“Much work to do”

The World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust and its affiliated bodies — WZO Trust Funds and WZO Trust for Women and Children disbursed Rs 8.75 crores (USD 1.36 mn) as aid in the financial year April 2016 to March 2017 and served over 2,300 beneficiaries. A statement attached to a letter dated June 1, 2017 from trustee Farzana Mojgani to donors, friends and wellwishers of the three trusts details the significant projects undertaken by them.

Dinshaw Tamboly; cover of brochure

Medical relief to 363 beneficiaries accounted for Rs 2.17 crores (USD 337,000) or 25% of the total spend. "We expect to cater to the same number of individuals in the current year,” notes their brochure "Connecting the Community.” Relief of poverty totaling Rs 2.09 crores (USD 325,000) accounted for another 24% of their disbursement, enabling them to reach out to 779 beneficiaries. "We provide food grains and other essentials to 200 families,” notes the brochure, stating that in addition, 400 families are supported by quarterly disbursements.
Under their self employment project, the three trusts assist with interest free loans as well as mentorship. Opportunities for deserving candidates include air conditioning servicing, play groups, catering, auto rickshaws, among others. Forty-four beneficiaries availed of Rs 1.02 crores (USD 158,000) under these schemes, accounting for the third highest head of expenditure at 12%. The trusts expended Rs 92.72 lakhs (USD 144,000) on the running of the Bai Maneckbai P. B. Jeejeebhoy Senior Citizens Center and the Dolat and Hormusji Vandrewala Senior Citizens Center where reside 55 senior citizens.
In addition to the above major heads of expenditure, the trusts assisted 135 students with support towards education and 67 full-time mobeds with financial incentives. Their rural housing project, under which huts are replaced with brick and mortar housing, involves an expense of Rs 500,000 per replacement, states their brochure.
"The journey is far from over,” notes chairman Dinshaw Tamboly in his address in the brochure. "In a world that’s constantly under strife and hostility, we still have much work to do,” he notes. Besides Tamboly and Mojgani, the following are co-trustees: Bachi Tamboly, Farokh Kasad, Dara Deboo and Parvez Italia.