About MESKP
What is MESKP?
Mahila Evam Shishu Kalyan Parishad (MESKP) is a voluntary organisation working since 1984 for women, children and the rural poor of flood-prone north Bihar.
When was MESKP founded?
In 1984 in Darbhanga district, Bihar. MESKP was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 on 15 January 1988.
Where do you work?
We work in 42 villages of Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur districts, from our base in Kathalia village, Darbhanga.
Why do you focus on north Bihar?
For three to four months every year, floods cut off livelihoods, push families to migrate and pull children out of school. Our work answers that cycle with education, skills, savings and a greener village.
What are your main programmes?
Build a School, Women's Empowerment through self-help groups, Skill Development, the One Million Tree Plantation and Teachers' Training. We also hold community health camps.
Who leads MESKP?
MESKP is led by its Secretary, Shamim Ahmad, together with its managing committee.
How can I contact you?
Call +91 94308 83371 or email mail@meskp.org. Our head office is at Vill. + P.O. Kathalia, Via-Singhwara, Darbhanga, Bihar 847123.
Donations
How can I donate?
Use the Donate button on any page to give online. You can give to a specific campaign or where it's needed most.
Can I choose where my gift goes?
Yes. Choose Build a School, Gift a Poor Kid or Gift a Tree, or choose 'Where it's needed most'.
What does my gift pay for?
₹500 a month keeps one child in school with fees, uniform, books and stationery. ₹6,000 a year pays for a full year of school for one child.
Can I give monthly?
Yes. Choose Monthly when you donate.
Is it safe to donate online?
Yes. Payments are processed securely by Razorpay, and you can pay by UPI, card or net banking. MESKP never sees your card or bank details.
Can my employer match my gift?
Many of our supporters give through employee-giving and company-match programmes, through Online Giving Foundation and UK Giving Foundation. Employees of companies such as Dell, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM and Salesforce have supported our work this way. Ask your employer whether it runs a matching programme.
Can my company give through CSR?
Yes. We work with companies on CSR projects in education, health, women's livelihoods and the environment. Write to Farhad at farhad@meskp.org, or see our Partner with us page.
Can I donate from outside India?
MESKP is registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, so we can receive foreign contributions through our designated FCRA account. Please do not use the online form: email mail@meskp.org first and we will send the details.
80G and tax receipts
Is my donation tax-exempt?
Yes. MESKP is registered under Sections 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act, so donations are eligible for tax exemption under Section 80G.
What are your registration numbers for tax?
80G: AAAAM2303DF20214. 12A: AAAAM2303DE20214. PAN: AAAAM2303D.
What do I need to give for an 80G receipt?
Your full name, postal address and PAN. Tick “I want an 80G tax receipt” on the donation form and enter them there.
How do I get my receipt?
We email your receipt as soon as your online payment goes through. Your certificate of donation (Form 10BE) follows once we file our yearly donor statement.
Accounts and transparency
How is my donation used?
76% of all our spending goes directly to programmes. Build a School is our largest programme.
Are your accounts audited?
Yes. Our accounts, including our FCRA account, are audited by Mishra Satyendra & Co., Chartered Accountants, Patna. The audit of our latest accounts found that they give a true and fair view.
Is MESKP registered with the government?
Yes. MESKP is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), Sections 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act, and on NITI Aayog's NGO Darpan portal. Our registration numbers are listed at the foot of every page.
Will I hear how my gift was used?
Yes. We send every donor a report on what their gift paid for.
Can I read your annual report?
Our annual reports set out where our money came from and where it went. Email mail@meskp.org for a copy.
Our programmes
What is Build a School?
Build a School is India's first chain of free schools. We keep 2,450 children in school across 40 government and community schools, and more than 65 children learn free of cost at our Kathalia campus.
How do you choose which children to support?
With our volunteers, we visit schools and families to find children aged 3 to 15 who are at risk of dropping out. We then cover what keeps them away: fees, uniforms, books and stationery.
What happens at the Kathalia campus?
Free pre-primary and primary classes with play-based learning, art and activity days, and term tests to track each child's progress.
How do your self-help groups work?
Each group of about 12 women meets regularly, saves together and is linked to bank credit and government schemes. 920 women in 76 self-help groups take part.
What skills do young people learn?
At our Computer Vocational Training Centre in Darbhanga, young people and women learn basic computers, MS Office, internet use, digital payments, data entry and typing, and sewing and cutting. 260 people have trained with us and 212 have earned a certificate.
What does Gift a Tree do?
We are working toward one million trees in Bihar. We have planted and cared for 30,000 saplings on village land, school grounds, roadsides and homesteads. Every Gift a Tree donor receives a certificate and the location of their trees.
Volunteering
Where can I volunteer?
In the villages around Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur in Bihar, and with our volunteers in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
What do volunteers do?
Volunteers visit schools and families with our team to find children at risk of leaving school, meet parents, help at activity days at our Kathalia campus and plant trees.
How do I sign up?
Fill in the form on our Volunteer page. Our team will contact you and match you with a role and a place.
Give your time
Visit families, help at our Kathalia campus or plant trees with us. Our volunteers work in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Delhi and Bengaluru.