My first sponsored child...

In 1987, when I was 26, my father died, leaving me some life insurance and a few thousand dollars in property (my mother had died 9 years earlier). The group house where I'd been living with friends since college graduation had broken up recently, I'd been working a "real" (if low-paying) job at a publishing company for 2.5 years, and it was time to establish adult finances. Over the next year, I used my inheritance to pay off my (admittedly small, compared today's) student loans and my car loan, set money aside to finish my Masters degree, put a down payment on a 75 year-old townhouse in a run-down area of Washington, DC, started contributing to the profit-sharing plan, and created a plan for charitable contributions. One of the things I wanted to do was sponsor a child in India, so (if I'm not making things up in a haze of rememberance), that became my New Year's resolution for 1989.

Easier said than done. With no internet, of course, my resources for choosing a sponsorship organization were magazine advertisements. To my surprise, only one organization seemed to be operating a sponsorship program in India, Children International. I sent in the little coupon, which gave choices for sponsoring a girl or a boy, in Asia or Latin America. I chose "girl" and next to "Asia" wrote in "India." Monthly sponsorship payments were $12 per month--considerably less than the organizations, which ran closer to $20 at the time. Sponsors could write as frequently as desired, but only received 2 letters per year from their child, which was one way that costs were contained.

Last year, I learned for the first time that the official launch date for the Sahay project was March, 1989 when Jim Cook blogged about the 20th anniversary celebration (a posting I can't link to because they didn't move the old posts to LiftOne, but the url redirects here). So I must have been one of their earliest sponsors.

1989 (Age 5-6)

In due time, my Sponsorship packet arrived (very much like the one you get today; in fact I don't think much has been edited since then, which is why the information conflicts with what's on the web site). I was assigned a 6 year-old girl named Rina Rani Samanta, born June 16, 1983, who lived with her parents and her older brother and sister in rural South 24 Parganas district. A second sister was married and out of the house. Her father was in his 50s and her mother was in her late 40s, older than you would expect. But my parents were older when I was born, so I identified with that. Her brother was only 6 years younger than me.

Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough to save the Progress Reports, so I can't say for sure what her father earned, but I think it was $6 or $7 per month. I think his occupation was listed as "bricklayer" (I don't know why I'd think that if it wasn't), although Rina would later say he was a farmer. But my grandfather, a small farmer who struggled to feed his children, worked in the nearby brickyard in addition to the coal mines. So it makes perfect sense to me. Her mother kept the home, of course.

The first letter was written on 3 sheets of ruled newsprint, size A4. It read:

   Dear Sponsor,
   Writer of this letter Mr. Chandan Mandal, Case Worker, expresses the feelings of Rina Samanta your sponsored child. She sends you her thanks.
   Rina tells you she always obey her parents advice and respect them very much. She likes to hear funny stories. She [is] presenting you with a picture drawn by herself [misplaced] and a page of alphabets and numbers written by herself which attaches with this letter.
   She invites you to see her. If you come she will be very happy. Rina sends you her love and her family sends you their greetings. Your's sincerly, Chandan Mandal, Case Worker. 

In the fall, a new photo and the next letter arrived on 2 pieces of newprint, trimmed down to size to save postage costs. With 4 months or so of school under her belt, Rina had already mastered Bengali script and spelling and wrote for herself, partly with a fountain pen:
   Dear Sponsor,
   I am so happy you will be my sponsor and my friend. I think you for my good thinking for my future life. I am very much pleasure to get your greetings card. I love to learn and play. My parents and my teachers love me also. Please come to my house one day. It will be a great fun.
   I end my letter here with love. Please take my salutations and pray to God for best wishes.
   Love from your child, Rina Samanta.

At the time I had a co-worker whose parents were from West Bengal, and who had learned to read and write Bengali as a child. A little skeptical that a child would learn to write so well so fast, I showed her the letter and asked whether the translation was correct and whether the language was age-appropriate. Her Bengali was rusty, but she was able to verify those things. 

 1990 (Age 6-7)

April

   Dear Sponsor,

   I have one brother and two sisters. I love them. I obey my parents. I go to school in new dresses, shoes, and keeping books in new box. [That must have been their Easter gift.] I wish you a happy [Indian] New Year. Thank you for your charitable mind. The whole of my family expresses thanks for the same.
   With love your child, Rina Samanta

The translation was typed (manual typewriter) with some translation errors corrected by hand. Some had crossed out "advice" after parents (similar to the phrasing in the case worker's letter). "Thank you" was originally "Congratulations" [for your charitable mind]. And "child" started out as "son." Also attached was a drawing of a flower growing in a flower pot, a motif known as a "buta" that is very common in Indian art and on Indian textiles. Rina really, really likes butas, because another one arrived with her August letter (text missing) and many more thereafter.

1991 (age 7-8)

April

With her April letter, Rina branched out (literally) to a "gamta buti," which is a more sophisticated potted plant with different kinds of flowers. Also a common Indian motif. Additionally, she's added a boat, and what is probably a rice paddy.

   Dear Sponsor:
   This letter will bring you the happy news that I am well.
   And every day I go to school. My parent[s] love me very much. We play in the afternoon at BANI MANDIR PARK. In the evening I learn my lesson attentively. I like to see and draw the picture.
   Pray to God a happy and prosperous life to you and your family.
   With love, your child,
   Rina Samanta

 Of course, back in 1991 there was no internet. But a few years ago, while organizing my old letters, I googled BANI MANDIR PARK. I found the web page for BANI MANDIR, which partners with CI in the village of Khordanhala. Searching the CI site for Khordanhala produced these results: Alumni Update and Sponsorship Produces Results, which are Part 1 and Part 2 of the same story. So, I have inferred that Rina lives or lived in Khordanhala

August

Dear Sponsor,
Hope you all are quite well there. We are quite well. I have been getting benefit from the programme. I go to school every day. I play with my friends in the afternoon. I shall be very glad if you come to us.
With love your son [er, child/daughter],
Rina Samanta

And for something different, a drawing of a house with a tiled roof, window grilles, and a parrot. 

 1992 (age 8-9)

April

Dear Sponsor,
Hope you are in sound body and mind.
 We are all well.
I learn my lesson attentively. I go to school every day. I am interested to read Bengali. Play with my brother and friends. [Brother is 23 years old now...] At night I take my meal with my parent[s] and brother and sister.
I am receiving all the benefits from this programme. If you come here I will be very pleased.
I convey my sincerest love and gratitude.
Your loving child,
Rina Samanta

August

Dear Sponsor,
First I convey my love and best wishes to all. I hope everybody is fine. Every morning I get down to study [at the project center] and at midday I go to school. In the afternoon, I play with my friends in the park. In the evening, I study again.
I like drawing pictures. I draw whenever I have time. We are all fine. Please convey my love and respect to all. I will be writing more letters in future. Please do write to me also.
Yours lovingly,
Rina Samanta

  1993 (age 9) -- The 1993 photo and September letter are missing. I'm hoping I have a cache (or caches) of items put away somewhere that I will find one of these days...

March (Note the tidy handwriting and picture of my cat)

Dear Sponsor,

Hope you are all well. We are all fine. Every morning I study and then go to school in the afternoon. I have many friends in school. We all study, play and chat together. There is a flower garden in our school. We plant trees there and water them. In my leisure time I help my mother in household work.

I end my letter with love and regards to you all. I will write to you again later.

Yours lovingly,

Rina Samanta

1994 (Age 10-11)--Photo missing

March

Dear Sponsor,

We are fine. Hope you are also well. I get all sorts of facilities from this project. I have my health checked regularly. I go to school every day.

My father works in the fields of cultivation. My mother works at home throughout the day and I help my mother. I bring water from the tube-well of our locality and collect fuel for cooking.

Hope you and the rest of your family are fine. I convey my love, thanks and greetings to all at the end.

Yours ever, Rina Samanta

September

Dear Sponsor,

Hope you and your family are well. We are all well. I go to school every day and study attentively. At home I look after my younger brothers and sisters [I think she means relatives; cousins or nieces and nephews. Her siblings are all much older than she.] In my free time I help my mother. I like to do household work. In the evening I study. Then we all go to bed after listening to stories from my father. I end my letter here. I convey my regards to your family.

Yours lovingly,

Rina Samanta 

 1995--Age 11-12

March--Found in the '96 Folder!

Dear Sponsor.

At first I convey my hearty love and best wishes. Hope you are all fine. We are all fine here. I am studying every day dilligently. I am getting the benefit of this prgramme regularly. I go to school every day. I have many friends there. I study and play with them. We livein a village. There are green field[s], muddy roads, huts and many ponds here.

With respect and love to you all,

Yours ever,

Rina Samanta

September--The inauguration of Stationery...

Dear Sponsor. We fine. I get all the benefits of this project. I study attentively and go to school regularly. Our school is within our village. Here 300 students study. Hope you are all well. I convey my love and regards to you all. Yours sincerely, Rina Samanta

(I think this is a pineapple, but it has leaves at both ends so maybe someone can correct me...)

 1996--Age 12-13

March

Dear Sponsor,

Hope all of you are well. We are well. There are many mango, jackfruit, tamarind trees and ponds in our viallage. We grow paddy and vegetables in our village field and we use the brick road to got to school and market. During the village fair, I enjoy very much with my friends.

With lots of love and regards,

Yours lovingly,

Rina Samanta

Prior to 1996, I think I had begun sending more than the requested amount for holiday gifts, and getting photos back of what was purchased. The fact that I don't have ANY of these photos at hand suggests I carefully organized them away... somewhere...But I remember there were photos of Rina in "festival" clothing that had been purchased, different from the salwar kameez that they buy now. It was very ornate and looked very heavy, more like something Native American or North Asian than what one thinks of as Indian. (There's an example coming up in the next post, but the outfit is cotton and not as heavy and she's not such a little girl anymore!)

There were also photos of her father with a lantern on one occasion, and a big heavy-duty water pump on another. That was the first IGP--he was going to use it on his land, then rent it out to other farmers to get their land properly irrigated (or dried out, as necessary). Another gift, which I think was for $100, bought big wooden window and door frames something like the ones Sahida's family bought, but more ornately carved around the frame I think, and with wooden/bamboo vertical bars to deter intruders.

However, in 1996 it looks like I decided to start sending additional money with my quartely sponsorshp payments. I made my charitable contributions quarterly then, and as my income increased I had increased the amount I was giving to my local charities. I probably wanted my CI contributions to keep pace. (And with no web site, sponsoring an additional child wouldn't have occurred to me.) I imagine the monthly contribution was about $16 then, making the quarterly amount $48, and I added $100 and rounded it up to $150. Which prompted THE LETTER.

Now, I'm sure Mr. Gripkey (Jim Cook's predecessor) is a very nice man and remembered affectionately by everyone at CI. But something about his Dickensian/Rowlingesque quality of "Gripkey" (combined with the geneal overkill of a 2 page letter) makes the main point of the letter sound that much more dramatic: "Thank you for your generous gift of $150....

"I understand that you wish to provide additional gifts for Rina. We wish we were able to do that but, because of conditions which are unique to our project in India, we have had to establish a policy which prohibits sending additional presents of any kind for sponsored children and their families in those areas.

"In these projects, singling out one child in the community, even with a small present, could cause serious harm to that child and his or her family. Because people are so poor and live in such crowded conditions--more so than in any other project--they often become jealous of families or children who receive more than they do.

"When one family is favored in any way, others in the community often become violent, destroying the family's home and causing personal injury to family members.

"I know you may wish to provide an extra treat [$150?] for your sponsored child from time to time, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to cause her or her family any undue suffering.

"Please be assured, however, that gifts you send to purchase presents for holiday occasions such as Christmas, Easter and birthdays do not cause problems for the children and their families. This is because we provide every child with a gift on these occasions, so no one feels left out." Then he explains the Emergency Fund for another 10 paragraphs. I've never quite understood why getting "even a small present" outside holiday periods would cause problems, but getting a much larger present than everyone else didn't. Unless the presence of an actual donor behind the holiday gifts was particularly well-understood--kind of ironic, since all children get gifts whether their sponsors contribute for them or not. And I guess someone caught the fact that part of the money was for the regular payment.

But anyway, I do have a photo for one gift sent that year (I have 2 actually, but they're basically the same), which purchased the almirah that has become so familiar, a clock, and an elaborate salwar kameez for Rina.

Dear Sponsor, I hope you are well. My family has been able to buy a steel almirah, [and] a wall clock with your donation. I have bought a pretty set of clothes for myself. Thank you for your kindness. We are all very grateful to you. Your loving child, Rina Samanta

I think there was a report that kind of made it clear that family didn't have a clock before, so finally having one would be very useful. I like the way Rina asserts that "I have bought...for myself." Growing up. And she drew a picture of some sort of fowl--chicken, pigeon, goose, I'm not sure.

 1997--13-14

This is my absolute favorite photo of Rina. She looks so pretty, and happy and confidant.

March

Dear Sponsor, Hope all of you are well. We are also well. I get all benefits regularly from this project. When we are sick we go to the project clinic where project doctor checks us & gives medicines from clinic. While examining the doctor gives us advice on cleanliness and proper use of latrines and water. We try to follow his advice. Please accept my love and regards, yours lovingly, Rina Samanta.

April - SNG Report completed by S. Banerjee, Administrative Officer, Sponsor Services

The special donation that was sent for Rina Samanta is being utilised to purchase the following items:

• A. Clothing - $12
• B. Shoe/Slipper - $2
• C. Bedding - $52 - (mattress, pillows, bedsheets, pillow covers, give them a better sleep than sleeping on plain wooden bed.)
• D. Kitchen Utensils - $34 - (These utensils help them in cooking and keeping their food in them safe and clean.

Total: $100

Dear Sponsor, We are all fine. I have bought a lot of things for myself and my family. Thank you very much for your help. We appreciate it. We are very happy. May God always bless you & keep you happy. I end here with all my love. Your loving child, Rina Samanta

September

Dear Sponsor,

I wish you and your family success and good health. As for me and my family, we are fine. My school is near our village. I go to school regularly walking. I am grateful to this Project as I get books, pen, school dress and other necessary things. I study in the Project Coaching Centre. Besides school books I like reading the newspaper and story books.

I thank you for everything, with love and respect,

Your loving child,

Rina Samanta

1998--14-15

March

Dear Sponsor,

I hope you are all fine. We are all fine here. I would like to share with you how I spend my day. I wake up at 6 a.m., have breakfast, then go to the Project Coaching Centre to study. I come home at 9 a.m. and help in the housework. Then I get ready and go to school at 11 a.m. After school, i play with my friends and study in the evening. At 9:00 p.m. we have dinner together and then go to bed.

I thank you for all the help you send me through this programme. I end here with love, Your sponsored child, Rina Samanta

July--SNG Report completed by U. Mitra, Administrative officer, Sponsor Services (Birthday)

"The Special Gift Donation sent to Rina has been used for buying a milk cow. The family use some of the milk, while some will be sold as an Income Generating Project."

• 1 milk cow = $100

Dear Sponsor,

I am well. We have been able buy a cow, with donation that you have sent. We shall sell part of the millk, while the rest will be consumed at home.

Thank you very much for your kindness and generosity. We shall never forget it. Gratefully yours, Rina Samanta

I think the outfit she's wearing in the photo was purchased with one of the smaller gifts. It seems to be her favorite, since she's either wearing it or the shawl from it in almost every photo afterward.

September

Dear Sponsor,
strong>Greetings! We are all fine here. I live in a village of West Bengal in India. We have six seasons-summer, winter, monsoons, pre-autumn, autumn, and spring. The summers are not very hot.[Ha!--or maybe she means compared to spring.]There is a lot rain during monsoons when rice is cultivated. Autumn is the festive season and in winter you get a lot of vegetables.
I have greatly benefitted through this programme and I thank you for all your help.
Your loving child,
Rina Samanta