We believe that every act of kindness and compassion, no matter how small, spreads goodwill adding up to the Social Happiness Index. The year 2010 saw Apeejay Trust coming to the fore, touching people’s lives through a multitude of small, but meaningful acts.

• For 5-year-old Himani’s father, the dream of seeing his child healthy and happy was soon fading. Suffering from Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Himani needed chemotherapy at AIIMS, which her father, a driver, could not afford. We heard that Genesis Foundation, a private trust that gives lifesaving medical and financial support to critically ill, underprivileged children, wanted to help him, so we funded Genesis for Himani’s treatment.

• The Samparan Foundation runs a Computer Centre at Kishangarh where 300 children are taught by two teachers from 9 am to 6 pm. The organisation provides textbooks and uniforms as well as stationery and notebooks. As winter was approaching, 460 children at Samparan needed sweaters, which our funding enabled them to buy.

• The National Federation for the Blind has 26,000 members and runs a vocational training centre for visually handicapped persons to provide oppurtunities for self employment. They needed help to fulfil their aim of providing reading materials and also to complete the construction of a library building. With a little help from us, they were able to realise both objectives.

• The Royal Life Saving Society of India, an organisation that renders critical life saving services free of cost, was one of the volunteer organisations at the Gangasagar Mela at Sagar Island. With more than ten lakh people congregated here, the Royal Life Saving Society was really stretched to provide support to such large numbers. We supported their work by donating 200 blankets, 15 kgs of tea and 5 kgs of coffee.

• Sponsorship of a child is a true one-to-one experience where the sponsor can actually witness the tangible difference he makes to a young life over a period of time. It is with this vision the Directors of Apeejay Trust have sponsored the education of some children cared for by the Divya Chaya Trust.

• The Sri Sri Jagaddhatri Puja organised by Ramakrishna Mission is an event that witnesses a large number of devotees coming together. In 2011 the number of devotees was nearly 20,000. The Mission needed large quantities of cereal for this event, in order to distribute the Anna Prasada to all gathered there. In 2010 and 2011, with a little support from us, they were able to do so.

• The Alipore Tarun Dal holds an annual Social during which they distribute sewing machines to capable and trained, but not financially sound women. We were happy to join hands with Tarun Dal in this effort.

• In order to do our bit to take a stand against child labour, we teamed up with the Calcutta Metropolitan Round Table no. 41 Trust and supported their Project Sparkle, which involved sourcing crackers from such organisations that do not use child labour. We encouraged our employees to sign up for and buy crackers from them, ahead of Diwali

When it struck in 2009, Cyclone Aila caused widespread devastation in the coastal areas of West Bengal. That year and the next woollens and blankets in partnership with Society for Participatory Action and Reflection around 650 people who were still reeling under the extreme deprivation caused by Aila were reached out to.