that there is a shortage of reasonable and comfortable guesthouses in the Delhi area. A common European comment is that there is “nothing very good between the cheap backpackers’ accommodation and westernised hotels or five star luxury”.

We know from our research that social businesses can work in hospitality. One of the strongest examples is the Ninos Hotel in Cusco (www.ninoshotel.com) where profits from the guesthouse support child aid projects.

In addition, as well as the growing trend for visitors to want to support ‘local’ or ‘authentic’ places (sustainable or fair-trade tourism), more people are asking to stay in environmentally sensitive, low carbon accommodation (green or ecotourism) and an increasing number want to combine some volunteering with their holiday (voluntourism). Planet Why will be able to cater for all these currently niche but potentially large segments of tourism.

Another reason we have chosen hospitality is that it offers a wide range of unskilled and semi-skilled jobs, enabling people with disabilities and those who have had little education or training, to be able to work in the sector, with proper support. Tourism and hospitality, through the multiplier effect, can also help regenerate an area.

Planet Why will also have, on site, a residential home where adults with disabilities, vulnerable women and their children, will be able to live and be cared for in a sheltered environment, while gaining marketable skills, a sense of their own self-worth, and as much independence as each is capable of.

Because Planet Why will be part of the local community, with some of its workers also drawn from the area around, it will benefit from the crèche, primary and secondary schools we offer, as well as from the income and jobs generated by the steady flow of foreign tourists. We intend to involve local people in the cultural side (such as dancing, cooking, yoga and art lessons) and in the practical (because we will need auto rickshaws and drivers, fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, bread, laundry, etc.). While our aim will be, over time, to provide many of these services ourselves, we will always seek to source and staff locally what we cannot ourselves offer.

We bought the Planet Why site for 8.2 million rupees in 2008. It measures 978 square meters. The site consists of two adjacent plots, each having its own entrance (to ensure privacy for guest house residents).

The guesthouse will have 10 rooms (five with disabled access) with a reception area, lounge and common areas. The care centre will cater for up to 10 people with disabilities and a maximum of six women, but with extra space for a further 6 for short-term use. (Architect’s plans are at Annex 2.)

The centre will have activity rooms, classrooms, computer centre and crèche, so that we can offer a wide range of training and community based activities. Further space will be available in the large basement (where the utilities will be housed). (For more on training, see Annex 3.)

Planet Why will be extremely environmentally friendly. Based on the principles of the eminent architect, Laurie Baker (www.lauriebaker.net) it will use solar energy, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater harvesting, and grey water recycling. (See Annex 4.) It will be a model green business for the local community.

On current prices, we plan to charge around 1500 rupees per night for a standard room (compared with the Government approved Bed and Breakfast rate of between 2000 and 3000Rs per night in Delhi and a typical rate of 5000).

Planet Why will be run by an organisation registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act of India which means that a company can be established ‘for promoting commerce, arts, science, religion, charity or any other useful object’ provided that the profits, if any, or other income is applied for promoting only the objects of the company and no dividend is paid to its members. (Annex 5)

Our financial forecasts (Annex 6), based on an occupancy rate of 60%, show a comfortable rate of return. On an occupancy rate of 75%, we would have sufficient to cover all the costs of the residential home, and on 100%, we would be in surplus. We will have opportunities to supplement our earnings through our other activities on site (including training and the provision of additional services to guests and local people). Once Planet Why is established, we will move many of our existing Project Why activities to it, thus saving on overall costs. (See Annex 7 for a more detailed explanation of our model of financial sustainability for Project Why.)

The land has already increased in value since it was purchased earlier this year. Any investment therefore has that as security. In addition, we know that the site would also be suitable for other commercial propositions, such as a residential home for elderly people, housing units, etc.

PROJECT WHY (See Annexes 8 and 9 for more details on the history/legalese)

The Sri Ram Goburdhun Charitable Trust, using the name ‘Project Why’, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization, engaged in education support and life-skills enhancement. It was created in May 1998 by Mrs Anouradha Bakshi, and she continues as Founder Director. She works closely with her Board of Directors, steered by a small Executive Committee. This flexible and adaptable organizational form has led to steady growth and dynamic, responsive development. Project Why now employs about 50 staff (paid at the minimum wage) and supports over 700 children. All castes and creeds and many ethnic groups work in and are supported by Project Why, whose staff structure is based on ability and equality.

Project Why has been funded from the outset by a mix of the founder’s personal money, small networks of friends of the project, volunteer created networks, a wider alliance of EU supporters (initiated by Enfances Indiennes), and international support stimulated by the web presence. Currently, it costs 38,867,600Rs p.a. to run.

All these sources have been generous but none can be relied on to fund the project indefinitely or at a predictable level so, from the outset, efforts have been made to generate income directly. Despite many attempts, none was successful – for a variety of reasons, including the legal and regulatory restrictions placed on a charity making and selling for profit – but the long-term goal of a higher degree of financial self-sustainability remains. That is why we are working to establish Planet Why.

The first goal of Project Why was to empower under-privileged and illiterate/semi-illiterate parents to support and guide the educational needs of their children. Using local talent – from the same communities as these parents and children – we have created jobs and developed an effective educational and training programme that now covers crèche to senior ages and also includes a computer centre, a women’s centre (with skills training and support) and a foster home.

Project Why aims at teaching people from an early age the way to empowerment so they can find the solutions for themselves. This has been shown to be the most effective way to bring about long-lasting and meaningful change. Already, the positive results of this approach can be seen in the slums of South Delhi where the project is currently based.

Planet Why embodies our core principles: we are taking constructive action ourselves to solve the problem of our uncertain long-term funding.

WHAT WE OFFER/WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU: one or more of the following:

• make a straight donation, named or anonymous
• organise a fundraising event or scheme
• offer corporate sponsorship (type to be negotiated)
• make available an interest free long-term loan
• or low interest long-term loan with interest holiday until Project Why achieves an agreed level of profit or other milestone
• take an equity stake (% to be negotiated in relation to sum offered)
• make an investment for social as well as/rather than financial return
• give ‘in-kind’ help: expertise e.g. business planning, financial management, marketing etc
• give ‘in-kind’ help: goods/services e.g. building, decorating materials/labour, furniture, furnishings etc.
• with your business experience, come up with something else of value to us.

NEXT STEPS

More detailed information is available if you are interested in taking this further. Please read the annexes and contact us if you have any specific questions or need additional data. We will happily discuss any aspect with you or your advisers. You are also welcome to visit Project Why and the Planet Why site.

We plan to start work on Planet Why as early as possible in 2009 so we are ideally looking for serious expressions of interest by the end of December 2008, with firm commitments in place no later than the end March 2009.

We guarantee our partners a positive and rewarding experience.

Anouradha Bakshi

Founder Director of Project Why and Planet Why

ANNEX 1 PLANET WHY – A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Planet Why is Project Why’s answer to two urgent questions:

• How can we best secure the futures of our special needs disabled children and young adults as they grow beyond school?

• How can we best ensure our sustainability long term?

The first stems out of a reality we have been compelled to face for the past eight years: the grim plight of children and young adults with disabilities in a society that has no place for them. For the handful of such souls that came our way, we had to find a solution, one that would ensure that they live with hope and die with dignity. The answer was simple and clear cut: a residential programme.

Such a programme would also meet the needs of women in distress, those who for reasons beyond their control have been rejected by others (alcohol, drugs, psychological ailments etc). The idea was to offer them short term, middle term or long term refuge.

The second issue is one that reverberates the world over in the minds of all those engaged in any form of developmental activity: the ever-elusive goal of financial sustainability – or at least a more stable and reliable source of core funding.

Our solution is Planet Why: it will answer both questions because it will provide the residential centre and, in time, be the way we can ensure the Project Why approach continues over time to help at least as many children as we now do.

A long journey that took us through many unsuccessful attempts towards financial sustainability finally led us to look at hospitality as a possible and do-able option: hence our decision to establish Planet Why - a guest house with a difference that will make a difference.

Funding for Project Why has always been precarious as we have relied on various sources:

• personal funds and inheritance of the President and founder of the charity
• small networks of supporters created from close friends
• networks created by volunteers of Project Why
• a wider network of supporters in the EU (initiated by Enfances Indiennes)
• international support created by a web-presence

Conscious of the fragility of the funding model and our heavy reliance on donors -some of whom have been generous, but whose giving cannot be forecast reliably, which makes planning difficult - Project Why did make some attempts in the past at financial self-reliance, such as :

• making and selling a variety of products (such as T-shirts, bags, jewellery, cards, chocolates, etc)
• placing donation boxes in markets and shops
• setting up raffles and lotteries
• initiating a one-rupee-a-day programme within the community.

However, complex legislation relating to the production of items such as soaps and food items meant profitable scalability could not be achieved. Further, legal restrictions on the charitable trust meant Project Why could not ‘make money’, even though it was entirely to be reinvested in the Project. (See also Annex 7.)

Hospitality as a sustainability option

Planet Why’s principle purpose is to provide a stable and reliable base for the long term sustainability of the Project Why mission while also supporting the residential centre.

Given India’s fast-growing economy, and Delhi’s booming tourist industry, an obvious opportunity is to find commercial success in the hospitality sector. It is well publicised that there is a shortage of reasonable and comfortable guest houses in the Delhi area (see Lonely Planet etc) and we have seen that the Ninos Hotel in Cusco is exactly this model - a successful guest house whose profits support child aid projects. Moreover the growing trend of tourism with a heart (voluntourism) makes Planet Why an ideal option – one that will also appeal to those wishing to support ‘local’ or authentic places (sustainable or fairtrade tourism), or those seeking environmentally sensitive, low carbon accommodation (green or ecotourism) - or for those just wanting to experience another side of India.

The site chosen will offer travellers a chance to enjoy authentic Indian hospitality and culture in a clean, well-run, reasonably priced place, furnished using local materials. Because the site is in the Delhi green belt, but close to the Metro, the motorway and the airport, guests can mix quiet rural days with the bustle of central Delhi. While it would be a good base for a complete one to two week holiday, or for a longer period for those seeking time to relax and immerse themselves in India. It would also be ideal for travellers looking for somewhere to start and/or end their wider travels in India because of its closeness to major roads and the airport.

Moreover, the dovetailing of hospitality with care gives us the ideal situation to enable us to include persons with disabilities in mainstream activities as even those with limited skills can (when properly supported and trained) find gainful work in this sector.

Mission and objectives of Planet Why

Planet Why’s mission is to create a warm and enabling environment, a place where both visiting guests and their local ‘hosts’ will interface, the former providing the latter a unique chance to show case their potential and step into a world too often denied to them.

Therefore its objectives are:

• To set up a residential facility for distressed women and disabled people having no other option or alternative, to be primarily funded by the guesthouse

• To set up an income generating guesthouse for visiting tourists as a long-term sustainability option for Project Why

• Through this dovetailing of hospitality and development, bring into being a robust social business model, capable of being replicated elsewhere

• To train and use Project Why alumni and local talent thus generating new avenues of employment

• To reach out to the local community’s children in programmes like those already running successfully in Project Why

• To become, in time, the major centre for Project Why’s activities

Planet Why – our vision

For long-term sustainability it is imperative that the guesthouse is consistently booked and to achieve this it is planned that Planet Why will:

• be a rewarding and valuable experience for all guests
• offer a unique blend of culture and interaction with local people
• be affordable
• be simple, unfussy and spotlessly clean
• represent a true vision of India and Indian people
• build an enviable reputation
• be a charity sustainability model that can be replicated:

Our residents

• Children and young adults with special needs: In Delhi, the support system for those with special needs, especially beyond school age, is negligible. A recent report by NDTV (a large national news channel) found that a special needs institution in the area that was designed for 300 was actually housing 700 in squalid conditions.

The rationale behind Planet Why is to create a healthy and prosperous environment for Project Why’s special cases; it will give them an inclusive environment and a dignified, rewarding life. It will enhance the local community and also provide paying guests a unique opportunity to gain a sense of reward from their interaction with Project Why.

• Women in distress: that need a home, and tolearn new skills that can allow them to find a job, and get ready to go back to a normal life. These will be women who for a variety of reasons have been marginalised by society (alcohol, psychological illness, drugs, domestic violence, widowhood etc). They will be given a safe and secure environment to rebuild their lives.

NB: There is a possibility that, in case of emergency, the guesthouse will host children who for different reasons (death of a parent, illness of a mother or extreme poverty of parents) need a safe and enabling environment.

Planet Why will attract, initially through its network, then through reputation, tourists from all over the world who want to have a different and rewarding experience from their vacations. Guests will be welcome to spend time with the children.
We have already had positive feedback from individuals and agencies who focus on responsible travel.

Land location

We have purchased a plot of land measuring about 978 square meters. The land cost 8.2 million rupees, of which 2 million are interest free loans. The rest has been bought outright.

It is located in southwest Delhi, not far from the international airport and a 25 minute ride to the city centre. The land is located close to the Metro line.

The land is made of two adjacent plots, each having its own entrance thus ensuring privacy to the guesthouse residents.

The address is: J 29-30, Shyam Vihar, Najafgarh, New Delhi.
Building and lay out

Planet Why will have two distinct modules, each with a separate entrance: the guest house and the care centre. (Plans in Annex 2.)

The guest house will have 10 rooms with a reception area, a lounge and common areas. 5 rooms will be on the ground floor to ensure accessibility to guest with disabilities

The care centre would cater to a maximum of 10 persons with disabilities and a maximum of 6 women. Extra space for an additional 6 people will be available for emergency use

The centre will also have activity rooms, classrooms, computer centre, a crèche and will run an wide range of programmes with the local community.

A large basement will house all the utilities and will be space available for a wide range of training and community based activities.

We intend to build environmentally friendly structure based on the principles of the eminent architect Laurie Baker. Solar energy, geothermal heating and cooling, rainwater harvesting, grew water recycling will be used on Planet Why. (More on this in Annex 4.)

Competitive advantage

We will charge around 1500 Rupees per night for a standard room. The official price given by the government to have the appellation Bed and Breakfast is between 2000 and 3000Rs per night for Delhi. However, after a survey of the market prices, we noticed that guesthouses are charging around 5000 Rupees.
Legal Status

Planet Why will be steered by an organisation registered under Section 25 of the Companies Act of India. According to section 25(1)(a) and (b) of the Indian Companies Act, 1956, a section-25 company can be established 'for promoting commerce, art, science, religion, charity or any other useful object', provided the profits, if any, or other income is applied for promoting only the objects of the company and no dividend is paid to its members. (Annexe 5)

The staff

In keeping with Project Why’s spirit, all the employees will come from the local communities around the guesthouse and from Project Why.

Income

A reasonable room rate of 1500 Rupees per night for each of the 10 rooms, at a reasonable estimate of 60% occupancy, would generate a comfortable rate of return. In addition, income from supplemental services would boost profitability and provide training and employment opportunities for Project Why alumni and the local community. (For more on costs and forecasts, see Annex 6.)

Opportunities for supplementing income generated from the rental of guest rooms are numerous and include: -

o local crafts and organic produce
o guided tours
o Airport pick up
o Railway and other local travel assistance
o lessons and/or sessions in

• yoga
• reiki
• language
• cooking etc

The legal status of Planet Why will allow us to engage in a wide range of income generating activities.

Further, we can integrate aspects of Project Why into the house for the mutual benefit of all involved; giving guests an opportunity to interact with representatives of the real Delhi, and the representatives of the real Delhi an opportunity for employment and interaction with the wider-world. It will allow Project Why to grow.

Training

Planet Why will also enable us to further our training and skills imparting activities. It will be an ideal situation for training interested alumini in a wide range of relevant activities (hospitality, tourism, etc)and will provide the space for running classes in a wide field of useful trades (electrician, plumbing, tailoring etc). (See also Annex 3.)

Considerations

A multitude of factors must be taken into consideration in the creation of Planet Why; some are in others people’s hands, such as town planning realities and development of the surrounding habitat; some are derived from past experiences; and some are guided by the desire to see Project Why live in the long-term.

In terms of location, consideration must be given to the balance of setup costs (e.g. in the city centre which are prohibitively expensive) versus the risks of developing in a cheaper but more rural area (and attracting paying guests). A wise choice of location, is, we think, one in a fast-developing area near a metro station, major roads and the airport as this would strike the right balance.

Further, the area must offer potential in terms of the local community. Planet Why should be a benefit to the community through the facilities, training, education, employment and support it offers.

The principles of empowerment and responsibility, key factors of Project Why, will be carried over. Through their participation in suitable commercial activities, local and Project Why staff will have a sense of achievement, pride and reward.

ANNEX 3 PLANET WHY - TRAINING

One of the stated objectives of Planet Why is:

• to train and use Project Why alumni and local talent thus generating new avenues of employment.

This stems from our long held belief that education alone is not sufficient to give people access to a better future. When we launched Project Why almost a decade ago, we were aware of the need to widen our activities to include training programmes relevant to the existing job scenario.

Our efforts were thwarted by two key issues: our present legal status and the existing urban laws and restrictions, but lack of space was also a further huge constraining factor.

Planet Why is the answer to these issues: unlike Project Why, Planet Why will be a social business – that is, a company whose profits will be used to deliver its mission not shareholder/owner value. This legal form will allow us to pursue commercial activities. Planet Why’s location and design will offer us the space to do more training, freed from many of the other restrictions experienced in the past. Planet Why thus becomes a platform for diverse training programmes for men and women, young and old, able and disabled people.

The training programme envisaged is threefold:

Train Project Why alumni and local residents in all fields related to the guesthouse: housekeeping, kitchen, administration, maintenance, gardening etc

Run regular training courses in different fields (based on needs and market forces): plumbing, TV and AC repair, electrician, carpentry, tailoring, beauty culture, baking, etc.

Offer basic English conversation tuition to facilitate interactions between staff and guests.

ANNEX 4 PLANET WHY - A GREEN BUILDING

Natural resources, like fossil fuel and fresh water, support our daily lives and are essential for our present lifestyle. For an infrastructure of the size of the proposed Planet Why (residential centre and guest house) the energy (electric power and fuel) and natural resource (fresh water) demand would be significant. On both counts, conscious demand management (energy efficiency and water management) will reduce any adverse impact and be a model for the local community.
Planet Why proposes not only to use efficient energy devices such as LED lighting and energy star rated equipment, but also to supplement the sources of energy and fresh water, through modern technology, to strive for “carbon and fresh water neutrality”.
Energy generated by traditional fossil fuel systems adversely impacts the global environment that we all share. Significant reduction in the carbon footprint is possible through deploying available systems and hence it is proposed that the following be incorporated into Planet Why.
• Solar Power: Indian subcontinent’s solar radiation allows efficient use of solar photovoltaic technology to generate electricity. A hybrid 10kW solar power plant would be able to meet the demands of Planet Why whereby reducing its entire load on the coal/natural gas based utility power.
• Solar Water Heating: Kitchen, laundry and baths are users of hot/warm water all round the year. During winter, water heating is a major energy consumer. 2000LPD Solar water heating (solar collectors and solar concentrators) is to be deployed for water heating to reduce the need for secondary water heating through electricity.
• Geo-thermal heating/cooling: New Delhi has a wide temperature range. Temperature varies in the range of 2DegC (winter minimum) and 47DegC (summer maximum) which calls for effective building climate control, especially when we will be catering especially for foreign/European/American visitors, many of whom will be used to more temperate climates and/or very efficient heating/cooling. Cooling during summers and heating during winters are large energy consumers. Earth’s sub-surface temperature is known to be fairly stable (at 24DegC) at a depth of about 4 meters. Circulating air through a circuit at this depth and then feeding the same to the building provides good moderation of building climate. Air conditioning units would only be available on request and at a relatively high additional cost to discourage unnecessary use.
In the Indian context, at an average 0.94kg CO2 is emitted per kWh of electric power produced by coal based utility power providers. The 10kWp power plant would be able to produce about 13000 kWh of energy which would help save 12 tonnes of CO2 emission annually. The 2000LPD solar water heaters would replace about 20 electric (25L) geysers, which, on average consume, 7200 kWh energy annually. This helps save about 7 tonnes of CO2 emission annually. The Geo-thermal system, by replacing about 30 tonnes of air-conditioning load, would help save about 48000 kWh of electricity translating into 45 tonnes of CO2 emission.
In total the proposed system helps save about 64 tonnes of CO2 emission annually.
Besides reducing that environmental impact, the proposed system, by substituting/generating electricity, would help save about 68200 kWh electric energy annually. At an average electric unit cost of about Rs. 10/-, that amounts to a potential annual savings of the Rs. 682,000/- from the operational cost of the Planet Why.

The proposed system however would need an additional capital expense of the order of Rs.50,00,000/-. This initial investment would pay financial and social as well as environmental dividends long-term. Such an approach is consistent with Project Why’s and Planet Why’s ethos and the core values we teach. That is also why we attach importance to the above proposal.
Fresh water depletion is a global threat, therefore, for Planet Why, fresh water intake would be minimised by recycling of water and by water harvesting. In a traditional system, fresh water, taken in from bore-wells or the utility system, is used for drinking, cooking, washing/cleaning, baths and toilets. This is wasteful of valuable ‘clean’ water. Instead, we propose:
• Treating and recycling of water from kitchen and baths can be used for baths, toilets and washing/cleaning. Grey water recycling plant, using filters and selected plants to clean kitchen and bath water, will reduce the requirement of fresh water for baths, toilets and washing/cleaning. Planet Why proposes to recycle the maximum available water.

• During the monsoons in India, rain is a natural water source which is reasonably clean and easy to treat and use. The Planet Why building would incorporate design for rain water harvesting which would have catchment points and underground storage.
Although not quantified, rain water harvesting and grey water recycling would reduce the fresh water requirement significantly. A 30% savings would mean about 182kL of fresh water being conserved annually.

ANNEX 7 PLANET WHY – THE FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPT

Background

To fully comprehend the Planet Why model that meshes care and sustainability, it is important to understand how Project Why has been funded to date.

Project Why was created in 1998 by an individual as repayment of a debt to society. It was initially funded through personal funds and an inheritance. Slowly, as the size of the task was better understood, the help of a few friends was sought and a small network of supporters was created.

The first formalised funding came with Enfances Indiennes, an effort of a friend who had the wisdom of institutionalising the funding of our organisation in a network of supporters from EU countries. A similar effort approach was taken in Germany.

The next quantum leap in the funding saga was taken with our web presence that saw help coming from the world over as small individual donations at first and then some organisational support (Asha Seattle, Chopra Foundation, and others).

However, we remained conscious of the fragility of our funding model and attempted to generate funds in a host of ways: making and selling a variety of products (such as T shirts, bags, jewellery, chocolates, etc); placing donation boxes in markets; setting up raffles and lotteries; and initiating a one-rupee-a-day programme within the community. But each fell short of its target, as we could not match the competition.

Moreover, the complex legislation related to some products (like soaps and food items) meant much costly red tape. In addition, effective marketing of any product requires investment and we had no spare cash we could use. A further blow was the introduction of the restrictive sealing laws (which have closed many small businesses and prevented the opening of others). These put an end to any small business product-based idea we may have had. Had we, by some miracle, found a way to overcome all those obstacles, we would then have had to stop anyway because the legal status of the Trust does not allow for any commercial activity (even when the profits are for the charity’s use rather than personal or company gain).

And yet we were convinced that, somehow, Project Why had to find a long-term independent sustainability option to give us a better degree of financial security. When the need for a residential option for a few of the most needy souls who had dropped into our lives was recognised, we felt that through this necessity we could also achieve our sustainability goal.

This led to the idea of setting up a guesthouse on the same site as the residential home. The reasons for opting for the hospitality and tourism industry are explained fully in Annex 1 but, briefly, it is based on the growth of tourism, and within it responsible tourism with a heart; the paucity of good quality, low cost rooms in Delhi; and the feedback from visitors, volunteers, travellers and friends.

At present, over and above revenue from rooms, a host of income generating options have been envisaged. They range from airport pick up to guided city tours, from yoga to cooking classes and more. Our income generation activities will not be restricted to tourism alone. A café, bakery, herb garden etc are some of the planned activities that aim at reaching a larger local population.

As with Project Why, Planet Why will also provide employment (and training) for local people.

How Planet Why will make Project Why sustainable long-term

It is important to clarify any possible misconception: Planet Why is not aimed at meeting the present budget of Project Why in its current locations. Planet Why’s profits will, first, go towards the running of the residential home on its site. Any surplus beyond that will be used to continue the work of Planet Why – that is, providing educational support to at least 500 children, empowering communities, reaching out in times of need etc. However, because we shall have our own site at Planet Why, we expect that those activities will continue there (rather than where they now happen) and that it will be from and through that site that we primarily maintain (or exceed) our current level of reaching at least 500 children at any one time. While we would be sorry to move out of South Delhi - where we have established a strong community of alumni and have started many children on the road out of poverty through education - from day one, it was always felt that Project Why’s thrust would not be location or community specific. It is also completely consistent with our core value of empowerment: our goal is not to make people dependent on us but to equip them so that, without us, they can still offer to local people the services they have themselves benefited from through Project Why.

The spirit of Project Why, from the outset, has been to raise awareness about the importance of education and show the way to parents and the community at large. It was believed then - and our experience over the last eight years has reinforced this –t hat the ultimate success of our approach lies in the ability to empower. Indeed, we regard one measure of our success as being when parents in one of our earlier locations began sending their children to private tuitions over and above Project Why because it showed they had come to realise the value of education! For another, we are proud and feel we have achieved our objectives when staff go on to higher education or well-paid jobs elsewhere; and we would feel we had really succeeded if any of our current staff or students set up their own version of Project Why in their own areas.

Sustainability for Project Why has, therefore, meant finding a way to raise sufficient funds to carry on the spirit of our work at our current level but not necessarily with the same children or staff or trainees or locations. In Planet Why, we have found a way that would allow us to do this.

Some figures

The projected revenue and operational costs figures (Annexe 6) show that a 75% occupancy of Planet Why would enable us to run the Planet Why residential centre; 100% would allow us a surplus. These figures are conservative and do not reflect the potential that Planet Why has as a wider income generating model.

It is very important to keep in mind that Planet Why would be registered as a 25 C Company (annexe 6) as this would free Project Why’s work of its present legislative stranglehold. Planet Why would enable us to revive many of our previous income generating options and open the way for many more. It will also give us the space to do so, something that is impossible in our present locations.

It is also important to remember that the current operational budget of Planet Why includes the running of the residential care centre and hence includes part of the present activities of Project Why (women’s centre, foster care, disabled section etc). In addition, as we scale up our crèche and educational activities at Planet Why - and we hope, based on past experience of how fast growth can be, that in the very first months of its operation we will reach out to a minimum of 200 local children – we will start to scale back what we offer in some of our current locations. We will keep our building in Govindpuri. We hope other centres will be taken on by staff and run as their own versions of Project Why.

From this explanation, we hope it is clear the way in which we intend Planet Why to be the sustainable, long-term, manifestation of the Project Why concept. We are not setting up a ‘trading company’ which would ‘gift’ its profits to the core charity, but are embodying in our ‘business’ our social (and environmental) charitable objectives. That is what will make Planet Why a real ‘social business.

ANNEX 8 PROJECT WHY - BRIEF HISTORY

1 Presentation and historic

The Sri Ram Goburdhun Charitable Trust using the name ‘Project Why’ is a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation engaged in education support and life-skills enhancement. It was created in May 1998 by Mrs Anouradha Bakshi as a repayment of a debt to society.
Project WHY was conceived to answer a series of queries:
• Why do children from underprivileged backgrounds perform poorly in school?
• What could be done to enhance their performance?
• What skills should be taught to them to better their employment options?
• How could this be achieved in a replicable community driven model?
Project Why aims at creating an enabling environment to help under privileged children and youth access better earning options.

When the Trust first started, we tried many different things to improve the quality of people’s lives, such as the creation of employment opportunities for those with disabilities, and running nutrition supplement programmes for street children. It was the latter that led the organisation to formulate a focused programme, named Project Why. Having started with 50 children in November 2000, we are now supporting over 700.

The model

The original model of Project Why set out to empower under-privileged and illiterate/semi-literate parents to steer the educational needs of their children by using local resources.

By making use of local talent it has been proved that quality teaching in India can be offered in the most basic of locations and situations and does not require expensive infrastructure and formal training practices.

Project Why believes in the power of the virtuous circle: by planting the seed of empowerment in the right people within the community, Project Why aims at teaching them the means to find solutions themselves. These solutions portend change, leading to more empowerment till they ultimately are in a position to take control. This is the best way to bring real and long lasting change to the lives of those who live in our slums.

Of course, for things such as diagnosis, treatment and physiotherapy, there is no choice but to reach out to professionals. In so doing, we have been fortunate only to have had to call on those who are willing to give extra in such terms as time, cost, care and compassion.

The project’s current focus is primarily on the slums of South Delhi where it runs an education support program which has seven distinct modules:

• early childhood support / kindergarten
• primary education
• secondary education
• special needs centre
• Foster care scholarship program
• computer centre
• women’s centre

All modules complement each other to create a comprehensive education development programme that will help children and youths access a better future.
Moreover, there has been a concerted effort to include other factors into the core principles of the education programme such as environmental and civic responsibility, including environmental projects.

Project Why is also a community development programme; its policy is to nurture and employ the skills available within the community. Over 98% of the team comprises members of the local community, thus generating much needed employment opportunities. The result is almost 50 new jobs, and for 80% of the staff this employment is the sole source of income for the family.

In addition, to gain the trust and confidence of local communities – and in compassion - Project Why has consciously sought to reach out in all crises. For example, we have sponsored 16 open-heart surgeries and catered to numerous medical and other emergencies among our children, staff, their families and neighbours.

Funding for Project Why has always been a precarious situation, relying on often generous but irregular and unpredictable sources:
• personal funds and inheritance of the President of the charity
• small networks of supporters created from close friends
• networks created by volunteers of Project Why
• a wider network of supporters in the EU (initiated by Enfances Indiennes)
• International support created by a web-presence

In summary, the significant milestones of Project Why to date are:

➢ 2000 - one small spoken English class for 50 children
➢ early 2001: first primary class
➢ mid 2001 first ‘pavement’ secondary class
➢ early 2002 class for special children
➢ 2003 Okhla primary centre
➢ 2005 Govindpuri centre
➢ 2006 Sanjay colony primary centre
➢ 2007 Women centre
➢ 2008 Foster Care Scholarship program

2. Organisation

Project why is supervised by a carefully selected Board of Directors and is steered by a small executive committee comprising of its President, its Secretary and its Treasurer who maintain constant contact with each other – as is demanded by a flexible and adaptable organisation.

The Project Why team comprises about 50 staff remunerated at the present minimum wage.

The vast majority were found from within the slums themselves, in effect creating a ‘self-help’ system where the teachers are trained by Project Why and the resources and remuneration provided to keep them going. The team are therefore not only motivated to help the children learn, they also recognise and understand the issues the kids face, thus creating an environment as conducive to learning and to long term, positive change as possible.

The team is reinforced by the presence of volunteers, found by an active network of Project Why volunteer alumni, and by the support of a network of specialised organisations. In the last year alone the project has received volunteers from France, Italy, UK, US, Canada and Singapore.

3. The centres

Project Why currently has several centres located within a 2 km radius in South Delhi. The main centre is located in Govindpuri with primary extension centres in Okhla, Sanjay Colony and Nehru Camp. The secondary and computer centres are located in Giri Nagar. The women’s centre is located at Madanpur Khader.

Because each centre is created for a slum or an area of a slum to answer its needs, they offer different classes and levels, and sometimes different activities.

All the teachers are from the local community itself and are trained by Project Why at the same time: they get English lessons for example. They are regularly supported in their work by volunteers from Europe and elsewhere, who range in age from teens to seniors, each bringing their skills and energy to the project.

4. Results/objectives

It was important to decide how to measure the success of the organisation so as to evaluate the impact it is having. We have always been open to external evaluation and research but we also have our own indicators.

One key measure of success is the fact that in the past 8 years no child has dropped out of school; and another is that all children have passed their yearly school examinations. In addition, many of our ex-students are now in university or gainfully employed. Without Project Why, their lives would be very different.

In India, invisible barriers exist – often caused by the systems of caste or creed – so the first goal we had was to break these barriers to make Project Why a true reflection of an ideal India. We have already succeeded: Project Why’s whole staff structure is based on ability. This demonstration of equality has meant that communities who would previously barely interact have slowly learnt to know and respect one another.

Another indicator of success, to which we attach particular importance, lies in how Project Why’s mission to empower the community to take on responsibilities - and thus to help themselves – has shown itself. For example, we have seen it as positive when staff, trained by us, go on to better paid jobs elsewhere; or when parents, who at first could not afford even the one rupee a day fee, later realise the value of education for their children and pay for them to go on to private fee-paying schools locally. Our long-term aim is for Project Why alumni to have the skills and confidence to set up their own crèches and schools etc. We want to see a new generation of social entrepreneurs developing to spread the Project Why ethos and impact, each running its own autonomous unit, adapted for the particular area in which is located.

Reaching a point where the slums of Delhi no longer needed Project Why because the local people could start up and run what we now do would be success indeed.

4. Future Plans

Conscious of the fragility of its funding model, the main thrust this year will be on strengthening our sustainability efforts through the realisation of our social business initiative, Planet Why.

We have a legacy in our current locations which will continue, we hope, through some units continuing to be run by Project Why and others being taken over by current staff or students (initially with support from us).

Case for Planet Why

2008-02-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

Project Why and Planet Why – What are they about?

Project Why began as a spontaneous reaction to help an unfortunate few, and has grown organically over eight years to become an extraordinary life-line that offers children hope instead of despondency.

The initial few were kids born into the slums in the South of Delhi, but they were the unluckiest of the unlucky; born with special needs into a place where even able children stand little chance. Project Why created both classes and teachers from resources in the slums and they quickly became full. So more had to be done, more money found, more teachers trained, more class-rooms formed from the rubble. Today Project Why teaches 600 kids, employs 30 local staff and has sponsored 12 open heart surgeries.

Project Why is a hand to mouth type of organisation; desperation connects the income received from donors with the investment in its resources.

So Planet Why is the answer to this desperate struggle - Planet Why is the dream that a sustainable future for Project Why might exist, that Project Why might have a chance to reach out to a few more and to grow, that the begging for help might be supplemented by a more predictable life-line. It would mean that Project Why will be safeguarded and that graduating Project Why students might lend a hand to subsequent generations.

The Vision of Planet Why Planet Why’s principle motive is to provide a stable and sustainable income for Project Why. Given India’s fast-growing economy and Delhi’s booming tourist industry an obvious opportunity is to find commercial success in the hospitality sector. It is well publicised that there is a shortage of reasonable and comfortable guest houses in the Delhi area (see Lonely Planet etc) and we have seen that the Ninos Hotel in Cusco is exactly this model - a successful guest house whose profits support child aid projects. If we can create such a guesthouse we know it will work.

Supplementing income generated from the rental of guest rooms are numerous other opportunities such as: -

• local crafts and organic produce
• guided tours
• lessons and/or sessions in
o yoga
o reiki
o language
o cooking

Further, we can integrate aspects of Project Why into the house for the mutual benefit of all involved; giving guests an opportunity to interact with representatives of the real Delhi, and the representatives of the real Delhi an opportunity for employment and interaction with the wider-world. It will allow Project Why to grow.

Achieving our vision In a perfect world we would renovate space in the centre of Delhi, but extremely high property prices make this idea unfeasible.

A more realistic and pragmatic approach will see us start by acquiring ‘cheap’ land and take a stepping-stone approach: -

1. Secure affordable land with good potential (thus insulating us from losing an opportunity caused by spiralling land costs)
2. Pay off the land as soon as possible (by taking on a loan at favourable terms to be paid off by donations)
3. Use the land immediately to hold classes for local children, plant the garden and start to produce organic crops
4. Continue to raise capital for the building stage
5. Start building only when money is raised and use a modest amount of the land
6. Make good the investment and grow as appropriate

The house will also employ eco-friendly and renewable energy sources; ‘sustainability’ will be a core principle of the house.

Costs The land purchase will be the majority of the capital expenditure of Planet Why and will cost 90 Lakh including taxes (90,00,000 Rupees equivalent to roughly US$230,000) for 1200m/2. Suitable land has been identified and is discussed later.

Existing Project Why contacts have offered many gift-in-kind donations such as sand, cement and even white goods (e.g. fridges, freezers etc) so we are confident that by building a modest but beautiful structure, using simple traditional methods and using local labour, we can keep the build and operational costs low.

A building of two floors covering a third of the land (350-400m/2) would cost approximately 70 Lakh and would provide enough space for: -
• ten guest rooms with bathrooms
• a restaurant
• utility spaces (kitchen, washing etc.)
• centre for the special needs/Project Why ‘overflow’
• space for staff
• undeveloped land to be used as needs demand

Operating costs of the building, based on our experiences of running Project Why plus research of similar establishments, would be in the region of 16,00,000 Rupees per annum.

Income A reasonable room rate of 1500 Rupees per night for each of the 10 rooms, at a reasonable estimate of 60% occupancy would generate 31,75,000 Rupees per annum, i.e. a comfortable rate of return. In addition, income from supplemental services such as the restaurant, laundry, lessons/courses etc. would boost profitability and provide employment opportunities for Project Why alumni and the local community.

Location We have identified land in Shyam Vihar, Najafgarh 2 which is a tranquil area in Delhi’s quieter suburbs near to the airport and close to the Jaipur Agra highways. A map is provided below (the blue x marks the spot). It has good transport links into central Delhi (The metro line 3 is already operational and is a 15 minutes run) and the area is undergoing rapid redevelopment.

The location is perfect for friends of Project Why and those seeking a Delhi base away from the frenetic city centre. With a purchase price of 8,500 Rupees per m/2 (which is incomparable to prices in the centre and cheaper than any land found near) it makes a sound purchase.

What do we need from you? We have found ourselves under some pressure having committed to the land and taken on a debt that we need to pay within a year (we initially thought the terms were more reasonable).

In the absence of the benevolent donor willing to pay the setup costs (which the Ninos project was lucky enough to find), we need your help for us to acquire the land. To date we have met every challenge that has come our way with the help of large-hearted individuals who have always responded to our pleas. Though this new challenge is not linked to a single humane case, it is nevertheless in consonance with the spirit of Project Why. This land will give a secure, stable and dignified future to the desperate souls who came our way as well as permanence to Project Why.

Our first students

2008-02-04T20:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday 3rd February was Utpal's PTM but also the day when he set foot on planet why. For me it was a very special moment as it reminded me of the Little Prince visiting all his planets.

There were other visitors too: Adrian, Andy and two of our volunteers Mathilde and Monica. I must admit I was a little anxious at their reactions. But to my utter delight everyone liked the land and its size! We spend some time perusing the place and even met our new neighbours who welcomed us with warmth. While we were there, a few young lads came by.They both were students of the nearby secondary school and were eager to talk.

As we chatted along I realised that we had found our first students and knew that me were on course.

a special moment

2008-01-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

Sunday 27th January 2008 will always be a special day for planet why as this is the day we paid the first installment for the land.
For us this was a momentous moment as it was not just a matter of giving a cheque, or acquiring a plot of land but the first step towards realising a huge dream.

It was little Utpal who handed over the cheque as for us he is blessed and also proof that nothing is impossible.

Planet why - a reality

2008-01-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

Planet why is now a reality. Thanks to wonderful friends we have been able to secure an interest free loan to purchase the land! This was very important as land prices were escalating by the minute! We are not far from the land we once sought and even have an address: Khasra 373 Shyam Vihar, Phase I J block (village Deendarpur)!

Documents have been perused and a token amount paid. The first instalment will be paid in a couple of days and we hope to have Utpal hand over the cheque! There are two plots and the total surface is a little over 1100 square yards.

a rock pile

2008-01-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral wrote St Exupery. How right he was.

For me this piece of barren line ceased to be barren from the moment we decided that it was the one chosen to hold planet why. From that instant in time reason took leave of absence and the heart took over. Never mind if one did not know how or when; never mind how daunting the task at hand looked; never mind the obstacles that could come our way, planet why was a reality that just had to happen.

Another beautiful quote of the same author flashed in my mind: if you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea and I realised that this was what lay between today and the day when planet why would be a vibrant reality: my ability to get people to long for planet why as much as I did.

No mean task in a world where people have long forgotten the beauty of simple things and lost their ability to think beyond their own needs. And yet beautiful things live on and miracles happen. Just a few days back I would not have believed that I would be standing at the edge of a dusty road looking at a piece of barren land. Just a few days back I was simply trying to figure out how we would go through the next month and the next... the rock pile just remained a hope, a dream, a longing, a prayer... one that I had left to a higher being to fulfill.

The road to this dusty road has been a long one. For a long time I did try to get others to long for it just as I did, but at some point of time I surrendered the thought to the wind knowing within myself that it would ultimately land safely some day. It did, far sooner than I could have imagined and in the most unlikely way possible leaving us all speechless.

The journey is not over and much remains to be done. But it will all come together as long as we keep on longing for the essential, as long as we keep looking with our hearts and as long as we keep on taking one step after another in the right direction.

planet why - moving forward

2008-01-14T18:15:00.001-08:00

Thanks to angels without wings we have been able to move from dream to reality. The planet why concept has changed slightly as it was felt that we should also include a foster care-cum-scholarship programme for deprived children that would enable some children to access a whole new world..

This is what the new vision is:

Planet Why will have three distinct modules

1. Residential facility for a maximum of 12 children and young adults with disabilities. These are the ones we have been caring for and who do not have any hope for the future. Planet why will also provide shelter to women in distress who will form part of the operating team. We will also run a wide range of activities for the community based on the existing pwhy model

2. A guest house run on the Ninos Hotel Model that will be open to tourists and will be run as a commercial activity to fund the on-going activities of project why

3. A residential foster care programme for a maximum of 20 children where children from deprived backgrounds will be given an enabling and nurturing environment to be able to excel in education and access to employment possibilities. The children ( a maximum of 20) will be kept at planet why for an incubating period of 4 to 5 years and then be sent to boarding school. Emphasis will be on creating an environment close to those found in educated homes, with stress on English and building self-confidence.

MODULE 1

Residential programme for special children and women in distress

Special children

This would be an extension of the approach adopted in our day care centre where each ward would be given an enabling environment to grow and live a dignified life. Based on each child’s competence useful activities would be found within planet why and the children trained accordingly. A resident special educator and 2 to 3 caretakers would be needed to ensure this.

We hope to be able to include them in the guesthouse activities where we plan to have a craft shop and a café, small beauty parlour etc

We would limit the facility to 12 residents.

Women in distress

Planet why would provide shelter to women who have heavy pasts and who want to rebuild their lives. At present there are 2 such women at the women centre. Though these women need some special care they would be part of the operating team. While looking for resident staff we will try and identify such persons as they are often not able to reintegrate society and lead a life with dignity.

Activities with the community

These would be worked after assessing local needs but would cover education support, environment, health, and empowerment as well as income generating skills. As in our earlier model we would find and train local people to fulfil this.

MODULE II

A guesthouse with a difference

This facility would be run for tourists from all over the world who may want to have a different experience, volunteers, guests, people looking for a different week end experience!

Planet Why’s guesthouse facilities would have 10 to 12 (the actual number could be worked out to ensure maximum profitability) double rooms with attached toilet and shower (space for an extra bed). These would be furnished with local craft and would be made comfortable and functional. A large patio cum lounge adjoining the kitchen would be the ideal meeting place and would double up as dining room for breakfast. In case any one wanted a meal, this could be arranged if given prior notice.

Guest would be welcome to spend time with the children.

A small tourist shop would be run by the inmates and would offer a range of products, books, maps as well as craft made by the children.

A regular shuttle service would run between Planet Why and the metro station.

Airport pick up would be provided if needed.

Special activities would be organised like meeting with villagers, Indian cooking classes dance, etc

This being totally uncharted territory fir pwhy we would need the help of professionals to set the facility and train staff for us. Here again we would like to give preference to planet why residents, and local talent but in no way compromise quality.

Over the past years we have come across a wide range of people from the world over who have shown interest in this kind of option.
The proximity of the airport, the new highways to Jaipur and Agra and the already existing metro make this an ideal place for tourists.

We could tie up with a local tourist agency to provide such services and even contemplate running our own at a later stage.

This would also provide an excellent training opportunity for young people who have been our ex students.

This approach would also open new possibilities that can be defined as we go along!

Many organisations do look for such places

We are already part of this volontourism organisation
http://www.handsupholidays.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=974
and are supported by many friends who have links with travel agencies the world over
Moreover our own wide network of supporters are potential clients!

MODULE III

Foster care cum scholarship programme - vision

Once again this in uncharted territory for project why though the concept resonates with the core spirit of our work as is reflected in little Utpal!

At the outset what is essential while formulating the scale of this module is to remember that what is at stake is the lives of children and that we cannot effort to make any mistake as the damage would be irreversible! It is thus felt that we should begin this programme with a smaller number of children to be able to give the extra care required in this learning phase and make the necessary course corrections before reaching our maximum capacity.

The children will be selected from economically deprived backgrounds. Efforts will be made to get children at as young an age as possible. Though it is difficult to assess the potential of a child at a young age, we will strive to make the best assessment as possible and draw them from existing programmes (Project WHY or other NGOs). This will also ensure an already existing comfort factor with the families as their total and long-term commitment is essential to the success of the programme.

Whereas one has strong evidence of an increasing awareness amongst deprived households of the need to educate children to aspire to better morrows, the existing government school system and the lack of resources both financial and intellectual of the families only enables them to aspire to basic employment opportunities and cannot help them break out of the vicious poverty circle to which they and their families would be doomed for yet another generation.

The foster care programme would ensure these children a fair chance at aspiring at quality higher education and thus access to career opportunities available to upper middle class children. We are aware of the fact that our task will not end with schooling along and our intention is to support, handhold and mentor them through college and professional education thereby making a real and tangible contribution to “Inclusive growth” to many amongst the most underprivileged children in Indian society.

The foster care programme of planet why would reach out to a maximum of 20 children.

Foster care cum scholarship programme – operation

It is proposed to run a full residential programme for an incubating period till the child can be moved to a boarding school (I to VI) . The length of the incubation period would depend on the entry point of the boarding school and the performance of the child and may vary from child to child. The children would come to planet why for their holidays where we hope to involve them in the day-to-day activities of planet why as we feel these would be a great learning experience.

During the incubation period our aim would be to give the child a caring and well-structured enabling environment where the child can grow and learn. Children will attend a day school and planet why will play the role of the family as well as teach the child the ways of the world we are preparing them for. This is essential to ensure that they are not lost when they are moved to boarding school. Efforts will be made to keep abreast with the ways of the upmarket kids and incorporate them gently into our programme. Thus planet why would a place of unlearning and learning!

We will ensure that the day school they attend is one that is not too overwhelming and one where are able to establish a good rapport and have some say!

The success of the programme also depends on our ability to teach the child to accept his origins and embrace a new world, as alienating him from her/his origins can jeopardize our efforts to make these children agents of change. Hence a careful contact programme with the families will have to worked out and spelt out to the families before they decide to hand us over their child.

Dormitories, study space, recreation room, computer access will have to be designed to ensure a happy and home like environment. A well-structured timetable where learning means not simply school curriculum but encompasses life skills and values will have to be worked out.

It is felt that the fact that the whole programme is linked with planet why will be a great asset as the children would have the rare opportunity to interact with the planet why kids as well as people from the world over as we feel that all 3 modules dovetail into a vibrant entity and will provide exceptional learning possibilities.

The success of this programme depends on the quality of the staff and here again our past experience has shown that commitment to the cause takes precedence on paper qualifications.

Some of our staff would be willing to relocate (provided we give them housing facility) and can provide the core staff needed. These have already proved their commitment and mettle and they are the ones who have been the backbone of project why for 8 years and ensured its success.

A house mother and an academic supervisor would be needed over and above staff needed for day-to-day running, We would however encourage the children to learn to do their own work.

As the success of the programme lies in our ability to give the children a comfort factor in English, we would have all the staff we propose to relocate follow an intensive spoken English course on the lines of the ones held for call centres.

MODULES I, II AND III
COMMON GROUNDS

All three modules are complementary and have to be viewed in this manner to make planet why a true success.

It is felt that meals need to be taken together that modules I and III have common recreational facilities. This would enable to celebrate difference and also teach children to care for each other ands would also compels us to keep our surroundings in pristine order

Laundry and other housekeeping facilities of I, II and III should also be shared.

Outings and other activities should also be planned together

Our efforts will be to build an eco friendly complex and try and use as much renewable energy as possible.

To hold on to their wings

2008-01-11T16:30:00.001-08:00

Planet why is my most cherished dream but till two days back it was just that: a dream. True that I am used to dreaming and must confess that I have turned quite greedy as many of my dreams have turned into reality over the past 8 years, but planet why often seemed akin to the holy grail and I knew I was no Parsifal!

And yet, with a zeal close that of a knight with no armour I held on to that dream and pursued it as best I could because my holy grail was a cup full of lost smiles and hopes gone astray! I must confess that I rarely garnered the courage to actually spell out the astronomical figure needed to recover all these hopes and smiles but I persevered in my elusive search.

What I had forgotten along the way was that the quest was not mine alone; actually I was simply a channel, albeit a blessed one, who had to carry on what had been entrusted to me, and never give up, no matter what obstacles came my way.

Pwhy has been a journey interspersed with dreams and miracles and even the confirmed agnostic would be compelled to accept that this journey has been steered by an unknown hand who makes things happen!

A chance virtual encounter barely a few months back led to the the incredible: planet why moved from the realm of dream to that of reality as angels joined my quest and helped us secure an interest free loan to enable us to purchase the land where planet why will seed. They are now furiously at work so that we are able to repay back that loan and get the funds needed to build this blessed space where mislaid hopes and smiles will finally find a home and bright morrows will be crafted with love and care.

Angels look just like us; only you need to see with your heart to recognise them! And you do not thank Angels, you just carry in your work with renewed faith to hold on to their wings.

funding fun

2007-07-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

many friends have started collecting funds for planet why and though the target is daunting every coin is precious..
This is what Andrew is doing:

I'm going to have a Fundraising garage sale/bake sale

instead of going out to dinner and a movie with friends, I'm going to make food and invite them for a walk and picnic, with the money we save going to Planet Why

I'm going to start a small tiffin service (I've brought tiffin boxes home from India) where I'll prepare meals and deliver them in exchange for donations

I know you are busy so I'll try to keep these e-mails fairly brief. Please let me know what I can do to help. I would be happy to contact organisations for you and I will keep talking to friends and looking for ideas. I will go to the bank Thursday to send the second wire transfer (and I'll e-mail another letter for banking purposes).
take care,

andy

what andrew says

2007-06-29T18:26:00.001-07:00

many friends and supporters have warmed up to the idea of planet why and sent many valuable comments and suggestions. I have decided to post these here so that others can react to and help us get closer to our dream.
all these will be simply labelled: what friends say

Anou-

I've been wanting to write to you, but was waiting until things settled down (do things ever settle down for you?). I'm very excited about Planet Why and hope that I can be helpful in some way. I'm full of ideas about what makes a good guesthouse (and what to avoid) and I'm gathering people here to volunteer time and ideas (architects, engineers, sustainability enthusiasts). I've also been looking around for some funding ideas and found that the Lonely Planet (travel guide publishers) now gives 5% of their profits to support sustainable tourism. Since they must make a fortune from the India Guidebook alone, it seems a good place to start.

Since I haven't heard more abount the wire transfer, I'm assuming the money arrived in your account. Let me know if it didn't and I'll resend it. I'd also like to give some seed money for Planet Why (maybe as a matching fund to help encourage other donors) and may be able to gather up some money to help with the rent on the apartment. Let me talk to my friends and see what we can do.

As things move forward on Planet Why I'd love to come and visit to help in person, if that would be alright. At this point, however, I think I can be of more use here making money and talking to people about the project. It's probably too early to ask, but do you have a timeline for Planet Why? Do you have a design of any sort? When you get to that point I know of some good on-line resources for sustainable architecture and design. A good friend of mine is in a Design/build program with an architect who has worked in India before and we're hoping to enlist some of his knowledge as well (and perhaps some funding, if possible).

When it comes to individual donations, I think it may be useful to split the costs up into very specific portions to make donating more exciting to people with different interests. I know people, for instance, who would donate to plant trees because they are concerned for the environment, but others would rather donate for art classes for the kids, or to build the kitchen, or for a library, etc. When you have a better idea of costs I will start talking to people and trying to raise money.

Thanks so much for the frequent updates on Nicola. I'm so glad to hear she's well (and honoured to be in her prayers). Please tell her that nothing has brought me more joy recently than the chance you both have given me to help.

I like the idea of a shop selling crafts,etc. at Planet Why. We could also sell travel essentials (mosquito nets, water purifiers, first aid kits, torches, etc) using the BOGO (Buy One, Give One) model: instead of making much profit off of each item, the items would be sold at just over twice the price we pay and for each item purchased in the shop another item would be used either at Planet Why or by someone in need in the Community. A great example of this on a larger scale is Bogolight (www.bogolight.com).

Another idea is to set up a community emergency grant fund (perhaps even with the loose change guests donate before heading to the airport to go home, though I'm not sure how much that could accumulate). I think it would be another great way for the larger community to benefit from the presence of the guesthouse, and for guests to feel connected to the community.

For me what makes a real difference in travel in India is that I have a way to get beyond being a "tourist" by being able to stay with my friends Eileen and Sanjay. Their home was a refuge and wherever I was in India I knew I had people who would help me were I to need them. That was a good feeling. Not everybody, however, can have that. If Planet Why can provide that same feeling for just a small number of visitors to India it would do a great service, not only to Project Why, but to the guests as well.

Please if there is any task I can perform from this distance, no matter how small, I would love to help. In the meantime I'll be sending you warm regards and good wishes.

Thank you,

Andy

andyjellin@hotmail.com

planet why - project report

2007-06-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

PLANET WHY
A RESIDENTIAL CARE CENTRE WITH A DIFFERENCE

PREAMBLE
FROM PROJECT TO PLANET

Many things have been happening at Project Why and some of them point towards the indubitable yet maybe still invisible reality that Chapter I is slowly coming to a close. With the advent of the new metro line, most of the slums we work will eventually be relocated, as the dream of one, becomes the doom of the other. India is all about macro and micro realities and in order to make substantial and meaningful change it becomes imperative to address both sides of the coin. What began 7 years ago as an honest effort to empower underprivileged communities to take charge of the education of their children, has met with a fair amount of success. A viable model was mooted, and tested successfully as drop out rates were contained 100% and the model steered by local efforts. The only element that did not quite meet the set target was sustainability. But all in all, the education support programme we set out to create met most of its goals. That is the macro level. However, the past seven years have also brought the micro level into our lives be it children needing surgery, children having no future, single mothers at the fringe of giving up and children and young adults with disabilities facing a bleak future. For these creatures of a Lesser God we need to find a larger solution particularly as we have witnessed the total lack of social and administrative support which is at best inhuman (orphanages, homes for the challenged etc) So the need to create a viable option for the later has become an indubitable reality. That is what brings us to Chapter II of our journey in the shape of what we would like to call simply Planet Why: a small home in a rural suburb where we would try to give a new lease of life to these souls. Moreover this home would have several activities: a refuge, education and empowerment for the local community and specialised vocational training. This brings us to the invariable question that is waiting to be asked: how will Project Why sustain itself? Here is our answer: we want to seed Project Why in a village called Goyla, close to the airport and to Dwarka, which is already on the metro line. With the imminent completion of several flyover/highway projects the place is ideal to create a guesthouse for visiting tourists who may want to taste another side of India and thus generate funds to run our activities.

PROJECT WHY - MISSION AND HISTORY

The Sri Ram Goburdhun Charitable Trust under the programme ‘Project Why’ is a Non Governmental not for profit organisation engaged in education support and life skills enhancement of slum and basti children in South Delhi. At present the organisation runs an education support programme which has 9 distinct modules: 2 early childhood, 4 primary, 2 secondary, 1 children with special needs and 1 computer centre. All the modules dovetail into a comprehensive life skills development programme aimed at creating an enabling environment to help children and youth access a better future.

The Trust was started as a repayment of a debt to society in May 1998. The learning phase of the organisation took its journey through creation of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, running nutrition supplement programme for street children and this helped the organisation formulate a focused programme named Project Why which has been in place since November 2000 when it began its activities with 50 children. In April 2007, the number of children has crossed 500.

Project Why is also a community development programme ensuring the total involvement of the community to create an enabling environment for the development of the child. Its policy is to nurture and employ the skills available within the community and above 98% of its ‘team’ is made up of community members, thus make it also an employment generation centre. It is noteworthy to mention that over 32 new jobs were created and that for 80% of the staff, this employment is the sole source of revenue.

One of the key factors of the success achieved is the very unique mode of functioning of the centre. Project being at present the only activity of the Trust, it benefits from the total commitment of the Founder and from a very minimal administrative structure. The managerial approach is one of decisions taken by the entire staff, which meets everyday over a community lunch. Hence all remedial measures approved by all concerned can be taken as soon as any problem arises. This makes the programme extremely dynamic, responsive to change and hence increases the success factor.

The measure of success can be determined by the fact that in the past 7 years no child has dropped out of school and that all children have passed their yearly school examinations. Many of our ex-students are now in university or gainfully employed.

But the true success of Project Why lies in its ability to empower the community to take on their responsibilities and show them how to find solutions within the existing context. We realised very early that invisible barriers existed - be they caste or creed - and our first venture was to break those barriers and make Project Why a true reflection of an ideal India.  It is for us a mater of pride to see that communities that barely interacted slowly learnt to discover each other and respect one another.

But no education programme can be deemed a success unless it includes a larger perspective; hence it has been our concerted effort to include environment and civic responsibility in our curriculum.

And no self-respecting development programme can afford to be oblivious to the larger human factor, particularly if it is to be an agent of change. Hence it has been our constant effort to ‘listen’ to the needs of the day and reach out whenever it is possible.

In the past 7 years we have helped the community in many ways and extended our support to the most fragile members: young babies, pregnant and lactating mothers, abused women etc

We have also sponsored 12 open-heart surgeries and several medical emergencies.

India is a land of contradictions and sadly one, where the poor and less privileged are often at the receiving end. This is why we felt the need of formalising a community extension programme that aims at empowering people and teaching them their rights and civic duties.

The latest laws and urban development programmes – such as the construction of the metro and the slum relocation projects – have endangered the very existence of the habitat of those we work with.

This has been a wake up call for all of us and prompted us to review our future plans.

PROJECT WHY ORGANISATION AND LEGALESE

The Sri Ram Goburdhun Charitable Trust is a registered organisation and meets all the requirements of the law of the Land.

It is overlooked by a Board of Directors that was selected carefully both in terms of it and skills and is steered by a small executive committee comprising of its President, its Secretary and its Treasurer that remains in constant touch with each other as the measure of the success of Project Why is its flexibility and adaptability to current situations.

The Project Why team comprises of 32 persons. Though the staff may not at first seem qualified in a conventional manner, it has found to be most appropriate for several reasons. First of all it is an extremely motivated group as it has been given recognition it never had. Secondly belonging to the same social background it is able to understand the problems faced by the children and above all being totally different from the ‘image’ of the teacher the child has, it is able to garner the confidence of the child.

The team is reinforced by the presence of volunteers and by the support of a network of specialised organisations.

Staff is remunerated at the present minimum wage.

The annual budget of Project Why is around 1 800 000 Rs or ~ 35 000 Euros

Legalese:

Name of the organisation  SRI RAM GOBURDHUN CHARITABLE TRUST
Name of Project:  Project Why
Registration Number: S 32978
(Registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860)
Date of Registration : 8th May 1998   
Registered Address:  C-15 Chiragh Enclave  
New Delhi 110048
Field Office:  231A/3 Govindpuri Kalkaji
New Delhi 110019  
Telephone 
Registered office: 91 11 26469915  
Mobile: 9811424877
Fax: 91 1126217952 
Email : anouradha.bakshi@gmail.com  
Income Tax number : PAN AABTS4278D
Income Tax Exemption  2001-2002/S-2576/99/241, (renewal)  
FCRA Number : 231660437  
Chartered Accountants:  Jai Kishan Gupta & Co  
2/20 Double Storey Jangpura Extension New Delhi  
Bankers:   Citibank 
Account No: 0509927 -227 (Indian rupees)
Account No: 0509991-227 (fcra)

PLANET WHY – THE RATIONALE

Seven years ago we set out to create a model whereby underprivileged and illiterate or semi-literate parents could be empowered to steer the educational needs of their children with local resources.

The model proved doable as in the last 7 years drop out rates were contained and children passed their school examinations with success. We used local talent and proved that teaching could be done anywhere and did not require structures. The only factor that remains to be proved is that of having the staff initiate funding modalities and this necessitates a phased withdrawal on our part. That is where we stand now and will soon have a model to share. Were that to happen, then phase I of Project Why would come to a logical closure compelling us to move on to phase II.

Whereas a set of precise goals steered phase I, it would be unwise to think that the same can apply to phase II.

Many factors have to be taken into consideration to launch phase II: some are beyond our control such as the new habitat and town planning realities, some emanate from our past experience and some are guided by our desire to see Project Why live beyond individuals.

The idea to seed Project Why in a rural outskirt answers the first concern, the need of a residential facility, albeit a tiny one, stems out of the handful of persons that have come into our lives and the resolve to address the sustainability option form day one of phase II is the logical outcome of the precarious and fragile nature of our funding ways which have been resting on individual skills and individual state of minds.

So whereas we could begin working with the children and the community of Goyla immediately and without much requirements, we have chosen not to and instead find a way to ensure a permanent source of funds from day one.

The idea of a guesthouse was one we found eminently doable in the present scenario as there is a paucity of clean, safe and pleasant rooms for tourists in Delhi and the ever increasing desire of tourists to pair voluntary work with sight seeing to get a real feel of the country makes us believe that our concept can work not only in Goyla, but elsewhere too, thus making this model a replicable one!

PLANET WHY – MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

• To set up a residential facility for children and mothers having no other option or alternative
• To set up a guesthouse for visiting tourists as a long term sustainability option for all Project Why activities
• To set this dovetailing of hospitality and development as a possible model to be replicated elsewhere.
• To train and use Project Why alumni and local talent thus generating new avenues of employment.

PLANET WHY – SUSTAINABILITY FACTOR

To fully comprehend the Project Why model that meshes care and sustainability, it is important to understand how Project Why has been funded till date.

Project Why was created in 1998 by an individual as repayment of a debt to society. It was initially funded through personal funds and an inheritance. Slowly the help of a few friends was sought and a small network of supporters was created.

The first formalised funding came with Enfances Indiennes, an effort of a friend who had the wisdom of institutionalising the funding of our organisation in a network of supporters from EU countries.

The next quantum leap in the funding saga was taken with our web presence that saw help coming from the world over as small individual donations at first and then some organisational support (Asha Seattle, Chopra Foundation, and others).

On the other side we remained conscious of the fragility of our funding model and attempted to generate funds in a host of ways: making and selling a variety of products ( T shirts, bags, jewels, chocolates, etc), placing donation boxes in markets, setting up raffles and lotteries, and initiating a one-rupee-a-day programme within the community. But each fell short of its target as we could not match the competition. Moreover the complex legislations related to some products like soaps and food items were wrought with red tape. And finally marketing any product required huge investment. The final blow was the sealing laws that put an end to any small business idea we may have had.

And yet we know that Project Why needs a long-term independent sustainability option. And that is why, when we knew we had to set up a home for the few souls who had dropped into our lives, we were also aware of the fact that the home we were to create had to be able to sustain itself in the long term.

That is when we stumbled upon the idea of setting up a guesthouse within its precinct. The idea of a guesthouse stems from a variety of reasons: the advent of tourism with a heart, the paucity of low cost rooms in Delhi, the feedback of many friends etc.

The idea seemed doable.

PLANET WHY TWO MAINSTREAMS: CARE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Hence Project Why has two separate identities that are not mutually exclusive.

Here is a glimpse of how we imagine Project Why:

Project Why will be located in the sleepy village of Goyla known for its dairy and buffaloes. A pond sits nearby the chosen location and is surrounded by shrubs and trees, and like all villages in India protected by a tiny shrine to the faceless local deity. The village does have its share of urbanisation with many new structures, but one can still find some old homesteads and the local village council. There are several government schools and many children in need of educational support and guidance.

Planets Why once again aims at working with these children as is done at Project Why, but will also reach out to the community, something that was not feasible in an urban slum. Environment projects, rainwater harvesting, health related activities, imparting new skills, adult education, empowerment of women, civic responsibility are some of the projects we intend launch.

Our vision is of simple structure around a courtyard. Whitewashed walls, brightly painted doors and windows, mud murals and greenery will give a joyful feeling to the place. On the first floor we will run a guest house with 10 rooms offering two star comfort and decorated with local craft. These rooms will be for tourists transiting Delhi and who would like to spend a day or two with children before they set out to discover India. Goyla's proximity to the airport makes it an ideal transit point. For those who wish to see Delhi, a short ride to the metro station will be provided at regular intervals.

The ground floor will house three sections. One will have a large kitchen and a living room where guests can lounge, read or just while away time playing with the children; one side will be reserved for children where two large rooms will be converted into dorms at night for the little souls that have dropped by Project Why and who have nowhere else to go to. During the day the same rooms will be used for a host of child related activities for the neighbourhood kids. The third side will house staff quarters (mostly single moms) and all other housekeeping activities. Building material will be eco -friendly and recycled, and we will try to use as much alternative sources of energy as possible: solar panels to heat water, biogas and green fuel.

All open space will be filled with trees, shrubs and plants of all kinds. The building activity will involve friends from all over the world as well as the local community each one leaving their own special mark.

Tourism with a meaning seems to have come to stay as many friends and supporters have expressed their desire to spend some time with children and local people before setting out to discover the country. Hence our rooms seem almost booked in advance! After cutting the costs needed to run the place, we will be left with a sizable amount that will go on to fund educational and other activities based on the model we have already run and validated for the past 7 years setting us free of the fragile situation we often found ourselves in.

The little guesthouse will also be a training ground for our own students who can then accede to a wider range of employment. Project Why will also be an ideal place for short-term skill learning workshops and related activities.

PLANET WHY: LOCATION GOYLA

Goyla is in South West Delhi and is a diary village though the diary may be removed.

Is is located near sector 19 Dwarka and has a direct access from the international airport.

It is also close to the metro, so for those wishing to visit the city, we would run regular shuttles between Project Why and the metro station.

A direct road from the international airport to Dwarka makes Goyla a short run from the airport.

Goyla is also close to the highway to Agra and Jaipur!

PLANET WHY – LAND AVAILABILITY

Land cost s prohibitive in the national capital region of India. We have the option of buying (prevalent rate is anything between 7000 and 10 000 Rs a square yard) or getting a long lease (10 years).
But then we run the risk of losing much of our investment.

PLANET WHY – LAND SIZE

The minimum required for Project Why would be 800 square yards. The prevalent cost of construction in Delhi is 1000 rs a square foot.

Construction plan

We could have a phased plan, however one must keep in mind that Project Why can only begin to generate funds once all guest rooms are completed.

However activities with the local children and community can begin once we have the land. This would help in building a rapport with the community and gain their trust.

PLANET WHY - FUNCTIONS

Care and learning

a refuge for the Project Why children and mothers who have no other means of support. Many of these children are from the special section and have no one to care for them.

Provide education support and child related activities to local children

Run community awareness programmes with the local community (environment, health, hygiene etc)

Provide new skills training

Sustainability

Guest house with 10 rooms (bed and breakfast)
Tourist shop run by the Project Why inhabitants
Short term courses for guests: hindi, cooking etc
Cafe

PLANET WHY – A CARE CENTRE WITH A DIFFERENCE

Planet Population

Full time inhabitants

Children, young adults, adults who came to Project Why since its inception and who have no means of support
mothers with children.

Daytime occupants

Children from local community
adults from community
Guests

Though Project Why was primarily conceived as an education support programme for children from diverse slums in Delhi, it the past seven years brought the micro level into our lives be it children needing surgery, children having no future, single mothers at the fringe of giving up and children and young adults with disabilities facing a bleak future.

This is because we felt from the very outset that for any development work to be truly relevant it had to keep attuned with the community and address any problem that came by.

Thus into our lives came lost souls who we know have no long-term future. To leave them alone and helpless would negate all the work we have achieved till date. It is for these children of a lesser God that we have to create a viable option namely Project Why!

The handful of souls we are reaching out came to us. We do not intend to go looking for new ones but simply ensure a dignified life to the ones that we feel have become our responsibility particularly as there are no viable and humane options for them.

In some of these cases, our responsibility is even greater as we are the ones who took them out from one life and gave them another. To push them back to the hell they lived in would be unacceptable.

Case studies

Full time residents
These are some of the lost souls who would need our support on a long-term basis.

Manu

It all began with Manu and from a life of an uncared beggar roaming the streets half clad Manu has come a long way. He today has a peer group and a structured life. Abandoned by his family and bereft of social identity Manu needs us all the way

Champa

When she came to us Champa had just been sexually abused. Severely mentally retarded she was unaware of what had happened but was frightened and withdrawn. The youngest of 4 girls, and with a widowed mother who cleans homes for a living, Champa was neglected and left alone. Today she is safe as she spends the day at Project Why. But we know that after her mother passes on Champa will have no one to care for her and nowhere to go

Sapna

Sapna is severely retarded. She is 9 but looks 4. When she came to us she barely held her head. Though she has a family, it one that has no time love or place for her. Her father has a heat ailment and her mother is just surviving. There will be a day when Sapna will become an impediment and have nowhere to go.

Jhunnu

When you change the life of someone radically then you become morally bound to see that person through. Jhunnu had a life, albeit a bad one, where alcohol ruled and violence was the order of the day. When we decided to get her out of the nightmare, we also severed her links with her past leaving her fragile and vulnerable and with no place to go back to.

Himanshu

Himanshu’s life is the stuff novels and movies are made out of. At age 3 he saw his mother hang herself. Six months later his mother’s family shot his father in a vendetta. The shock he suffered has left him mute and with severe behavioural problems. He would need special care all his life; one his poor family may not be able to give. Even if we are able to deal with his present behavioural problems, Himanshu will need support for a long time.

These are few of the possible residents of Project Why. We anticipate a few more from our special section itself as well as any child or mother who we feel needs long term support and protection.

In the day Project Why will run a host of activities for the local children and community members, ranging from education support to vocational training. We also plan to involve the community at large in environment and awareness programmes.

Planet Why – Residential Facilities

Planet is envisioned as a simple, eco friendly structure where space is utilised judiciously. It will have a room for boys and one of girls, and small quarters for the staff. We will also have a large room that will be used as workshop and for meetings.

The rooms will be used for activities during the day and will double up as dormitory at night. A small storeroom will be used for stocking beddings during the day. Two well-equipped bathroom units will be available for staff and children.

The premises will have a small sick bay.

A large state-of-the-art open kitchen will serve both the children and the guesthouse.

An outhouse will be used for washing clothes and will also house the back up electricity unit in a sound proof environment.

We will try and use as much alternative sources of energy as possible: solar, biogas etc

All waste will be recycled into compost for use in our garden and sale.

Rainwater harvesting will be incorporated in the design of Planet Why.

Planet Why – programme and activities

Keeping in mind the profile of Planet Why’s inhabitants, activities will be planned in a flexible way to give the best option to the children and adults.

A strict timetable will be enforced and adhered to.

Recreational activities will be planned at regular intervals.

Planet – why staff

Three sorts of persons will staff Project Why:

1. The residents themselves
2. Local people
3. A handful of selected and trained ex project students.

Networking with Shanti Gyan School

The choice of Goyla is also its proximity to the shanti gyan international school where Utpal studies. This would enable us to access their medical facilities, their sports facilities and organise activities with their children.

The entire team will be supervised by a coordinator who will live on the premises.

PLANET WHY – A VIABLE SUSTAINABILITY OPTION

Guesthouse, tourist shop, cafe...

Residents:
tourists from all over the world who may want to have a different experience, volunteers, guests, people looking for a different week end experience

Planet Why’s guesthouse facilities would have 10 double rooms with attached toilet and shower. These would be furnished with local craft and would be made comfortable and functional.

A large patio cum lounge adjoining the kitchen would be the ideal meeting place and would double up as dining room for breakfast. In case any one wanted a meal, this could be arranged if given prior notice.

Guest would be welcome to spend time with the children.

A small tourist shop would be run by the inmates and would offer a range of products, books, maps as well as craft made by the children.

A regular shuttle service would run between Planet Why and the metro station.

Airport pick up would be provided if needed.

Special activities would be organised like meeting with villagers, Indian cooking classes dance, etc

A shop for tourists

To add some life to Project Why and to keep its residents gainfully employed we will run a small shop which will have a small range of products of interest to tourists as well as craft made by the Project Why inmates.

Learn cooking, hindi..

Many friends have suggested we run short-term Hindi and cooking classes as an added source of revenue.

Café planet why
Another possibility would be to run a café where guests could also teach some of their unique specialities

PLANET WHY – THE COST FACTOR

A proper feasibility study will be commissioned once we have an accord in principle and are fairly sure that we will be able to garner the funds as this is way out from what we have been raising till date.

What we are looking at is something in the range of 5 million rupees for the land (if we are to purchase) and another 2 million for construction and refurbishing, making the project close to 8 million rupees. (160 000 Euros)

Hence for us it is imperative to know whether we can reach this sum before we go further.

PLANET WHY – THE NEXT STEP

Once we have a positive reaction we would commission a detailed project report with budget implications and projections.

Would people stay at planet why..

2007-05-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

While people would like to contribute towards welfare but some of them are not able to face the same & come in & give support only cause they are not able to bear the sight of children being uncomfortable..
It hits them really hard at the misery of some children & they have literally broken down, & that makes them stay away..
Coming to the point do you think you are going to get people who would stay here before going out on vacation for fun & enjoyment seeing the less fortunate ones being uncomfortable..?

Some tie back I may have asked this question myself. But in the past couple of years we have had many volunteers who have come to work at pwhy driven by a desire to do something tangible. They have come from many walks of life and have stayed for various periods of time ranging from a week to many months. They have then visited India like any tourist would but often written back saying that it was their stay at the project that was the most memorable.

Last year I was also introduced to the concept of blending tourism with volunteering when Chris of Hand Up Holidays visited us and decided to include project why in one of their proposed itinerary. Next week we will be hosting their first guest!

I am sure there are people who would prefer staying away from the 'other side of India', but I know there are many who will welcome this experience that is quite enriching. I am sure we will find enough people to fill the 10 odd rooms we propose to have on planet why.

commitents for booking

2007-05-06T19:05:00.000-07:00

Next if we do manage to pull this through.. Do you have any commitments on room usage from anyone.. P

Funnily enough we do, as some people have written in asking whether the project why hotel facility exists.

where is Goyla

2007-05-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

Your project at Goyla seems like a dream one. Yes, I think with responsible tourism becoming so in now, your step is in the right direction. Sorry, but I do not know where Goyla is. Perhaps you need to mention details about its whereabouts in the blog, for anyone who may be interested. And I'll certainly pass it on to all my friends around the world, who'd like to make a stopover at Planet Why. Batul

An obvious question and I should have addressed it before. Goyla is in South West Delhi and is a diary village though the diary may be removed.

Is is located near sector 19 Dwarka and has a direct access from the international airport. It is also close to the metro.

so for those wishing to visit the city, we would run regular shuttles between planet why and the metro station.

However Goyla is still a village as villages should be. It still has fields and buffalos and its own idyllic village pond protected by the faceless village deity. The location we seek is within the village itself,

and one of our mission is goin to be to ensure that the environment is protected.

do we have a place...

2007-05-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

Do we have a place... and if we do what is the size of the plot... (p)

First of all we I am touched by P's use of 'we' rather than 'you' as this proves that many friends have already adopted the project as their own.

Now to answer the query no we do not have a place but we have selected the location. As you all know land price is prohibitive. Goyla is a dairy village on the outskirts of Delhi, close to sector 19 of Dwarka. land n the Lal Dora area is around 7000 Rs a square yard.

The place in the picture is around 700 square yards and the rooms built are temporary. It could be negotiated at around 10 to 13 K a month. We could get a long lease but that according to many does not seem a sound investment. There are places for sale but we need to see how much we can put together.

According to Rishi, the principal of Utpal's school that is in the area, any plot would double its value in less than a year. The idea would be at least 500 square yards.. Rishi also suggested that in case we go for a long lease then w should draw an agreement that says that the owner will give 50 or more % of the estimated value of the building at the time of leaving.

Please give all your opinions, reactions and suggestions.

boths sides now - the sustainability factor

2007-05-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

How to sustain project why is a question that has been haunting me for some time now, I guess time waits for now one and the writing is on the wall! It is a question many have raised, some gently others even brutally. I must confess that I spend many hours thinking about valid options and reviewing past mistakes.

The list of ideas that did not work is daunting: we made candles, jewels, painted T shirts, pots and more of the same and sold them at charitybazaars. We gathered pongamia seeds from he numerous trees around, milled oil and made soaps; we made eco-friendly shopping bags; we even made chocolates but soon saw that none of these could ever bring us the funds required to run pwhy.

And as each idea failed, lessons were learnt. It became clear that we could not match the competition. Moreover the complex legislations related to some products like soaps and food items were wrought with red tape. And finally marketing any product required huge investment. The final blow was the sealing laws that put an end to any small business idea we may have had.

We had to find a minimum or no investment and high return option. That is when I stumbled upon the idea of the one -rupee-a day option. It seemed such a doable one as one thought that it would not be difficult to convince people to part with such a tiny sum. One become bold enough to believe that even the community would part with that tiny amount. But reality struck soon enough as one laboured on. People did not come forward. Or those who did, just did it once and forgot. And yet like you hold on to a special child, this option never left me though it did not bring the desired result.

Slowly planet why came to seed. And yet it again looked doable provided one found the funds to set it up. Many have warmed up to the idea but the investment is huge.

As I write these words I am reminded of the lyrics of a Neil Diamond song:

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall.
I really don't know life at all.

Somehow the sustainability options of planet why are two sides of a spectrum: either we find a huge number of people and ask them to part with a tiny amout of money over a long period of time, or we find a huge amout of money and create our own way of finding money.

Tht is the dilemena one faces!

the orphan and the one eyed child

2007-04-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

I had heard the story of the the one-eyed child who lived in a small village and was the butt of cruel jokes and a sad laughing stock. His mother climbed a rocky hill on her knees to reach a shrine where it was said miracles happened. Sometime later her child lost his other eye and turned blind. At first she was unable to understand what had happened till slowly she realised that people had stopped making fun of her child and were often seen helping him and being kind to him.

This story has many explanations and many lessons to be learnt. But it came to my mind as I battled a real life situation today. We have been trying to find alternatives for Babli and Jeetu. Whereas many know Babli's story, Jeetu belongs to times before one actually became a blogger. He lost his Mom when he was still a tiny baby. Now almost 8 he is tended for by a father who barley eeks a living. The father, like so many others, drinks and becomes abusive and violent. Last week he was seen threatening his son with a tyre that he was about to hurl on him when one of our staff members intervened.

Babli and Jeetu have parents but just in name as in either case these parents have scant time for their progeny. We were hoping to send them to karammarg but were told that a recent decision of their Board was to only take orphans.

Babli and Jeetu are not exceptions. There are many like them who though having parents live a life of abject neglect. They are left to their own devices. Jeetu does not even go to school in spite of all our efforts. Babli is a surrogate mother to her family. Her father even makes take care of the tobacco and cigarette cart he has while he is busy gambling. One year after her heart surgery she has not grown an inch or put on a pound. Having parents who do not care is worse than being orphaned as orphans are quite often taken care of by relatives and treated with kindness.

Jeetu and Babli are muck like the one eyed child, their lives worse than that of the child with no parents. Their homes situation is so hopeless that it becomes impossible to help them in situ. Their only hope is that their family - or what goes by that name - accepts to give them a better chance.

Sometimes decisions are taken in a hurry, one can only hope that they are not irreversible. It is the plight of children like them that made us seed planet why. If not for all the children at least for those who drop by our way.

project to planet

2007-04-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Planet why is the logical outcome of project why and answers a whole new set of whys that came our way during our seven years on the field.

We began this incredible journey with a simple question: why do so many children drop out of schools in India's capital city? We slowly crafted a model that we feel is one that can be replicated as it draws most of its resources from within the community. Our model has proved successful as we have had no drop outs in the last seven years and this achievement goes to the credit of a team entirely drawn from the community we work with.

It has not been easy as social transformation has inherent problems but we overcame them one by one.

It was an an intuitive feeling that made us choose this model seven years back. Today we stand vindicated as 2010 looms on our head heralding the inevitable relocation of many of the slums we work in. hence our choice of staff from within the community and our choice of classrooms (from reclaimed garbage dumps to road sides via rented rooms) was the right one. The only thing that is still not resolved is the sustainability factor as our one rupee a day programme did not quite get off, though one again intuition says it will some day.

Working with a community means working with individuals too and the last seven years has dropped in our lives many children of a lesser god that we need to walk through life. But come 2010 and even earlier places that were available to us will be gone as the sealing laws will take away from us all affordable space.

These are all the new whys that need an answer and planet why is the solution we seek.

Images of a planet

2007-04-09T17:45:00.001-07:00

For the past days I have been overwhelmed by images of Planet Why that keep surging into my mind, often unsolicited and unsought. These images are amazing in their clarity. They extend beyond the visual and stimulate every sense: I can see, hear, feel and even smell planet why and revel in it

This is an entirely new experience for me as I normally tend to be governed by a well honed Cartesian mind and need to find reasons for everything placing myself in the centre and attempting to be in control. The success graph has been mixed and always carried a heavy price. In order to do things 'right', I needed to allow myself to be intercepted by outside factors and often have my true desires hijacked unknowingly, while I sat thinking I was on the right course.

With Planet Why I find that things seem to have taken a 180 degree spin as I know it will happen and the usual doubts, angst and fears that normally accompany any new venture seem strangely absent. In its place there is a fervent need to share, talk and make my vision known, no matter how incredible it may seem. Even the routine voices of doubt one hears and that usually take on huge proportions are cast aside with a smile.

We all love looking for reasons for the things we do and once again we try to find those that make us look or feel good. And if one was to look at Planet Why from this angle there are many reasons that one can find, but any attempt dwarf the spirit of this place that seems more and more to come from deep within as the only plausible path to walk at this moment in time.

So allow me to give you a glimpse of Planet Why:

Planet Why will be located in the sleepy village of Goyla known for its dairy and buffaloes. A pond sits nearby the chosen location and is surrounded by shrubs and trees, and like all villages in India protected by a tiny shrine to the faceless local deity. The village does have its share of urbanisation with many new structures, but one can still find some old homesteads and the local village council. There are several government schools and many children in need of educational support and guidance.

Planet Why once again aims at working with these children as is done at Project Why , but will also reach out to the community , something that was not feasible in an urban slum. Environment projects, rainwater harvesting, health related activities, imparting new skills, adult education, empowerment of women, civic responsibility are some of the projects we intend launch.

Our vision is of simple structure around a courtyard. Whitewashed walls, brightly painted doors and windows, mud murals, greenery will give a joyful feeling to the place. On the first floor we will run a guest house with 10 rooms offering two star comfort and decorated with local craft. These rooms will be for tourists transiting Delhi and who would like to spend a day or two with children before they set out to discover India. Goyla's proximity to the airport makes it an ideal transit point. For those who wish to see Delhi, a short ride to the metro station will be provided at regular intervals.

The ground floor will house three sections. One will have a large kitchen and a living room where guests can lounge, read or just while away time playing with the children; one side will be reserved for children where two large rooms will be converted into dorms at night for the little souls that have dropped by Project Why and who have nowhere else to go to. During the day the same rooms will be used for a host of child related activities for the neighbourhood kids. The third side will house staff quarters (mostly single moms) and all other housekeeping activities. Building material will be eco -friendly and recycled, and we will try to use as much alternative sources of energy as possible: solar panels to heat water, bio gas and green fuel.

All open space will be filled with trees, shrubs and plants of all kinds. The building activity will involve friends from all over the world as well as the local community each one leaving their own special mark.

Tourism with a meaning seems to have come to stay as many friends and supporters have expressed their desire to spend some time with children and local people before setting out to discover the country. Hence our rooms seem almost booked in advance! After cutting the costs needed to run the place, we will be left with a sizable amount that will go on to fund educational and other activities based on the model we have already run and validated for the past 7 years setting us free of the fragile situation we often found ourselves in.

The little guest house will also be a training ground for our own students who can then accede to a wider range of employment. Planet Why will also be an ideal place for short term skill learning workshops and related activities.

We invite you to join the exciting journey we have already embarked on and would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.