Inspired by Blessed Edmund Rice’s example of educating the poor and the marginalised, Seema Paul starts the Nai Disha school for the railway platform children of Asansol as an outreach program of St. Patrick’s School, Asansol. Her sister, Sheela Sengupta, brings her social work experience to help Mrs. Paul.
About Us
Our Story
2002
Inspiration
2016
Transition
Mrs. Paul, who had retired as Principal and was helping out when she could, decides to continue her sister’s life work after she passes away in an untimely fashion.
2019
Foundation
The charitable efforts move from informal to a formal registration of an organisation “South Kolkata Sheela Sengupta Memorial Foundation.” The work for the poor and marginalised continues in two remote tribal villages of the Tardah Gram Panchayat: Tongpara and Mohsul.
2022
Acceleration
Weathering the difficulties of the pandemic, Mrs. Paul keeps the foundation work afloat by collecting funds from friends before bringing in SPS alumni to help her make the operations more sustainable, to provide pre-school classes and daily food to 60 children in two villages.
About Mrs. Seema Paul, Co-Founder
Thousands of SPS alumni have known Mrs. Seema Paul as a biology teacher or as Principal of St. Patrick’s School, Asansol. Some even know of her passion for the underprivileged with Nai Disha (helping educate the railway platform kids and other kids near SPS). Less known has been her work with the underprivileged kids in rural WB after she retired from SPS. She needs advice, volunteers, donors to continue operating and help solve some challenges.
Meet Our Team
Program Supervisor
Mrinal Das
Office Assistant
Subrata Mondal
Teacher – Mohsul Center
Sima Nashkor
Teacher – Mohsul Center
Purnima Nashkor
Helper – Mohsul Center
Ashima Sardar
Food – Mohsul Center
Mithu
Community Mobilizer – Mohsul
Ashtom Mondal
Teacher – Tongpara Center
Pampa Munda
Teacher – Tongpara Center
Minati Munda
Teacher – Tongpara Center
Panchami Sardar
Community Mobilizer – Tongpara
Tapos Mondol
Helper – Tongpara Center