2001 Projects

The STOP International Project for 2001 had two aims:

• build living accommodation for the Director and his family of the Captain Azariah Children’s home and
• identify and purchase land, drill a deep bore well to provide clean water and to commence building an orphanage for the 33 BESSO orphans (to be completed in 2002).

STOP volunteers raised the £15,000 required during the autumn of 2000 by singing carols in the local shopping centre, taking part in a sponsored bike ride, 24 hour badminton, packing customers bags in the local ASDA store, getting the local Indian restaurants to donate funds and through individual donations.

21 volunteers paid their own airfares, the cost of their accommodation and transport and travelled to Thally, Tamil Nadu in India to work on the project. The local builders had constructed the shell of the Directors Accommodation and this facility had to be plumbed, electric wiring and switches fitted and walls, doors and windows fitted and painted. In two weeks they completed all that needed to be done and the house was dedicated and the Director moved in after living for 13 years in one 8ft by 6ft room.

Plans were also made for the BESSO project, which was to be STOP International’s 2002 project. A plot of land 4/10ths of an acre was purchased and marked for the building work to commence as soon as all the funds were raised.