1What is the cost of supporting a Nanhi Kali?
- If you are an Indian resident, the cost of sponsoring a girl for one year through Project Nanhi Kali is Rs. 6,000.
- If you are a UK resident, you may contribute to Mahindra Foundation UK by donating £66 to sponsor a girl for one year through Project Nanhi Kali.
- If you are a resident of the USA, you may contribute to Mahindra Foundation USA by donating $84 to sponsor a girl for one year through Project Nanhi Kali.
2How is the donation amount used for the education and welfare of the girl children?
- Nanhi Kalis studying in Grades 6 to 10 receive 21st century skills training which includes digital literacy, financial literacy, and life skills.
- A professionally designed physical education module has been integrated into the program giving the girls the opportunity to build on teamwork and leadership skills whilst striving for excellence through sports. This is implemented after school hours.
- Every girl will receive an annual Nanhi Kali kit consisting of shoes, 2 pairs of socks, 2 t-shirts, and feminine hygiene material, enhancing her well-being.
- School associates (trained women tutors) play a vital role in supporting both school and after school curricula. They serve as mentors, guiding Nanhi Kalis through their journey. Additionally, they actively engage with parents and community stakeholders to foster supportive environments that empower girls through their schooling.
3How can you make a payment?
- Online payments:
Online donations can be made at www.nanhikali.org through the Online Payment Gateway. - Cheque payments
- In India, Cheque or Demand Draft can be drawn in favour of "Nanhi Kali". These can be sent to the K.C. Mahindra Education Trust’s office address:
Project Nanhi Kali,
K. C. Mahindra Education Trust,
Gateway Building,
Apollo Bunder,
Colaba, Mumbai – 400 001 - In the USA, Cheque or Demand Draft can be drawn in favour of "Mahindra Foundation". These can be sent to this address:
Mahindra Foundation, USA,
c/o Mr. Padam Pandit
10 S Almaden Blvd, Suite 600,
San Jose, CA 95113, USA
4How long is the period of sponsorship?
Each sponsorship cycle is for one year. You can decide to support the education of as many Nanhi Kalis as you wish for a year.
5What will you receive after donating to Project Nanhi Kali?
After donating to Project Nanhi Kali, you will receive the following:
- A welcome letter along with your login details.
- With your login details, you can access your account to see the profile and photographs of your Nanhi Kali (s), as well as an annual progress report will be shared to keep a track of how your Nanhi Kali is performing in school.
- Receipt of your donation within 7 working days.
6Can you visit your Nanhi Kali?
No, you cannot. In order to protect your interest as well as that of the Nanhi Kalis, we do not permit direct interactions with the girls.
7How do you keep in touch with your Nanhi Kali?
You can keep in touch with your Nanhi Kali by sending her letters and birthday cards/e-cards. Post these to the following address and rest assured she will receive them:
Project Nanhi Kali,
K. C. Mahindra Education Trust,
Gateway Building,
Apollo Bunder,
Colaba, Mumbai – 400 001
Please note that we do not encourage sending gifts to Nanhi Kalis.
Project Nanhi Kali,
K. C. Mahindra Education Trust,
Gateway Building,
Apollo Bunder,
Colaba, Mumbai – 400 001
Please note that we do not encourage sending gifts to Nanhi Kalis.
8Can you send a gift for your Nanhi Kali?
We do not encourage sending of gifts so that the other children, who are not Nanhi Kalis, don’t feel left out. In case, a cheque is sent as a gift, we use the money to distribute sweets to all the girls in the Nanhi Kali’s class.
9Are you the only sponsor for your Nanhi Kali?
Yes, during your sponsorship period you will be the only person sponsoring your Nanhi Kali. At the end of your sponsorship period, you may choose to renew your support to the Nanhi Kali(s) as she moves to higher classes, by sending us the sponsorship renewal amount. A renewal reminder e-mail with the details will be sent to your registered email ID. Kindly note, if the sponsorship amount does not reach us within 2 months of the renewal due date, another donor will be found for your Nanhi Kali to ensure that she continues receiving educational support. If you wish to continue supporting the project after this period, you will be assigned a new Nanhi Kali.
10Are there any tax benefits for donating to Project Nanhi Kali?
- In India, yes, all contributions are deductible under Section 80 G of the Income Tax Act.
- In the USA, yes, Mahindra Foundation USA is a Section 501 (c) (3) organisation with Tax ID # 20-8105205, under the US Internal Revenue Code and all donations are therefore tax deductible.
- If you’re a UK taxpayer, the charities you give to can reclaim the basic rate of tax you’ve already paid on your donation. This means that a £1 donation is worth £1.25 to the charity. If you’re a higher rate taxpayer, you can also claim back the difference between higher rate and basic rate tax on the value of your donation. For a 40% rate taxpayer, that means for every £1 you donate, you can claim back 25p in tax relief.
11Will we send you tax exemption certificate?
- In India, yes, once you make your donation we will send you a receipt which also serves as your 80G certificate.
- In the USA, the receipt includes the Mahindra Foundation USA tax ID which you can use to claim tax exemption.
- In the UK, All you need to do is fill out a Gift Aid Declaration (GAD) form. This is a statement from you to the charity confirming that you want to donate through Gift Aid and receive tax back on your donation.
12In which regions of India is Project Nanhi Kali reaching out to girl children?
Project Nanhi Kali supports girls from underserved communities in the following regions - Maharashtra (Mumbai, Nashik, Chakan, Ambegaon, Palghar, Kolhapur) Andhra Pradesh (Vishakhapatnam), Tamil Nadu (Krishnagiri, Thiruvannamalai, Ramanathapuram), Karnataka (Raichur), Punjab (Moga), Madhya Pradesh (Ratlam), Uttar Pradesh (Barabanki, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Shravasti), West Bengal (Darjeeling) and Gujarat (Bharuch).
13Can you choose to support Project Nanhi Kali in a specific area/region?
We do not give choices in area/region/caste/creed in the selection of Nanhi Kalis as our aim is to reach every underprivileged girl child in India in an unbiased manner, prioritizing the need for support. We have a list of girls who require the support that Project Nanhi Kali will provide and thus, we urge donors to contribute towards the education of the girls irrespective of these conditions.
14In case your Nanhi Kali's academic performance has not been good, can you find out the reason behind it?
Yes, you can. Kindly e-mail your query to us and we will get back to you at the earliest.
15On what basis are the Nanhi Kalis selected?
The girls are selected as per the following criteria:
- Girl children who are enrolled in government schools
- Girl children hailing from economically challenging and socially disadvantaged background
- Girls who are first generation learners belonging to illiterate families
- The eldest girl child in the family and girls with many siblings
- Girl children from communities known for gender biases like female infanticide and early marriage
- Girl children from households headed by women
16Is it safe to give your credit card details online?
The Project Nanhi Kali website partners with CC Avenues in India, Cybersource in the USA and Globaliris in the UK, because these online payment gateways adhere to high security measures. All three portals are committed to ensuring that details shared by user, especially sensitive information like credit card details, etc remain protected. For further information, please visit www.ccavenues.com , www.cybersource.com & www.globalpaymentsinc.com
17How safe is your personal information with Nanhi Kali?
At Project Nanhi Kali, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. Your privacy is important to us. We prioritize the safeguarding of your personal data through the implementation of technical and organizational measures. Please read our Privacy Policy to know more.
18How can you update your personal details if they change?
In case of changes in personal details, we encourage you to log in and make changes to your profile. You can also notify us by e-mail and we will update our records accordingly.
19 Can you donate for the renewal of the Nanhi Kali sponsorship online?
Yes, you can.
20If there is a problem with the net banking or credit card donation process, whom do you contact?
21What is the purpose of a login ID & password?
All donors receive a system generated login ID and password through a letter. The login details enable the donor to view the profile and progress report of their Nanhi Kali, online on this website. The donor can also log in to renew sponsorship of their Nanhi Kali(s) or to sponsor new Nanhi Kali(s).
22How is your donation amount utilised?
From every donation, only 5% of the funds are retained by the charity for administrative, marketing and fund-raising costs; the remaining 95% is utilised exclusively towards our project expenses.