Dear Friends :

This is a very special moment for GOONJ and for everybody who has been with us on this little journey. I am happy to share that GOONJ recently won the Indian NGO of the year award. Hon'ble Minister for Finance, Mr P. Chidambaram & Mr N. R. Narayan Murthy, Chairman- Infosys gave the award on March 5th in Delhi.

The award is special not just because GOONJ won it from among some of the biggest and the most well known organisations but because finally the issue of clothing is becoming an issue now… Our struggle of over 9 years to make clothing a matter of concern, a subject to work on, an issue to be funded where we were told time and again that it doesn’t fall in the development parameter- all that is finally changing…

Internationally acclaimed Ashoka Innovators recognised this as a new and replicable idea, followed by two Changemakers innovation awards and the more recent Development Marketplace award from the World Bank. BUT we were certainly waiting for our own KARMBHOOMI to recognize this.. So it’s a nice moment bringing a strong faith that many more people and organisations will work on this cause and will accept this as an issue..

A sincere thanks to everyone who has trusted our work, who believed that clothing, is an issue and reuse is a solution. Thanks to all of you who have been observing us silently and helping us in different capacities..

To know more about this award please refer -
Nand & Khemka Foundation
OR

The Indian.com

More in the newsletter…Happy reading..

With best,

Anshu

• Don’t pack your unwanted woolens- As you pack your woolens, why not give away the one’s you haven’t used this winter. Send it to any GOONJ collection center. Every year from March to September we collect woolens and stock it as this plays a significant role in the winters. Also help us in organizing Awareness cum Collection Camps in your residential areas/work place.
  
• GOONJ family got together for its 9th birthday - GOONJ completed its 9 years of registration on February 18th. A number of volunteers and well wishers met in Delhi to review the progress and to plan for future.
  
• Pratibimb 2008 - Preparations are on for the annual SCHOOL to SCHOOL interface event Pratibimb, being held in Delhi from April 20th to 24th. Selected children from remote villages and urban schools come together to understand each other better in the event. There is a lot to do for volunteers i.e. interaction with rural children, learning about rural issues, sharing your presentation, communication skills etc. Contact Ruchika ruchikagoonj@gmail.com or call the GOONJ Delhi office to know more details.
  
• GOONJ starts it new chapter in GURGAON - GOONJ has just started a separate chapter in Gurgaon. Ms. Tanisha tanishagoonj@gmail.com, a GOONJ volunteer will be looking after the initial setting up, followed by a full time person. We hope having a full-fledged office and store in Gurgaon will help involve more people in the campaign.
  
• Collection centers in Bangalore, Hyderabad & Pune - GOONJ volunteers in these three cities have taken up the initiative to set up collection centers as a precursor to launching formal operations. We are now looking for a group of 100 people in each of these cities, who can commit about Rs. 1000/- per month (called TEAM 100) to GOONJ for the next 2 to 3 years to establish our systems. This will give us sufficient time to replicate our self-sustainable model. You can also become part of the Delhi and Mumbai Team 100. The Gurgaon chapter is supported by a group of people led by Mr. Vineet Khanna of Nestle.
  
• Cloth Day & Kapda Yatra - This year GOONJ added a new element to Cloth Day observed by GOONJ on 1st January every year. We began Kapda Yatra, a small march taken up by volunteers and well-wishers of GOONJ with placards and street theater, highlighting winters as an annual disaster for the poor. The march moved across various colonies across the city, sensitizing people about the need of clothing. Please refer the link-
  www.ndtv.com

For our overseas supporters : Listing of 'SCHOOL-to-SCHOOL', 'Cloth for
work' & 'Not just a piece of cloth' initiatives on Global Giving (a reputed
international online funding site) gives you an opportunity to get involved in our work and get the tax benefits also. For contribution please log on to
www.globalgiving.com
or you can send a cheque directly to us with your full details.

Your immediate support is needed –

• Photocopiers & lazor printers- Old/new (urgently needed)
• Washing machines- Old/ New (10 nos.)
• Space-in Mumbai, Chennai, Jalandhar, Hyderabad and Bangalore. (about 1000 sq. ft.)
• Vehicle- for Chennai
• Detergent powder in bulk quantity for the napkin project
• Space at outlets/offices to put up our cash/cheque drop boxes.
• Large quantity of one-side-used-paper for making notebooks
• Commit your old newspapers to GOONJ.
• Cotton cloth/export surplus in a large quantity.
• Pick up facilities- from various collection centers (e.g. In Delhi, Delphi arranges a pick up van for GOONJ, for a day every month.)
• To volunteer with GOONJ.. refer volunteers page