Many Congratulations Anja, on your 30 years of dedicated service ❤️❤️❤️

It is my honour and priviledge to have been asked by Anja to write a few words on the occasion of Pradip-Partner One World’s 30th Anniversary. Our partnership spans across these three decades. This partnership started between Anja Finckh-Fischer, founder of Pradip-Partner One World and my mother Mrs Aloka Mitra, the founder of Women’s Interlink Foundation and has resulted in the empowerment of the most deprived women, children and communities in and around Kolkata, West Bengal. The projects that Anja supports are ones which result in maximum benefits to the community. My mother passed in October 2025 and I became the Chairperson of Women’s Interlink Foundation after being an office bearer for several decades. In these interim years Anja and I have developed a beautiful bond. I deeply value Anja’s sincerity and dedication to make a positive change in the lives of the most needy and vulnerable women and children in Kolkata. I am truly honoured to have enjoyed her company over the years and feel inspired by her tireless hard work and commitment in raising crucial funds for those who are so needy and requiring her support. Anja is truly worthy of every honour bestowed on her. She has such a large heart and does not even hesitate to use her precious holiday time to come to Kolkata and spend every waking minute in the field, meeting with each and every beneficiary personally, always respectful and ever curious , asking pertinent questions and offering her assistance unconditionally. Anja brought her husband Frank and sons with her to Kolkata and straight away put them to work. Not once did she think of taking even a day out as `family time‘. She is truly a very special woman and she commands the respect of each and every member of Women’s Interlink Foundation and has the love of the women and children in the community and in the homes with whom she has such incredible ties.

I marvel at Anja’s journey of service to humanity which started with a young Pradip, who is now a happy middle aged man living with dignity in a residential care facility that meets his needs. Anja has taken him through the journey of life from the streets to his present comfortable residence. Her own philanthropic journey has expanded over the years and she has tirelessly raised funds to improve the lives of 1000s of women and girls in Kolkata, India.

Over the years Anja has supported many of our projects with women and children. One such project is the Street Children Education Project in collaboration with the Kolkata Police. This holistic support of education, nutrition, medicines and recreational support has enabled over 1000 children to receive quality education and stay off the streets and away from the petty criminal activities that they were engaged in over the years. While PPOW is no longer supporting these centres, Women’s Interlink Foundation continues to run them and they are continuing to keep the most vulnerable street and working children off the streets and in education. We are very grateful to Anja for her support in bettering the lives of hundreds of the most vulnerable and exploitated children who continue to live on the streets but are now building a life for themselves.

Anja has been supporting WIF’s Red light area project in Sonagachi since 2000. These drop in/remedial education centres in the heart of Kolkata’s largest redlight area have protected innumerable children of sex workers over the years through consistent education, nutrition, primary health care, community awareness generation and recreational support. It gives me great joy to be able to say that this work has proactively contributed in the abolition of children being inducted into sex work in the area. Between 2010 to 2025, these Remedial education centres have charted encouraging academic outcomes. During this period, 09 students successfully passed the Secondary Examination, of whom 07 progressed to and passed the Higher Secondary Examination. Among these, 4 students completed their college education. All of these students are simultaneously engaged in employment while continuing their education, reflecting their strong commitment to academic advancement alongside financial self-reliance.

The vocational training unit in Sonagachi Redlight area enables women and adolescent girls to gain a skill of tailoring and soft toy making. This unit is facilitating socio-economic upliftment of vulnerable girls and preventing them from being drawn into the sex trade.

Another innovative project that Anja has been supporting since 2000 is in the Kalighat Burning Ghat area education project. The education centres initially targetted the children of the `doms‘ who burn the bodies of the deceased in the crematorium. This community was looked on as `untouchables‘ and education was a distant dream for them when we started our work in the area. It gives me great joy to say that large numbers of children of this community have received education and moved away from this trade. The centres have brought equality among the castes and now there is a mixture of children from all segments of the community who study together and are supported with holistic support. These centres are remedial education centre which provide education support to children to prevent the high rate of drop out in the area. Between 2011 and 2025 the 2 centres in Kalighat Sasan have illustrated encouraging academic outcomes. 20 students successfully passed the Secondary Examination (GCSE), of whom 8 progressed to and passed the Higher Secondary Examination (Further Education). Among these, 3 students completed their college education, while 2 students appeared for their Graduation examinations. All of these students are simultaneously engaged in employment while continuing their education, reflecting their strong commitment to academic advancement alongside financial self-reliance.

In addition, 2 students appeared for the Higher Secondary Examination(10+2) in 2026, reflecting the continued academic advancement of the beneficiaries. Due to sustained awareness initiatives with the community and continuous handholding support over the years, a significant number of children have been prevented from engaging in informal labour activities. Instead, they are now able to focus more consistently on their schooling and academic development. As a result of these interventions, school dropout rates have shown a gradual decline over time. There has also been a notable shift in community attitudes, with parents and guardians increasingly recognizing the importance of formal education and regular school attendance as essential pathways to long-term socio-economic improvement.

Anja’s support in Kumartully education centres for children living in the slums and street areas has enabled children who are at risk of being displaced continue their education through regular attendance at the centres. The Kolkata Police also play a constructive role in maintaining law and order, ensuring the safety of women and children, supporting child protection initiatives, and facilitating NGO outreach efforts. Their co-operation contributes significantly to creating a safer and more secure environment for vulnerable children and families. The centre has demonstrated encouraging academic outcomes. During 2010 – 2025, 18 students successfully passed the Secondary Examination, of whom 12 progressed to and passed the Higher Secondary Examination. Among these, 5 students completed their college education, while 2 students appeared for their graduation examinations. All of these students are simultaneously engaged in employment while continuing their education, reflecting their strong commitment to academic advancement alongside financial self-reliance. In addition, 3 students appeared for the Secondary and 1 student appeared for the Higher Secondary Examination in 2026, reflecting the continued academic advancement of the beneficiaries.

Anja visits all the centres every year and knows all the students and their families personally. She tracks each child’s progress and visits their homes and conducts meetings with the family to understand the hardships that are faced by the children and their families first hand. This enables her to be empathetic to their plight and assist them with holistic services to prevent drop out. We are very happy that Anja is such a hands on partner and the close relationship she has built with the children and the community over the decades enables Women’s Interlink Foundation to achieve its mission of creating a society of equals where the poorest of the poor are empowered to have a strong sense of self worth.

Over the years Anja has supported a number of students from these centres to further their education. This is a direct sponsorship support that enables them to continue their higher education. At present there are 17 boys and girls who are benefitting from this education sponsorship to continue their higher education, many of whom are in college and pursuing their University degrees.

In addition to community outreach projects, Anja has been supporting Nijoloy Home , a residential facility for women and girls who have been rescued from human slavery over several years with focussed need based funds. Nijoloy presently has 85 girls and women, 75 of whom are sponsored by Anja. Anja’s support over the years has enabled us to provide holistic support to the women and girls and it has resulted in promoting and developing essential life skills, self reliance, improved the self esteem of the girls and enabled them to focus on education, skills development, and engage in counselling, recreational activities such as dance and yoga, along with various vocational skills trainings. It is heartening that many of the women and girls have been rehabilitated into their families and we have a new cohort of women and girls to assist. The confident young ladies have bank account savings and are getting married and having a family. Anja has supported our Child Care Home, a Home for lost, abandoned, orphaned and victimised girls over the years when there was no one willing to support the girls with sponsorships. She now supports 7 of the after care residents who are differently abled women who have grown up in the Home and not been able to leave due to their significant support needs. These women are supported in their care solely through Anja’s kind support and we are ever grateful to her. Anja’s support provides essential nutritional support to the women along with essential medical care and psychological support. I would like to Thank Anja for her care and concern for these special needs women who have grown up in the Child Care Home and have nowhere to go.

We are truly very grateful to Anja for her care, concern, commitment and kind generosity through the years. I feel very happy that Anja is so thorough and detailed in personally knowing each woman and child whom she supports. Each visit of hers is a learning experience for the Team. Anja ensures that the needs of every child she supports are addressed individually and takes a personal interest in observing and monitoring the journey and lived experience of every woman and child supported by her. Her tireless dedication is an inspiration for us all. Anja comes to see her projects every year and documents in detail the journeys of several of the children who she supports. Her knowledge, curiosity and understanding of the socio-economic and political aspects of India encourage lively discussions.

I have been very close to Anja over the decades. I have had the pleasure of being hosted by her in Germany and enjoyed the company of her wonderful husband Frank and their two beautiful boys Hans and Yonas. It is my heartfelt wish that the Universe blesses Anja and her family and all who contribute to in Pradip- Partner One World with the greatest of abundance, happiness and success in everything they do.

I would like to congratulate Anja and Pradip-Partner One World in completing 30 years of dedicated service to the most deprived and needy women and children. May you stay blessed always and continue the wonderful work with the blessings of all who know you and love and respect you.

Yours truly, Nilina