Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Aug 9: Emirates Paradela UAE and Samnvaya Trust, Mangaluru on Sunday August 9 jointly organized a programme to award scholarships to 25 students at Samanvaya conference hall, Urwa Store here. A training session on environment protection was also held on the same occasion.

Fr Ronald Cutinho welcomed the gathering and said, "It has been over 15 years since Samanvaya was started. This organization has conducted many activities in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts all these years. God has been grateful and helped and protected this organization, thus it has grown by many folds."

Listing out some of the programmes taken up by Samanvaya, he said, "Scholarships worth over Rs 1.5 crore have been awarded to 800 students. More than 25 books have been published. Training in tailoring has been given to over 400 people and 40-plus machines have been given free of cost and embroidery training has been imparted to over 90 people. Many more activities have been conducted by this organization all these years."

Addressing the gathering, KCO president, Michael D'Silva said, "Social service is nothing but helping people who are in need. It may be monetary help or any other form of help, and it needs to be given at the right time. I have been doing my best to help people as much as I can. Through KCO and Emirates Paradela, I have have been able to extend help to many people. Our group was started about 15 years ago. All our members have contributed towards this scholarship fund. I thank Fr Ronald Cutinho for organizing this scholarship programme."

President of Emirates Paradela UAE, Bennet D'Mello said, "We have been giving this scholarship for the past 15 years in order to give something back to our hometown. Previously we used to collect the amount by conducting programmes. But due to various reasons that has not been possible now. So all our members contribute towards this scholarship amount from their personal savings. Every year about Rs 3,50,000 is given as scholarship to 55 students, out of whom 25 are from Samanvaya. We have been able to do something good for others. I thank Fr Ronald Cutinho for his efforts in organizing this scholarship programme."

Secretary of Emirates Paradela UAE Cedric Rodrigues proposed the vote of thanks.

Emirates Paradela UAE members Jerald D'Mello, Franklin D'Cunha, Gracy D'Silva, Michael Menezes, Ranjan Pinto, Rowin D'Souza, Oswald Valento, Raghu Prashanth Pinto and Belinda D'Mello were the other dignitaries on the dais.