| In 2002, Jaya Basu and Sue Dattar set out to fulfill | | | | all of them based in the United States. |
| their dream of helping some of the neediest and | | | | Five years ago, a 7-year old boy named Pintoo joined |
| least fortunate children in India by funding food and | | | | the Promise World Wide project. He could not read |
| literacy programs in Kolkata (Calcutta). The | | | | or write at the time. Just recently, though, Pintoo |
| organization they founded for these efforts was | | | | achieved 3rd place in his state's school-leaving exam |
| named Promise World Wide. | | | | and is expected to do very well on the nationwide |
| Today, Promise World Wide takes care of 200 | | | | version of this highly competitive test. Pintoo says he |
| children, ages 5 through 16, by providing them with | | | | would like to teach the children in the project when |
| balanced meals, clothing, literacy programs, basic | | | | he finishes his education. |
| medical care, school tuition and supplies, tutoring and | | | | The team at Promise World Wide wants to build on |
| classes in art, music and computers. The children, | | | | their current success and expand their activities as |
| primarily underprivileged girls, come from families with | | | | they get additional donations. Their bigger dream is to |
| earnings of less than $1 per day. Without this | | | | move from basic literacy and education programs to |
| program, the children would end up being maids, living | | | | higher level schooling programs, the building of a |
| on the streets or worse. | | | | residential facility and the launch of micro credit |
| Promise World Wide is a non-profit organization run | | | | programs in the communities where the children live. |
| by its founders and eleven volunteers in the U.S. It | | | | In addition to all the work she does for children in |
| fulfills its mission of educating and empowering | | | | India, Jaya Basu devotes some of her time to help |
| underprivileged children across the world through the | | | | care for foster children and kids in juvenile jails near |
| donations of its founders, board members, private | | | | her home in California. |
| citizens, and a handful of civic and private companies, | | | | |