We volunteers at the Association for India’s Development (AID), Bangalore chapter, are collecting relief material and cheques, to be sent to our people/partner groups in Bihar.

This is a request for your support. You can also conduct a collection drive in your office, apartment and among your friends. We plan to dispatch all collected items on the 25th of this month. Here are the details on what to collect, where to send, what AID is doing in Bihar, etc. We encourage you to disseminate this appeal far and wide.

• Donating money: Online donations can be made through http://www.eurekachild.org/donate/donindia.php?donindia=Donate+Now+%3E%3E. The cheques you collect should be payable to "AID India". Please remember to inform the donors that they will be sent a receipt and that all donations to AID are tax exempted under 80G.
• Donating cloths: Un-stiched items such as sari, lungi, blanket, bedsheet will be of use. New clothing is preferable. But, old clothing can also be accepted provided they are in EXCELLENT condition.
• Donating utensils: General purpose utensils like plates and glasses will be useful. It’s best to avoid heavy/bulky items.
• Donating medicines: Please refer our website (bangalore.aidindia.org) for details.
• Receipts: We will issue receipts for all monetary donations and all newly bought items which have accompanying bills. Those who need receipts should provide their name, donation/bill amount, postal address and email address (optional). We will look to send the receipts within a week of the date of sending (25th).
• Where to send the collected material: Four volunteers have made their houses (in Bangalore) available for storing the material. Please contact us for the drop points Please note that in case these places are too far from your house/office, you have the option of leaving the material in your house for a few days until one of us comes and collects it.
• AID’s efforts in Bihar: We have volunteers (Balaji and Dharmendra) working in Saharsa/Madhepura/Khagaria districts of Bihar along with NGO Pratham and other local groups there; Others like Kamayani and Ashish are working with the volunteers of Jan Jagaran Abhiyan in Araria, where they are focusing on areas where relief has reached the least. About 15 tons of food and clothes have been distributed in in Bhargama, Raniganj and Narpatganj blocks of Araria. On 9th, they distributed about 5 tractors full of food packets (consisting of choora, gud, candles, matchbox, salt and sattu). A team of 35 volunteers worked round the clock to ensure that relief reached remote areas of Bhargama. Many of the volunteers were on Roza, but they insisted that they will only go back once the distribution was over. More details in this blog: http://biharflood2008.blogspot.com.

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