Our mission

This page describes the objects and activities of the Rama Foundation, and our background and origins.

OBJECT
To develop the capacities and the skills of members of socially and / or economically disadvantaged communities in all parts of the world (and particularly in India) in such a way as they are better able to identify, and help meet their needs and to participate more fully in society.

ACTIVITIES
Our primary aim is to contribute in partnership with individuals, groups and organisations working at ‘grass-roots’ level through ‘empowerment’ of disadvantaged communities with activities such as:

  • Providing support and assistance that enables them to identify and deal with problems that affect them as members of that community
  • Developing structures which enables them to be better placed to co-operate with each other and deal with organisations in the wider community
  • Nurturing networking and the sharing of experiences
  • Enabling groups to consolidate and build upon existing skills
  • Providing training and instruction of any sort appropriate to their needs
  • Providing advice / support as to how to identify needs or priorities of groups, or to plan projects and their implementation
  • Equipping people with or developing transferable skills such as team-building and problem solving
  • Developing people’s capacity to organise structures and practices within their organisation(s), e.g. through training in meeting skills, managing methods and techniques for projects and people
  • Developing people’s capacity for working within structures outside their group(s), e.g. by coaching in negotiations, assertiveness and advocacy
  • Etc

OBJECT
To advance education, health care and to aid in the relief of poverty in any part of the world (and particularly in India), and for those purposes only:

  1. to send volunteers to other countries to share and develop their skills and understanding and to share their experience with others on return
  2. to undertake or assist in works and projects of all kinds; and (3) to educate the public concerning the nature, causes and effects of such poverty and suffering.

ACTIVITIES
Our aim is to provide ‘hands on’ opportunities at ‘grass roots’ in partnership with local groups and organisations working to advance ‘education’, ‘healthcare’ and in the ‘relief of poverty’ by:

  • Recruiting and sending university students, professionals in ‘education’, ‘health’, etc for placements in the partnership organisations
  • developing ‘people to people’ contacts
  • Bringing together people to share skills, creativity and learning to build a fairer world
  • Enable participants to experience a different culture at first hand and help promote equality and shared oneness
  • Promote social and economical development through the advancement of appropriate technical and economical knowledge, and to assistance in the provision of suitable and affordable technologies
  • Promote sustainable long term development through innovation, entrepreneurship and micro-enterprise development
  • Promote and assist in provision of practical solutions to e.g. meeting energy needs, requirement of safe drinking water, effective sanitation and hygiene education and other needs
  • Engage in education of the public through meetings, etc concerning the nature, causes and effects of such poverty and suffering
  • Etc

OBJECT
To pay or apply or cause to be paid or applied the capital and income of the Foundation to such charities or such charitable purposes and in such proportions in such manner and subject to such terms, conditions as the Foundation may determine and to promote any other charitable purposes in furtherance of the objects as the trustees from time to time determine.

ACTIVITIES
We aim to support, financially efforts to improve the lives of the disadvantaged communities being targeted by us, by:

  • Sponsorship of individuals engaged in charitable action supported by us
  • Financially support groups engaged in such action
  • Support other charities both here locally and overseas that can further our causes
  • Etc.

We aim to give grants and / or loans for:

  • Innovation and testing of pro-poor technologies
  • Farmer-led technological development
  • Micro-enterprise development
  • Appropriate technologies for ‘Health Care’
  • Establishment of micro-finance facilities
  • Etc

We aim to promote and support research into ‘Education’ that is appropriate to
needs of the people and enables them to use it within their local context, etc

We aim to promote and support research into:

  • Health care through the application of the holistic approach and by use of healthy eating, self-help action and exercise
  • Integrated approach in healthcare which incorporates herbal medicines, yoga, etc

Registered Charity: 1114171

Background
‘Rama Foundation’ is being established in memory of Mr. Balbir Datta’s mother, Smt. Rama Rani Datta, who was a living embodiment of ‘giving’. She gave gifts of caring, attention, affection, appreciation and love that were perhaps more precious than material gifts that were shared by her with not only her own but many times with strangers. Her capacity to become a part of another’s suffering and give sustained effective support, an ‘invisible hand’, shall inspire all who become involved with this Charity.

The wide gap between rich and poor has always been a matter of concern in India. It is now widely accepted that the issue is not just confined to economic inequalities; the wider issue that needs to be addressed is the ‘inequality of opportunities’. This dimension has assumed special significance recently in the context of new economic reforms. There is a fear that inequalities will be further intensified as the poor and the weak are likely to be marginalized in this process because the economic opportunities are difficult to be used if a person is handicapped by ill-health or illiteracy. Education and health are recognised to be the two distinct influences, which can promote the freedom and capacity of individuals to make use of available opportunities. Policies for ‘universal literacy’ and ‘health for all’ can go a long way to increase the individual capabilities but even here the utilisation of services by the disadvantaged sections of the society is limited due to socio-economic constraints. This can lead to serious inequalities in the very sectors – health and education – which are expected to play the equalising role in India’s struggle to reduce inequality of opportunities. In a caste-ridden society like India, social hierarchy also can be a serious handicap for utilisation of available services in the health and education sectors. We are trying to make our contributions (to one of the many ongoing efforts at the grass root level to changing this situation) through Teams of professionals, initially from UK, and in collaboration with others.