FRIENDS OF SANGAM FOUNDATION

Friends of Sangam Foundation is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, number 4627919,

registered office 281 Redcatch Road, Bristol, BS3 5DY.

Friends of Sangam Foundation is Registered by the Charity Commission, number 1098382

Website www.SangamSchool.org.uk

Annual General Meeting 19 Sept 2009, Friends Meeting House, Coventry

Directors' Report,

We have to report, with sadness, the death on Sunday 9 August 2009, at the age of 88, of Ruth Sherred, one of Sangam School’s most generous and faithful supporters. Ruth was headmistress of the school in North India in which Kamla Sawhney, the founder-principal of Sangam School, was a teacher in the 1970s. It is thanks to Ruth that children from surrounding villages have been able to attend Sangam School, as she bought and supported the school bus. The school will miss her almost yearly visits.

During the past year (June 2008-September 2009) FOSF has kept closely in touch with developments in Sangam Foundation (SF, the local governing body) and in Sangam School. We remained satisfied that Sangam School had continued to provide education for its pupils and we continued supporting Sangam Foundation (SF) in its efforts to maintain the school despite difficulties that had developed vis-à-vis Indri village. In February 2009, when the future of the school appeared to be in jeopardy, we called an Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM). The present report recapitulates the Director’s report to the EGM, plus the FOSF resolutions at that meeting, as well as news of more recent developments.

During 2008 some powerful villagers in Indri village tried to take over the school’s assets, with the result that, in June 2008, SF informed the village panchayat (council) that, as from March 2009, it was ready to hand over the leased land and the building and other assets, provided the panchayat agreed to run the school and take on the associated liabilities and responsibilities. As no clear response was forthcoming from the panchayat SF subsequently revoked its offer, and decided that, from March 2009, it (SF) would no longer be running the school.

On advice from Mr Singhal, the Secretary of SF, FOSF continued to delay its uptake of possibilities/offers of funding because of uncertainties over the future of Sangam School itself. Moreover, efforts to encourage visitors to the school from the UK were suspended. The EGM was called in order to decide the way ahead for FOSF.

During the week before the EGM, however, Mr Singhal reported that the situation had changed: it was anticipated that Mr Devi Singh Panwar, a former Sarpanch (Head of Panchayat), and his associates were likely to join SF, which would continue to run the school. Mr Singhal reported that, with this stronger local involvement, the kindergarten intake was likely to increase, and that the school would then be better placed to become financially self-sufficient. Mr Devi Singh Panwar had requested SF to carry on funding the school for a further year.

After discussing the evolving situation the EGM rejected suggestions that FOSF should cease supporting SF. Thus the policy of FOSF was substantially unchanged.

The meeting also resolved “That this general meeting directs the Directors and Trustees to amend the Object of the Association in paragraph 3 of its Memorandum of Association by replacing 'Haryana and elsewhere in India' with 'Haryana, India and elsewhere in South Asia'”.

Since the EGM, FOSF has learned that SF successfully inducted its two new members, Mr Devi Singh Panwar and Mr Kishan Narain Gupta, and constituted a sub-committee, designated as the Education Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr Devi Singh Panwar.  The school now has on roll more than 200 students, and in MayMr Jeet Singh Dhima, an ex-serviceman with educational experience, replaced Mrs Vijata Arya as Head Teacher. 

During the summer vacation the Education Committee arranged for overhaul of the school bus, repairs to the boundary wall and the appointment of new teachers and other staff. The teachers attended an orientation programme in May, and in July the salaries of the entire teaching and non-teaching staff were increased, so raising SF’s monthly bill from Rs.34,100/- to Rs.53,900/-.  

Mr Singhal has told FOSF that the school is being equipped with computers and a printer, and ‘requires some more rooms, a laboratory and some other essential infrastructure urgently. It is clear from the above that we are now on the threshold of a leap…”The need for adequate 'financial resources' cannot be over-emphasized or neglected.”   

Thanks to the careful administration by SF during this period there have been no financial crises and fears for the future of the school – which led the directors of FOSF to call the EGM - have turned to cautious optimism. FOSF has continued its provision of funding and visits from overseas supporters are once again feasible.

Throughout the changing circumstances of the past year Mr Singhal has kept Eleanor Nesbitt informed of developments. Your Directors are extremely grateful to him for his commitment to SF and to Eleanor for her energetic support for SF, and for keeping us well informed. We are also grateful to our Administrator, Stephen Petter and to David Fish, our Treasurer, for his work administering the receipt of donations from regualar donors, and from other sources, including administration of Gift Aid, and arranging transmission of funds to Sangam Foundation's bank in India. We are aware that this is no simple task.   

Signed on behalf of the Directors

Eleanor Nesbitt

19 September, 2009