Grassroots Asia (Activities in Orissa)

Debra A. Pennington, President, Treasurer, Executive Director

Grassroots Asia is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization that currently focused most of its efforts on Orissa. 100% of all donations go directly to the projects and there are no administrative fees. Debbie Pennington, founder and President, visits Orissa twice a year and both creates new projects as well as selects grassroots projects for development. Anyone who would like more information may contact her at 970.923.1700 or info@GrassrootsAsia.org. For more information on the organization you can also visit the website at www.GrassrootsAsia.org.  

Currently Grassroots Asia has 100% of its budget in Orissa projects for the poor, mostly focused on basic care and education for children and the extremely impoverished. Grassroots Asia is all volunteer and supports those doing selfless service work in Orissa. Following are some of the projects:  

• Sradha Bhaban Rescue Home for Trafficked Children in Bhubaneswar will be launched in May 2004
• Hariharananda Balashrama in Pattamundai for orphans, the Suddhananda Vidyalaya and the Integral Learning Center in Ichhapur (near Jagatsinghpur)
• Emergency Relief
• Medical and Dental Services
• India's "Sponsor-A-Cow Campaign"
• Small Business Loans & Grants  

For description of the above projects please visit the site http://www.grassrootsasia.org/projects.html. Debbie can be reached at: Debbie Pennington; Grassroots Asia; P.O. Box 6750; Snowmass Village, CO 81615; Tel: 970.923.1700; email: info@grassrootsasia.org

For Kids

April is a special month for Orissa as Orissa got its identity on this day. Below is the song in the honor of mother Orissa, which was identified as Utkala before. The transliterated version is provided for the children.

Note: Kids, please ask your parents to understand the meaning of words used in this song.

Bande Utkala Janani 

Bande UtkaLa JananI, Bande Utkala JananI, 
Bande Utkala jananI
chAru hAsyamayI, chAru lAsyamayI, 
jananI, jananI, jananI |pada|

puta payodhi bidhouta sarIra
tALa tamALa susobhita tira
subhra taTinI kuLa sikara samIra
jananI, jananI, jananI |1|

ghana ghana banabhumi rAjita ange
niLa bhudara mALA sAje tarange
kaLa kaLa mukharita chAru bihange
jananI, jananI, jananI
bande utkaLa jananI |2|

sundara sALi sosobhita khYetra
gyAna bigyAna pradarsita netra
jogi rushigaNa uTaja pabitra
jananI, jananI, jananI  

Congratulations:

  

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