Charitable Projects supported by Nishkam. 

Nishkam Canada supports two main charitable projects.  Both projects are targeted at the Sikligar Sikh community of Karnataka. 

In the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan communities called Sikligars, Vanjaras and Lobanas have been residing in abysmal conditions in huts and shanty towns.  These people converted to Sikhism at the time of the Sikh Gurus.  They  lack opportunities to break the cycle of poverty but are hardworking and industrious. They are a proud people who live with dignity.  They have been struggling to discover their religious roots, from which they have been distanced with the passage of time.      

Sikligar Sikh Children Education Project 

The first project is the Sikligar Sikh Children Education project. This project is aimed at providing school supplies, books, uniforms, shoes etc to the 351 school going children of the Sikligar Sikh community in Karnataka.  As part of this project Nishkam Canada is also assisting with the hiring of after school tuition teachers so that the children that cannot be assisted by their illiterate parents with homework, have other support available to them.   

Nishkam Canada requests a monthly donation of C$ 15 that will allow it to support the needy children and allow them to become young, successful men and women. 

In 2005, Nishkam Canada was able to support a total of 6 (six) after school teachers for  in Banglaore, Nippani, Dharwad, Shigaon and Hubli, all in Karnataka.   

Sikligar Sikh children attending Government Higher Primary School No. 9, Saraswat, Pur Dharwad

Sikligar Sikh Housing Project 

This project is aimed at garnering enough funds so that houses can be built for the need Sikligar Sikhs in Karnataka.  The intent of this scheme is to provide basic housing along with a Gurudwara so that the 327 Sikligar Sikh families spread across the 10 towns not only have a place to live, but are also able to connect with their roots. 

This project will only be initiated once Nishkam Canada is able to collect $ 5,000 specifically for this project. 

Picture of the Sikligar Sikhs in front of their huts

A.          Scholarships to needy but deserving students in Punjab, in India.  These scholarships are advertised in India in the local press by Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council, India.  In 2005, Nishkam was able to support a young Sikh student in Delhi, Jasdeep Singh, in the expenses of his first year of engineering school.

B.          Provision of basic amenities to residents of old age homes and orphanages in Punjab, India.

C.          Provision of basic teaching materials and services like drinking water and toilets in the schools in Punjab, India as well as small scholarships to bright school children in an effort to address the issue of drop out rates at the primary level.