CAMBRIDGE, MA– Association for India’s Development, which promotes sustainable and equitable development in India and currently has 35 chapters in across the United States, is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Sept 18th in Belmont, MA.
The anniversary celebration, which also hopes to raise funds for the organization and thank donors, will be held from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Beech Street Center located at 266 Beech Street in Belmont, MA. The group is hoping to raise $100,000 at the event.
“Through this event, we hope to raise about $100,000. This will allow us to maintain our engagement with our existing partners and make significant efforts in scaling impact,” AID Boston said in a statement. “AID takes this opportunity to connect with friends and supporters, old and new, who believe in building a just and equitable society – a society where even the most marginalized communities in India can live with dignity.”
AID is a volunteer movement promoting sustainable, equitable and just development. AID supports grassroots organizations in India and initiates efforts in various interconnected spheres such as education, livelihoods, natural resources including land, water and energy, agriculture, health, women’s empowerment and social justice.
From an organization formed by a handful of enthusiastic graduate students in Maryland in 1991, AID now has more than 35 chapters across the U.S., and continues to grow.
“We have learnt what a few doctors can do to change the face of community based healthcare in rural Chhattisgarh (India). Stories from our partners in Gujarat have opened our eyes to the disparity in education, especially amongst girls, and the need to create a level playing field for Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and other marginalized sections of society,” AID Boston said. “In times of natural disasters, we have not only responded swiftly and efficiently for immediate relief but also continued engagement to find long-term rehabilitation solutions.”
Revathi (who uses only her first name and is a long-term partner of AID) will give the keynote address this year.
Revathi is a school teacher-turned organic farmer who has done pioneering work in organic farming and in reclaiming agricultural lands destroyed by natural disasters. Her work has touched more than 1,100,000 farmers, helped reclaim land and livelihood in 22 disaster situations, including the one in West Bengal.
Her work has been recognized by the governments of India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and has drawn attention from ex-Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Her primary work involves changing the philosophy of farming in many parts of India, by training farming communities to switch from industrial to eco-friendly sustainable farming. AID has partnered with her on multiple occasions in the last decade including the recent support to work with farmers affected by the floods in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu in late 2015 to restore over 3000 acres of land (so far) and get the region back on its feet. We invite you to hear from her inspiring stories of resilience.
For more information, visit: www.aidevents.org.
