OUR MISSION
It's Women's History Month
A spotlight on Sr. Nectaria's work
Every day in this month the Greek Orthodox Moms group is highlighting Orthodox women during Women's History Month. On March 4th they posted:

"Sister Nectaria continues to make an impact in saving orphan lives in Kolkata, India.

We continue our look into the lives of women who have made a difference. Today's spotlight is on Sister Nektaria of Calcutta.
The ideals of the Christian Orthodox faith–love and self-sacrifice—have been promoted the last 25 years in the heart of one of the toughest places on earth by a Greek nun from Korinthos: Nektaria Paradisi.
Through her missionary work in Calcutta, India, this 66-year-old woman has taken on the heavy load that would otherwise be unbearable: she runs five schools in villages where there are Orthodox churches and communities, five clinics in remote areas, 12 churches, daily cooked food to the disabled and elderly living in the streets, an Orphanage for girls, “Theotokos,” which hosts 98 girls, and an Orphanage of boys, “Agios Ignatios,” which hosts 50 boys.
The images of the defenseless girls were perhaps the ones that shocked her most and led her to the founding of the first orphanage in 1997. She bought a tract of land in an area outside Calcutta that was more affordable, and within two years she had accepted the first girls, who now have grown up and raised families of their own. “By the time I stepped foot here, I wanted to help those homeless girls who were often raped by drunken men in the area. I cannot not save all of India, but I wanted to help somehow.”
Source: Neo Magazine, Kelly Faranioti
A way to support Sr. Nectaria's work and spice up your menu!
Spend an hour with Chef Sarintha and she will demonstrate how to make an easy Lenten Indian meal like a pro. Cost is $15 and all the proceeds go to support the many works of Sr. Nectaria. Once registered, the cooking ingredient list and recipe will be emailed to you.

FILI, together with you, our fellow “Friends Improving Lives Internationally”, look forward to 2021 to reach out and improve in the following ways:
  
Food distribution for the very poor
Kalighat is the red-light district of Kolkata, where the Greek Orthodox Church is located. It is also the location of the first Home for the Dying established by Mother Theresa.
Sister stretches every cent she receives. Your donations help to also provide food for many of the poor young children from the nearby slums and the destitute handicapped in this area of the city.
Sr. Nectaria runs 5 rural schools
and a small medical clinic in these communities
Despite the pandemic, 5 rural schools are still in operation. They are a fair distance from the orphanage. There is no online distance learning in these areas. Sister provides educational materials, teachers and free medicines for these small rural communities.
Past projects and future plans
Despite a devastating cyclone, Covid lockdowns, the closing of the orphanage school, floods, and Sister Nectaria’s absence, because of your help much has been accomplished during the last year. This could not have happened without our “FILI village” of caring contributors. 

  • The cyclone-damaged roof was repaired in the girls’ dorm.

  • New bed sheets were purchased for the girls dorm.

  • The replacement water well in the boys complex was completed.

  • A tiny home has been begun for housing the faithful guard.

  • Estimates are being gathered for the central courtyard roof cover of the new high school building.

  • The cyclone damaged roof and water tanks were repaired on the new high school.

  •  Negotiations have progressed for accreditation of the new school.

  • Computers were acquired to enable distance learning.

  • The computers for the computer lab were purchased which are part of the requirements list needed for accreditation.

  • Without outside help, the older girls prepare over 1000 meals a week during the continuing lockdown.

  • Hundreds of workbooks and school materials were purchased to keep five free schools open in very poor distant villages.

  • Feeding of the slum children and the disabled street people of Kolkata has resumed. 
Although these accomplishments are hardly believable; there is much-unfinished work at the school. The financial constraints are great as no tuition-paying students are permitted back because of Covid, and yet the teachers must be paid for providing online lessons. The life-sustaining feedings in Kolkata are a continuing outreach, and the doctors and nurses in the village clinics continue their work. The older children must pay tuition to attend outside schools until the orphanage school can be accredited for the higher grades.

Watch for coming features of different aspects of this incredibly worthwhile charity in India in future Constant Contact newsletters. We will visit a village school with you, survey the re-opening of the eye clinic that works to prevent blindness, and watch the completion of the St. Ignatius school. Meeting these challenges is only possible through you, the friends of FILI.

Some of the future plans:

Continued Support for the feeding outreach.

Dome cover for the high school building quad

Girls dorm continued repair of the building's exposed beam, stairs and, cement chipping

Meet accreditation requirements for the new St. Ignatius High School

Church Building Repair

Exam fees & College Tuition

Keep and Repair Rural Schools

Stock Rural Clinics
AN UNEXPECTED LESSON IN GENEROSITY
A donation from a penitentiary? This was a surprise. A caring prisoner in the Indianapolis State Prison has, for the second time, send his generous donation to the orphanage in India. Prisoners are paid between 12 cents and 25 cents an hour for their work, and prisoner number XXXXXX donated between five and ten weeks of his full-time wage to help orphaned children.

We do not know this donor. We do not know why he is in prison, and we have no idea how long he will be there. His letter says that he has been in for twenty years. We know that he has been under the tutelage of volunteer clergymen and has taken an active role in the services.

We see examples of generosity in unexpected places. Now we see a prisoner giving a greater share of his possessions than anyone we have ever met. We are grateful to him and humbled by his example to us. We wish him a long and fruitful life
To learn more about the Sister Nectaria's work visit our website to see the documentaries EKOTA and EKOTA II
We invite you all to read the recent article from the National Geographic: "Stolen Lives: The harrowing story of two girls sold into sexual slavery." One of the regions the article highlights is in West Bengal, India, the location of the Theotokos Girls' Orphanage. In 2016, a staggering 55% of Indian girls trafficked were from West Bengal. The work we do at Fili, with the help and contributions of our donors, fights child sex trafficking by providing vulnerable girls with food, housing and an education. Please continue to support our work and please forward this email to spread awareness of of our mission. Please click on the photo to visit the article.
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