The Day the Earth Moved
CARE TODAY was set up by the INDIA TODAY group in August 1999 to help lighten the burden
of the victims of the tragedies that take place around
us. It was set up to provide readers an opportunity to
contribute for a cause with the knowledge that the contribution
was being used judiciously and that it would have an impact
on the lives of the victims.
In the past 16 months, CARE TODAY has worked on three
tragedies. The first was the Kargil War, in which scores
of Indian soldiers were disabled during the conflict.
The Lest We Forget programme of CARE TODAY adopted 28
of the permanently disabled soldiers and provided them
financial support to begin life afresh. Two more soldiers
will be taken under the programme. In October 1999, a
supercyclone ravaged Orissa, killing thousands of people
and rendering lakhs homeless. CARE TODAY worked in the
worst affected villages in Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur
district. Today, 100 of the poorest widows now live in
houses built under the Hope For Orissa programme of CARE TODAY. Another 106 orphans are being fed, clothed and
educated with support from CARE TODAY.
Last summer, large tracts of the country were hit by one
of the worst droughts in recent time. CARE TODAY’s Fight
the Drought fund provided assistance to villagers in badly
affected Gujarat and Rajasthan for constructing check
dams and other rain harvesting measures.
The earthquake that struck Gujarat on January 26 this
year has left in its wake a horrifying trail of death
and destruction. Some estimates say the death toll could
touch 20,000 in the state. The government machinery has
already been set rolling for rescue and relief operations.
But such is the extent of the tragedy that it will not
suffice. Given the paucity of information at this stage,
CARE TODAY is still formulating the exact nature of its
intervention, though it seems that the worst affected
Kutch district is a prime candidate for help from CARE TODAY.
We propose to ensure the survival and security of the
poorest families in this area by providing support over
a long term (possibly over the next year) for food supplies,
rebuilding of shelters and income generation activities.
We also propose to support the rebuilding of schools and
healthcare centres in the area.
We seek your support and financial contributions for such
an endeavour. We will carry regular updates on our activities
and the progress achieved in the pages of INDIA TODAY.
All contributions will be individually acknowledged. Donations
of Rs 5,000 and above will be listed in the pages of the
magazine.
Please make out cheques/drafts to: "CARE TODAY Fund, A/c
Rebuilding Gujarat", INDIA TODAY, Hamilton House, 1A Connaught
Place, New Delhi 110001. All contributions to Care Todday
are entitled to deduction at the rate of 50 per cent under
Section 80(g) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
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