Meeting co-chaired by: Partha Gogoi (VA), Debojit Bora (MI), Smita Das (FL), Krishanu Kaushik (MI) Attendees: Arpita Gogoi (DC), Ajanta Barua (TX), Pallavi Borah (TX), Ishwar Chakravorty (ON, Canada), Barada Sarma (TX), Satyajit Dutta (TX), Kripa Borah (NJ), Reeta Das (FL), N. Borkakoti (London, UK), Ranu Dutta (TX), Amiya Das (FL), Deva Borah (VA), Binoy K Bordoloi (NJ), Nripen Barua (NJ), Babul Borah (OH), Aaron Das (NY), Pradip Das (MO), Dhrupad Bezbaruah (VA), Aftab Ahmed (MD), Joanti Borah (Florence, AC), Debabrata Sarma (WA), Rathin Devchoudhury (NC), Meenakshi Devchoudhury (NC), Khagendra N Das (FL), Bimal Rajbanshi (NY), Bhanti Rajbanshi (NY), Pallav Bordoloi (NJ), Parulma Deka (GA), Digen Das (NY), Dilip Datta (RI), Nabajyoti Kakati (AL), Manjula Kakati (AL), Kumud Das (PA), Kabita Das (PA)

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Meeting Highlights

1. Introduction: Partha Gogoi welcomed the audience and presented the account statement for the period of July 2008 thru July 2009. He talked about some of the past projects and provided an updated on the initiative of ongoing support to the two schools for underprivileged children - Parijat & Pragyalaya.
2. Support a Child: Partha provided an update on the "Support a Child" initiative and talked about supporting the first child Bishal, through this program and how the people and media in Assam has praised this effort by AFNA. He also appealed for supporting Bishal for the next 11 years of his education. The meeting acknowledged Ankur Bora’s stellar role in pushing this forward.
3. Nripen Barua pledged to support Bishal’s education for the next school year.
4. Krishanu Kaushik talked about two other students needing financial help – one is Mrityunjay Kalita, a deserving 6 year old son of a single mother who earns her livelihood as a daily wage household helper and the other was Robin Hembron, who despite being blind secured 82 % marks in 12th grade and has various other extra-curricular talents.
5. Rathin Devchoudhury pledged $1000 for the "Support a Child" initiative and left it to the AFNA committee and members to judiciously decide a deserving candidate to be supported with their donation.
6. Smita Das talked about sStep and their efforts in regulating and facilitating domestic help in Assam. The presentation was very well received by the attendees. Rathin Devchoudhury asked if they are putting any efforts towards preventing child labor. Smita replied that some of the primary objectives of forming this organization was prevention of child labor and human trafficking.
7. Pradip Das on behalf of The Das Family foundation donated $5000 for the sStep intitiative. AFNA will discuss with sStep and decide on how to disburse the fund (single payment or in a phased manner). Smita will coordinate and ensure that the fund is used in the right way and provide status on the utilization of the funds.
8. Partha mentioned that continuity of projects is essential – hence we want to focus on a few key projects and be able to sustain it. A case in point is the Parijat Academy and Prajnalaya that AFNA took up since 2006 GBM and have managed to sustain it. The one new project is the Guwahati Pain and Palliative Center (advertised in the last page of the souvenir magazine of the convention) – also on the website. Partha urged the audience to lend support to this new project
9. Krishanu Kaushik reminded that AFNA’s 501-C-3 status should also be used by individuals to get company matching funds for charitable projects. It was acknowledged that in the past year, with the aid of matching fund, Pallav Saikia was able to donate $1000 for Parijat and Pragyalaya

AFNA Support a Child Presentation by Ankur Bora

Place : Colorado Spring , Assam 2009

All the participants showed keen interest in this Project. In a unique gesture, Shilpi Baishya of Omaha , Nabaraska , donated the proceeds of a Video CD towards contribution to support a child.