About us
Who we are, why we do this, and how it runs.
What the name means
Abhijnanam is a Sanskrit word. It means recognition: the act of seeing someone, and acknowledging them.
That is the work. Seeing the people nobody looks at, and listening to the people nobody asks. It started in Kolkata and now reaches as far as the border.
Nobody here draws a salary. Everyone is a volunteer, and the money that comes in goes straight into the work.
What we hold to
Presence over distance
Not help sent from far away. Going, sitting down, and giving time.
Dignity in service
Nobody is turned into an object of pity. We meet people as equals.
Rooted in our own culture
We carry our own festivals, language, and customs with us.
Without expectation
Not done in the hope of getting anything back.
Where the money goes
There is no office, no salary, and no advertising budget. What comes in goes to food, medicine, books, and the cost of getting there.
Medicine and doctors
Medicines for the camps, and getting the doctors there.
Books and materials
Handed straight to the students.
Festival costs
Rakhis, sweets, food, and the transport out to the border.