| As a result of separatist
turmoil and many years of bloodshed, Sindhis
in India do not have an exclusive state
in which they are free to live. This community
of people can be found all over the country
and many of them are living in poverty
stricken areas.
Formed out of concern,
Sunshine Trust was established to lend
a helping hand to these members of the
Indian community.Out of respect for the
Indian value of family and community,
the Trust was established to bridge the
economic gap that divides the community
and build a closer relationship amongst
a population that has left its mark in
the history of education, literature,
administration and politics.
On a visit to ensure
that the education funds donated by his
family were reaching the appropriate recipients,
Mr. B.H. Melwani was made aware of the
sufferings of Sindhis living in poverty.
Although it was a good
idea to educate the children, he was told
there were Sindhis who were unable to
afford last rites for deceased members
of their families, much less medication
for those who were ill. He was also told
that although hospitals, children homes,
and temples were being built, the urgent
help needed by the poor were being overlooked.
After his visit, Mr.
Melwani was confident that with the help
of affluent Sindhis living overseas, those
who are less fortunate could be relieved
of their sufferings.
Formal
Beginnings
On January 11, 1994, a meeting was held
at the Oberoi Hotel in Bombay, India.
Present were Dr. Ramchand Bulchand, Mr.
J.M. Chanrai, Dr. Prakash Mirchandani,
Mr. B.H. Melwani, and Mr. G.V. Melvani.
During the meeting,
the group discussed ways to involve affluent
members of the Sindhi community who are
residing overseas, to help those living
in poverty in their homeland India.
At the meeting it was
decided that an Overseas Sunshine Group
would be established. The objectives of
the Sunshine Group would be to:
- Assist Sindhi families
at the time of an emergency, especially
those who are victims of a sudden catastrophe.
This includes medical emergencies, last
rites and cremation for deceased family
members, as well as restoring roofs
that were destroyed because of natural
disasters.
- Assist those seeking
to be self-sufficient. This includes
the donation of handcarts, sewing machines,
bicycles, and other equipment that would
help Sindhis earn a living.
At the meeting it was
agreed that Mr.G.V. Melvani would look
after applications and correspondence,
and Dr. Mirchandani, on behalf of Mr.
Chanrai, would look after the accounts.
Following the meeting,
a number of overseas Sindhis began to
participate and contribute funds toward
the works of the Group. Since the organisation
was clearly and transparently committed
to providing immediate help to Sindhis
living in poverty, a growing number of
overseas Sindhis eagerly supported the
Group.
At the end of 1995,
Mr. Melvani resigned due to health reasons
and was replaced by Mr. Lekhraj Pohoomal.
In August 1997, to formalise
the works of the Group, who were keen
to commit their activities on a permanent
basis, Sunshine Trust was registered in
Bhopal, India.
In March 1999, the Trust
received 80G (exemption of Income Tax
for donors).
Though the original
objective was to offer a ‘helping
hand’, at the meeting in January
1999, it was decided that the new and
improved objective would be to help raise
the living standard of Sindhis, hence
reduce the number of Sindhis living in
poverty.
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