Educate and Shelter Children in Red Light District

Dear Donor,

This is just one success story of so many. We are grateful that the support to New Light is life changing. 

“I am Riya and I am a student of New Light Syamatara. Today, I am very proud and happy to state that I have been a student of this centre since its inception in 2003, 16th July and when it was known as the Dalit Centre.

Dalit, meaning "oppressed" in Sanskrit and "broken/scattered" in Hindi/Urdu, is a term for the members of lower castes in India. The term is mostly used for the ones that have been subjected to untouchability. Dalits are the manual scavengers, the removers of human waste and dead animals, leather workers, street sweepers and cobblers. The mere touch of a Dalit was considered "polluting" to a caste member. Thus, the concept of "untouchability" was born.

New Light set up a multi-functional shelter for the children of the Dalit community located behind the crematorium in Keoratala, Kolkata and till date, the shelter offers all the services to the targeted community that were originally offered at the Kalighat shelter. It was with the aspiration of changing the lives of the young ones in that community through education, health care, nutritional support, recreational facility and HIV/AIDS care that New Light set up this shelter.

In April 2017 the centre got a grand face-lift and there stood in front of us a brand new, expanded shelter for the children at the Keoratala grounds and the then Dalit Centre was now known as New Light Syamatara. Today the total number of children registered at Syamatara is 50 and all of them are beneficiaries of New Light.  
I am extremely proud of the fact that today; I am a student at New Light Syamatara. I take this opportunity to thank Urmi Ma’am from the bottom of my heart for giving me this opportunity and for giving the opportunity to many more oppressed children like me who today dare to dream and look forward to achieving their dreams. We love and respect you a lot, Ma’am. Would also like to take this opportunity to thank all my teachers at New Light who have stood beside and supported us throughout” – Riya, Class IX, Vidya Niketan on New Light Syamatara's 14th birthday celebration.

Dear Donor,

Thank you for donating in the past. New Light Shelter is a home of love. Considering the life challenges in a red light district, the children come to the shelter with great happiness as they enter the building that is always abuzz with activity. The goal is to educate, provide health care, and to feed the children to grow as any child deserves. The faces of the children are like any other children -.full of hope, love and eager to learn and be with other children. 

The biggest challenge that is faced every day is the cost of caring for so many children. Last year a Boys Home was opened to give the boys a better life as had been accomplished with the girls. Without the opportunity to go to school and develop respect for women, the boys would be street kids and their only way they could make a living would be to become a pimp or drug dealer.

The shelter was established for children to come while their mothers are working in one of the biggest red light districts in Kolkata. Before New Light, the children were in the streets, or sleeping under the bed of their mother.

When you walk into New Light, it feels like a "new light" comes over you and for the children who are exposed to the warmth of the workers and the stimulating atmostphere, we ask that people consider how important New Light is to breaking the chain of abuse and sexual exploitation .  Subscribing is a way to give something each month to give them the chance at a life free of violence. 

Thank you,

Shana