Activity Report 2018-2019
International Widows Day event at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi Date: 23rd June 2018
The Loomba Foundation held an event at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday, 23rd June, 2018, to mark the UN recognized International Widows Day. The event was attended by the Hon’ble Vice President of India, as Chief Guest, and the Hon’ble Union Minister of Law and Justice, as Guest of Honour. Mrs. Cherie Blair CBE QC, President of the Loomba Foundation travelled from London to Delhi to attend this important annual event, together with the Founder and Chairman Trustee of the Loomba Foundation, The Lord Raj Loomba CBE and his wife Lady Veena Loomba and their son, Hon’ble Rinku Loomba. His Excellency Sir Dominic Asquith, British High Commissioner to India, also graced the event with his presence.
Over 800 guests attended the event, including Dr. Udit Raj, MP (Lok Sabha), Foundation’s Trustees, Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Mr. Balbir Singh Kakar; Patrons Sir Mark Tully OBE, Chris Parsons, Mr. Graham Tobbell, Mrs. Susan Tobbell, Mr. Sanjeev Khanna and Dr. Rajinder Chadha; Shri Kalyan Banerjee and Shri Shekhar Mehta from the Rotary India Literacy Mission; and many beneficiaries widows. The event was organised by Mr. Rajat Kapoor of Indian Diaspora Club with the help of the Foundation’s home team – Atul Palta, Pawan Kumar and Hemant Kumar.
Reception at House of Lords to mark International Widows Day in London
Date: 25th June, 2018
Location: London
Following the event in India, the Loomba Foundation held on Monday, 25th June, a Reception in the River Room at the House of Lords, to mark International Widows Day in London, with the courtesy of the Lord Speaker. It was attended by over 60 high profile guests including Rt Hon Lord Bates, Minister of International Development and many other dignitaries.
Guests listened in awe as President of the Loomba Foundation, Mrs Cherie Blair CBE QC, described the tenacity and determination with which Lord Loomba, over a relatively short period of five years, stoically persuaded the UN to grant official status to the day. “The treatment of widows,” Mrs. Blair said, “is at the core of gender discrimination;” adding, that it is a worldwide problem, even widows in this country face isolation, and often do not have the same pension as men. Noting that all this hard work is starting to pay off,
Loomba Foundation & Lions Clubs International distribute 300 sewing machines
Date: 20th August, 2018
Location: Punjab Bhawan, Kolkata
A Sewing Machine Distribution function was organised by the Loomba Foundation in association with Lions Clubs International (MD 322, MD-105) at Punjab Bhawan, Kolkata on 20th August, 2018. Lord and Lady Loomba and Pawan Kumar attended the function on behalf of the Loomba Foundation . During the function 300 foot operated sewing machines were given to impoverished widows who have successfully completed training in cutting and stitching.
This is a joint project of the Lions Clubs International Foundation, British Isles and Ireland and the Loomba Foundation for empowerment of 2500 widows.
In the first phase of this project 500 sewing machines were distributed last year during IWD-2017 at Mathura-Vrindavan. In 2018, 1768 widow beneficiaries were selected from the states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal and training to the beneficiaries has been provided by Lions Clubs International (MD322,India ). Sewing machines to remaining 1468 beneficiaries has also been distributed.
Loomba Foundation Signs 5 year Scholarship MOU with Shoshit Samadhan Kendra
Date: 1st November, 2018
Location: Patna
The Loomba Foundation, an UN accredited global charity, signed an MOU with ShoshitSamadhan Kendra in Patna on 1st November 2018, pledging to provide scholarships to 20children of poor widows from the Musahar community, totaling Rs. 50 Lakhs over a period of five years.
An MOU was signed by Mr. Pawan Kumar, Manager Education Programmes of the Loomba Foundation and Mr. J. K. Sinha, Founder and Chairman of the Shoshit Samadhan Kendra. Mr. Pawan Kumar handed over to Mr. J. K. Sinha a cheque for Rs. 5 Lakhs, a payment forscholarships for next six months. He met all 20 beneficiaries at the school and visited Library, Computer Lab, Medical Lab, barracks and the Mess where the food is prepared daily for all students.
The programme for the day included an audio‐visual briefing by Mr. Sinha regarding the Shoshit Seva Sangh and the activities of the Shoshit Samadhan Kendra. A cultural programme was organized by the School which was performed by the students of Shoshit Samadhan Kendra.
Loomba Foundation holds charity dinner to raise funds for widows
Date: January 29, 2019
Location: Mumbai
The Loomba Foundation, a UN accredited global charity, held a charity gala dinner at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai to raise funds to help widows in India.
We were honoured that the Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce, Industry and Civil Aviation, Shri Suresh Prabhu, was our Chief Guest and Dr. Rajinder Singh Chadha, CEO of Chadha Group of Companies graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. The event was also attended by Hon’ble State Minister Shri Jaykumar Rawal, Shri Shambhaji Patil Nilangekar, Shri Prasad Lad MLC, Shri Ashish Shelar MLA and Dr. Sharad T.Sawant MSWS. We were delighted that a world‐famous Author, Lord Jeffrey Archer, dropped in for a short while, who was on a visit in Mumbai from London.
Over 200 high profile guests attended the event, including Trustees ‐ Shri Balbir Singh Kakar and Lady Veena Loomba; Patrons ‐ Ashish Chauhan and Hrishi Jain; Supporters ‐ Manjit Singh GK, J.K. Sinha, Abhimanyu Ghosh, Rajat Kapoor; Bollywood ‐ Ahaana Kumra, Sonu Walia and Shekhar Suman. Mrs. Shripryia Dalmia Thirani of Queensline, was our head sponsor.
Our President, Mrs. Cherie Blair, who had travelled from London to support the Loomba Foundation at the charity gala dinner, signed an MOU with the chairman of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan for a partnership project to empower 600 widows in Maharashtra. The Jan Shikshan Sansthan will provide skills training in tailoring to the beneficiaries and upon the completion of a satisfactory training, the Loomba Foundation will distribute foot operated sewing machines to all widows.
Lions Clubs International Foundation distributes 200 sewing machines
Date: 24th February 2019
Location: Maharashtra
In 2019, 200 sewing machines have been distributed in Kudal, District Sindhudurg, Maharashtra on 24.02.2019. Mrs. Uma Prabhu, Chairperson of Manav Sadhan Vikas Sansthan, wife of Mr. Suresh Prabhu, Mr. B.H. Negi, Director, Airport Authority of India, Goa, Mr. Gagan Manod, Project officer of Smile Charitable Trust, Mr. Yogesh Prabhu from Lupin Foundation, Advocate Nakul Parsekar from Jan Shikshan Sansthan and Atul Kalsekar of BJP, attended the function. Mr. Atul Palta of behalf of the Loomba Foundation attended the sewing machine distribution function as a special Guest, besides other guests and beneficiaries.
212 Sewing Machines Distributed for Final Phase of Empowerment Project with Punjab Govt
Date:7-8th March, 2019
Location: Mansa District, Punjab
Further, 212 sewing machines and proficiency certificates have been distributed to impoverished widows who successfully completed two months training in garment making in District Mansa, Punjab on 7th and 8th March, 2019 in final phase of joint empower project of Govt. of Punjab and the Loomba Foundation to empower power widows in Punjab. Mr. Atul Palta from the Loomba Foundation, Sarpanch and Panchayat members of the concerned villages and district officials of Mansa district, were present during the distribution of sewing machines.