Appeal: The Heart of Action Village India 

A year later….
It would be disrespectful to try to summarise the challenges that each one of us has faced over the last year in our homes, communities and countries and how they have been felt in our health, emotions, relationships and finances. Here at Action Village India, part of our response has been to ensure that we strengthen our commitment to solidarity, above all with women, men and children in the communities across India where partners have continued to work.

Every year, over £25,000 is raised from Madras Café at WOMAD,  This is the heart of Action Village India’s income, enabling us to increase our support to marginalised communities across India. This income is essential to enable us to offer support, solidarity and humanity to our partners.  WOMAD did not happen in July 2020 and it is not clear if it will take place in 2021.

It is crucial that we generate the funds equivalent to the £25,000 we miss dearly from Madras Café, in order to respond to the needs of our partners and the communities they serve.

We fully recognise that for many of us the last year has meant unemployment, battles over accessing Universal Credit, furloughing, or reduced or irregular work. For some of us, it has included not being able to immerse ourselves in WOMAD or not going on holiday or simply spending much less on ‘going out’. As Trustees along with the staff of Action Village India and directors of Sensetrade, we agreed to make a straightforward, direct request to any supporter who feels that they can share a fair contribution to make it possible for us to continue helping our partners in India who have shown remarkable flexibility and commitment during the pandemic.

So, if you can, could you please make a key and valued contribution to enable Action Village India to move forward with as much as possible of our WOMAD shortfall, we would be hugely grateful.