Interview with Mr. Claus D. von der Fink, founder and 1. chairman of NITYA SEVA e.V. in Germany, and president of NITYA SEVA SOCIETY in India.


by Evelyn Garski
www.bollywood-worldwide.de
10.4.2008



Mr. Claus D. von der Fink,

thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions. As I could learn from the information you gave me, you are aimed to help numerous suffering children in India through various projects for more than 17 years.

E.G.: Sadly there are many needy person worldwide. What exactly affected you to help children in India ?

C.v.d.F.: I got to know about the need from children in India from an newspaper article 17 years ago. My spontaneous reaction was: "I refuse to accept this". Than I was travelling through India, to search for the places of the biggest need, albeit the immense poverty beyond the cities, which one will find in metropolises as in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

E.G.: Before the foundation of NITYA SEVA e.V. (e.V. = registered association) in 1998 you fathered some other projects in the slums of Mumbai (Bombay). What happened with this projects? Do you have still any connection to Mumbai ?

C.v.d.F.: I found out that in Mumbai, a city with ~ 15 million inhabitants, thousands of children with or without family are living on the streets - with no opportunity for school education. For this little creatures I spontaneous started a fund raising-campaign to finance a school, in which the children got not only school lessons but a nutritious meal too. I was more than 50 times in Mumbai till now and I will be there twice a year. The project is running very well. I am in contact with the responsible persons.

E.G.: Through all the years you were for sure in various parts of India. Your association supports now the street kids from Bhopal. Why just Bhopal ?

C.v.d.F.: My wife Asha (the name means "hope" in hindi) is from Bhopal. The city has around 1,5 million inhabitants. Asha found out in 1999 that ~ 360 boys and girls in the age 5 - 18 where there living on the train platforms and along the rails, who cramed their stomach with meal rests which were left in the train by travellers. The kids are mostly ill, the skin has been littered with abscesses. Often they were misused, sexually abused, take drugs or sniffle Tippex. And they have no loving benefit.

For this kids we opened our first children´s home in Chandbad in the year 2000. In the aftermath we could open, by renting two more houses, a home for needy girls and than in 2004 our new and bigger children´s home in Pipalner.

E.G.: Please, can you explain what "Nitya Seva" and "Aashirwad (the name of your project) means ?

C.v.d.F.: NITYA SEVA means "continuely, unlimited help" in hindi, Aashirwad means "blessing“.

E.G.: Your association celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. This means a lot of work and dediaction, hopes, success but even setbacks too. Have you ever thought that your association will exists that long time (and hopefully many, many years more) ?

C.v.d.F.: 10 years is a long time. But somehow time flew. The years were associated with extremly hard work, because I only can work on my social efforts in my free time.

My wife and I had never any doubts that NITYA SEVA will exist in a continuing basis. It is our lifework.

E.G.: With which problems did you have or still do you have to struggle ?

C.v.d.F.: It is a big effort to get the essential funds year by year. Our expenses are currently around 100.000 EURO per year. This is really a show of strength to obtain the money.

Another problem is to get qualified and motivated stuff.

Besides this that, in spite of the kindly support of my wife´s brother and sister-in-law in Bhopal, we have to operate all principle affairs from a 6.500 km distance which we only can do by countless phone calls and mails.

E.G.: Did you have moments you were doubting about the success of your efforts and on which you wanted to "give up" ?

C.v.d.F.: We will never give up. How should we explain to our kids that they have to go back on the streets because we are not able to handle their care. We are spending all our energy that something like that never happens.

E.G.: By the time the number of kids you have to take care rises to respectable 186. How many children can you accomodate and how many kids are you supporting beyond the children´s home ?

C.v.d.F.: Our both children´shome are bursting at the seams. But I insist that the entry will be not denied for a needy kid.

By moving together we will have space for ~ 20 more children. We are now planning the expansion of the children´s home in Pipalnar. With an investment about 50.000 Euro. Money, which I have "scrounge".

E.G.: How many emplyoees are working there for NITYA SEVA e.V. and in which capacity ?

C.v.d.F.: We current have 28 employees - social workers, cooks, child carer, accountant, teacher for private lessons, driver, teacher for our company training center(joinery, tailory - and computer schools) etc.

E.G.: How far do you get support from the municipal authority and inhabitants of Bhopal ?

C.v.d.F.: We obtain a kindly and well support from municipal responsible persons, from Rotary, from the government etc.

E.G.: Did you ever have problems in Mumbai or Bhopal by asking for support and help because of your nationality ?

C.v.d.F: No, never. India is an absolutely open-hearted country. I am known there and have been well received.

E.G.: What is the government in India doing to solve the problems of slums, family structures, street kids etc. ?

C.v.d.F.: They are quite doing something. But one can´t help in one fell swoop all the needy people even with big efforts when 400 millions are under the poverty level.

E.G.: During the last 10 years since the founding of your association, was the development of Bhopal more negative or positive ? Will the future for the kids change for the better ?

C.v.d.F.: Yes, it will. But it needs more time. And I do not want to wait till the things are going positive. Immediate help is needed now.

E.G.: Which kind of projects for NITYA SEVA e.V. are you planning now ?

C.v.d.F.: I have endless visions. For example in: drink water supply, sanitary, irrigation, better school education for underprivileged people etc.

E.G.: Not always cooperative people want to spend money. Are there other possibilities to support your association ? What else do you need ? Donation of food and clothes, helper, other things ? What do you need the most ?

C.v.d.F.: Actually financial support has priority. Helpful is a membership by NITYA SEVA with a charge of 51,13 Euro. With this I can cover the administration expenses, so all project-oriented donations can send 1:1 to India.

Donations of food and clothes are always welcome, in particular clothes and toys. But this we wether can´t convoy nor send cost-saving to India.

E.G.: Which were the most emotional moments for you in all the last years ?

C.v.d.F.: Every new entrant in our children´s homes. And every smile from our proteges. And that they call us dad and mum.

E.G.: Can you remember some funny incidents, which gives you a smirk on your face today too ?

C.v.d.F.: Yes, there were some funny incidents as for example when I tried to negotiate german management rules into indians. A belly-landing (strike out) pure.

E.G.: Numerous personality and celebrities from business, sport and film industry are supporting various charity projects in India. How things are going in your association - do you get any support from Indian personalities/celebrities ?

C.v.d.F.:Because of my less time I couldn´t get hand of Indian VIP´s. For this I want to go after more now. I could win over several German VIP´s.

E.G.: Do you have someone special in mind you would like to have as a "sponsor" for your project and if yes, whom and why ?

C.v.d.F.: I got in contact with some top-VIP´s in India. Now I want to try to get in touch with Shah Rukh Khan. He is social acting.

Besides this it will be very nice if someone can apply sponsors to me. From Germany and India.

E.G.: At least - Do you and your wife have some wishes for the upcoming years ?

C.v.d.F.: That our project will persists and expand. And that more and more people will be solidary explaining that whereever in our world children have to suffer, they refuse to accept it.

Bollywood-worldwide.com wishes you and your helpers a lot of success and a strong support for NITYA SEVA e.V. and thank you very much again for this interview.