People and organizations affiliated with VKG:

Food For Life Vrindavan

 
http://www.fflvrindavan.org

Food for Life Vrindavan houses VKG offices, hosts artisan meetings and trainings, and includes VKG under its umbrella of successful development initiatives in Vrindavan. Food for Life Vrindavan is a humanitarian association officially recognized by the Indian government. For the last ten years, Food for Life Vrindavan has worked in the poorest villages in the Vrindavan area (120 Km south of New Delhi).

Their work includes:
- food distribution
- basic medical assistance
- training courses for women
- drilling for drinking water and constructing water tanks
- assistance to the elderly and the disabled
- distribution of clothes
- environmental projects and education
- taking care of cows
- providing primary school education for disadvantaged children

Dastkar

http://www.dastkar.org

Dastkar is currently mentoring the development of the VKG artisans' collective. A society for crafts and craftspeople, Dastkar is a registered society that aims at improving the economic status of craftspeople, thereby promoting the survival of traditional crafts. It was founded in 1981 by six women, who had worked in the craft and development sector including Laila Tyabji, who is the current Chairperson.

Kathryn Wasserman Davis' 100 Projects for Peace

http://www.kwd100projectsforpeace.org

The founding of VKG was made possible by a grant from the Davis Projects for Peace. Davis Projects for Peace was created in 2007 by Kathryn Wasserman Davis, a lifelong internationalist and philanthropist (who earned a B.A. from Wellesley, an M.A. from Columbia, and a Ph.D. from the University of Geneva) for her 100th birthday. Mrs. Davis feels some urgency to spark initiatives for building prospects for peace in the world and so has committed $1 million to fund one hundred $10,000 projects for peace each year since 2007. She believes that today’s youth – tomorrow’s leaders – ought to be challenged to formulate and test their own ideas.

Katie Jo Walter

Katie Jo Walter submitted a winning proposal to Davis Projects for peace, conceptualizing the VKG collective and its initial implementation process. A 2009 graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, Katie was also awarded a Fulbright grant to research local attitudes concerning themes of religion and economics in advocating environmental stewardship in Vrindavan. Katie looks forward to spending the next year in Vrindavan to continue her work with VKG as she conducts her research.

Read Katie's Project Proposal for the VKG artisans' collective here.