The construction of the Anathapindaka Vihara and Social Work Centre has started....

This project is well under way and the sum of Rs.40 lacs / £49462.96 GBP is urgently required in order to complete the 1 stage of the building for

· Women and children's training and guidance centre.

· Youth empowerment, training and employment centre.

· Bahujan Hitaya project office.

We are also planning:

· Shelter for hostel boys from rural tribal areas needing residence for their education.

· Vihara and accommodation for guests and trainees.

· Community Hall. Please Donate! Donate!! Donate!!!

We have only just begun. However, our online and offline fundraising efforts make it possible now to raise the funds up to Rs 1040358 i.e. £12864.08 GBP though we have miles to go .... Please see our target and compare it with how much have we have raised so far.... You will see how important it is for us to continue our efforts to reach the target if we are to change the lives of an estimated 2754 urban disadvantaged children, youths and women in coming five years through our social activities and lacs of people through our religious affliation. When this construction is completed, much current expenditure will be saved, notably the rental for our present temporary Centre with its expensive water rates etc. The new building will incorporate many advantages such as a bore well of its own and we have promises of assistance in the shelter and training of community youth including training young women to become more self sufficient and empowered. This will benefit the next generations more and more.To date we have raised the sum of Rs 1040358 i.e. £12864.08 GBP for the building fund from donors in and around Amravati Sangha including TBM Order members, Mitras and other well-wishers.

Funds raised so far have been spent as follows:

Funds receipts up to date 29 November	Funds expend up to date 29 November
Donation form · Dhammacharis Mitras and well wishers Rs 668577 · Karuna trust grants Rs 367500 · Bank Interest Rs 4281	· Legal fees and taxes Rs 367335 · Construction materials and labours Rs 566433 · Programme foundation stone Rs 33718 · Management and publicity Rs 17000 · Miscellaneous Rs 12965
Estimated cost of 1 step 5000000/-Rs ( 50 lacs) 61849.87 GBP	We urgently need 4000000/- (40lacs) 49462.96 GBP

The rapidly rising costs of building materials have placed a great strain on our ability to complete this project and although much of the hard work is done by the hands of Dhammacharis and Dhamma Mitras and with low cost labour, much more assistance to complete this project is urgently required. Kinds of assistance needed to complete the construction of the new premises:

Financial aid: you can support us by contributing to our Building Fund. Our immediate requirement is 40lacs / 49462.96 GBP (Pounds Sterling)

Alternatively if you have connections within the construction industry any donations of building materials would be extremely valuable to us. e.g: steel, cement, bricks, sand, sanitary fittings, electrical fittings, tiles, flooring, paint, timber for finishing, window glass, and furniture.

Please read on if you would like to know more....

The 'Anathapindaka Vihara and Social Work Centre' will house both Dhamma classes and Social Work projects. These projects include a Dhamma training / Moral and Social training centre for disadvantaged youths and women. Such training will enable them to become leaders of their community. The Bahujan Hitaya Boys Hostel will provide residential accommodation for rural dalit and tribal students as well as for members of staff.

Urgyen Sangharakshita our teacher, who is a well known Buddhist teacher in the modern world, responded to our request for a name for the new Centre. He blessed us with the following words:

"I am delighted to learn that, with the help of the Dhammamitras, the Dhammacharis and Dhammacharinis of the Vidharbha region are establishing a centre where the Dhamma can be taught and from which social work can be carried on. I heartily congratulate all those who are involved in bringing this noble and worthwhile project to a successful conclusion. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's Dhamma revolution has brought the Buddha’s sublime message to millions of people who were living in darkness and it is our duty to continue the mission he started. Social work must be based on the principles of the Dhamma, and the Dhamma must find expression in social work.

The institution you are establishing therefore has this double function, i.e. to be a place where the Dhamma is practiced and taught and from which social, educational, and medical activities are conducted. I am confident that with the support of all concerned it will be a source of blessing to hundreds of thousands of people within the Vidharbha region."

(Sd.) Sangharakshita

We started our fundraising appeal on Urgyen Sangharakshita's birthday on 26 August 2009 and have received many funds from Triratna Order members and Mitras in our local sangha - this is a wonderful beginning. But we have a long way to go to reach the fundraising target that will enable us to complete the first phase of the project.

Please get involved in this very beneficial work by donating £50 - £100 - £500 or whatever possible, or by organizing a fundraising event.

Please dig deep and donate now.

Thanking you,

Triratna Buddhist community

Amaravati, India