On occasion of International Women’s Day, our two teams reached two different destinations to uphold the grave issue of “Human Trafficking” at IISER. Kolkata and IISC, Bangalore. We have been successful in spreading the awareness as much as possible.

Our beloved patron cum donor, Professor Jenia Mukherjee, Assistant Professor at IIT Kharagpur, has celebrated her birthday with the children of our Behala Orphanage along with her husband and son. She even distributed gifts among the children and what she received in return was the smile on the children’s faces and that was what made her birthday so special.

We were happy being able to upgrade our Vocational Training Centre with computers which were much needed. With the help of technology, women learning there will get exposure to the courses they are being taught. We had been planning to distribute the computers for a quite long time and this made us as well as the women there really happy.

Atreyi Chatterji, an eminent Professor of Presidency University, on her visit to the Home, Narendrapur: “...I deeply appreciate the good work done by Sidhant and his Rescue and Relief team for these women and children who so often are discriminated against owing to social prejudices. Kudos to the Rescue and Relief team for their efforts and I believe the joy and happiness they bring to these girls will translate into even better work in future!”

It is one of the most special days for all the Rescue and Relief Family since we visited our Rehabilitation centre for trafficked girl children. With us, Dr Atreyi Chatterjee so kindly stepped into the home along with her daughter and a colleague. We had organised a musical event – ‘Antakhsari’- for the girls there in celebration of Children’s Day.

One of our eminent donors, Professor Joyoti basu of Bose Institute has recently visited our Sason project and this is what she had to say- “ The centre at Sason nurtured and grown to its present size by 98 year old Sri Sudhansu basu, is a haven of tranquillity – a two hour ride from Central Kolkata…”

The authority of Mani Square Mall invited our children to be a part of their Independence Day celebration by competing in a “Sit and Draw Competition”. After hoisting the flag, our children participated in the drawing competition. They were in between 8-14 years and they all tried to draw their heart out on their respective canvases.

Once again we reached to present our awareness talk and this time it was IISER, Bhopal. The event, “Human Trafficking- Unseen and Unheard Voices of India” was arranged by the Deputy Director of IISER, Mr. Saptarshi Mukherjee. We got a loud response from there and shared very important information regarding this grave issue of not only India but also of the world.

Professor Dr. Seema Narain of Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata visited the orphanage at Vivekanandapur, Mahestala near Kolkata. She interacted with the children and went around to the school campus and orphans home. She suggested some improvements about the ways the children were taken care of.

Professor Dr. Samrajit Bhattacharjee visited one of projects based on Girl Child Trafficking in Kolkata. Any visit to our project centre works as a morale booster to them and makes them immensely happy. Dr. Bhattacharjee was equally happy as our girl children.

Our respected Donor Mr. Shailen Prasad Chaudhary of Sea Shore Ship Agency visited Narendrapur rehabilitation centre and was very happy with the management there. He confirmed his support for the cause in future also.

R&R is trying to expand its efforts to South India as well. In this effort our representatives went to IISC Bangalore, one of the best institutes of South India and provided the talk related to trafficking of women and children. The intelligentsia there were very much in agreement with whatever R&R had to say and many of them extended their hand of support.

Professor Soumyajit Bhattacharya of Biological Sciences Department of IISER Mohali visited Narendrapur rehabilitation centre for girl child traffic victims. He was very satisfied with his visit and made some very useful suggestions as for how to provide even more help to the traffic victims.

At Ramkrishnapur village near Sason, South 24 Parganas district where R&R runs a tailoring training centre for underprivileged rural women certificates were provided to candidates who completed the course successfully. This course is helping very needy women to get jobs and help their families.

In the occasion of 150th birth centenary of the great scientist Marie Curie Rescue and Relief Foundation team provided a lecture on human trafficking, particularly women and children at the convention centre of Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi. Professor Anindita Bhadra chairperson of INYAS very kindly helped in organise the lecture.

Mr. Abhishek Som from Shell and Ms. Abhirupa Ghosh from TCS visited Vivekanandapur Orphanage. They were very enthusiastic about the project and very kindly presented the children with books, writing and drawing materials, toys and play things to the children. They also pledged their support for future also.

Both the professors from National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar visited the Narendrapur rehabilitation centre. They took a trip to see the facilities at the centre for a dignified future life of the girls and expressed satisfaction with all the efforts being made.

With kind help of our patron Professor Sobha Madan a talk named “Human Trafficking: Unseen and Unheard Voices of India” was given by our secretary to faculty and students of IISER Mohali. The talk was greeted with lot of questions and enthusiasm and many pledged their support for the cause.

A similar talk regarding the real situation of trafficked girl children was given at IIT Kanpur. The talk generated lot of discussion among the faculty and students and many responded with eagerness to help in the cause with intellectual and financial help.

Professor Abheejeet Mohaptara of IIT Kanpur very kindly visited Old age home at Kanpur near IIT campus in July and spent some time with the elderly residents. His compassion towards the elderly who generally look forward for company was appreciated greatly by the residents.

Professor Rupa Mukhopadhyay of IACS, Kolkata visited the rehabilitation centre for girl child victims of trafficking at Narendrapur. She was quite excited about the project and put forward many practical suggestions including a library for the girls to be initiated at the centre.

R&R has come forward to take care of a child welfare centre in Durgapur which gives free education to 92 children who were working in coal pits. The building of this centre was made by DSP, SAIL, Durgapur. The Organization is looking forward to support more children in this project.

Our secretary gave a presentation at Xavier Institute of Social Services at Ranchi a talk about human trafficking, particularly girl children and women to the faculty and students to generate awareness about this social evil. There were many questions from the audience which were clarified.

R&R team visited Kolaghat and our secretary presented the students who passed their 10th class board examination with high scores, with certificates medals like the previous year. Our secretary gave a motivational lecture to the students.

She was very impressed with the effort made by R&R for the trafficked girl children and commented that work of organisation was of ‘immense importance’ and also it is “a very good endeavour” from R&R. She also has pledged her sponsorship for one girl child in the home.

Professor Joyoti Basu from Bose Institute Kolkata 27th May, 2017. She wanted to contribute more in future for the cause of trafficked children in future. She has pledged her sponsorship for one girl child in the home.

We have decided to educate 20 of the rehabilitated girl children as lawyers who in future will be very helpful to bring proper justice to the wronged children whose justice are often greatly delayed or denied. They are kept separately in a new home at Behala and are rigorously preparing for admission exams in law colleges.

Mrs. Sharmistha Som, Ex army school teacher visited rehabilitation home for trafficked girl children. She shared her moments with the children and administration and also extended valuable advises for all. She was satisfied with the overall situation but thought more needed to be done to which we wholeheartedly agreed.

Dr. Ajita Mallick , gynaecologist from Dhanbad visited Home for girl child rehabilitation. Visits by professional doctors , particularly by gynaecologists are very important to the Home because the trafficked girl children are at many cases faced with gynaecological problems at a minor age, not the least of which is unwanted motherhood.

Professor Nisheeth Srivastava of Computer Science department, IIT, Kanpur visited the old age home in Kanpur near IIT campus and shared some quality time with elderly residents adding a bit of smile to faces of everybody. He has also expressed his good wishes towards the elderly. Many faculty members of IIT, Kanpur are enthusiastically supporting our projects.

Rescue and Relief in an effort to make the life of the kids of orphanage at Ramkrishnapur village near Sason full of fun, has provided with a new kits of cricket, volleyball and football. The children were very happy and a cricket match was played between the seniors and the kids to celebrate the occasion.

Professor Ananya Biswas, faculty member of IIEST Shibpur (Geology), very kindly made a visit to Ramkrishnapur orphanage and spent some time with the children. She was accompanied by her husband, who tried his hand in cricket with our children. We greatly welcome such enthusiasm from visitors because it provides moments of brightness to the children.

Orphanage at Vivekanandapur, near Mahestala, Kolkata was presented with cricket kit and volleyball and net. These have enabled the children to pass their days with fun and games. A new dress set was also given to them. In a cricket match, between seniors and kids which everybody heartily enjoyed children won handsomely.

Professor Tinku Sinha, scientist from Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata visited the rehabilitation for girl children at Narendrapur. She was very touched and got very emotionally impressed with the situation. Many other faculty members from SINP are also providing us great support for the project. We greatly appreciate their contribution.

Professor R. K. Bansal of Electrical department of IIT, Kanpur made a visit with his family to Kanpur old age home which is located near IIT campus and takes care of 50 disadvantaged elderly persons. He was extremely impressed with everything in the old age home and assured us that he will be firmly with us.

The old age home at Ramkrishapur village, South 24 Parganas Dist. is at a remote area which made cable TV connection difficult and erratic. A new TV set was introduced as well as dish antenna connection which made TV viewing without any disturbances. It is a priceless addition of amusement in the lives of lonely grandparents.

Three more sewing machines were provided for the tailoring training course for the disadvantaged women in Ramkrishnapur village near Sason. This has enabled the training course to reach out to more students who are becoming skilled workers, providing great opportunities to them to earn. Many more women are interested to join the course.

Diwali, the festival of light was celebrated in all the centres of R&R.Diyas were lit in Old age homes of Rayen village Kolaghat and Ramkrishnapur village near Sason. Sweets were distributed among the elderly and also in SasonTailoring training centre. Children in Orphanages in Vivekanandpur (near Behala) and Sason celebrated Diwali with colourful fireworks.

Durga Puja, Navratri and Eid-al Adha were celebrated by the R&R team in the month of September with gusto and sweets were distributed in Rayen village (near Kolaghat) old age home supported by Rescue & Relief Foundation. Cultural functions were held during Durga Puja which the elderly dwellers enjoyed to the core.

There was an awareness campaign in Sason, South 24 Parganas, for importance of vocational training for women and orphans and destitute children. R&R is providing sewing machines and all the funds for tailoring training to disadvantaged women in this remote and underdeveloped area. It is also providing mobile repairing training to orphans and destitute children.

There was an interactive session with children of drop in centre and crisis centre in Khiddirpur. Here 65 children of sex workers are given formal school education, tuition and coaching and shelter at night to keep them away from second generation prostitution and give them a new bright future with the help of the Youth Group.

We have be started the vocational training program for underprivileged women in Shason, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal by providing sewing machine to them.

R&R has started aiding a home, a drop –in centre and crisis centre for victims of girl child trafficking and children of sex workers in Narendrapur and Khiddirpur respectively.

On Independence day R&R has started providing help for an orphanage in Behala, Kolkata. It is providing support for food, clothing and education for the children in orphanage aged between 4.5 and 15.

R&R facilitated 50 poor meritorious students achieving 90% marks or more in their class 10 exam. with medals fully made of silver at Kolaghat, West Bengal. Founder & Secretary gave a motivational lecture to them.

R&R identified a new old age home in Kanpur, UP for providing support. The home is at present the only one in UP to support destitute old people with nobody to care for them. The Home provides care for 50 elderly people

Rescue and Relief Foundation has taken up its 3rd Project for Elderly people at Rayen, Kolaghat, West Bengal on 25th May 2016. The old age home supports 27 elderly people at present. R&R is trying to increase its capacity.

On 03 April, R&R started its first child education program in association with a Home situated at Shason. R&R has taken the initiative to provide all basic amenities, education, food and shelter to all 35 children who reside there.

On 26th March, 2016, The Foundation started its support for cancer project in association with Cancer Fight Foundation in Thakurpukur Cancer Hospital, Kolkata for supporting patients affected with stomach or colon cancer.