Adda as a community and charitable trust has always looked to give back to the community in some way or form.
We have been able to create a community who could be reached out for any form of support. Adda as an organisation feels responsible to be able to help out communities effected due to any unforseen events. Below are some of the work and recognition we have received while coming forward to do our bit for the community and people.
Adda is a Slough, UK based charity organisation working for cultural integration between India and UK. Adda is known for homely & attractive Durga Puja, Kali Puja and a host of cultural activities upholding Bengal’s tradition and culture in UK. Despite being Bengali diaspora-based organisation it’s quite popular among other Indian and international communities. One of the main reasons behind this is Adda’s reputation of chronic charity and philanthropic activities.
During the Covid-19 crisis, Adda Slough embarked into a new role of serving the society addressing the call of the hour. Adda Slough in collaboration with other organisations like Slough Mitra Mandal, Slough food bank, Slough Hindu Temple, Sewa Day reached out to provide food supplies, essential commodities and medicines to the doorsteps of elderly, the vulnerable, health workers and stranded Indian students abroad. With the help of Slough council and Thames Valley police Adda Slough in itself has reached out to a total of 50,000 in collaboration with others.
One of the key international donors from Netherlands Mr Milton Biswas talked about Adda’s unwavering commitment on charity activities at the crisis times and cited the reason on his continuous support on Adda’s funding activities.
Super cyclone Amphan which originated from Bay of Bengal has severely destroyed South of Bengal including Bangladesh and Indian state of West Bengal. Among them in Ganges delta mangrove forest region of Sundarban is worst hit where not only there has been numerous casualties but also people have lost most of the infrastructure and livelihood. All the power, communication lines have been disrupted. Brackish sea water has breached the embankments in several places resulting the agriculture impossible for quite a few years. People have lost their homes, domestic animals. Putting the life back to normalcy will a lot of time over there.
Currently several organisations have come forward to raise fund for cyclone hit Bengal. Adda has been not only raising fund but also disbursing it faster to make sure the aid reaches to distress quickly and effectively. Adda is raising the fund globally though its social media based and people based network platforms with significant participations. Adda is also focussing on Sundarban for its relief activities. Adda’s trustee Pradyumna Dutta explained, ’Sundarban has been worst hit in this super cyclone. It is ecologically very sensitive area as well like Amazon. Of course, we need to rehabilitate affected people and their livelihood but on the top trees and greenery have also been destroyed and we need go for a greenathon to restore the flora and fauna of the ravaged area’.
Adda has teamed up with Kolkata based NGO Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre (KMWSC) for the relief activity. Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre, the social development wing of Loreto Congregation in India, has been working for the social justice and protection of women and children in West Bengal, India since 1979. Apart from imparting education to girls, the Loreto sisters have extended their social support to the underprivileged, marginalized, migrant and deprived communities for social inclusion and cohesion. KMWSC has been registered as a not for profit/ non-govt. Organization under West Bengal Societies Registration Act of 1961 in the year 2014 and KMWSC is under the legal compliances of 12 AA, 80 G and FCRA.
KMWSC has an exemplary record for its service to humanity and relief works. KMWSC director Sister Monica Suchiang said, ‘KMWSC is engaged in a vast area of work in Sundarban, South and North 24 paragana region. We will be closely working with affected people in Gosaba, Sagar island of Sundarban. We will also be working in Diamond Harbour, Canning, Basirhat areas too. In Kolkata we will be conducting domiciliary activities in six slum areas as well. Apart from providing relief we will rehabilitate people and help to get back to their livelihood. We work with international charity organisations regularly and we are working with Adda Slough from UK this time’.
Funds coming from Adda Slough will be used to purchase regular and essential items like rice, wheats, lentils, clothes, utensils, medical & hygienic items and the shelter items. So far the team has already reached to Amphan super cyclone victims in the areas of Gangasagar, Gosaba, Basirhat and Diamond Harbour areas with essential items.
Commenting on further planned activities another Adda trustee Oindrila Upadhyay said,’ Apart from ecologically sensitive Sundarban Kolkata’s iconic Boi para or College Street book market has been severely affected due to super cyclone Amphan. Printed hard copy books costing crores have been either damaged or lost. This is the season when new academic year begins and due to Amphan a huge number of textbooks are out of markets now. Book sellers and publishers Guild has appealed for help to reprint those books as soon as possible and Adda will be working on this to ensure future of our children and overall society does not get harmed’