Welcome to the online home of Friends of Kolkata Australia, an incorporated, not-for-profit body formed in 2004 by volunteers. We are still entirely volunteer run and welcome new volunteers! We are a Melbourne-based organisation that arranges fundraising and educational activities on behalf of the Institute of Social Work (ISW), a non-government organisation in Kolkata, India. ISW seeks to protect childrens and womens rights by providing communities with access to education, vocational training, microcredit and health services, and by assisting women and children affected by family violence.

Over February and March 2009, six Friends of Kolkata volunteers led by two intrepid Friends of Kolkata volunteer leaders journeyed to Kolkata to participate in six weeks of community development work with past and present partner organisations. Equipped with a wide variety of skills and interests, the volunteers took part in diverse projects – from surveying the women’s shelter site to making didgeridoos and from painting banners of future dreams to running photography workshops.

Here, in the first of a series of stories that account their adventures, is the narrative of a scrumptious cooking project.

Thanks to the considerable efforts of Kelly and all the other members of the editorial and design teams, Friends of Kolkata Australia is thrilled to present our first ever annual report for your reading pleasure!

Inside you'll find the answer to 'What is Friends of Kolkata?', words from our non-governmental organisation partners in India, as well as the cold hard annual financial details. There are overviews of our major current projects: the Scholarships, Education and Volunteer Programmes as well as progress with the women's shelter. You can also read about Friends of Kolkata related news and see exactly what our future hopes and dreams are made of... enjoy!