The 17th building donated to the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trusts (WZOT) is expected to be ready in 2020, according to a newly printed brochure of the Trusts. Bequeathed to WZOT under the wills of late Navsari High Priest Dastur Kaikhushro Dastoor Meherjirana and his wife Mehroo, it will house six flats over three floors. Under their project for economy housing at Navsari, the Trusts have constructed 16 buildings having a total of 107 flats "given on leave and licence at very moderate licence fees to Zoroastrian families.”
The Trusts announced the inauguration of their 16th building in Navsari under their Economy Building Scheme on September 23, 2019. "The original building was donated to us by Hoshang and Rohinton Madon; funds for construction of the building were made available from the estate of Piloo N. Garda,” noted the Trusts’ Facebook page. Earlier this year, the Trusts had purchased, with financial assistance from the Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hongkong, Canton and Macao (ZCFHCM), a building near the Navsari Atash Behram for accommodation for mobeds, guest house facilities for families of priests in training, and Zoroastrian pilgrims to Navsari (see "Navsari’s new Center,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, May 21-June 6, 2019).
"The need to produce a brochure every alternate year is very important for trusts such as ours that depend on donations from institutions and individuals that enable us to actively continue to undertake public welfare causes,” communicated chairman Dinshaw Tamboly, in response to Parsiana’s follow-up questions. "Through our brochures, we share with donors, volunteers, supporters and well-wishers not only our many activities but also demonstrate to all that we are accountable, transparent, trustworthy and a wise investment.”
Clockwise from top r: Priests, senior citizens, rural communities, youth:
benefitting from the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trusts’ programs
Tamboly noted in an introduction to the brochure that the Trusts received donations of Rs 13.87 crores (USD 1.98 million) in the financial year (FY) 2018-19, of which ZCFHCM contributed 49%. "The mutual efforts of (ZCFHCM) and WZO Trust have been a significant and vital bond in alleviating poverty and assisting the destitute in India,” noted ZCFHCM chairman Neville Shroff in an email. Expressing delight at "the enduring relationship and philosophy of benevolence (that goes) back over 25 years of supporting the poor and needy,” Shroff noted that without Tamboly’s support "there would be much suffering and misery amongst our people.”
Under the credo of "giving youth a childhood,” WZOT supports young community members in the pursuit of higher education. "We support only those who are pursuing graduate and postgraduate courses,” Tamboly had told us earlier (see "Fulfilling promises,” Parsiana, January 21, 2019). WZOT’s programs for mobeds "encourages the next generation of priests” in collaboration with the Athornan Mandal, by "developing their leadership and counselling skills.” Their financial support program for mobeds and mobeds’ widows started in 2019 with funds mobilized by ZCFHCM has been extended for one more year (see "Mobeds’ relief renewed,” Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, September 21-October 6, 2019).
The Trusts have "multifarious programs which help us meet the needs of our Zarathushti brothers and sisters in the manner most relevant to them,” noted the brochure. Under their Farmer Rehabilitation Program, the Trusts "give farmers the necessary tools to increase productivity and yield” by financing pump sets, drilling wells and bore wells, levelling fields and providing equipment. Other programs include transforming huts of Zoroastrian families into cottages; mentoring and offering interest free loans to enable entrepreneurship and self employment; the running of two senior citizens’ homes and a sanatorium; distribution of food grains and household articles to the needy; financial assistance for relief of poverty.
Indian donors are eligible for donations under section 80G of the Income Tax Act. Two of their Trusts, the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust and the World Zoroastrian Trust Funds are eligible to receive foreign funds under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, notes the brochure.