Despite being thousands of miles away on a different continent, a Goan diaspora volunteer non-profit organisation based in California has been working for the betterment of Goa and Goans worldwide since 2000. FRANKEY FERNANDES contacted George Pinto of Goa Sudharop for more details about the organisation, its initiatives and mission
Goa Sudharop members George Pinto and Harriet Ferens at the pottery project in Goa.
Give us a brief sketch and mission of Goa Sudharop.
Goa Sudharop has been working tirelessly to improve the lives of ethnic Goans and to encourage Goans to fully get involved in the development of their homeland. Filomena Giese and I are the co-founders of Goa Sudharop in 2000 and we are based in California.
Our goal is to promote opportunities for those in need, especially women and children, and provide resources for people to become empowered individuals with the ability to chase their dreams and use the tools they need to build the life they want.
At Goa Sudharop, we support individuals through our various initiatives and are committed to working together to make difference. We welcome Goans of all castes, religions, gender, beliefs and offer everyone our support in their quest for respect, inclusion and search for identity. We oppose all discrimination, unjust and unequal treatment of any group based on these human differences.
What inspired your team to start the Goa Sudharop?
Ethnic Goans do not seem to have opportunities that others have, even in Goa. Ethnic Goans seem to be sidelined in business and other areas in Goa. Goa Sudharop hopes to create and identify opportunities for ethnic Goans to flourish.
What are the events and initiatives organised by Goa Sudharop?
Goa Sudharop has organised many events, programmes, workshops and forums over the years, ranging from the environment, education, children welfare, women's rights, disability rights, agricultural issues, etc.
At present, we continue to focus on our projects in Goa: The Farming Project, the Handloom Project, the Carpentry Project and the Pottery Project. These projects are to provide employment and skills to low-income women and men and give ethnic Goans an economic opportunity. Many students from schools, colleges and other Kunbi fabric lovers visit the loom.
What would be your message to Goans around the world, especially our youth?
Learn about our motherland, the sacrifice our ancestors made to preserve the land which is being indiscriminately sold today to non-Goans, for the sake of money and driven by greed. Soon, Goa as a separate state with its unique culture will be swallowed into India's vast mainland and there will be no unique Goa or Goan culture left.
We invite everyone to join Goa Sudharop on our board and as volunteers, to work for the common good of all Goans, to help us in preserving our Goan identity, heritage, and culture, and to save the rich environmental and natural resources of Goa for future generations. Anyone who wishes to volunteer with our NGO may please email our USA-based President Harriet Ferens (harrietferens@yahoo.co.uk) or Verma D'Mello (verma_dmello@yahoo.com) who is our Goa-based Executive Director.
Set up World Goa Day to unite Goan diaspora: Goa Sudharop
Stating that Goa Sudharop came up with the idea of World Goa Day, George Pinto, founder member of Goa Sudharop, said the World GOAN Network was established by Goa Sudharop in 2000 to bring together Goan organisations, associations, non-profits/NGOs, and individuals.
“The acronym G.O.A.N. stands for Goan Organisations Associations Network. It is the first and premier Goan network in the diaspora committed to bringing Goans together for the betterment of Goa and Goans. One of the first projects Goa Sudharop launched in 2000 was ‘World Goa Day, an idea mooted by Goa Sudharop co-founder Filomena Giese to bring Goans around the world together,” said Pinto.
“In the 1990s, one Goan organisation in the Gulf (GWS-Kuwait) had a local standalone fun-filled Goa Day celebration for its members. However, the idea of World Goa Day founded by Goa Sudharop is conceptually and organisationally very different to reach out to Goans and Goan organisations throughout the world.”
Pinto said the World Goa Day, as promoted and advanced by Goa Sudharop and envisioned by Filomena Giese, is to bring Goan organisations in the diaspora together to work for the betterment of Goa and Goans.
“The late Jorge de Abreu Noronha (Lisbon) suggested World Goa Day be held in August to commemorate Konkani being included in the Indian Constitution on August 20, 1992. Basilio Magno launched the song ‘Proud to be a Goan’ which helped internationalise this event,” said Pinto.
“We collaborated with others to reach out to Goan organisations to make this a worldwide celebration. Goa Sudharop set up and paid for the initial logo, website, and sent out promotional and awareness information to kick-start the event.”
“Later, an email group ‘World Goan Network’ was started. We encourage Goans to make this day a meaningful celebration, not just a day to sing, dance, party and picnic. We want World Goa Day to bring Goans together to work for the betterment of Goa and Goans as originally envisioned by us,” Pinto added.
He stated that over the years, hundreds of Goan organisations/associations, non-profit bodies/NGOs and thousands of individuals have worked for the betterment of Goa and Goans and have benefited by being able to tap into Goa Sudharop's resources (time, money, talent) consistent with our aims and objectives.
“We support groups celebrating World Goa Day consistent with our founding of the event. Goans are spread out throughout the world and we want to bring them together to work for Goa,” said Pinto.
