ROBIN RAINA FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF ITS ASSETS

December 3, 2009: Atlanta - Robin Raina Foundation (RRF) today released the details of the assets available with the foundation, a 501 © charity, in the United States. The foundation decided to do that in the true spirit of transparency, as also to convey to its donors the increased need to fund the shortfall required to finish some of the foundation’s commitments to the slum dwellers. These funds exclude any funds that the Foundation’s sister charities might have in India.

RRF announced that it presently carries a total endowment of around $2 million in terms of assets available to fund the cause of the underprivileged children and the homeless slum dwellers around the world. The foundation declared that its net assets as of 31st December 2008 were $1,560,795 with these assets having grown to $2 million as on date.

The foundation also disclosed that its founder Robin Raina was the largest donor to the foundation in 2008, with a total donation of $1,301,780. This donation included a cash donation of $ 282,085 and a stock donation in the form of 26,610 shares of Ebix stock valued at $1,019,695 at the time of donation in 2008. The stock donation made by Robin Raina in 2008 is currently valued at $1,442,528.

The foundation also thanked all its donors across the world who have donated directly to the charities its supports in India including the Raina Prayas, Raina Shine, Disha, Blind Aid and the RRF Slum projects managed by the Robin Raina Charitable Trust. The foundation also thanked its joint venture partners Prayas for funding 30% of some of its slum school ventures in Bawana, Shine for funding 50% of its slum school venture in Raina Shine and other Govt. organizations in India and abroad who have contributed to its RRF slum housing project and the various RRF slum schools.

The foundation spokesperson also emphasized the foundation’s earnest commitment to providing housing to each and every slum dweller in the slums of Bawana Delhi. Reiterating that commitment, the foundation summarized the status of some of its work in Bawana as on date -

• The foundation has now built 622 concrete homes for the slum dwellers of Bawana free of cost. That funding has come directly from the foundation and its other donors across the world, who have contributed directly to the charity in India for the effort.
• The RRF Slum project is now estimated to cost $20 million – if the foundation was to fulfill its dream to build 6000 concrete homes for the slum dwellers of Bawana.
• The foundation’s slum housing project is seen today as the largest slum charity project undertaken by any non-governmental organization in India, without any primary government help.
• A school that has provided education, breakfast, lunch, clothes, healthcare, picnics, toys, extra-curricular activities to the children of more than 2000 families in Bawana
• A vocational training institute for women in Bawana
• A Self Help Group of women that has empowered thousands of women in the area.
• Wheel chairs for handicapped kids in the area
• Financial help and medical care on an as needed basis
• Emergency relief in times of fires that happen rather regularly.

The above is in addition to the foundation’s other charity activities across the Indian sub-continent. The foundation also conveyed its desire to adopt new initiatives in Africa and the third world in the form of funding education projects for the slum dwellers.

The foundation also declared that today it supports the education of 102 underprivileged blind kids. 62 of these blind kids are now in the Masters program while 40 of them are doing Graduation in top schools in Delhi and surrounding areas today.

At the occasion, Robin also released an appeal to all well-meaning people around the world to donate to the cause of building these homes at a cost of $1650 per home. Robin also issued an appeal to the general public around the world, to donate generously to the building efforts.

All donations (100% tax-exempt) payable to “Robin Raina Foundation” should be sent to:

Robin Raina Foundation – A $20 million Dream,
510 Covington Cove
Alpharetta, GA 30022

These concrete homes would provide a solid home to thousands of slum dwellers that have never had a home of their own in their entire life. It would also provide a huge relief from the misery imposed on them by the after effects of the recent fire that destroyed everything they had.

RRF Founder Robin Raina said, “While the Govt. of India can spend billions of dollars to organize the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010, to showing the prowess of India, yet it cannot find any budgets to provide basic housing or healthcare for its own poor citizens, who were thrown away from the confines of the city by the Government, in its bid to cleans Delhi for the Games.”

Robin added, “Our resolve to build a home for each slum dweller in Bawana, Delhi is stronger than ever. Towards that I encourage each one of you to help the foundation build these homes, either through your donations of money or time. Giving is something nobody can take away from you. There is nothing more rewarding than giving in life.”

About RRF’s Slum housing project
Each of the 6000 homes that the foundation plans to build is 4 sided brick and has a concrete roof done exactly the way as any other middle class house in Delhi would have been built. Each home is built on a solid brick foundation of 4 feet. The home has two rooms, four power points, two fans and an exhaust fan. The homes look aesthetically nice from outside having been painted in two colors – blue and light brown alternately, to give individuality to each home. Each home carries a nice granite nameplate outside the home. That is a big deal for the slum homeowners as till now they did not necessarily have an address. Each of these homes today has taken a legal electric connection in their home.

In their bid to cleanse Delhi and get ready for the Commonwealth Games in 2010, the Delhi Government in the year 2003 moved thousands of slum dweller families from the banks of river Yamuna to the barren land of Bawana district, on the outskirts of Delhi. Today Bawana has close to 30,000 families staying in inhuman conditions in grass huts. The area has little means of employment, education and healthcare. In the year 2004, the Robin Raina Foundation decided to set up base inside the slums of Bawana.

About the Robin Raina Foundation
A 501(c) charity, Raina foundation has been setup to raise funds for work to be carried out to empower under-privileged children and their parents, who need help around the world. The foundation's focus is to make a difference in the lives of children - who are handicapped, blind, mentally challenged, sick or in need of urgent medical help and underprivileged kids who need education. All donations to the foundation are 100% tax-exempt.

RRF Contact: Sanjay Supehia, (678) 517-8688, ssupehia@rainafoundation.com