Election of a chairman: Helle Poulsen
Election of a keeper of the minutes: Hanne Stenager
The committee’s report
One committee meeting has been held during the past year, and otherwise the contact between the committee members has passed off by mail or telephone. There is a close contact to Lakshmi Ashram by mail, so all the time we are well informed about what is going on in the ashram. In 2008 we sent out three Sanchars (no. 102, 103 and 104). Twice a year (February and August/September) we send money to the ashram. In February 2009 there were problems with transfer of money from Denmark to Lakshmi Ashram. First the Danish bank was making two serious mistakes and later on the amount was returned with a loss of money. The Danish bank covered this loss.
In 2008 we were 105 members in Friends of Lakshmi Ashram. Last year we agreed to try to apply to the Danish tax authorities about allowance to deduct the amount given to the society on one’s tax return, but this year the tax system demands 300 member in the society, so we have to give up this idea.
News from the ashram
Lakshmi ashram has now joined National Institute of Open Schooling – NIOS. It is an All-India institution that is entitled to give exams. That means that the ashram students could have their exams from here. The government in the state of Uttaranchal suddenly refused students from private schools to have their exams in the government schools. It implied that some of the oldest students in the ashram have gone home to finish their schooling in the local schools. The numbers of students therefore fell, but now they have enrolled ten new students, and maybe a few more will come.
Lakshmi Ashram is very active in the project “Save the Rivers of Uttarakhand” that aims to protect and preserve the rivers. By now it is a big problem with water in the mountains. Radha Bhatt carries out a great work with this project. One of the big events of 2008 was the celebration of Radha Bhatt’s 75 years birthday on 16th of October. It was mentioned in Sanchar 105 from February 2009. The new kitchen building is nearly finished. Besides the kitchen you can also find a computer room etc. We sent 60.000 DKK from the inheritance in April to meet the last expenses for the building.
The report was adopted.
The account
The account of 2008 was presented and adopted. The expenses are still very modest. It is a result of help from Vestervangskolen in Glostrup to print the Sanchar, and at the same time I have again received free envelopes from a friend.
Subscription:
The subscription is kept on Danish kroner 75 (about 10 Euro) yearly per member.
The subscription was adopted.
Election of the committee and substitutes:
The following persons were elected:
Lone Poulsen
Hanne Stenager
Ruth Sillemann
Substitute: Peter Kristensen
Election of auditor and substitute
Revisor: Claus Broskov Soerensen
Substitute: David David
The meeting ended with Helle Poulsen’s photos from her visit in Kumaon and Lakshmi Ashram in October 2008, and Lone Poulsen told about and showed photos of Mahila Haat, an NGO with close connection to Lakshmi Ashram.
15.03.09 Hanne Stenager and Lone Poulsen