Prerana Social Welfare Foundation

Prerana Social Welfare Foundation operates out of the Jaleswar Mandir Pada area, specifically at Ansuman Das’s place. It’s a very traditional neighborhood, and being near the temple means there is always a sense of community around us. You can often hear the temple bells in the morning when we’re just getting started with the day’s tasks. The office is really just a couple of rooms that Ansuman let us use for this work. We have a lot of local people dropping in just to chat or to see if there’s any way they can get involved with the welfare work. It’s not the kind of place where you need an appointment. If the light is on, someone is usually there to talk. We have a small porch where we sit sometimes when it’s not too hot. Most of our work involves local outreach, so we aren't always at our desks. We might be out in the neighborhood or over at the market. When we are inside, it’s mostly about writing things down and planning for the next community event. The walls have a few old photos and some calendars. It’s a comfortable, low-key environment. We don’t have fancy technology, just the basics to keep our records straight. It’s just us doing what we can for the people living around Jaleswar Mandir and trying to make the neighborhood a bit better for everyone.