Dear Family, Friends, and Fans,
As many of you may know, I will be traveling to India this summer to volunteer as a teacher at a school and orphanage for children suffering from extreme poverty. You can imagine that in these times of global economic crisis, funding is quite limited for this organization. I have pledged about a month of my summer to spend in Shanti Bavan, but I need help in making this possible.
I'm reaching out to those of you who know how important this type of work is to me. I've had the blessing of being a much older brother watching my youngest siblings grow and learn, and blossom. It hurts me to think that every child is not given that basic gift. I have always believed that teaching is an important part of my life. I attribute most of this to my gifted teachers. I was blessed by those who inspired me as a precocious elementary school student, teachers who challenged me in stubborn middle school years, and those who motivated me in my high school years, and those who dedicated their life to teaching young artists their craft. But these were not my only teachers, nor my greatest. I was blessed with a supportive family and community who made all of my success possible. The children of Shanti Bavan weren't born with this blessing. Please help me give it to them.
The schedule of an actor has its unpredictability, but it has given me the freedom to take nearly a month of my time to dedicate to this orphanage and the lives of these children. I sincerely hope that you can help me help them. The non-profit ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty) covers my room and board while in India which totals about $500. I am responsible for my transportation to the south of India which is another $1,500, which made my original fundraising goal only $2,000. I was shocked that for only $1,500, we can sponsor a child for an entire year. This provides them with housing, food, education, and supplies. In honor of my 5 siblings, I would like to raise enough money to sponsor 5 children in Shanti Bavan. Please think what you can share and know that my gratitude for your help is enormous.
You can donate by clicking this link: http://www.firstgiving.com/nicholasgalbraith.
Thank you so much,
Nicholas Galbraith
Here is more information on the orphanage:
Project Shanti Bhavan was launched in August 1997 to provide educational opportunities and support to children from the poorest families and orphans in the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka areas of Southern India. It is an original project of The George Foundation that targets children from the "untouchable" caste.
Shanti Bhavan is, in simple terms, a boarding school for these children of deprived backgrounds. Given proper care, support and educational opportunities, these children will have a good chance of being successful in life. It is The George Foundation’s belief that only through this level of commitment to the children that the conditions of poverty and social deprivation can be overcome for the "untouchables" of India.
The primary focus is on children in their formative years, starting with 4 year-olds and seeing them through age 17. The overall goal of the project is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and to encourage rural education in the following ways:
• to break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage, and
• to enable the children to become well-rounded, achieve their full potential, and become fully productive individuals.
In line with ASTEP’s mission, the collaborative project with the George Foundation is grounded in the belief that the deleterious consequences of extreme poverty can be overcome if the problems are tackled in the early stages of a child's development. It is further believed that children of poverty are no different than more fortunate children if they are given a chance to dream and to aspire, and are supported through education and constant encouragement to realize their full potential.
http://www.asteponline.org/index.html