Indo-Canadian expatriates have donated more than USD 7 million dollars to a Toronto-based non-profit organisation which builds and runs education hostels in rural India. The non-profit AIM for SEWA (Canada) builds hostels in far-flung, rural areas of India to educate children from poor families.

At this year’s annual gala dinner here attended by former Miss India Pooja Batra, many Indo-Canadians pledged donations to AIM for SEWA to take its collections to over USD 7 million dollars to promote education of poor rural kids in India. The non-profit, started by famous Toronto dentist Terry Papneja, has already built 26 hostels in rural India.

“At these hostels, we are taking care of over 4,000 children—from the age of eight to 18—on an on-going basis. For full 10 years, these children are given free accommodation, food, clothing and education so that their families get out of the cycle of poverty. We also cover all their other expenses,” said Mr Papneja.