April 30, 2012
Dear friends,
It is with great pleasure that we announce
that our first issue of Baal Chaupaal
is officially out! Many of you are aware of the Baal Chaupaal (BC) story, but we felt that it would be beneficial
to provide some additional information!
An Idea Conceptualized
BC was
officially formed in October 2011 by Ms. Pankhuri Jha in collaboration with Dr.
Shaheen Ansari, Chairman, Ark Foundation, New Delhi, India.
Pankhuri, now an 11th grader attending High School in New Jersey,
conceptualized the idea of BC under
Dr. Ansari’s guidance after volunteering at Ummeed Aman Ghar, an all- boys
shelter in New Delhi, India during the summer of 2010. Together with Ark
Foundation, BC was created to provide
a medium in which children from across the globe, both privileged and
underprivileged, would be able to express themselves through literacy and art. BC is currently in the process of filing
for 501(c)(3) non-profit status within the United States of America.
Ark Foundation was created in the mid-1990's by research scholars from Jawaharlal Nehru
University, New Delhi, India.
It brings a holistic approach for educating children, with its programs
extending to cover both health and environmental issues. Ark began its work in 1995 and received
formal registration under the Society Registration Act (1860) in 2002.
Our vision: To provide a forum where children can
exchange ideas and feelings through writing and/or art to foster a
world of love and care for all.
Mission: To enable children
worldwide the opportunity and medium in which they can express themselves
through writing and/or art, regardless of ethnicity, socio-economic background,
and religious orientation. The BC
organization provides an open and unbiased platform for both privileged and
underprivileged children to explore and create literary and artistic works for
publication globally. We aspire to be the premier publication for the children,
by the children and a portion of our proceeds will go towards promoting access
to education and healthy lifestyles to children throughout the world.
What Makes BC
Unique?
1.
It is the first global magazine for the children, by the children;
2.
Contains child-centric articles by adults;
3.
It is the first of its kind to promote participation by underprivileged
children, or those who reside in homeless shelters, orphanages and slums;
4.
Available to underprivileged children free of charge;
5.
Proceeds will go towards promoting access to education/healthy
lifestyles to children throughout the world!
How can you Support Baal Chaupaal?
BC was created to promote children’s literacy
throughout the world, including those children residing
within low-income/slum areas. We do not solicit any sponsors to support our
cause. The
people that worked on bringing the magazine together were volunteers; all of
whom share a passion for helping children from all walks of life thrive in the
present as well as in the future. Our first publication consists of 70 colored
pages of prose, poems and essays, and is available at the purchase price of Rs.
50 (outside India:
US $3.00).
The magazine may be purchased by several methods, including personal
cheque or money transfer. To obtain a copy of the magazine, please email
your mailing address and phone number to baal@arkindia.org
1.
Cheques may be written in favor
of Ark
foundation, Vasant Vihar branch, New Delhi, India.
2.
For money transfer, the details are: Ark Foundation A/c No: 006501074551 , RTGS/NEFT IFSC Code:
ICIC0000065 , ICICI Bank, Vasant Vihar
Branch, New Delhi, India.
In keeping with our mission, the magazine will be
available to underprivileged children free of cost.
We also welcome and thank those friends who would
like to support BC by making a direct
donation.
We hope that you, our friends,
enjoy the first issue of BC, and
thank you again for your support in making BC
the premier publication for the children, by the children.
Regards,
The Baal Chaupaal Editorial Board
