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Want to say Hi to Happy Rampreet ? #atozchallenge

For the A to Z Blogging Challenge, I’m blogging 26 days in April based on the alphabet and bringing you stories from the nonprofit Project Why.

Today’s feature is one of the humblest yet the most indispensable members of the Project Why Family! Because of his ready smile, Project Why’s founder, Anouradha Bakshi calls our featured guest for today, Happy Rampreet.

Happy Rampreet is the jack-of-all-trades at the Project Why Women’s Center. He  greets you with a huge toothy grin as you set foot inside the center and rushes to get you a glass of water. You might think he is the guard but do not be surprised to see him repairing a sewing machine, watering the plants or chopping vegetables. Rampreet does it all.

In 2010, a worried young secondary student hesitantly told her teacher about the plight of her father. Rampreet, a factory worker, lost his job when he fell sick and needed immediate surgery. His tiny savings dwindled away and the landlord threatened to throw the family out.

Young Geeta (with her father in the picture below) also shared that her father slept on the floor after his surgery as the family didn’t own a mattress, let alone a bed. Team Project Why sprung into action. The hat was passed around and everyone pitched in. A mattress was purchased the very day and the rent money collected shortly after. But the family was jobless and had 6 mouths to feed.

Damyanti Biswas talks about Project Why and the wonderful work this small nonprofit with a large heart does in the slum communities of New DelhiThe only solution until Rampreet was back on his feet was to provide the family enough to meet their immediate needs. For the long term, the team decided to approach Anouradha Bakshi and secure a job for Rampreet.

The rest is history. Happy Rampreet had come to stay.

All Rampreet’s children studied in Project Why. Geeta the eldest completes her schooling this year. Project Why supported her studies all the way as she is a bright and intelligent girl who can aspire to a better future. His youngest two are still in Project Why.

Rampreet and his family, who were supported by Project why and became a part of the Project Why Family, is how this tiny non-profit makes a huge difference, by providing employment and spreading education.

Would you like to ensure that more of Project Why staff’s children can receive support? Have you met people like him in your daily life: your office or neighborhood? What would you say to Happy Rampreet?

To Donate to the boarding school fund FOR Project Why, Click Here.
To Contact Project Why, Click Here

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Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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