26.2.2015: IT giant Google declared Govindalaya as one of the recipient of a Google Ad Grants award. The Google Ad Grants program supports registered non profit organizations that share Google’s philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts. Google Ad Grants is an in-kind advertising program that awards free online advertising to nonprofits via Google AdWords. Google has granted this award for the first time to an Odisha based organisation.
Govindalaya envisions improved quality of life through providing urban amenities for local people of KBK region which has been suffering lack of basic infrastructure, unemployment and food scarcity for ages. With the Google grant Govindalaya is hopeful to draw attention, resources and ideas from all over the world to help and empower people of KBK.
Shanmuga Patro, Founder and Chairman of Govindalaya says that number of people from KBK migrates to big cities – with intentions to pursue better life – leaving behind their land, age old occupations, sibling, children and parents to face destiny. Lives of their loved ones left behind have been torn apart due to lack of basic infrastructure, employment, education and food. Extremist elements have trickled in and are now exploiting talented but hapless youth thereby discouraging farmers to cultivate, doctors to practice, school teachers to effectively run schools, and industrialists to set up industry in this region. People’s hope for future is sinking as their aspirations are getting systematically killed. Government programmes and few other Non-Government Organisation’s activities to ameliorate human conditions in the region is in need of urgent augmentation. Govindalaya educates people about needs of KBK region, connects people and institutions with causes of KBK; garners knowledge, ideas and funds and strides towards its set goals. In the process it creates scope for employment for some and voluntary engagement for some.
