The work of the Freedom School in Rishikesh is going very well, and we are delighted to be working in partnership with the Freedom Group and the Atma Seva Foundation to support not only the school, but also the children and their families in the slum community, particularly when their homes were swept away in terrible floods. With the help of Freedom Group we were able to provide hot meals for hundreds of children and their families and to organise a medical day where a local doctor and his team of 5 gave their services free and we paid for all the medication that was needed.

As the children had no dry space in which to sleep, many of them were becoming sick. The director of the Foundation Group, Ajay, organised everyone in the community to register with him giving all their details and document numbers which he then took to the government and succeeded in getting extra financial aid for each of them. Quite a task.

The Freedom School has just finished building a new classroom as they had to leave the one they were renting. The new classroom is still within walking distance of the community and will give the school more security now as it is theirs. We are very happy to have supplied all the equipment and furniture on their wish list for the new school.

The school is hoping to acquire some nearby government land to create a small farm where the children who live in the poorest slum district can learn to grow food. Padma is planning to visit India & Sri Lanka in 2025 with a group and will spend some time with these projects in Rishikesh. There was sad news of the sudden passing of long-time friend, supporter and director of HOLY India, Prof. Haresh Pandya. He will be greatly missed.

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