Skip to main content

#atozchallenge: Xavier’s bonds with Project Why

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.

Xavier Ray, one of Project Why’s biggest donors and supporters, is a successful French businessman who has been coming to India since his backpacker days. Perhaps that’s why India became the preferred destination of his travel agency. He has numerous friends in India all belonging to one side of the fence. Project Why enabled him to cross the invisible line and fall in love unconditionally with the other side.

Damyanti Biswas covers the Nonprofit Project why based in New Delhi India, for her A to Z Blogging Challenge in April 2016Xavier never does anything halfway. He first came to Project Why in 2002, when it was in an embryonic state and they had just opened the Special section. He spent time with the special needs kids and as it was time to go home, offered to take them in his big car leaving the driver somewhat perplexed. When he left, there was no envelope or hurriedly-retrieved banknotes from a used wallet. There was a promise to help.

For the next few months there was no news from him, and Project Why thought that perhaps he had forgotten them. In early 2003, they got an email from him saying that he had been so moved by Project Why that he’d decided to set up an organization in Paris to support them long-term. He has been doing just that for the last 13 years!

Enfances Indiennes is Project Why’s longest regular donor. It has stood by them through thick and thin and has always reached out to them in difficult times. It has also created a network of supporters in France who have become friends. Over and above the much needed fundraising, Enfances Indiennes send regular volunteers and visitors to Project Why. They organize a Project Why Tour every two years, bringing people to spend some time with the children.

Xavier functions much as Project Why. As he sees with his heart. He’s always on board, whatever the challenge. Each time the Project has taken up a new ‘Why’ he is always there to back them all the way.

Over the years Xavier has become the friend you seek when in trouble or doubt, the shoulder you cry on when you need to vent your feelings, the sounding board before making a decision. He is always there.

Xavier has established special bonds with each and everyone. He is Javire Sahib to the auto rickshaw drivers, Xavier Sir to the team and Utpal’s French papa.

Project Why would nor be what it is without the very special touch of Xavier Ray.

To Donate  Project Why, CLICK HERE.
To Contact Project Why, Click Here
 

Please join Daily (w)rite on its Facebook Page if you’d like to be heard by this community. If you liked this post, you can have biweekly posts delivered to your inbox: click the SUBSCRIBE button in the sidebar. The daily posts are only for April: I’m doing 26 posts on the fab nonprofit Project Why for my A to Z Challenge.

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 !

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

10 Comments

  • Jemima Pett says:

    Glad to read your ProjectWhy posts – just haven’t been able to think of anything to comment sensibly about!
    Jemima Pett

  • macjam47 says:

    What an inspiration! Xavier is truly a special person.

  • jlennidorner says:

    J here, of the #atozchallenge Arlee Bird’s A to Z Ambassador Team.
    Have you enjoyed the challenge? Did you hop to other blogs? The end of the alphabet here! Reflections sign up is May 9– mark a calendar.
    My blog’s giveaway is still going. I’m encouraging everyone to visit more stops.
    http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com
    Aww. That’s one heck of a guy. Hope he’s always remembered for doing such great deeds.

  • IB Arora says:

    great, inspiring

  • Peter Nena says:

    “he sees with his heart”
    That’s the best part.

  • You are a wonderful person, and obviously Xavier is too. Thank you for all you’re doing for this great challenge. Talk to you later.

  • cleemckenzie says:

    We need thousands more Xaviers in our world. So wonderful that you have a chance to extoll him and his work here.

  • Love the international support Project Why attracts, especially the fact that visitors don’t go home and forget the promises they’ve made. It takes a village, for sure, but also a world community and that fact gets clearer everyday! Thank you Xavier Ray, for being a warrior for good!

  • hilarymb says:

    Hi Damyanti – how very thought provoking and how humble he is … fascinating post – you keep telling us so many different facets to Project Why – it’s lovely and just marvellous how generous people from around the globe can be … what a great way to set a link up from France direct to Project Why … it must make so much difference …

    Cheers Hilary