Cry mailer

Dear Friend,

In January 2004, India hosted the fourth World Social Forum (WSF) in Mumbai. WSF is a platform for peoples' movements, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, activists and others who question the economic and social policies of globalisation. WSF focuses on social issues affecting the world's underprivileged and powerless. Committed to the belief “Another World Is Possible”, WSF proposes people-centred alternatives to the globalisation policies pursued by most countries. CRY’s interest in WSF stems from our concern over how globalisation without adequate safeguards has affected children in India. We utilised this opportunity to present our views and experiences. On January 28, 2004, CRY turned 25. As we kick off a year of celebration, we invite you to rededicate yourself to the movement for ensuring basic child rights in India.If you'd like to send us a message or suggestion, you can do that online.
As always, we welcome your contributions and feedback. In faith and goodwill, The CRY Team




		March 8, celebrated worldwide as International Women's Day, is a day we pause and reflect on the progress made in the fight for women's rights. On this day, we celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have overcome extraordinary obstacles - in some cases, right from birth - to obtain their rights. Ordinary women such as Sujata. Married at 15 to an elderly man who turned out to be married with children, she was abandoned soon after the wedding. Rejected by her parents, shunned by her village and unqualified to earn a living, it was a bleak future that lay ahead of her. Until CRY-supported initiative, Rachana, helped her rebuild her life.

Individuals and organisations all support CRY in the way each one of them best can. Here are some of them:

Sukamma, a 16 year old Adivasi girl, used to sing a folk song. A music duo from Mumbai heard the song and Indica Project was born. More…

Corporation Bank has been a firm supporter of CRY. For every new account opened between February 1, 2004 and May 10, 2004, anywhere in India, the bank will contribute Rs.5/- to CRY-supported initiatives.

TATA Chemicals renewed its Desh Ko Arpan Programme with CRY. For every pack of Tata Salt sold between January 26, 2004 and February 25, 2004, TATA Chemicals donated 10 paise to CRY. The funds will be used to support 4 child development initiatives focused on education of the girl child.

If you're shopping at Shoppers Stop, be sure to ask for your loot to be packed in the CRY co-branded paper bags. Decorated with child art and priced at Rs.15/-, the bags are an attractive, eco-friendly alternative to plastic. CRY gets 20% of the sales proceeds of these bags.


		Every day, millions of children go to school in India. Going to School in India, a book written by Lisa Heydlauff and sponsored by the Bharti Foundation, celebrates what school can be. Order it online…




Poverty made Bikash Sengupta's parents pull him out of school in his hometown in Midnapore, West Bengal, and bring him to Kolkata to seek employment. If he is now a full-time student, class monitor and topper, it is thanks to Nabadisha, a unique project for slum and street children run by the Kolkata Police, and implemented by a CRY-supported partner, Vikramshila Education Resource Society.

Ingrid Srinath succeeds Pervin Varma as CEO. More...

		The media have always been supportive of CRY's efforts. We, in turn, periodically organise visits for them, to our projects, so that they can meet and interact with the children whose lives they are helping improve. More… Two and a half years ago, a group of housewives from the Hiranandani township at Powai got in touch with CRY. They said wanted to “do something for children”. More…

		The 4th CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge took place in Delhi in Nov 2003. This time, the event was extended to Chandigarh as well. Since inception, the funds raised have helped change the lives of three thousand children. More…

CRY Chennai volunteers organised a two day art workshop for the children at the Juvenile Justice Home for Boys. The workshop covered portraits, still life and cartooning.

One Monday, a young Swedish girl, Alice, walked into the CRY Chennai office, saying she wanted to teach underprivileged children. We put Alice in touch with Good Shepherd, a CRY-supported initiative, and she spent the next 3 months with them. Alice's contribution underscores CRY Founder, Rippan Kapur's belief that “Every individual is a resource of skill, time and goodwill”.

IIT Kharagpur's annual Spring Fest, held in Jan 2004, got a new hue this year CRY yellow! The techies adopted our Sunshine Pencils campaign, and sold pencils and T-shirts to raise Rs.20,500/- in 3 days. The awareness created amongst youth was phenomenal, and “philanthropy” and “commitment” became new descriptors for this popular college festival.

At the World Social Forum held in Mumbai, CRY facilitated kids reaching out to other kids. More…


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		Annual Report 2001-02

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Photographs courtesy CRY photobank