The second quarter turned out to be relatively effortless on my part; nonetheless, work previously undertaken attracted attention in various quarters and resulted in unexpected but interesting commitments to the tsunami effort. There was no financial activity involving PLENTY during this quarter, but PLENTY continued to provide assistance in other forms.

You may recall from my previous report that we provided seed money to BLESS, a local non-governing organization (NGO) to jumpstart a project that would provide medical, psychological and nutritional support to pregnant women affected by the tsunami. Asian students attending Harvard University learned of this effort and held a fund-raiser. They raised approximately $800. Initially they planned to contribute this money through PLENTY, but decided to wire transfer the funds directly to BLESS instead.

The connection with Harvard was prompted by a young American woman of Indian origin who took a semester off from her studies at Harvard to intern with BLESS. Gayatri accompanied me to some of the projects we were funding through BLESS. She developed a particular interest in the Pregnant Women's Project and wrote a grant application which BLESS used to seek additional funding. Gayatri contacted her classmates at Harvard and asked that they organize a fundraiser. These same students had already raised in excess of $20,000, but had donated it to the International Red Cross. She also established a partnership between Harvard and BLESS that will involve one Harvard student interning with that organization for a semester each year.

I met the founder of a UK-based NGO called Wherever the Need (WTN) and accompanied him to Pondicherry and Cuddalore where I introduced him to the executive director of BLESS. As a result of that meeting Gayatri developed a proposal for BLESS which was submitted to WTN and consequently approved. This $15,000 project is providing drinking water and sanitation to a large (2,500) village of tribal people. Next week I will visit that village accompanied by the WTN head.

It seemed like the assistance we provided this past quarter was love rather than money. It started with PLENTY Board member Judy Meeker. Judy organized her More Than Warmth network to create 12 very lovely and love-filled quilts for children who lost a parent in the tsunami. Those quilts will be distributed next week while I am on the coast. I will try to interest the local news media in attending the distribution and taking photographs. This type of children-to-children compassion should be widely promoted and perhaps it will catch on over here.

Another sweet children's project which happened thanks to PLENTY's listing of the India Tsunami Project on its website involved an elementary class in Los Angeles. These sixth grade students wanted to do something for children who were impacted by the tsunami. They made a musical CD which they sold by advertising that the proceeds would go to a tsunami charity. The teacher of this class learned of the work I am doing and contacted me. I suggested his students use their collected money to build a playground for children in one of the tsunami-devastated villages. The kids agreed and the playground has been built in a tribal village. I will dedicate the playground next week.

In terms of the tsunami efforts, PLENTY's role has been pivotal in serving as a liaison between those who want to help and the organizations I am working with here in India. I want to thank Peter, Anita and the PLENTY Board for your willingness to help in numerous ways. I assure you it has made a difference over here.

With love and blessings,

David Purviance
Puttaparthy, India

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