Helping Hands charitable trust

Ministering to the Poor and Underprivileged in the Rural and Remote Villages of India.

Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made

what is helping hands charitable trust (HHCT)?

A nonprofit organization founded in the year 1999 with a vision to serve and empower the poor in the village of Sherpatar and it's rural surrounding villages.

What makes us different?

With the urbanization of the population, the rural villagers are often overlooked. Many charitable NGOs are focused on the urban areas. The unique aspect of Helping Hands Charitable Trust (HHCT) is that it takes up the challenge of extending help in the remote and poor villages where there is little access to moderns facilities and comforts.

Location

Sherpatar is located near Darjeeling which is internationally famous for its production of black tea and tourism. Sherpatar sits at an elevation of 5500 feet (1680 meters) at the foothills of the Himalayas, and overlooks vast tea gardens. The nearest town of access is Kalimpong, and has a population of about 50,000 people. It is located 42km (26 miles) away, which is reached by a two hour jeep ride. It is in this town where most of the shopping for essentials and medical care is done.

the people

Sherpatar means "the place of the Sherpas." The Sherpas are an ethnic group that became famous as mountaineers in the Mount Everest region. Sherpa, Rai, Gurung, and Tamang are people groups who predominantly reside in the mountainous area of Sherpatar.

Many of them are Tibetan Buddhists and there is a large Buddhist monastery in Lava, which is 7km away from Sherpatar. The village is located nearby the Tibetan, Bhutan, and Nepal border and share many cultural similarities. And even though Sherpatar is in North Eastern India, people in these villages communicate in the Nepali language.

Charitable Hostel for the Underprivileged children:

A hostel (dorm) for the children of those parents who are economically unable, orphaned, or live in remote villages. We provide free shelter, food, education, and a loving environment in which they can grow.

Quality education for Underprivileged children:

Helping Hands Charitable Trust believes every child should have access to education, including those living in distant remote villages and parents who cannot afford to pay for their kids education. With an effort to bring quality education for these underprivileged children, HHCT has been running an English medium school called "Good News Academy" since 2007. Many of the student including all of our hostel children receive free education in our school. Along with academics, we also provide various activities where children develop their personal skills and talents. Good News Academy has become a reputed school in our area.

Shelter for the Destitute:

HHCT also offers shelter for the destitute and disabled. From the founding of HHCT, we have been taking care of people whose families have abandoned them, and have no one to take care of them because of their medical conditions. We provide for them housing, food, clothing, and a loving place where they can belong.

1/3

Socio-economic empowerment projects:

HHCT conducts socio-economic empowerment program for the villagers. General consulting is done with the villagers regarding farming, animal husbandry, and floriculture. The aim is that villagers would be able to generate a stable income.