Friends of Shelter Associates (FSA) Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Raising $35,000 to Build 100 Toilets In Slums of Pune, India

Contact: Dr. Sunil Bhatia (mobile: 860-235-2506)
Email: sunil.bhatia02@gmail.com

This is an uplifting, powerful story of how a group of Rhode Islanders have been able to provide dignity and health to one of the most marginalized and vulnerable populations in the world. The recent tenth anniversary celebration of Friends of Shelter Associates (FSA) marked the third time that local residents have convened to raise awareness and funds to support efforts to improve sanitation and build individual toilets 10,000 miles away in the slums of India.

Dr. Gyan Pareek, a FSA board member and Barrington resident, who has played a vital role in establishing FSA as a local non-Profit introduced Dr. Sunil Bhatia, Barrington resident, Connecticut College professor of Human Development and founder of Friends of Shelter Associates (www.friendsofsa.org).

Dr. Bhatia shared a presentation at the Rhode Island Country Club on October 14th titled: The Power of Toilets: Improving Health and Dignity in Slum Communities in India.  The presentation was a powerful acknowledgement of the stark indignities faced by slum dwellers in India, and a challenge to the event attendees to support the building of 100 individual toilets.  Attendees included several prominent members of the Rhode Island philanthropic and medical community for whom the message of sanitation rights struck a deep chord.  

The inspired audience readily exceeded the fundraising target that evening while enjoying Indian fusion food and drink hosted at the Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington.  A beautiful dance performance by Rupa Dutta and Rutaja Patil of Bollywood Fusion & Fitness marked an uplifting and enriching prelude to the presentation.  

According to a 2010 U.N. report, there are over 600 million Indians who lack toilets and practice open defecation. The keynote focused on raising awareness about urban poverty and sanitation and how access to toilets instantly upgrades the life of the urban poor. Toilets give the most vulnerable members of the society dignity, health, privacy, and prevents sexual assaults and rape for women.


Comments from Guest who attended

________________________________________

1. "The FSA event was an eye opening experience which reminded me how truly fortunate we are and presented a wonderful opportunity to help so many less fortunate people gain access to basic necessities which we take for granted on a daily basis."

Joseph F. Renzulli II MD, FACS
Saunderstown, RI


"We are grateful to have been a part of FSA's 10-year celebration. Not having access to sanitation is a social injustice that may be eradicated through education and awareness. We are glad Dr. Pareek introduced us to this Rhode Island non-profit. After meeting Dr. Bhatia, we are inspired that our fellow residents in Barrington, RI and across the world are involved with such great work."

Brian & Barbara Goldner
Barrington, RI


2. “I just wanted to take a moment to write to you on the heels of a very successful fundraising event that our FSA team undertook at the Rhode Island Country Club.  I am one of the board members of FSA and I believe this was a truly signature event on all accounts, the venue was packed with many of our long-standing contributors, but there were also numerous new faces.

Needless to say, Sunil delivered an extremely powerful presentation to the audience for the great work that you and SA have undertaken, leading up to why everyone in the room should be contributing to this amazing cause. The room was stunned, many had their eyes opened to this otherwise "invisible" need. We are proud to report that we collected funds for 100 toilets that evening, and donations are still pouring in. Moreover, we received numerous requests from the audience for how they could participate and partner with us.”

Apurv Gupta, Barrington, RI

|